300 quotes

View Quote Wounded child: It's quiet now. They came from the blackness.

View Quote Leonidas (decides to visit the small Persian contingent): Captain, I leave you in charge.
Captain: But my king ...
Leonidas: Don't worry, Captain. Remember, 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?
Captain: None, sire. [thrusts his spear into a Persian's chest]

View Quote At age 7, as is customary in Sparta, the boy was taken from his mother and plunged into a world of violence, manufactured by 300 years of Spartan warrior society to create the finest soldiers the world has ever known. The agoge, as it's called, forces the boy to fight, starves him, forces him to steal ... and if necessary, to kill.

View Quote The world will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many, and before this battle is over, that even a god-king can bleed.

View Quote [Dying words] My Queen! My wife! My love.

View Quote [As the Persian ships are struck by a thunderstorm] Zeus stabs the sky with thunderbolts and batters the Persian ships with hurricane wind! Glorious. Only one among us keeps his Spartan reserve. Only he ... only our King.

View Quote [Regarding Captain Artemis] Upon seeing the headless body of his own young son, the captain breaks rank. He goes wild, blood-drunk. The captain's cries of pain at the loss of his young son are more frightening to the enemy than the deepest battle drums. It takes three men to restrain him and bring him back to our own. The day is ours ... no songs are sung.

View Quote Captain Artemis: I had lived my entire life without regret until now. It's not that my son gave up his life for his country. It's just that I never told him that I loved him the most. That he had stood by me with honor. That he was all that was best in me.

View Quote [To Captain Artemis] You are a good friend, but a better captain there is none.

View Quote We march. For our lands, for our families, for our freedoms, we march.

View Quote The old ones say we Spartans are descended from Hercules himself. Bold Leonidas gives testament to our bloodline. His roar is long and loud ...

View Quote Leonidas: This battle is over when I say it is over.
Daxos: By morning the immortals will surround us. The hot gates will fall.
Leonidas: Spartans! Prepare for glory!
Daxos: Glory? Have you gone mad? There's no glory to be hunted now. Only retreat or surrender ... or death.
Leonidas: Well, that's an easy choice for us, Arcadians. Spartans never retreat! Spartans never surrender! Go spread the word. Let every Greek assembled know the truth of this. Let each among them search his own soul. And while you're at it, search your own.

View Quote Stelios (first lines, to Leonidas): We are with you, sire! For Sparta, for freedom – to the death!

View Quote Delios (narrating): Whips crack, barbarians howl. Those in back cry ...
Persian Commander (cracking whip): Forward!
Delios (narrating): Those in front cry ...
Persian Soldier (as he is stabbed by Leonidas): Back!

View Quote No retreat, no surrender. That is Spartan law. And by Spartan law, we will stand and fight ... and die. A new age has begun: an age of freedom! And all will know that 300 Spartans gave their last breath to defend it!