300 Page #3

None, sire.

There is such a route, good king.

Just pass that western ridge.

It's an old goat path.

The Persians could use it to outflank us.

Not one step closer, monster!

Wise king, I humbly request an audience.

- I'll skewer you where you stand.

- I gave no such order.

Forgive the captain.

He is a good soldier...

...but a bit short on manners.

There is nothing to forgive, brave king.

I know what I look like.

You wear the crimson of a Spartan.

I am Ephialtes, born of Sparta.

My mother's love

led my parents to flee Sparta...

...lest I be discarded.

Your shield and armor?

My father's, sir.

I beg you, bold king,

to permit me...

...to redeem my father's name

by serving you in combat.

My father trained me to feel no fear,

to make spear and shield and sword...

...as much a part of me

as my own beating heart.

I will earn my father's armor,

noble king...

...by serving you in the battle.

A fine thrust.

I will kill many Persians.

Raise your shield.

- Sire?

- Raise your shield as high as you can.

Your father should have taught you

how our phalanx works.

We fight...

...as a single, impenetrable unit.

That is the source of our strength.

Each Spartan protects the man

to his left...

...from thigh to neck with his shield.

A single weak spot

and the phalanx shatters.

From thigh to neck, Ephialtes.

I am sorry, my friend.

- But not all of us were made to be soldiers.

- But I--

- If you want to help in a Spartan victory...

- Yes.

...clear the battlefield of the dead,

tend the wounded, bring them water...

...but as for the fight itself...

...I cannot use you.

You....

Mother! Father! You were wrong!

You are wrong!

Leonidas! You are wrong!

Dispatch the Phocians to the goat path...

...and pray to the gods

nobody tells the Persians about it.

Earthquake.

No, captain.

Battle formations.

This is where we hold them.

This is where we fight!

This is where they die!

Earn these shields, boys!

Remember this day, men...

...for it will be yours for all time.

Spartans!

Lay down your weapons!

Persians!

Come and get them!

Hold!

Give them nothing...

...but take from them everything!

Steady!

Push!

Is that the best you can do?

Push! Push!

Now!

Push!

No prisoners!

No mercy!

They look thirsty.

Well, let's give them something to drink.

To the cliffs.

Halt.

Hell of a good start.

Tuck tail!

Persian cowards.

- What the hell are you laughing at?

- Well, you had to say it.

- What?

- "Fight in the shade."

Recover.

Today no Spartan dies.

Easy, son.

We do what we were trained to do...

...what we were bred to do...

...what we were born to do.

No prisoners. No mercy.

A good start.

- I was afraid you might not come.

- I'm sorry, my son is--

Is doing what children do best.

Please, don't apologize.

Your son starts the agoge next year.

That is always a difficult time

for a Spartan mother.

Yes, it will be hard. But also necessary.

You will speak before the council

in two days' time.

My husband does not have two days.

Think of the two days as a gift.

It's no secret...

...Theron wants what you control.

It's his voice you must silence.

Make him your ally...

...and you will have your victory.

Thank you.

You are wise as you are kind.

There's your mother.

You should keep a better eye on him

if he's to be king one day.

Be unfortunate if anything

were to happen to him.

Or to his beautiful mother.

No!

Our Greek comrades are begging

for a crack at the Persians, sire.

Good.

I've got something

I think they can handle.

Tell Daxos that I want him...

and ready for the next charge.

King Leonidas.

- Stelios, catch your breath, boy.

- Yes, milord.

The Persians are approaching.

A small contingent.

Too small for an attack.

- Captain, I leave you in charge.

- But sire--

Relax, old friend.

If they assassinate me,

all of Sparta goes to war.

Pray they're that stupid.

Pray...

...we're that lucky.

Besides...

...there's no reason we can't be civil...

...is there?

None, sire.

Let me guess.

You must be Xerxes.

Come, Leonidas.

Let us reason together.

It would be a regrettable waste...

...it would be nothing short of madness

were you, brave king...

...and your valiant troops to perish...

...all because of a simple

misunderstanding.

- There's much our cultures could share.

- Haven't you noticed?

We've been sharing our culture

with you all morning.

Yours is a fascinating tribe.

Even now you are defiant...

...in the face of annihilation

and the presence of a god.

It isn't wise to stand against me,

Leonidas.

Imagine what a horrible fate

awaits my enemies...

...when I would gladly kill

any of my own men for victory.

And I would die for any one of mine.

You Greeks take pride in your logic.

I suggest you employ it.

Consider the beautiful land

you so vigorously defend.

Picture it reduced to ash at my whim.

Consider the fate of your women.

Clearly you don't know our women.

I might as well have marched them up here,

judging by what I've seen.

You have many slaves, Xerxes...

...but few warriors.

It won't be long

before they fear my spears...

...more than your whips.

It's not the lash they fear...

...it is my divine power.

But I am a generous god.

I can make you rich beyond all measure.

I will make you warlord of all Greece.

You will carry my battle standard

to the heart of Europa.

Your Athenian rivals...

...will kneel at your feet...

...if you will but kneel at mine.

You are generous...

...as you are divine...

...O king of kings.

Such an offer

only a madman would refuse.

But the....

The idea of kneeling, it's....

You see, slaughtering

all those men of yours has....

Well, it's left a nasty cramp in my leg...

...so kneeling will be hard for me.

There will be no glory in your sacrifice.

I will erase even the memory of Sparta

from the histories.

Every piece of Greek parchment

shall be burned.

Every Greek historian and every scribe

shall have their eyes put out...

...and their tongues

cut from their mouths.

Why, uttering the very name of Sparta

or Leonidas will be punishable by death.

The world will never know

you existed at all.

The world will know

that free men stood against a tyrant.

That few stood against many.

And before this battle was over...

...that even a god-king can bleed.

You fought well today...

...for a woman.

As did you.

Maybe if I'm injured,

you'll be able to keep up with me.

Perhaps I was so far ahead

you couldn't see me.

More likely offering your backside

to the Thespians.

Jealousy...

...does not become you, my friend.

Move it, men!

Pile those Persians high.

For unless I miss my guess...

...we're in for one wild night.

They have served the dark will

Eyes as dark as night.

Teeth filed to fangs.

Soulless.

The personal guard to King Xerxes himself.

The Persian warrior elite.

The deadliest fighting force

in all of Asia:

The Immortals.

The god-king

has betrayed a fatal flaw:

Hubris.

Easy to taunt, easy to trick.

Before wounds and weariness

have taken their toll...

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