It must then be our care, Athenians, that we are not more unkind to ourselves than circumstances have been; as it would be a foul, a most foul reproach, to have abandoned not only cities and places that once belonged to us, but also the allies and advantages provided by fortune.
Demosthenes urges Athenians to act decisively to avoid further self-inflicted losses and preserve their remaining territories and alliances against Philip.
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True, when a confederacy subsists by good-will, and all parties to the war have a common interest, men are willing to co-operate and bear hardships and persevere.
The present juncture, Athenians, all but proclaims aloud, that you must yourselves take these affairs in hand, if you care for their success.
If it be his principle, ever to do more than he has done, and yours, to apply yourselves vigorously to nothing, see what the end promises to be.
There is the insult too, and the disgrace of the thing, worse than any damage to right-thinking men.
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