PHILIP AT PHERAE. 409 were endeavoring to enlist him in their cause against Thebes. Wishing to isolate the Phokians from such support, Philip rnacta many tempting promises to the Lacedaemonian envoys; who, on their side, came to open quarrel, and indulged in open menace, against those of Thebes. 1 Such was the disgraceful auc-.ion, wherein these once great states, in prosecution of their mutual an- tipathies, bartered away to a foreign prince the dignity of the Hellenic name and the independence of the Hellenic world ; 2 fol- lowing the example set by Sparta in her applications to the Great King, during the latter years of the Peloponnesian war, and at the peace of Antalkidas. Amidst such a crowd of humble petitioners and expectants, all trembling to offend him, with the aid too of ^Eschines, Philokrates, and the other Athenian envoys who con- sented to play his game, Philip had little difficulty in keeping alive the hopes of all, and preventing the formation of any com- mon force or decisive resolution to resist him. 3 After completing his march southward through Thessaly, he reached Phera; near the Pagasaean Gulf, at the head of a power- ful army of Macedonians and allies. The Phokian envoys accom- panied his march, and were treated, if not as friends, at least in such manner as to make it appear doubtful whether Philip was going to attack the Phokians or the Thebans. 4 It was at Pherae 1 Demosthen. Fals. Leg. p. 365. roiif AaKedaifiovio ra npdyfiaTa vTToax6/j.vof Trpuf i> eiceivoif, etc. jEschines, Fals. Leg. p. 46. c. 41. AaKedai/j.ovioi de ov ~ia Oyfiaioif itrpeafJevov, Kal TehevTuvTEg TrpoaeKpovov ^ave .al 6iTj7rci?iOVv rolg TUV Qijflaiuv irpeafleciv ;
- This thought is strikingly presented by Justin (viii. 4), probably from
Theopompus "Fcedum prorsus miserandumque spectaculum, Graeciam, etiam nunc et viribus et dignitnte orbis ten-arum principem, regum certo ^cntiumque semper victricem ct multarum. adhuc urbium dominam, alienis cxcubare sedibus, aut rogantem bellum aut deprecantem : in alterius ope omnem spem posuisse orbis terrarum vindices ; eoque discordia sua civili- busque bellis redactos, ut adulcntur ultro sordidam paulo ante clientele sua partem : et haec potissimum facere Thebanos Lacedaemoniosque, antea inter se imperii, nunc gratiae impcrantis, aemulos." 3 Justin, viii. 4. 4 Demosth. Philipp. iii. p. 113. TOVTO 6' elf 4>c,;Keaf uf irpbf cvpftuxovf vjropeiifro, Kai npsa,3etf $UKE<JV rjaav ol napijtcoTiovdovv aiirC) TropEvo/j.evCf) vat Trap' TJ/UV 7/ptfov 7roA/lo<, Qij/Saio/c ov 2,vaiTAJ]aeiv TTJV txeivov irupoiov Tlie vords Trap' i]/j.lv denote the Athenian envoys (of whom Demos then es v OL. xi. 35
