Word Origin & History
philippic
1592, "bitter invective discourse," from M.Fr. philippique, from L. orationes Philippicæ, translation of Gk. Philippikoi logoi. The L. phrase was used of the speeches made by Cicero against Marc Antony in 44 and 43 B.C.E.; originally of speeches made in Athens by Demosthenes in 351-341 B.C.E. urging Greeks to unite and fight the rising power of Philip II of Macedon.