Battle of Thermopylae

http://www.greyhawkes.com/blacksword ^ | 11/15/02 | unknown

[Sparta]

Because Ancient Greece is the birthplace of our Western ideals(capitalism, respect for civil liberties, consentual government, scientific reasoning, the right to live as you please).

[Gael]

THE ORACLES by A. E. Houseman

'Tis mute, the word they went to hear on high Dodona mountain
When winds were in the oakenshaws and all the cauldrons tolled,
And mute's the midland navel-stone beside the singing fountain,
And echoes list to silence now where gods told lies of old.

I took my question to the shrine that has not ceased from speaking,
The heart within, that tells the truth and tells it twice as plain;
And from the cave of oracles I heard the priestess shrieking
That she and I should surely die and never live again.

Oh priestess, what you cry is clear, and sound good sense I think it;
But let the screaming echoes rest, and froth your mouth no more.
'Tis true there's better booze than brine, but he that drowns must drink it;
And oh, my lass, the news is news that men have heard before.

The King with half the East at heel is marched from land of morning;
Their fighters drink the rivers up, their shafts benight the air.
And he that stands will die for nought, and home there's no returning.
The Spartans on the sea-wet rock sat down and combed their hair.

[Notforprophet]

Count me in. I'd like on that ping list. Good post.

Molon labe bump.

[river rat]

Please add me to your ping list..
Thanks
Semper Fi

[VOA]

bump

[WaterDragon]

How much we owe those ancient Greeks!

[Sparta]

You ought to check out the linked thread in post 6.

[Dumb_Ox]

The moral standards of the Greeks in those days were far removed from our own.

Depends on the Greek. Modern America is far more like Athens than Sparta.

The Persians were much more like modern Americans than were the Greeks.

In what sense? Neither Greeks nor Americans made obeisance to their rulers, as the Persians did.

A few interesting stories have been handed down from the Greeks, and that's about it.

Now that's an understatement.

[Dumb_Ox]

Also, the battle is good story of a last stand, like the Alamo.

It's even better in Herodotus.

[Sparta]

Can either one of you find me a Persian account of the battle. I need a source other than the immoral Father of History. After all, everyone knows the Persians are the fathers of Western Civilization.(sarcasm)

[GRRRRR]

Alright, who makes up this stuff? Aren't all those people current Hip-Hop and RAP stars?? Are they gonna make a muvee about this sometime? Spielenberger where are you???

GRRRRRRollin' 4 the USA!!

[Sparta]

Are they gonna make a muvee about this sometime?

I think they already made one about Thermopylae "The 300 Spartians"

[csvset]

Please add me to your ping list. Thanks.

[LibWhacker]

Thanks for this! I knew Leonidas was the guy who said molon labe, but I didn't know the whole story.

The first attempt was destroyed in a storm, which cost the engineers their lives. The second attempt was successful.

Note that in this history of great men the Tom Daschle of his day would appear here as a footnote, "this is just another terrible example of the Xerxes administration's union-busting policies." Little man!

[aristeides]

Even better in the original Greek: o xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti täde/
keimetha tois keinon rhämasi peithomenoi!

[aristeides]

The Greeks were free men, who thought they were ruled by law, and who despised tyrants. As free men, they thought for themselves, and thereby originated our civilization of reason. As free men, who had a stake in their society, Greek citizens fought with the strength of ten times as many barbarian soldiers.

[yarddog]

I suggest you read Pericles' "Funeral Oration" for Athenian soldiers. I think it will surprise you how similar they were to us, or at least what they claimed to be was similar to what we claim to be.

[eeman]

There is book called "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield that is a fictionalized but accurate hitorical account of the battle of Thermopylae. It is the the Greco-Persian equivalent of "Killer Angels" or "Gods and Generals." I read it it is very good. The author also wrote the "Legend of Bagger Vance."

[Tailback]

"Gates of Fire" is also excellent. I don't remember the authors name.