In 354 BC, Demosthenes delivered his first political oration, "On the Navy", in which he espoused moderation and proposed the reform of the "symmoriai" (boards) as a source of funding for the Athenian fleet. In 352 BC, he delivered "For the Megalopolitans" and, in 351 BC, "On the Liberty of the Rhodians." In both speeches he opposed Eubulus, the most powerful Athenian statesman of the period 355 to 342 BC. The latter was no pacifist but came to eschew a policy of aggressive interventionism in the internal affairs of the other Greek cities. Contrary to Eubulus' policy, Demosthenes called for an alliance with Megalopolis against Sparta or Thebes, and for supporting the democratic faction of the Rhodians in their internal strife. His arguments revealed his desire to articulate Athens' needs and interests through a more activist foreign policy, wherever opportunity might provide.