Similar to this was the career of Amyntas, king of the Macedonians. Worsted in battle by
 the neighboring barbarians, and robbed of all Macedonia , he at first proposed to quit the country and save his life, but
 hearing someone praise the remark made to Dionysius, and, like Dionysius, repenting of his
 decision, Amyntas seized a small fortified post, sent out thence for reinforcements,
 recovered the whole of Macedonia within three
 months, spent the remainder of his days on the throne, and finally died of old age. Amyntas, defeated by the Illyrians, won such a victory in
 393 B.C. See Dio. Sic.
 14.92.3 . Amyntas was father of Philip, and reigned from 394 to 370 B.C. 
 But we should both grow weary, you with listening and I with speaking, if we were to
 examine every incident of this sort; nay, if we were to recall also our experience with
 Thebes , while we should be grieved over past
 events, we should gain better hopes for the future. For when they ventured to withstand
 our inroads and our threats, Of Agesilaus in 394, 378, and
 377 B.C. ; of Phoebidas in 382, and of Cleombrotus in 378 and
 376 B.C. fortune so completely reversed their
 situation that they, who at all other times have been in our power, now assert their right
 to dictate to us. Seeing, then, that such great reversals have taken place, he is a very foolish person
 who thinks that they will fail to occur in our case; nay, we must endure for the present
 and be of good courage with regard to the future, knowing that states repair such
 disasters by the aid of good government and experience in warfare; and on this point no
 one would dare contradict me when I say that we have greater experience in military
 matters than any other people, and that government as it ought to be exists among us
 alone. With these two advantages on our side, we cannot fail to prove more successful in
 our undertakings than those who have paid but slight attention to either government or
 war. There are those who condemn war and dwell on its precariousness, employing many other
 proofs, but particularly our own experiences, and express surprise that men should see fit
 to rely on an expedient so difficult and hazardous. But I know of many who through war
 have acquired great prosperity, and many who have been robbed of all they possessed
 through keeping the peace; for nothing of this kind is in itself absolutely either good or bad, but rather it is the
 use we make of circumstances and opportunities which in either case must determine the
 result. Those who are prosperous should set their hearts on peace, for in a state of peace
 they can preserve their present condition for the greatest length of time; those, however,
 who are unfortunate should give their minds to war, for out of the confusion and
 innovation resulting from it they can more quickly secure a change in their fortunes. But
 we, I fear, will be seen to have pursued exactly the opposite course;