H. Sharpley, Demosthenes: Olynthiacs I, II, III

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ἀντὶ πολλῶν ἂν . . . ἑλέσθαι, “you would give a large sum.” ἀντὶ is here “in return for,” not “instead of.” Avoid any translation which would imply that the money and the clear knowledge were two alternatives, either of which the Athenians might receive. The condition in direct speech would run—ἕλοισθε ἄν, εἰ γένοιτο, but εἰ—σκοπεῖτε is practically an object-clause to ἑλέσθαι.

περὶ ὧν. For περὶ τούτων ἅ.

ὅτε, like most conjunctions of time, can take a causal sense. But (unlike ἐπεί) it is rarely so used.

ἐθέλειν = βουλομένων. The people should be as “willing” to listen as the speakers are “anxious” to be heard.

συμβουλεύειν, sc. ὑμῖν.

εἴ τι κ.τ.λ. Note the careful antithesis of words in εἴ τι—τις and πολλὰ—ἐπελθεῖν ἄν.

ἀκούσαντες should be taken as helping out the sense of λάβοιτε, not as conditional. The protasis to ἂν λάβοιτε and ἐπελθεῖν ἂν is εἰ ἐθέλοιτε ἀκούειν understood from the preceding clause. Nor is the meaning of ἀκούειν quite the same in the two cases: if the Athenians will listen, they may chance to hear something to their advantage.

τῆς ὑμετέρας τύχης. The orator, in claiming attention for his impromptu speech, pays a compliment to the ready wit of his countrymen.

τύχης, sc. εἶναι.

ἐπελθεῖν ἄν would in direct speech be ἐπέλθοι ἄν, parallel to ἂν λάβοιτε.

ἁπάντων, neuter.