Demosthenes joined in the flight from Chmronea, not, as his enemies have affirmed, without some disgrace ; but at the funeral ceremony fur those also fell lie was called upon to pronounce the customary oration (which however has been decided not to be that which goes under this name), and he resumed his placo at the head of the govern. ment. Ile became victual-provider for the oity, superintended the repairs of the fortification; and was proceeding with his usual vigour in prosecuting his political schemes, when uews catno that Philip had been assassinated, July sac. 336. The conduct of Demosthenes on this occasion, as reported by Plutarch and sEschines, has sometimes fur.
nished a subject for strong animadversion. He is said to have appeared in a white robe, althea& his daughter wasjust dead, and he or hie friends proposed honours to the memory of the assassin of Philip. As to the first of these charges, it may be said in his defence that it only indicates bow completely devoted he was to the cause of his country, even to the exclusion in a great degree of private affections.
On the accession of Alexander, Demosthenes persevered in his decided opposition to Macedon. Alexander's first employment, after his election as stateholder by the Amphictyonic league, was to quell an insurrection in the northern and western provinces of Macedonia. While he was absent a report of his death was spread at Thebes, which revolted from the confederacy. Demosthenes (Plutarch) funned the flame of this insurrection, and, on Alexander's sudden appearance before Thebes, Demosthenes was appointed to confer with him ; but ho went only to the borders of Attica. As Alexander demanded his person immediately after the destruction of Thebes, together with nine other Athenians, on the pretext of trying them as traitors, it is most probable that, when he was sent on the mission to Thebes, he had reason to fear some act of violence if he put hinufelf in the power of Macedon. Demades, a man as high in point of intellect as he was debased in morals, was the negociator in his place, and by some means or other contrived to save Demosthenes. Plutarch relates (' Life of Phocion ') that a hribe was given to Demades to persuade him to exertion in behalf of Demosthenes, but it is hardly probable.
Dnring Alexander's Persian expedition Demosthenes had to sustain an attack from his old rival zEschines. He defended himself from the charges brought against him [rEscussa's] in the oration called that ' On the Crown. But we hear little of him as a public man. lie probably considered that, at a time when the chief enemy of the liberties of Greece was employed in schemes most likely to conduce to her welfare, from the ruinous effect they promised to produce on the strength of Macedonia, any measures likely to recall Alexander from Asia would only be the means of binding still faster those chains which it had been his own constant aim to loosen.
The only affair of moment in which Demosthenes was at this time engaged was occasioned by the treachery of Harpalus, one of Alexan der's generals, who had been left governor of Babylon when Alexander proceeded on his Indian expedition. Harpalus, having grossly abused his tract, fled to Europe on the return of Alexander, accompanied by 6000 Greek soldiers. Ile came to Athens as a euppliant, and engaged the orators to support him. All but Demosthenes espoused his cause with readiness, and he at last concurred, not without suspicion of bribery. (Plutarch.) The Athenians however refused to listen to his proposal of organising a movement against Alexander, and prosecuted Demosthenes for recommending measures not for the good of the state. Ile was fined fifty talents by the Areopagus, and being unable or unwilling to pay this sum, retired to 11.1gina and Trcezene, where Ito remained from D.C. 324 till the death of Alexander, which occurred in the following year. Immediately ou the news of that event he renewed hia opposition to Macedon, even before his recall, which Plutarch says was owing to this conduct. He was recalled by a decree of the people ; and a trireme was sent to sEgiva to carry him back to Athens, his ',repairs front the port to the city being a ountinuous triumph.
During the Lamian war he presided at Athens, and when Antipater defeated the confederate Greek; and searched upon the city, Demos thenes, as the prime mover of the confederacy, judged it prudent to withdraw to Calauria, n little island opposite Travis's; where he took refuge In a temple of Poseidon. Macedonian messengers were sent to icrsuade him to accompany them to Antipater, but he resisted all their entreaties. Plutarch, from whom this account is taken, says that he retired into the inner part of the temple under pretence of writing a letter, and while there took poison, which he had for some time carried about his person, and died before lie could get out of the temple. Another account, which Plutarch also gives as coming from one of Demosithemie friends, is, that " by the singular favour and providence of the gods use was thus rescued from the barbarous cruelty of the Macedonians ;" in other words, that he died of some sudden attack brought on by the anxiety and disappointments of the last few weeks of his life.