In 346 BC. the Athenians negotiated a peace treaty with King Philip II of Macedon, but afterwards one of the Athenian ambassadors, Demosthenes, accused another, Aiskhines, of accepting a bribe from Philip to contrive that the terms of the treaty should be favourable to him. The case came to trial three years later, and On the False Embassy is the speech which Demosthenes prepared for the prosecution. It is one of the most famous pieces of ancient oratory, and it is also one of the principal sources of information about the politics of its period. This volume is on the same lines as Professor MacDowell's previous edition of Demosthenes' speech Against Meidias. It includes an introduction concentrating especially on the historical circumstances, a revised Greek text based on fresh study of the manuscripts, an English translation on pages facing the text, and the first detailed commentary on the speech for over a hundred years.

Douglas MacDowell gives text, commentary and English translation, along the same lines as his Demosthenes: Against Meidias (Oxford, 1990). Those who were impressed with that excellent commentary will not be disappointed with the present offering. * Hermathena: A Trinity College Dublin Review *
The commentary is thorough, deals with linguistic, rhetorical as well as historical aspects and explains many realia. The edition of the text is reliable, and the critical apparatus extensive ... The commentary together with the translation make sufficiently clear how MacDowell interprets the Greek text and is a great help. The historical introduction and the many annotations concerning historical items will help every student and scholar in understanding the speech. * Mnemosyne *