Volume II Part 13 (1/2)

-- 79. _to the Peloponnese_, in 344 (see Introd. to Second Philippic): _to Euboea_ in 343-2 (see Introd. to Speech on Emba.s.sy); _to Oreus_, &c., in 341 (see Introd. to this Speech).

-- 82. _as their patron_, i.e. as consul (or official patron) of Oreus in Athens. See n. on Speech for Rhodians, -- 15. civil rights. See vol. i, p.

52.

-- 83. _this was already the second proclamation_: i.e. the proclamation in accordance with the decree of Aristonicus. It is indeed just possible that the reference is to the proposal of Ctesiphon, 'for this is now the second proclamation,' &c. If so, we should have to a.s.sume that the proclamation under the decree of Demomeles in 338 was prevented by the disaster of Chaeroneia. But the first sentence of -- 120 is against this (see Goodwin's edition _ad loc_.).

-- 94. _inconsiderate conduct_: i.e. in joining the revolt of the Athenian allies in 356.

-- 96. _when the Spartans_, &c. The section refers to the events of 395.

_Deceleian War_: i.e. the last part of the Peloponnesian War (413-404 B.C.), when Deceleia (in Attica) was occupied by the Spartans.

-- 99. _Thebans... Euboea_: in 358 or 357. See Speech for Megalopolitans, -- 14 n.

-- 100. _Oropus_. See Speech for Megalopolitans, Section 11 n.

_I was one_. Demosthenes was, in fact, co-trierarch with Philinus (Speech against Meidias, -- 161).

-- 102. See Speech on Naval Boards (with Introd. and notes), and n. on Olynthiac II, -- 29.

_obtaining exemption_. The undertaking of the trierarchy conferred exemption from other burdens for the year, and (conversely) no one responsible for another public burden need be trierarch. The leaders of the Taxation Boards referred to in -- 103 are probably not (as generally supposed) the richest men in the _Naval_ Boards [Footnote: They may indeed have been so, but it was in virtue of their function as leading members of the Hundred Boards (for collecting the war tax) that they were grouped together as the Three Hundred.] (responsible for trierarchy), but those in the Hundred Boards responsible for the war tax. In each of these Boards there was a leader, a 'second', and a 'third', and these, all together, are almost certainly identical with the 'Three Hundred' responsible for advancing the sum due. When these were already advancing the war tax, they became exempt from trierarchy, and their poorer colleagues in the Naval Boards (to which of course they also belonged) had to bear the burden without them. But under Demosthenes' law the trierarchic payment was required from all alike, in strict proportion to their valuation as entered for the purposes of the war tax; and the Three Hundred (the leaders, seconds, and thirds) were no longer exempted. (This explains their anxiety to get the law shelved.) Even in years when they were not exempt, before Demosthenes' law was pa.s.sed, they only paid a very small share in proportion to their wealth, since all the members of each Naval Board paid the same sum. It appears, however, that (though the Three Hundred as such cannot be shown to have had any office in connexion with the trierarchy) the richer men in the Naval Boards arranged the contracts for the work of equipment, and that when they had contracted that the work should be done (e.g.) for a talent, they sometimes recovered the whole talent from their poorer colleagues. (Speech against Meidias, -- 155.)

-- 103. _lie under sworn notice_, &c. ([Greek: en hupomosia]). One who intended to indict the proposer of a law for illegality had probably to give sworn notice of his intention, and the suggestion made to Demosthenes was that when such notice had been given, he should let the law drop.

-- 105. _the decree_, &c.: i.e. either a decree suspending the law until the indictment should be heard, or one ordering the trial on the indictment to be held.

-- 107. _no trierarch_, &c. A trierarch who thought the burden too heavy for him could appeal against it by laying a branch on the altar in the Pnyx, or by taking sanctuary in the Temple of Artemis at Munychia. A dilatory or recalcitrant trierarch could be arrested by order of the ten commissioners ([Greek: apostuleis]) who const.i.tuted a sort of Admiralty Board.

-- 111. _the laws_, &c. The laws alleged to have been violated were copied out, and accompanied the indictment. With regard to the laws in the present case, see Goodwin's edition, pp. 313-6.

-- 114. _Nausides_ was sent to oppose Philip at Thermopylae in 352 (see Introd. to First Philippic). Diotimus had a command at sea in 338, and his surrender was demanded by Alexander in 335, as was also that of Charidernus (see n. on Olynthiac III, -- 5), who had now been a regular Athenian general for many years, and had been sent to a.s.sist Byzantium in 340 (see Speech against Aristocrates, _pa.s.sim_).

-- 121. _h.e.l.lebore_: supposed in antiquity to cure madness.

-- 122. _reveller on a cart_, e.g. on the second day of the Anthesteria, when masked revellers rode in wagons and a.s.sailed the bystanders with abusive language. Such ceremonial abuse was perhaps originally supposed to have power to avert evil, and occurs in primitive ritual all over the world.

-- 125. _the statutable limit_. There was a limit of time (differing according to the alleged offence) after which no action could be brought.

Demosthenes could not now be prosecuted for any of the offences with which Aeschines charged him.

-- 127. _Aeacus_, &c.: the judges of the dead in Hades, according to popular legend.

_scandal-monger_. The Greek word ([Greek: spermologos]) is used primarily of a small bird that pecks up seeds, and hence of a person who picks up petty gossip. (In Acts xvii. 18 it is the word which is applied to St.

Paul, and translated 'this babbler'.)

_an old band in the market-place_: i.e. a rogue. A clerk would perhaps often be found in the offices about the market-place; or the reference may be to the market-place as a centre of gossip.

_O Earth_, &c. Demosthenes quotes from the peroration of Aeschines'

speech.