Page:A History of Ancient Greek Literature.djvu/390

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366 LITERATURE OF ANCIENT GREECE ambassadors. He appeared in festal attire on hearing of Philip's assassination, though he had just lost his only daughter. In the prelude to the last war, Philip's action was often the more correct, as was that of another Philip in dealing with William of Orange. In Demosthenes's private speech-writing we are struck by one odd change of front. In 350 he wrote for Phormio against Apollodorus in a matter of the great Bank with which they were both connected, and won his case. Next year he wrote for Apollodorus, prosecuting one of his own previous witnesses, Stephanus, for perjury, and making a violent attack on Phormio's character. The probability is that Demosthenes had made dis- coveries about his previous client which caused him to regret that he had ever supported him — among them, perhaps, the discovery that Stephanus was giving false evidence. The only external fact bearing on the problem is the coincidence that in the same year Apollodorus, at some personal risk, proposed the measure on which Demosthenes had set his heart — the use of the Festival Fund for war purposes — and that he remained afterwards attached to Demosthenes. The Midias case is a clear instance of the subordination of private dignity to public interest. Midias was a close friend of Eubulus, and had both persecuted and assaulted Demosthenes when he was Choregus at the great Dionysia. Demosthenes pre- pared to take action, and wrote the vehement speech which we possess {Against Mtdias), in which he declares that nothing will satisfy him but the utmost rigour of the law. But meantime there arose the negotiations for the peace of 346, and Demosthenes had to act in concert with Eubulus. He accepted an apology and compensa- tion, and let the matter drop.