Why did Leonidas say may you live forever?

Leonidas' last words are to Ephialtes

Ephialtes

An Athenian political figure who pioneered an early form of democracy. (Greek mythology) Either of two Giants.

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Ephialtes - Wiktionary

on the battlefield before he is engulfed by a shower of arrows: "I hope you live forever." This, we deduce, is the most profound Spartan insult, incorporating Leonidas' disgust for the traitor with the Spartan ideal of dying a "beautiful death" in battle.

What is Leonidas famous quote?

King Leonidas: The world will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many, and before this battle was over, even a god-king can bleed.

What were King Leonidas last words?

Spartan King Leonidas : [his last lines] My Queen! My wife.

Who said may you live forever?

As Leonidas, about to die, faces Ephialtes one more time, he offers parting words: “May you live forever” (1:38:27-1:38:30). This scene is wholly fabricated from Herodotus's original telling of the battle of Thermopylae.

What does Leonidas statue say?

A bronze statue of Leonidas was erected at Thermopylae in 1955. A sign, under the statue, reads simply: "ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ" ("Come and take them"), which was Leonidas' laconic reply when Xerxes offered to spare the lives of the Spartans if they gave up their arms.

the traitor

What is μολὼν Λαβέ in English?

Molon Labe (or ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ) is a classical Greek phrase meaning “come and take [them],” attributed to King Leonidas of Sparta as a defiant response to the demand that his soldiers lay down their weapons.

How old was King Leonidas when he died?

(Leonidas was approximately 60 years old when he died, and he was succeeded by his son, Pleistarchus.) The Spartans defended themselves to the very last soldier, until they overwhelmed by spears and arrows.

Why did Leonidas only take $300?

The Spartans may have only sent 300, not because of the Olympics or Carneia, but because they didn't wish to defend so far north, although it does seem unusual they would have sent a King if so.

Who betrayed the Spartans?

In the Battle of Thermopylae Leonidas and his brave 300 were the heroes — and Ephialtes of Trachis, the vile traitor who betrayed the Spartan army, served as the villain.

Is the 300 Spartan story true?

Therefore, historical inaccuracies are unavoidable and excusable since the film is not based on real history but on a fantasy graphic novel.

Who became king after Leonidas died?

After Leonidas' death, Pleistarchus became the king of Sparta and Gorgo vanishes from the historical record.

What happened to Leonidas when he died?

Leonidas and the 300 Spartans with him were all killed, along with most of their remaining allies. The Persians found and beheaded Leonidas' corpse–an act that was considered to be a grave insult.

Did Xerxes cut off Leonidas head?

Xerxes had Leonidas' head cut off and his body crucified in a mindless rage after the losses he suffered. After the Persians moved off, the Greeks returned to the battlefield and buried their dead. They erected a stone Lion to honor Leonidas and the Greeks who fell at Thermopylae.

What was King Leonidas motto?

Molon labe (Ancient Greek: μολὼν λαβέ, romanized: molṑn labé), meaning 'come and take [them]', is a classical expression of defiance. It is among the Laconic phrases reported by Plutarch, attributed to King Leonidas I in reply to the demand by Xerxes I that the Spartans surrender their weapons.

What is the Spartan catchphrase?

Molon Labe is a Greek catchphrase associated with the Spartans and has been used by several gun rights groups. It means “Come and take them,” and was the response by King Leonidas when the enemy demanded his soldiers lay down their weapons.

What do the Spartans yell in 300?

"This is where we fight! This is where they die!" —King Leonidas__In 300, the king of Sparta uses this catchy jingle to rally his troops against the Persians. It scores big points for clarity, but it really gets a boost when 300 Spartans shout "HA-OOH!" in response.

Who finally defeated Sparta?

A Persian army led by Xerxes I defeated Greek forces led by the Spartan king Leonidas in the Battle of Thermopylae.

Who was Sparta's main enemy?

Sparta was a warrior society in ancient Greece that reached the height of its power after defeating rival city-state Athens in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.).

Does Sparta still exist?

Modern Sparta is the capital of the southern Greek region of Laconia and a center for processing citrus and olives. Sparta was unique in ancient Greece for its social system and constitution, which were supposedly introduced by the semi-mythical legislator Lycurgus.

Did Sparta ever lose a war?

The result of the aforementioned characteristics was that Spartans remained undefeated in battles for over 150 years. Among these series of victories, Sparta's most famous success is actually one of its losses: the Battle of Thermopylae.

What happens if 300 Spartans win?

The year is 480. Three hundred Spartans, joined by a small force of Greeks, defend the mountain pass of Thermopylae against the invading Persians. If the 300 Spartans had stayed home and if Persians had won the Greco-Persian Wars, the Western concept of freedom most likely would not exist.

Who was the most famous Spartan king?

Leonidas, the king of Sparta

Leonidas (540-480 BC), the legendary king of Sparta, and the Battle of Thermopylae is one of the most brilliant events of the ancient Greek history, a great act of courage and self-sacrifice.

How tall were Spartans?

Spartan soldiers are believed to have been between 5”7 – 5”10 feet (1.70 – 1.78 meters) tall. Historians have estimated this height based on the size of excavated battle gear and by analyzing the Spartan diet. Additionally, a Spartan weighed between 132 – 154 pounds (60-70 kilograms).

Was Leonidas a good leader?

He performed well. While Leonidas did not lead the Spartan soldiers in defeating Xerxes, he did lead them to victory through many battles with a fraction of the men in the Persian army. The Persian's loss in the final battle later allowed Sparta to win the war against Xerxes.