IDEAL OF ISOCRATES 349 liberating all Greeks in Asia, and not set Greek against Greek. Isocrates was eighty years of age now (356), and most of his writing is subject to a certain peevish garrulity, of which he seems himself to be conscious ; but his political insight remains singularly deep and unprejudiced. He clings always to his essential idea, and he changes the external clothing of it dexterously. He has already abandoned the hope of Athenian hegemony. He has relaxed — perhaps with less reluc- tance than he professes^ — his faith in constitutional government. When Archidamus failed him he turned towards Philip of Macedon. He saw as well as Demosthenes, that Philip was the rising power ; but he did not therefore count him an enemy. He had made up his mind long ago that the empire was a delusion to Athens, and must not be fought for. He strove to keep on good terms with Philip, to use per- sonal friendship in mitigation of public war. It is hard to read without emotion his Philippus, an address to Philip immediately after the first peace in 346. He had loyally kept from treating with his country's enemy during the war. Now he speaks with perfect frank- ness, and yet with tact. He tells Philip of his past hopes of a leader for Greece, of Jason of Pheras, Dionysius, Archidamus. None of these had such an opportunity as Philip now has. He must choose the nobler ambition, not the lower. He must first re- concile Athens, Sparta, Thebes, and Corinth, then make himself the champion of liberty and humanity, the leader of free Hellas, and benefactor of the world. We must not imagine that this was mere dreaming on the part of Isocrates. The aims he had in view were ^ Areop. 56 f. 24
