§ 289. The genuineness of the epitaph is doubtful. Line 2 is singularly untrue. The text is almost certainly corrupt in places (e.g. ll. 3 and 10).
their lives, &c. As the text stands, [Greek: aret_es] and [Greek: deimatos] must be governed by [Greek: brab_e,], 'made Hades the judge of their valour or their cowardice.' But this leaves [Greek: ouk esa_osan psuchas] as a quasiparenthesis, very difficult to accept in so simple and at the same time so finished a form of composition as the epigram. There are many emendations.
'Tis God's, &c. The line, [Greek: m_eden hamartein esti the_on kai panta katorhthoun], is taken from Simonides' epitaph on the heroes of Marathon. The sense of the couplet is plain from § 290; but [Greek: en biot_e] in l. 10 is possibly corrupt.
§ 300. the confederacy, i.e. Athens, Thebes, and their allies at Chaeroneia.
§ 301. our neighbours, especially Megara and Corinth.
§ 308. the inactivity which you, &c.: i.e. abstention from taking a prominent part in public life.
§ 309. opening of ports: i.e. to Athenian commerce.
§ 311. What pecuniary assistance, &c. Demosthenes is thinking of his own services in ransoming prisoners, &c. Some editors translate, 'What public financial aid have you ever given to rich or poor?' i.e. 'When have you ever dispensed State funds in such a way as to benefit any one?' It is impossible to decide with certainty between the two alternatives; but the meanings of [Greek: politik_e] ('citizen-like', 'such as one would expect from a good fellow-citizen') and [Greek: koin_e], which I assume, seem to be supported by §§ 13 and 268 respectively.
§ 312. leaders of the Naval Boards. See Introd. to Speech on Naval Boards.
damaging attack, &c. This probably refers to modifications introduced on Aeschines' proposal into Demosthenes' Trierarchic Law of 340, not at the time of its enactment, but after some experience of its working. (See Aeschines, 'Against Ctesiphon,' § 222.)