The 300 Spartans Page #5

and then turn them into wives.

- You're the first strangers to visit us in years.

- It was kind of you to give us shelter.

We have been herding goats here

in the mountains all our lives, my wife and I.

She'll be better by sunrise.

But her feet, all swollen and sore.

- Our home is far away.

- Athens?

By the gods, no!

Have you not heard of Sparta?

Yes. They speak little, fight much. Eat that

black broth that turns up the stomach.

- And their girls go about naked.

- Naked?

- That's what I heard.

- When?

- When I was young.

- Ephialtes.

More milk.

No.

I'm going to look after the goats.

I heard a wolf last night in the mountains.

- Your son?

- You think we'd have a son like that?

We don't know where he came from.

He just arrived one day.

Said he had quarreled

with the people in the valley.

Maybe a runaway slave. Maybe a thief.

But in the mountains,

everyone is equal.

Have you heard anything about the Persians?

We see them when it's clear.

Come with me.

Look between those two hills.

- Have they been there long?

- For several days. And they are still coming.

More campfires every day.

Lucky Thermopylae is the only way through.

You mean it's lucky that

the Persians don't know the other way.

- Is there another way?

- Yes. There is an old goat track.

It winds through the mountains

and it comes down beyond the pass.

Nobody uses it now, but it's still there.

We must let the Spartans know. If the

Persians found it, our men would be trapped.

King Xerxes would give much gold

to know about it, wouldn't he?

Come inside. It's getting cold.

We'll talk there.

I don't want you to get sick, too.

This is called

the middle gate of Thermopylae.

It is too narrow for fighting in open order.

We will use our special tactics

for close-in fighting.

And the rest can learn

from watching the Spartans.

Shall we keep the men in their own units?

Yes. Men prefer to die among their friends.

- Who are you?

- I am a goatherd.

I know these mountains well.

I have come to tell you there is a path

leading through them from the north.

It's a bad path, but the Persians could use it.

We know there is a path.

Our scouts are looking, but can't find it.

I can show the way.

It runs by the Callidromus mountain.

We'd better hurry, sir. The accursed

barbarians are probably looking for it, too.

Agathon, dispatch all the Phocian troops.

Have them block that path and guard it.

Thank you, my friend.

If I had gold I would give it to you.

All we have is armor.

Take the best sword you can find.

I don't do this for gold.

And I'm too old to use a sword.

If I were younger, I would bring my own

sword and be standing with you in battle.

Let's go, friend. It's a long walk.

Xerxes has men in millions. We have Greeks.

(fanfare)

I cannot believe there's only one pass

through the mountains, Demaratus.

I've not heard of another one, my lord.

- Where is the main Greek army?

- Our scouts swam past Thermopylae.

The Greeks are camped far beyond it.

Still a small force.

I presume they are waiting for more men.

The more the better. If they insist on fighting,

we can wipe them all out in one battle.

- What about the pass itself?

- Still held by just a few Spartans.

Some are rebuilding the wall. Others are just

sitting on the rocks and sharpening weapons.

- The fools.

- Not a good sign, my lord.

It means that the Spartans will fight.

Whether reinforcements arrive or not.

They are mad.

I cannot think why you want to be king of

such an extraordinary people, Demaratus.

I shall capture them and put them in cages.

Exhibit them all over Persia.

(man) My king!

Cyrus.

My brother.

How did this happen?

Speak!

We were on patrol, my lord. Near the pass.

Suddenly the Spartans came at us

like devils. Swarms of them.

We fought. But it was a narrow place

and we could not get near them.

Hydarnes.

See that my brother's body

is buried with full honors.

And as for these cowards...

let them be buried, too.

- My lord.

- Alive!

My lord, as a soldier, death is my duty.

And if I offend you, I'll be glad to die for it.

- But I feel that I must warn you.

- Well?

You have been listening to bad advice,

my lord. If we had occupied the pass...

I know that I've listened to some people

too much. But that period is over.

- Mardonius.

- My lord.

Tomorrow at dawn,

we take the pass and march on.

I want no prisoners or slaves in this war.

- Every Greek is to be put to the sword!

- Very good, my lord.

Give your men this one night.

Then destroy all the soldiers' women.

There are enough women

in Sparta and Athens.

And I want my men to be eager to get at them.

Very good, my lord.

Well done, Myron.

Not many of that Persian patrol got away.

It was easy, sir.

Five of us and only ten of them.

There is movement in the enemy camp.

It looks as though they intend to attack.

We need one more day

to finish rebuilding that wall.

We must gain that day.

- Isn't that the king's tent near the shore?

- Yes.

Pick out 30 men for me. All good swimmers.

- I could swim the Evrotas river as a boy.

- No, you must stay, to take over command.

But if you're killed?

Then Greece will fight all the more fiercely.

But without Xerxes

all that great horde would fall to pieces.

Have the men assemble

by that rock at sundown.

I'm going to stay here tonight.

Go back, friend. And thank you.

The orders are silence and speed.

If I am killed, Pentheus will take command.

(music)

Silence.

- Where's the king?

- Gone away to visit the queen.

(screaming)

(man) My queen!

Come.

General alarm.

There is a great fire on the shore.

The king's camp is burning.

See that my boat is made ready!

- How is it?

- It missed the main artery, I think.

We shall see now.

This day will pass in peace.

I see it on the barb.

Blood curdles well.

As always, Megistias,

your omens speak truthfully.

The Persian camp is disrupted.

It'll take them all day to put it together.

- Where's that young fool?

- There.

He... he saved my life, Leonidas.

I know that. He also disobeyed his orders.

In wartime the punishment is death.

You know that.

- Yes.

- So death it will be.

Get him his armor and a red cloak.

That's the only way

for Spartans to die these days.

Half the camp burned!

Myself almost captured! And all by

a handful of Greeks. Where were your men?

These Spartans are scarcely human, my lord.

They see in the night like cats.

This is no answer!

I'm surrounded by incompetent fools.

Fear, panic, disorder!

How can this happen to the army

that was made to conquer the world?

Panic started amongst the conscript savages.

By the end of the day we shall restore order.

But this day is already lost.

And the Spartans are still in the pass.

By noon tomorrow,

I want to see every one of them destroyed!

Or all of you will forfeit your lives!

Leave me!

(man) They're killing our women!

Phylon.

Ellas.

- You're a Spartan again.

- Leonidas took me back into the army.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes