340 HISTORY OF GREECE. ings ; instigating the Eubceans probably to sever themselves from Athens, with offers of Macedonian aid towards that object. 1 Philip's naval warfare also brought his cruisers to Gersestus in Euboea, where they captured several Athenian corn-ships; 2 in- sulting even the opposite coast of Attica at Marathon, so as to lower the reputation of Athens among her allies. Accordingly, in each of the Euboean cities, parties were soon formed aiming at the acquisition of dominion through the support of Philip; while for the same purpose detachments of mercenaries could also be procured across the western Eubocan strait, out of the larg" numbers now under arms in Phokis. About the beginning of 349 B. c. while the war of Philip, unknown to us in its details, against the Olynthians and Chalki- dians, was still going on, with more or less of help from mercena- ries sent by Athens hostilities, probably raised by the intrigues of Philip, broke out at Eretria in Euboea. Aa Eretrian named Plutarch (we do not know what had become of Menestratus), with a certain number of soldiers at his disposal, but opposed by ene- mies yet more powerful, professed to represent Athenian interests in his city, and sent to Athens to ask for aid. Demosthenes, sus- pecting this man to be a traitor, dissuaded compliance with the ap- plication. 3 But Plutarch had powerful friends at Athens, seem- ingly among the party of Eubulus ; one of whom, Meidias, a violent personal enemy of Demosthenes, while advocating the grant of aid, tried even to get up a charge against Demosthenes, of having himself fomented these troubles in Euboea against the reputed philo-Athenian Plutarch. 4 The Athenian assembly de- termined to despatch a force under Phokion ; who accordingly crossed into the island, somewhat before the time of the festival Anthosteria (February) with a body of hoplites. 5 The cost of 1 Demosthen. Philipp. i. p. 51.
- Demosthen. Philipp. i. p. 49.
3 Demosthenes, De Pace, p. 58.
- Demosthenes cont. Meidiam, p. 550 Kal ruv kv JZvjSoia
f(jv. u TlAovrapxof 6 TOVTOV f>of Kat Qihoc dieTrpu^aro, wf yw atTio? ei/tt 4Tfr/ceiJae, irpb TOV rd KpG.yfi.a yevecr&ai fyavepbv 6tu HAovTupxov yeyovo^.
- Dcmosth. cont. Meidiam, p. 558 ; cont. Bceotum de Nomine, p. 999.
The mention of the xoef in the latter passage, being the second day of un festival i-alk-d Anthesteria, identifies the month.
