300 Page #2

...to rob me of my desire for you.

Then why so distant?

Because it seems...

...though a slave and captive

of lecherous old men...

...the oracle's words

could set fire to all that I love.

So that is why my king loses sleep

and is forced from the warmth of his bed?

There's only one woman's words that

should affect the mood of my husband.

Those are mine.

Then what must a king do

to save his world...

...when the very laws he is sworn

to protect force him to do nothing?

It is not a question

of what a Spartan citizen should do...

...nor a husband, nor a king.

Instead ask yourself, my dearest love...

...what should a free man do?

- Is this all of them?

- As you ordered. Three hundred.

All with born sons

to carry on their name.

We are with you, sire.

For Sparta. For freedom.

To the death.

He is your son.

He is too young

to have felt a woman's warmth.

I have others to replace him.

Astinos is as brave and ready as any.

No younger than we were the first time

you stood next to me in battle.

You are a good friend...

...but a better captain, there is none.

My good king.

My good king, the oracle has spoken.

The ephors have spoken.

There must be no march.

It is the law, my lord.

- The Spartan army must not go to war.

- Nor shall it.

I've issued no such orders.

I'm here just taking a stroll,

stretching my legs.

are my personal bodyguard.

Our army will stay in Sparta.

Where will you go?

I hadn't really thought about it...

...but now that you ask...

...I suppose I'll head north.

The Hot Gates?

Move out!

Move out!

What shall we do?

What can we do?

What can you do?

Sparta will need sons.

Spartan!

Yes, milady?

Come back with your shield...

...or on it.

Yes, milady.

"Goodbye, my love."

He doesn't say it.

There's no room for softness...

...not in Sparta.

No place for weakness.

Only the hard and strong

may call themselves Spartans.

Only the hard. Only the strong.

We march...

...for our lands, for our families,

for our freedoms.

We march.

Daxos.

- What a pleasant surprise.

- This morning's full of surprises, Leonidas.

- We've been tricked.

- Can't be more than a hundred.

- This is a surprise.

- Silence.

This isn't their army.

We heard Sparta was on the warpath

and we were eager to join forces.

If it is blood you seek,

you are welcome to join us.

But you bring only this handful

of soldiers against Xerxes?

I see I was wrong to expect Sparta's

commitment to at least match our own.

Doesn't it?

You, there.

What is your profession?

I'm a potter, sir.

And you, Arcadian.

What is your profession?

- Sculptor, sir.

- Sculptor.

- And you?

- Blacksmith.

Spartans! What is your profession?

You see, old friend?

I brought more soldiers than you did.

No sleep tonight...

...not for the king.

have been a straight road...

...to this one gleaming moment

in destiny...

...this one radiant clash

of shield and spear...

...sword and bone,

and flesh and blood.

His only regret...

...is that he has so few

to sacrifice.

We're being followed.

It has followed us since Sparta.

My king! Look!

What happened here?

Where are all the people?

Persians.

A scouting party.

But these footprints....

Behind us!

Child!

It's quiet now.

They....

They came with beasts

from the blackness.

With their claws and fangs...

...they grabbed them.

Everyone...

...but me.

The villagers.

I found them.

Have the gods no mercy?

We are doomed.

Quiet yourself.

The child speaks of the Persian ghosts,

known from the ancient times.

They are the hunters of men's souls.

They cannot be killed or defeated.

Not this darkness. Not these Immortals.

Immortals?

We'll put their name to the test.

Into the Hot Gates we march.

Into that narrow corridor

we march...

...where Xerxes' numbers

count for nothing.

Spartans, citizen-soldiers,

freed slaves.

Brave Greeks, all.

Brothers, fathers, sons...

...we march.

For honor's sake, for duty's sake,

for glory's sake, we march.

Look! Persians.

Into hell's mouth we march.

Let's watch these motherless dogs...

...as they're embraced by the loving arms

of Greece herself. Come.

True.

It does look like rain.

Zeus stabs the sky

with thunderbolts...

...and batters the Persian ships

with hurricane wind.

Glorious.

Only one among us

keeps his Spartan reserve.

Only he.

Only our king.

My queen?

My queen...

...the courtyard is a more fitting place

for a married woman.

I'm afraid gossip and protocol...

...are the least of my worries now,

councilman.

Is such secrecy needed?

How am I to trust beyond the walls

of my own home?

Even here, Theron has eyes and ears

which fuel Sparta with doubt and fear.

You speak as if all Sparta

conspires against you.

I wish it were only against me.

Many on our council

would vote to give all we have...

...and follow Leonidas...

...but you must show them favor.

And you can arrange for me

to speak to the council?

If it is reason they want,

I will let them know.

Know what, my queen?

Freedom isn't free at all.

That it comes with the highest of costs,

the cost of blood.

I will do my best to gather our council.

And its chamber

shall be filled with your voice.

- I'm in your debt.

- No.

Leonidas is my king as well as yours.

I saw those ships smash on the rocks.

How can this be?

We saw but a fraction of the monster

that is Xerxes' army.

There can be no victory here.

Why do you smile?

Arcadian...

...I have fought countless times...

...yet I've never met an adversary

who could offer me...

...what we Spartans

call "a beautiful death."

I can only hope...

...with all the world's warriors

gathered against us...

...there might be one down there

who's up to the task.

Move!

Keep going, you dogs!

Move!

Forward, I say!

Stop here!

Who commands here?

I am the emissary...

...to the ruler of all the world...

...the god of gods, king of kings...

...and by that authority...

...I demand that someone

show me your commander.

Listen. Do you think the paltry dozen

you slew scares us?

These hills swarm with our scouts.

And do you think your pathetic wall

will do anything...

...except fall like a heap of dry leaves

in the face of...?

Our ancestors built this wall...

...using ancient stones

from the bosom of Greece herself.

And with a little Spartan help...

...your Persian scouts

supplied the mortar.

You will pay for your barbarism!

My arm!

It's not yours anymore.

Go now. Run along and tell your Xerxes

he faces free men here...

...not slaves.

Do it quickly...

...before we decide to make our wall

just a little bit bigger.

No.

Not slaves.

Your women will be slaves.

Your sons, your daughters...

...your elders will be slaves!

But not you, no.

By noon this day you will be dead men.

A thousand nations of the Persian Empire

descend upon you.

Our arrows will blot out the sun.

Then we will fight in the shade.

The wall is solid.

It'll do the job of funneling the Persians

into the Hot Gates.

Have the men found any route

through the hills to our back?

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