Philip’s Letter

Not content with this, you have shown your contempt for right and your hostility to me by actually sending an embassy to urge the king of Persia to declare war on me. This is the most amazing exploit of all; for, before the king reduced Egypt and Phoenicia,[*](These two provinces, together with Cyprus, revolted in 346 and were recovered by Artaxerxes Ochus. Greek mercenaries formed the backbone of the armies on both sides. See Grote, chap. 90. Nothing is known of any such Athenian decree.) you passed a decree calling on me to make common cause with the rest of the Greeks against him, in case he attempted to interfere with us.

and today you have such a superabundance of hatred for me that you negotiate with him for a defensive alliance. Yet I am given to understand that your fathers of old punished the sons of Pisistratus for inviting the Persians to invade Greece. You are not ashamed to do what you have always made a matter of indictment against your tyrants.

But there is more to come. In your decrees you order me in so many words to leave Thrace to the rule of Teres[*](Not otherwise known.) and Cersobleptes, because they are Athenians. But I am not aware that these two had any share with you in the terms of peace, or that their names were included in the inscription set up, or that they are really Athenians. On the contrary, I know that Teres fought with me against you, and that Cersobleptes was quite ready in private to take the oath of allegiance to my ambassadors, but was prevented by your generals, who denounced him as an enemy of the Athenians.