THE WORLD’S GREATEST ORATOR. 313

war known as the Lamian war began. It ended dis-
astrously in August, 322, and Greece was again a
Macedonian slave. Demosthenes and others of the
patriots were condemned to death as traitors, They
fied for their lives. Demosthenes sought the island
of Calauri, where he took refuge in a temple sacred
to Poseidon, or Neptune. Thither his foes, led by
Archias, formerly a tragic actor, followed him.

Archias was not the man to hesitate about sacri-
lege. But the temple in which Demosthenes had
taken refuge was so ancient and venerable that even
he hesitated, and begged him to come out, saying
that there was no doubt that he would be pardoned.

Demosthenes sat in silence, his eyes fixed on the
ground. At length, as Archias continued his ap-
peals, in his most persuasive accents, the orator
looked up and said,—

“Archias, you never moved me by your acting.
You will not move me now by your promises.”

At this Archias lost his temper, and broke into
threats.

“Now you speak like a real Macedonian oracle,”
said Demosthenes, calmly. “Before you were act-
ing. Wait a moment, then, till I write to my
friends.”

With these words Demosthenes rose and walked
back to the inner part of the temple, though he was
still visible from the front. Here he took out a roll
of paper and a quill pen, which he put in his mouth
and bit, as he was in the habit of doing when com-
posing. Then he threw his head back and drew his
cloak over it.

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