33

The Speech of Demosthenes.

stroyed both them & their city. And therefore we write unto thou; that ye send us ten philosophers that be wise, by the which we may be [encensede] and counselled. For other thing will we none ask thou, But all only that thee hold us for your lorde & your king. And if ye will not submit thou unto us, thou [buse] other be stranger than we, or else submit thou to some lordship, that be stranger than ours.'

The Atheneans read his letter and then they began to cry on [highte.] And one, that [highte] Aeschylus, stood up and amongst them, and said: 'It is fully my counsel,' quoth he, 'that we [on na] wise assent to these words of Alexander.' All the folk then that was gathered there, prayed the philosopher Demosthenes, that he would tell them his counsel, as touching that matter. And he stood up, & bade all men be still. And then he said unto them, 'Sirs,' quoth he, 'I pray thou takes tent unto my words & hardens goodly what I shall say. If thee feel thou of power, for to withstand Alexander, & to surprise him, then fights with him manly, and obeys not to his words. And if ye suppose ye be not strange enough to fight with him then hears him, and obeys unto him. Ye know well, that as our elders tells us, Xerses was a great king, & a mighty, and many victories he got. And nevertheless in Ellada he suffered great mischief. But he, this Alexander, has done many battles, in the which he suffered never disease but always had the overhand. The [Thebeans?], I pray thou, were [pai] not bold knights and strange, and all their life had been exercised in Arms? And what profited them their strength? The Thebeans also that were wo wise, and so great exercise had in arms, from the first time that the city was built, whereof served their great with them, and their great strength, when Alexander assailed them? The Peloponesians fought with Alexander, but they might not while withstand his men of arms. But also their were discomfit & slain. It is not unknown unto thou, how many cities castles & towns for fear submitts them unto him without any assault giving. Therefore it is not my counsel that ye be [heuy], nor wrathe till Alexander

The Speech of Demosthenes. 33

struyed? bathe )?am) & tbaire citee. And J?ar<3-fore we write sophers to

vn-to 30 w ; that ^e sende vs ten) philosopTires ]>ai be wyse, * by ^

J>e whilke we may be encensede and conselleJ'. For o\>er thyiig bk.

4 will: we nane aske 50W, Bot atte anely J^at }?e halde vs for ^our ^^^^"^^^

lorde & "^our kynge. And ^if ^e wilt no^te swbmytt ^owe vn- him; or else

titt vs, 50W buse o]>er be strangere J^aii) we, or etts swbmytt yow either be

to su7>i lordechip), J>at be strangere J)afD oures.' ti^^^lT

8 ^ The Athenyenes redd? ]:)is l^^^re and ]?an fay bigan to crye ander or

one highte. And ane, Jjat highte Eschitte, stode vp amaugej on^s^o^e^

J?aiii), and said": 'It es fully my consett/ quo]) he, '|:at we oiD stronger

na wise assent [to thise] worde5 of Alexander.' Alle j^e folke pafD The speech

12 )?at was gadirde j^are, prayed fje philosophre Demostines, J^at h^s against

he walde tett J^am) his conselle, as touchynge ^ai mature. And he i^^^^^J^^^"

stude vp, & badd" alt men) be stilt. And f>an) he said" vn-to f>am). niansbeg

* Sirs,' (]uo]> he, ' I pray 50W takes tent vn-to my worde^ & iJemos- ^

16 herkenes gudly what I salt say. If je fele 50W of power, for Wienes.

tilt agayne-stande Alexa^ic^er, & to supprise hym, J^an) feghtes them if

wit h3^m manly, and obeys no^te tilt his wordej. And if 5e themselves

suppose 56 be no^te strange ynoghe to feghte wit hym) J^an strong

20 here^ hym), and obeys vn-titt hym). 5e knawe wele, \)ai als resist, but

cure eldirs telles vs, 36i'ses was a grett kynge, & a myghty, JetThem ^

and many victories he gatt. And neu^r J^e lesse \n Ellada he submit,

suffrede grete meschefe. Bot he, this Alexander, base done pares Alex-

24 many batailtes, in J^e whilke he suffrede neuer disese bot alwaye ^^^ ^1^^

had |)e ou^rhande. pe Thirienes, I pray 30W, ware [f>ai] no^te gether,

balde knyghtes and strange, and alt ]:)aire lyfe hade bene excer- ^^ ^^^J"

cysede \n Armes 1 And whate profitede J^am) Jjaire strenghe 1 ander's

28 pe Thebienes also Ipat were so wyse, and so grete ex^rcyse hadde campaigii.
in armes, fra ]:>e firste tyme '^ai J?e citee was bygged?, whare-off
seruede J?aire grete witt ]:>am), and J^aire grete strength, when)
Alexander assailede J^am) *? pe Poliponiens faghte wit Alexa^c^er,

32 bot Jjay myghte na while agayne-stande his men of armes. Bot

alsoiD Jjaire ^ ware disconfit and slaerD. It es no^te vnknawen He advises

vn-to 5owe, how many citeej castelts & townne^ for fere Si^bmittis be^^oward

)?am) vn-tilt liyifD wit-owttefD any assawte gyffy?zg. parefore, t<^wards

36 it es nojte my consaile )3at ^e be heuy, ne wrathe tilt AlQxander

^ Four half lines space with miniature recurs on p. 55, 1. 29. Cf. Icelandic /e/r.
T. There is nothing left out nor is it a mis-

'■* MS. reads *J)aire ' for /ay. This form print.

3