Demosthenes seems to have been actuated all through his political life by the strongest passion to promote the intercede of lila native state ; and if he only delayed the fate of his country he did what no 'no else seems to have attempted. It is the highest praise of his prudence and foresight that all his political predictions wore verified ; WI he distinctly foresaw, it was the influence of Macedon, and not internal dissension, which destroyed the 'sovereign and independent political commuoltias of Greece. Those who expect to find in his style of oratory the fervid and impassioned language of a man carried away by his feelings to the prejudice of his judgment, will he disap. pointed. Ho is said not to have been a ready speaker, and to have required preparation. All his orations bear the marks of an effort to convince the understanding rather than to work on the passions of his hearers. And this is the highest praise. Men may be persuaded by splendid imagery, well-chosen words, and appeals to their passions ; but to convince by a calm and clear address, when the speaker has no unfair advantages of person or of manner, and calla to his aid none of the tricks of rhetoric,—this is what Cicero calls the oratory of Demos thenes, the ideal model of true eloquence. (' Orations,' c. 7.) Moat of the speeches of Demostheuea on political affairs, as we now possess them, are laboured compositions, which have evidently been frequently corrected by the author before he brought them into that state in which they now appear. Notwithstanding the easy flow of the lan guage, the art and industry of the orator are risible In almost every line ; and in nothing are they mere apparent than iu the admirable skill by which he makes almost every period produce its effect, and in the well-judged antithesis which gives such force and precision to his expression, that it seems as if no other words and no other order of words could be so appropriate as those which he has chosen. The style of many of the orations on civil matters which were delivered before the courts of justice, is very different ; there is an air of easy negligence about them, and an absence of that laboured accuracy which characterises his other compositions. It is not unusual to find sentences that might be called grammatically incorrect. But these orations are invaluable as specimens of what we now call stating a case, and well worth the attentive study of those who would make themselves acquainted with the social condition of Athena at that time.
The orations of Demosthenes may be divided into two great classes, political and judicial, and this last again into those delivered in public and those in private causes—the distinction between public and private causes being roughly that which in English law exists between criminal and civil cases.
Those of the first class which are extant were delivered in the following order ;—The oration on the Symmoriat, D.C. 354; for the Megalopolitans, n.c. 353 ; the 1st Philippic, sac. 352; for the Rhodium, n.c. 351; the three Olynthiacs, also called the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Philippics, n.c. 349; the 5th Philippic (which forma part of the 1st in our present copies), n o. 347; the 6th Philippic, also called the
oration on the Peace, B.C. 340; the 7th Philippic, B.C. 344; the 8th Philippic, also called the oration concerning lialonnesus, n.e. 343 ; the 9th Philippic, also called the oration on the Chersoneans, the 10th and I lth Philippics (also called the 3rd and 4th), all iu u.c. 341 ; • the 12th Philippic, also called the oration against the Letter, B.C. 339 ; the Funeral oration, n.c. 338 ; and the oration on the treaty with Alexander, after D.C. 334. Of these, that concerning Halonnetins, the 11th Philippic, also called the 4th. and that against the Letter, are decided to be of doubtful authority, as is also the oration on the Contribution (xfpl auvrcitteer), which is of doubtful date, that on the treaty with Alexander, and the Funeral oration.
Of the first division in the second class, wo find those against Androtion and Leptines, n.c. 355; that against Tianocrates, n.c. 353; that against Aristocmtes, n.e. 352; that against Midas, n.c. 348 ; that on Malversation in the Embassy, B.C. 343 ; that against Newel, about B.C. 340; that against Theocrinea, after n.c. 336 ; the two against Aristogiton, after n.c. 333; that on the Crown, n.c. 330. Those who are curious respecting the date of the last-mentioned orations, may refer to Clinton (‘ Festi Hellen.; p. 301), from whom these data are taken.
Of the second division are the three tigainst Aphobus, the two against Onetor, and that Against Callippua, all in n.c. 364; those Against Polycles, and on the Naval Crown, after n.c. 361 ; that against Tilnotheu.s, before n.c. 351; that against Eucrgua and Mnesibulus, after n.c. 85G; that against Zenothernis, after n.c. 355 ; those against Meatus and for l'horinio, n.c. 350; the two against Stephanns, before tic. 343 ; that against Bccotua about the dowry, itc.347 ; that against Pautrenetus, after tic. 347; that against Eubulides, after n c. 316; that against Conon, after u.c. 313; that Against Olympiodorus, after n.e. 343 ; that in the cause of l'hormio, after B.C. 336 ; that against Dionysodorns, after tic. 331. To there must be added, that against Apaturius; that in the cause of Lnoritus; that against Nanaimachus tad Xeno?ithes; those against Spudiae, Phrenippus, Macartatile, Leochares, Nicostratus, and Callicles. Of these in the second class doubts are entertained regarding the authenticity of those against Nesera, Theocrinea, Aristogiton, Onctor, Timothous, Euergue and Idnessibulus, Stephanus, Enbulides, Plernippus, and Nicostratus ; but of these Schaumann decides for those against Timothous and Eubulides.
The orations of Demosthenes were edited ton timea in the 16th century, and twice in the 17th. They have been re-edited by Taylor. Reinke, the Abbii Auger, Schrefer, Bekker, and Dindorf. The text of Bekker, which is now the standard, is founded on a careful collation of tho manuscripts. Of separate orations, V. A. Wolf has given an edition of that against Leptines ; ltiidiger of that on the Peale, of the first Philippic. and the three Olynthiacs; Buttman and Blume of the Midas: and Vannes] of the Philippiea.
The orations of Demosthenes and sEschines were translated into