Demosthenes, a little man made up of syllables and a tongue.

For those words as it were lulled to sleep the king’s anger.

For the powers of the city and the pride of Greece were still at their height, and fortune favoured the people. But now every element of value in the political world has been ostracized and the cities’ hamstrings removed men’s lives have inclined to relaxation and luxury, the means of concord are no longer there, and the hopes of our friends have proved vain.

War, like a cloud, was threatening Europe from every quarter, suppressing my right to speak my mind in the assembly and taking away all power of free and noble utterance.

Examine the truth in the light of events and do not give more weight to false charges than to accepted facts.