Yet you, Athenians, with larger means than any people--ships, infantry, cavalry, and revenue--have never up to this day made proper use of any of them; and your war with Philip differs in no respect from the boxing of barbarians.
Demosthenes: “Yet you, Athenians, with larger means than any people--ships, infantry, cavalry, and revenue--have never up to this day…”
Editor's note · Context
In a speech criticizing Athenian military strategy against Philip, on the misuse of national resources.
Share
More from Demosthenes
I say, you must either desist from these practices, or blame none but yourselves for the wretched condition of your affairs.
Such is the truth, spoken with perfect freedom, purely from good-will and for the best: not a speech fraught with flattery and mischief and deceit, to earn money for the speaker, and to put the commonwealth into the hands of our enemies.
He is convinced, you will not submit to be slaves; if you were inclined, you would not know how, having been accustomed to command: you will be able, should occasion offer, to give him more trouble than any people in the world.
For the riches of a state I consider to be allies, confidence, good-will; of all which you are destitute.





