Editing Demosthenes (section)

====Battle of Chaeronea (338&nbsp;BC)====
{{details|Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC)}}
[[File:Chaeronea map.png|thumb|right|The battle of Chaeronea took place in the autumn of 338&nbsp;BC and resulted in a significant victory for Philip, who established Macedon's supremacy over the Greek cities.]]
In 341&nbsp;BC Demosthenes was sent to [[Byzantium]], where he sought to renew its alliance with Athens. Thanks to Demosthenes' diplomatic manoeuvres, [[Abydos, Hellespont|Abydos]] also entered into an alliance with Athens. These developments worried Philip and increased his anger at Demosthenes. The Assembly, however, laid aside Philip's grievances against Demosthenes' conduct and denounced the peace treaty; so doing, in effect, amounted to an official declaration of war. In 339&nbsp;BC Philip made his last and most effective bid to conquer southern Greece, assisted by Aeschines' stance in the [[Amphictyonic League|Amphictyonic Council]]. During a meeting of the council, Philip accused the [[Amfissa|Amfissian]] [[Locrians]] of intruding on consecrated ground. The presiding officer of the council, a Thessalian named Cottyphus, proposed the convocation of an Amphictyonic Congress to inflict a harsh punishment upon the Locrians. Aeschines agreed with this proposition and maintained that the Athenians should participate in the Congress.<ref name="On the Crown151">Demosthenes, ''On the Crown'', [[s:The Public Orations of Demosthenes/On the Crown#18:149|149]], [[s:The Public Orations of Demosthenes/On the Crown#18:150|150]], [[s:The Public Orations of Demosthenes/On the Crown#18:151|151]]<br /> * C. Carey, ''Aeschines'', 7–8.</ref> Demosthenes however reversed Aeschines' initiatives and Athens finally abstained.<ref name="CareyI">C. Carey, ''Aeschines'', 7–8, 11.</ref> After the failure of a first military excursion against the Locrians, the summer session of the Amphictyonic Council gave command of the league's forces to Philip and asked him to lead a second excursion. Philip decided to act at once; in the winter of 339–338&nbsp;BC, he passed through Thermopylae, entered Amfissa and defeated the Locrians. After this significant victory, Philip swiftly entered Phocis in 338&nbsp;BC. He then turned south-east down the [[Cephissus (Athenian plain)|Cephissus]] valley, seized [[Elateia]], and restored the fortifications of the city.<ref name="On the Crown152">Demosthenes, ''On the Crown'', [[s:The Public Orations of Demosthenes/On the Crown#18:152|152]]<br />* K. Tsatsos, ''Demosthenes'', 283; H. Weil, ''Biography of Demosthenes'', 41–42.</ref>

At the same time, Athens orchestrated the creation of an alliance with [[Euboea]], [[Megara]], [[Achaea]], [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]], [[Acarnania]] and other states in the Peloponnese. However the most desirable ally for Athens was Thebes. To secure their allegiance, Demosthenes was sent by Athens, to the [[Boeotia]]n city; Philip also sent a deputation, but Demosthenes succeeded in securing Thebes' allegiance.<ref name="On the Crown153">Demosthenes, ''On the Crown'', [[s:The Public Orations of Demosthenes/On the Crown#18:153|153]]<br />* K. Tsatsos, ''Demosthenes'', 284–285; H. Weil, ''Biography of Demosthenes'', 41–42.</ref> Demosthenes' oration before the Theban people is not extant and, therefore, the arguments he used to convince the Thebans remain unknown. In any case, the alliance came at a price: Thebes' control of Boeotia was recognised, Thebes was to command solely on land and jointly at sea, and Athens was to pay two thirds of the campaign's cost.<ref name="Rhodes317">P.J. Rhodes, ''A History of the Classical World'', 317.</ref>

While the Athenians and the Thebans were preparing themselves for war, Philip made a final attempt to appease his enemies, proposing in vain a new peace treaty.<ref name="Pl18">Plutarch, ''Demosthenes,'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0039%3Achapter%3D18%3Asection%3D3 18.3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520104415/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0039%3Achapter%3D18%3Asection%3D3 |date=20 May 2012 }}<br />* K. Tsatsos, ''Demosthenes'', 284–285.</ref> After a few trivial encounters between the two sides, which resulted in minor Athenian victories, Philip drew the [[Phalanx formation|phalanx]] of the Athenian and Theban confederates into a plain near [[Chaeronea]], where he defeated them. Demosthenes fought as a mere [[hoplite]].{{Ref label|I|i|none}} Such was Philip's hatred for Demosthenes that, according to [[Diodorus Siculus]], the King after his victory sneered at the misfortunes of the Athenian statesman. However, the Athenian orator and statesman [[Demades]] is said to have remarked: "O King, when Fortune has cast you in the role of [[Agamemnon]], are you not ashamed to act the part of [[Thersites]] [an obscene soldier of the Greek army during the [[Trojan War]]]?" Stung by these words, Philip immediately altered his demeanour.<ref name="DiodXVI87">Diodorus, ''Library'', XVI, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0084%3Abook%3D16%3Achapter%3D87%3Asection%3D1 87.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520141618/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0084%3Abook%3D16%3Achapter%3D87%3Asection%3D1 |date=20 May 2012 }}</ref>