Demosthenes, Exordia
Norman W. DeWitt, Norman J. DeWitt, Ed.

In order, therefore, that I may not censure only— the easiest of all things¹ shall explain how I think you may accomplish this, requesting you not to make an uproar or get the idea that I am merely procrastinating and interposing delay. For it is not those who say “At once” and “Today” who speak most to the point, for we could not prevent by the present reinforcement what has already happened; but it will be the man who shows what armament, once furnished, will be able to hold out until we either get the upper hand of our enemies or by accepting terms bring the war to an end. For in this way we should no longer suffer aggression in time to come.²