in his
house before which he used to declaim and adjust all his motions.

It was said that a man came to him one day, and desired him to be his
advocate against a person from whom he had suffered by assault. "Not
you, indeed," said Demosthenes, "you have suffered no such thing."
"What," said the man, raising his voice, "have I not received those
blows?" "Ay, _now_," replied Demosthenes, "you do speak like a person
that has been injured." So much in his opinion do the tone of voice
and the action contribute to gain the speaker credit in what he affirms.

His action pleased the commonalty much; but people of taste (among whom
was Demetrius the Phalerean) thought there was something in it low,
inelegant, and unmanly. Hermippus acquaints us, Aesion being asked his
opinion of the ancient orators and those of that time, said, "Whoever
has heard the orators of former times must admire the decorum and
dignity with which they spoke. Yet when we read the orations of
Demosthenes, we must allow they have more art in the composition and
greater force." It is needless to mention that in his written orations
there was something extremely cutting and severe; but in his sudden
repartees there was also something of humour. . . .

When a rascal surnamed Chalcus attempted to jest upon his late studies
and long watchings, he said, "I know my lamp offends thee. But you
need not wonder, my countryman, that we have so many robberies, when we
have thieves of brass [_chalcus_] and walls only of clay." Though more
of his sayings might be produced, we shall pass them over, and go on to
seek the rest of his manners and character in his actions and political
conduct.

He tells us himself that he entered upon public business in the time of
the Phocian war, and the same may be collected from his Philippics.
For some of the last of them were delivered after that war was
finished; and the former relate to the immediate transactions of it.
It appears, also, that he was thirty-two years old when he was
preparing his oration against Midias; and yet at that time he had
attained no name or power in the administration. . . .

He had a glorious subject for his political ambition to defend the
cause of Greece against Philip. He defended it like a champion worthy
of such a charge, and soon gained great reputation both for eloquence
and for the bold truths which he spoke. He was admired in Greece, and
courted by the king of Persia. Nay, Philip hi