In 480 B.C., the Persian army under the command of King Xerxes went into Greece planning to make Europe part of the Persian Empire. The King’s two million troops ran into three hundred men of the Spartan army, squires and helots along with a few thousand allies at the Thermopylae, a narrow mountain pass in northern Greece named for the natural hot springs. The sole mission of this army was to hold off the Persians until the Greek army could get organized and reinforce this small band of Spartans and allies. It was suicide and these Spartans knew it but they also knew that they would die in honor and love for their country and their families would be honored for their sacrifice.

Finally the Persian allies and the royal Immortals surrounded and flooded the remaining one hundred Spartan soldiers. Xeones mortally wounded, is found beneath a pile of dead warriors. Under orders from King Xerxes himself the royal surgeons are commanded to attend to Xeones. Once recovered, he is placed before King Xerxes and his scribes and historians to find out how so few men could hold off two million troops for so long before succumbing to its force. Xeones tells the story of his life and h

I believe that Pressfield paints the Spartans rather negatively at first. The sheer brutality in the training of the youth of the full citizens and how it lasted for years as well as how brutality was used to teach one a lesson for loosing ones shield. A Spartan may be excused for losing his weapon or even a piece of armor but to lose a shield was a grievous offense – because the shield protects the man to his left and the entire line as much as it protects him. However, I believe that the author turns toward a more positive paint as the book and the story of Xeones unfolds because he reveals to us the more modern types of war fighting techniques we use in our armed forces today such as the use of dog tags and night maneuvers. The other example is the fact that as the battle raged the men began to fight for each other and to fight along side the commoners who due to the strict cast system of the Spartans were considered second rate and not really citizens.

#4. When King Leonidas spoke to the Lady Paraleia (Alexandros’ Mother) he told her how he went about choosing the “Three Hundred” to defend the Hot Gates. “I chose them not for their own valor, lady, but for that of their women.” What did he mean by this? Explain.

#3. On a memorial stone places at the sight of the battle are the words: “Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws, we lie”. What do these words mean? Based on what you have learned about Spartan society, are these few words a fitting memorial to these men? Explain.

The telling of the story really shows some of Dienekes character because we get to see inside this valiant and obviously vicious fighter a softer side and the actual person that he is. Dienekes is an awesome character and I could read more and more about him if possible because he never waivers from who and what he is, he is a father, a husband and a mentor. He mentors to Xeones as well as Alexandros trying to be a father, a leader and confident to them both. For example after Polynikes breaks Alexandros nose and induces what appears to be asthma to the boy, Dienekes tries to teach the boy to control his fear so he doesn’t suffer from attacks due to the asthma becase Alexandros only had spells of it when he was subjected to fear. Even Xeones was beneficial to Dienekes father like persona because after Xeones candor with the Lady Arête, Dienekes gets Xeones his bow back and allows him to stay on and become a possible citizen soldier.

Some topics in this essay:
Hot Gates, King Xerxes, Gates Fire, Lady Arête, Rooster Dekton, Arête Rooster’s, Xerxes Xeones, Arête Xeones, Xeones Alexandros, Dienekes Dienekes, lady arête, king xerxes, hot gates, king leonidas, defend hot, defend hot gates, dienekes dienekes, gates fire, “go tell spartans, wife children, xeones alexandros, appropriate course, tell spartans stranger, spartans stranger passing, passing obedient laws,