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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

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