But since our opponents have ventured to bring against the house of Macedon accusations dating from early times, I think it incumbent on me to begin by addressing to you a few words on these matters, in order to correct the error of those who put faith in the statements made.
"Chlaeneas, then, said, that it was by means of the calamity of Olynthus that Philip, son of Amyntas, made himself master of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thessaly&groupId=1028&placeId=1816">Thessaly</a>,
whereas what I assert is that not only the Thessalians, but the rest of the Greeks owed their safety to Philip.
For at the time when Onomarchus and Philomenus seized on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Delphi&groupId=534&placeId=363">Delphi</a> and impiously and illegally possessed themselves of the god\'s treasure, who among you is not aware that they established a force of such strength that none of the Greeks dared to face it;
indeed, while acting thus impiously they very nearly made themselves at the same time masters of the whole of Greece.
It was then that Philip voluntarily proffered his services, ded the tyrants, secured the temple and was the author of liberty in Greece, as actual facts have testified to posterity also.
For it was not because he had injured the Thessalians, as Chlaeneas had the audacity to say, but because he was the benefactor of Greece, that they all chose him commander-in-chief both on sea and land, an honour previously conferred on no one.
But we are told that he entered <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Laconia&groupId=662&placeId=1211">Laconia</a> with his army.
True, but, as you know it was not of his own choice, but it was after being frequently entreated and appealed to by his friends and allies in the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a> that he reluctantly gave way.
And when he arrived, pray consider, Chlaeneas, how he behaved. It was in his power to avail himself of the animosity of the neighbouring peoples to devastate the territory of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a> and humiliate the city, winning thereby profound thanks, but instead of adopting such a course he struck equal terror into the Spartans and their enemies and compelled them to their common good to settle their differences by a congress, not assuming himself the right of judging their disputes, but appointing a court of arbitration selected from all the Greek states. How proper a subject for reproach and censure!
Walbank Commentary