300: Rise of an Empire Page #3

The gods have given

us an opportunity

to wound the Persians and

strengthen Greek morale.

A tempting distraction.

But we'll stick to the battle plan.

Today at sundown,

we will sail out to meet

the main Persian fleet.

We'll attack them in the open water

with no shore to narrow the battle.

To attack a force of

over a thousand ships

with our meager force is suicide.

Such is my plan.

Look at their excuse for a Navy.

Their ships are of little threat.

I need a second in

command, Artaphernes.

And whoever proves their excellence

will earn a place beside me.

General Bandari has offered

to lead the first attack.

Bandari.

Commander.

If I let you lead our

first offensive,

what guarantee do I have

that you'll bring

me a quick victory?

My word and my life.

Good.

My rules of engagement?

Humiliate the Greeks

and lay waste to their tiny ships.

They'll be dead to the last man.

My brothers...

Steady your hearts.

Look deep into your souls.

For your mettle is to

be tested this day.

And if in the heat of battle...

You need a reason to fight on...

An idea for which you will give up

all that you will ever have...

You need only to look at the

man who fights at your side.

This is the "why" of battle.

This is the brotherhood

of men-at-arms.

An unbreakable bond

made stronger by the

crucible of combat.

You will never be closer

than with those who you

shed your blood with.

For there is no nobler cause

than to fight for those who will

lay down their life for you.

So you fight strong today.

You fight for your brothers.

Fight for your families.

Most of all, you fight for Greece!

Greece!

Yeah!

And there is only one

thing to make sure of

when the fighting starts.

What's that?

Don't get killed on the first day.

That goes for the rest of you.

The Persian ships are

strong at the front

but they are weak in the middle.

We attack them there.

Now!

Attack!

Aah!

Aah!

Ram them!

Archers, now! Now!

Reverse! Now!

Go through them!

The enemy's tactics are creative.

The defensive circle leaves

no front to assault.

We are losing.

No, you are losing.

Pull back.

Let them have this day.

I'm bored with your

failures, Bandari.

I'll not let this wound slow me.

Somehow I believe you.

My blade will be sharp and

ready by the morning.

Good.

Tomorrow, you will fight

alongside your father.

Not bad for a bunch of farmers.

And poets and sculptors.

Who'd have known a

group of untrained men

would do so well against such

a considerable adversary.

We're going to need all of our

strength for tomorrow's fight.

How long do you think

we can hold them?

If my plan is to work...

long enough for the

Spartans to unite Greece.

Men!

Who will share their wine with me?!

Report.

We are still tallying the losses.

But you must understand,

it is extremely difficult,

given the sea and the darkness,

to get an accurate...

Report?

Seventy-five ships lost.

Thirty damaged beyond repair.

Twenty could return

with a few weeks' work

in a safe harbor.

The commander of the Greek

force is named Themistokles.

Yes, he is an Athenian general.

He's rumored to have

loosed the arrow

that felled the great

king Darius himself.

No!

This Themistokles has shown himself

to be quite brilliant in battle.

Which is more than I can

say for any of you.

Do you gentlemen find my

command unreasonable?

Is it too much to ask for victory?

Your disappointment

in yesterday's losses

is warranted.

My disappointment.

My disappointment is

not with my losses.

The meager number of damaged

ships and dead slaves

means nothing to me.

No, my disappointment...

is in these men.

For though I stand among 10,000,

I am alone.

I long for a soul who

would stand by my side.

Who I could trust.

Tell me, general Kashani.

Are you that man?

You will taste your

victory by the day's end.

I will make certain of it.

I hope so.

Advance!

Now!

Don't lose sight of them!

The Greeks are retreating.

He's got him right

where he wants him.

Kashani is a fine tactician.

I was speaking of Themistokles.

Rocks!

Stop! Stop!

Stop!

Brace yourselves!

What are you doing here?

A man's responsibility

is to protect his family

and his nation.

Who told you this?

My father.

Aah!

You see how Themistokles employs

deception with such grace?

Why is it so much

to ask for victory?

How can I make amends?

Silence.

You will carry a message for me.

Now they will fear us!

Now they will fear the

Greek men-at-arms!

Hup!

He's right!

Fear the Greek fighting man!

Fear his sword!

His shield.

Fear his love for mother Greece.

But most of all...

Fear his freedom!

Yeah! Yeah!

Yeah! Yeah!

Yeah!

Yeah!

Do not be angry with the boy.

I took him under my command.

Anger is something I

reserve for my enemies.

Themistokles!

Artemisia's ship is being

anchored in neutral waters.

She'd like to meet

with Themistokles.

How can you guarantee

his safe return?

Well, boy, the only

honor for her now

will be when she watches your

crushed and broken fleet

sinking to the bottom

of the Aegean...

And is able to recognize you

nailed to the mast of

your ship with her sword

as you descend to a watery grave.

Why didn't you just say

that to begin with?

Welcome to my humble barge.

We are honored by your presence.

Your barge and you

are quite impressive.

Kind words.

Now come, Themistokles,

we have much to discuss.

Do you believe the Greeks are

descended from the gods?

I have heard some say that.

And what of you?

Is there a God in your lineage?

My men say so.

And based on the last

two days' battle,

I'd say there's a spark

of the divine in you.

Now who is using kind words?

My men also say that it was you

who slayed the good king

Darius at marathon.

Many heroic deeds

occurred on that day.

But it was ten years ago,

and the facts of battle

are often embellished.

This deed, you would remember.

I do what I must to defend Greece.

And I do what I must to defeat her.

For every one Greek killed,

you must kill a thousand Persians.

For every ship I sink...

You must sink a hundred.

I can sustain losses for weeks.

Months, if need be.

My numbers will defeat you

and I will take your precious

boats with my sword.

I will take your Greek freedom.

Are you asking me to

negotiate a surrender?

No.

I offer you a chance to avoid

such misery and join me.

I'm in need of a

commander such as you.

Look at the defense you've mounted.

A handful of triremes.

Leonidas with 300 Spartans.

It's insulting, frankly,

that the mightiest empire

the world has ever seen

is met by this.

I don't blame you, Themistokles.

You fought as if the blood

of Poseidon himself

was coursing through your veins.

No, I blame Greece.

The squabbling bureaucrats

protecting their political hides

by sending you here to die.

And yet you still fight.

So there must be...

What?

Family back home in Athens

that compels you to...

battle with such passion?

Truth is, I've had

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