Editing Demosthenes (section)

====Second and Third Philippics (344–341&nbsp;BC)====
{{further|Second Philippic|On the Chersonese|Third Philippic}}
[[File:Gallipoli peninsula from space.png|thumb|Satellite image of the Thracian Chersonese and the surrounding area. The Chersonese became the focus of a bitter territorial dispute between Athens and Macedon. It was eventually ceded to Philip in 338&nbsp;BC.]]
In 344&nbsp;BC Demosthenes travelled to the [[Peloponnese]], to detach as many cities as possible from Macedon's influence, but his efforts were generally unsuccessful.<ref name="PhilippicII19">Demosthenes, ''Second Philippic'', [[s:The Public Orations of Demosthenes/Philippic II#6:19|19.]]</ref> Most of the Peloponnesians saw Philip as the guarantor of their freedom and sent a joint embassy to Athens to express their grievances against Demosthenes' activities.<ref name="Buckley">T. Buckley, ''Aspects of Greek History 750–323 BC,'' 480.</ref> In response, Demosthenes delivered the ''[[Second Philippic]]'', a vehement attack against Philip. In 343&nbsp;BC Demosthenes delivered ''[[On the False Embassy]]'' against Aeschines, who was facing a charge of high treason. Nonetheless, Aeschines was acquitted by the narrow margin of thirty votes by a jury which may have numbered as many as 1,501.<ref>Pseudo-Plutarch, ''Aeschines,'' 840c<br />* D. M. MacDowell, ''Demosthenes the Orator'', ch. 12 ''(in fine)''.</ref>

In 343&nbsp;BC, Macedonian forces were conducting campaigns in [[Epirus]] and, in 342&nbsp;BC, Philip campaigned in Thrace.<ref name="PhilippicIII17">Demosthenes, ''Third Philippic'', [[s:The Public Orations of Demosthenes/Philippic III#9:17|17.]]</ref> He also negotiated with the Athenians an amendment to the Peace of Philocrates.<ref name="Halonnesus18">Demosthenes (or Hegesippus), ''On Halonnesus,'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0070%3Aspeech%3D7%3Asection%3D18 18–23] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520150250/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0070%3Aspeech%3D7%3Asection%3D18 |date=20 May 2012 }}<br />* D.M. MacDowell, ''Demosthenes the Orator'', ch. 13.</ref> When the Macedonian army approached [[Thracian Chersonese|Chersonese]] (now known as the [[Gallipoli Peninsula]]), an Athenian general named [[Diopeithes]] ravaged the maritime district of Thrace, thereby inciting Philip's rage. Because of this turbulence, the Athenian Assembly convened. Demosthenes delivered ''[[On the Chersonese]]'' and convinced the Athenians not to recall Diopeithes. Also in 342&nbsp;BC, he delivered the ''[[Third Philippic]]'', which is considered to be the best of his political orations.<ref name="Tsatsos245">K. Tsatsos, ''Demosthenes'', 245.</ref> Using all the power of his eloquence, he demanded resolute action against Philip and called for a burst of energy from the Athenian people. He told them that it would be "better to die a thousand times than pay court to Philip".<ref>Demosthenes, ''Third Philippic'', [[s:The Public Orations of Demosthenes/Philippic III#9:65|65]]<br />* D. M. MacDowell, ''Demosthenes the Orator'', ch. 13.</ref> Demosthenes now dominated Athenian politics and was able to considerably weaken the pro-Macedonian faction of Aeschines.