2. ἀφεῖται (gnomic), is dismissed from consideration.
3. τὴν...τάξιν, i.e. the statesman at his post: τάξιν keeps up the military figure of § 173.5,6.
4. τότε...παρῆν: application of the general principle to the case in hand; τὰ μὲν ἤμελλεν referring to Chaeronea and its results, τὰ δ᾽ ἤδη παρῆν to Philip's presence at Elatea. Though these are now past, they were then future and present.
5. τὴν...πολιτείας: see note on § 190.5. προαίρεσις implies the deliberate choice of a policy which a statesman should make: here and in τὰ συμβάντα συκοφάντει we have again the σύμβουλος and the συκοφάντης contrasted. For the precise meaning of προαίρεσις, see Arist. Eth. III. 2 (especially § 17): ἀλλ᾽ ἆρά γε τὸ προβεβουλευμένον (sc. τὸ προαιρετόν); ἡ γὰρ προαίρεσις μετὰ λόγου καὶ διανοίας. ὑποσημαίνειν δ᾽ ἔοικε καὶ τοὔνομα ὡς ὂν πρὸ ἑτέρου αἱρετόν.
9. αὐτὴ (emphatic): the thought is, purpose is the very thing which shows etc.
