The 300 Spartans Page #4

- He was there with ex-king Demaratus.

- That's not possible.

- I'm not used to telling lies!

- You may have been mistaken...

- I tell you, I spoke to him!

He still bears the mark

of my whip on his face.

Sir, I beg you by the immortal gods,

let me wipe out this disgrace.

Put me in the first line of battle.

Let me die a Spartan!

As a freeborn man, you are not

responsible for your father's actions.

Yet I cannot ask my soldiers

to accept into their ranks

a man whose father

is consorting with the enemy.

- But, sir...

- That is my final word!

You will surrender your war-cloak

to the officer on duty.

You may go.

I cannot find him anywhere.

I'm frightened. I don't know what to do.

Take hold of yourself.

Sparta gives her women more freedom

than any state. In return it demands strength.

How can I be strong? I love him.

You must be strong.

Remember the mother who killed her son

when he returned with a wound in his back.

Why should I remember? Phylon

would never turn his back to the enemy.

- If only they would let him fight.

- I am not a general.

I cannot order the men to take him with them.

How can you talk like this? You know Phylon.

His mother was your best friend.

That does not matter.

- Have you heard?

- What?

The council has made its decision. Here it is.

"People of Sparta. The army will presently

march in defense of our land against Persia. "

"The men are hereby ordered to be ready

to depart after the festival of Carnea. "

- So you cannot go today.

- I can and will!

And disobey the council?

- My bodyguard is not subject to the council.

- But that's only 300 men.

I promised to have my men at Thermopylae.

I didn't say how many.

- This is madness.

- Less than to keep a festival and lose the war!

- Leave us please, Ellas.

- Ellas. You know how sorry I am.

I know.

Leonidas.

Why not wait until the festival is over?

And then lead out the whole army

as a Spartan king should lead it.

- It's only a few days.

- No. Even a day might be too late.

All Greece waits for the Spartans to march.

A mere 300 men.

Since when have Spartans started

counting numbers going into battle?

We are but a vanguard. The rest will join us

just as soon as the festival is over.

But what if the Persians

attack you before then?

Then we shall fight alone.

Leonidas.

My love.

I know your courage.

I am proud of you.

But there are times when prudence...

(sighs)

I don't know what I am saying.

I only know I cannot live without you.

You must trust me.

I love you more than life itself.

I don't want you to die.

It would be my end, too.

Leonidas, the men are ready.

Agathon, the law allows me to take 300 men.

Dismiss all those with no living sons

and replace them with volunteers who have.

I don't want any Spartan family to die out.

- Phylon!

- Ellas!

- Why are you here?

- Because I love you.

There is nothing to love now.

I've been rejected by my own people.

I have no honor, no country.

- No name, no home. I'm an outcast.

- I, too, am an outcast.

I've left my father's house and I shall not

return unless you come with me.

Sparta does not want me.

I'm ashamed of you. What if the king

has refused to take you with him?

You are a free man and a soldier.

Prove it to him and he will take you back.

- How can I prove it?

- Surely not by killing yourself.

Look.

- My shield.

- Yes. Your shield.

You left it behind. Did you forget the words

my aunt spoke giving it to you?

"Victory or death. "

Take this shield.

Follow our soldiers.

Show them that you are a man and a Spartan.

And I shall be there watching you.

Look there.

No.

And all Spartans.

Halt!

This is the bay of Locris,

where we're to meet with Themistocles.

In the meantime,

we'll rest here until sundown.

Then we'll march all night.

We must be in Thermopylae by sunrise.

Look.

There he is now.

Take Themistocles to that fisherman's hut.

- Do you want to bathe, Ellas?

- No. Just to rest.

- Are you ill, Ellas?

- No, of course not.

Just tired and so cold.

Yes, you are shivering.

You haven't eaten in two days.

I shouldn't have brought you with me.

We'll rest now. Yes, we'll rest now.

(fish splashes)

We have 271 ships lying in the straits.

The Persians are in the bay beyond.

with a good number of auxiliary craft.

- Then we are outnumbered six to one.

- Yes.

But geography is on our side. In the narrow

waters we can give them a good fight.

- How many men have you brought?

- 300 Spartans.

- 300?

- My personal bodyguard.

Other Spartans will follow after the festival.

- Another festival?

- We are religious people.

I know.

Some day I may enter religion myself.

It's better than politics.

With the gods behind you,

you can be far more irresponsible.

Themistocles, we invoked divine help coming

here. This is no time for impious remarks.

Forgive me... friend.

Greetings, friends. Leonidas.

Demophilus.

We've heard all of Sparta's on the march.

I've been riding since sunrise trying

to catch up. Your men move like lightning.

- They have an appointment at Thermopylae.

- Yes, we heard about that too.

Can my warriors of Thespiae join you?

- There's always room. How many of you?

- About 700. All volunteers.

I couldn't hold them back when they heard

about Sparta leading us in this war.

- Where do we find you?

- Thermopylae at daybreak.

The rest of our armies join us there.

Wonderful. But don't start

the killing before we arrive.

You Spartans go wild when

you smell the enemy. Leave some for us.

- We are Greeks, too.

- At Thermopylae.

"We are Greeks, too. "

Did you hear what that man said?

Can this be the beginning

of the miracle we've been waiting for?

Let us pray so.

You know, Leonidas,

people call me a master politician.

Also a cynic, mountebank and a charlatan.

They're all wrong.

I'm nothing but a sentimental old fool

desperately in love with a dream:

One free, united Greece.

That is no dream.

I think we should have told Demophilus

that we are only 300 Spartans.

And ruin all my work?

I've sent 20 runners around with the news

that the entire Spartan army

is marching north.

- But that's not true.

- Truth is a heady wine, friend.

A politician must never exaggerate

people's capacity for it.

- I thank the gods I am only a soldier.

- And I thank them I'm a politician.

Between us we may make

our dream come true.

I must get back to my boats.

Get the men ready.

Halt!

(shouts order)

Spartans! We have reached Thermopylae.

The orders are,

from this wall we do not retreat.

Somebody?

Somebody!

Greetings, friends.

Ephialtes, bring some water.

Oh, she's ill. Poor child.

Ephialtes! Where is that fool? Ephialtes!

- Your wife?

- Thermopylae. How far is it?

Not far. Just over those cliffs there.

- You see, if you go by...

- Be quiet. Quiet!

Take her inside.

Carry her.

Gently. Don't hurt her.

Goats have more brains than men!

Who can understand the way of gods?

They create lovely girls,

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