The 300 Spartans (1962)

Richard Egan: King Leonidas

Photos 

Quotes 

• Hydarnes, Commander of the Immortals : [Xerxes has sent an emissary to demand the Spartan surrender]  yesterday, we only probed your positions. When we attack today, our arrows will blot out the sun!

  Leonidas, Spartan King : Good; then we will fight in the shade.

  Hydarnes, Commander of the Immortals : Leonidas; you cannot win this fight.

  Leonidas, Spartan King : Every day we stand is another day for Greece.

  [Starts to walk off] 

  Hydarnes, Commander of the Immortals : Leonidas, wait! Xerxes says that if you and your men lay down your arms, he will allow you to leave peaceably.

  Leonidas, Spartan King : [In Greek]  Come and take them!

• Pentheus, Leonidas' Second in Command : He saved my life, Leonidas.

  Leonidas, Spartan King : I know that. He also disobeyed orders.

  [to Phylon] 

  Leonidas, Spartan King : In wartime, the punishment is death. You know that Phylon.

  Phylon, son of Grellas : Yes.

  Leonidas, Spartan King : So death it will be.

  [to Agathon] 

  Leonidas, Spartan King : Get him his armor and a red cloak. That's the only way for Spartans to die these days.

• Leonidas, Spartan King : The council must act quickly

  Xenathon, Spartan Isolationist : Why?

  Leonidas, Spartan King : In order that we Spartans may reach the first line of defense in time.

  Xenathon, Spartan Isolationist : And where might that be?

  Leonidas, Spartan King : The Pass of Thermopylae.

  Xenathon, Spartan Isolationist : Thermopylae, of course. That's the pass that protects Athens.

  Leonidas, Spartan King : No! It's the pass that protects GREECE! Mere cities don't matter now. It is Greece that counts! Only by being united can we hope to avoid slavery. Now, I am no politician, but I will plead this cause with you until the moon wanes and the night brings forth a new day!

• Agathon the Spartan Spy : Leonidas! The barbarians have sent an emissary to talk with you. It is Hydarnes himself.

  Leonidas, Spartan King : Hydarnes? Good, get me a clean cloak.

  Agathon the Spartan Spy : How many men do you want for an escort?

  Leonidas, Spartan King : [Scornfully]  When has a Spartan king needed an escort to talk to a mere Persian?

• Leonidas, Spartan King : Why were you not in council?

  Agathon the Spartan Spy : Because I'm not a good liar. I don't want to frighten them.

  Leonidas, Spartan King : Then the army is as enormous as they say?

  Agathon the Spartan Spy : Leonidas, it is bigger than anything you can imagine. For six days, I watched them pass. Six days! I ran out of numbers and still more of them came. They're drinking the rivers dry. And at night there are more of their campfires than there are stars in the sky!

  Leonidas, Spartan King : Good. When I was a boy, I always wanted to reach the stars with my spear.

• Leonidas, Spartan King : A Spartan king cannot act without the authority of his people. But I know my people, and I know they will fight.

  Themistocles of Athens : Will they lead all others?

  Leonidas, Spartan King : Sparta will fight, whether others will follow or not.

• Leonidas, Spartan King : Spartans! We have reached Thermopylae. The orders are: From this wall, we do not retreat!

• Themistocles of Athens : I've sent 20 runners around with the news that the entire Spartan army is marching north.

  Leonidas, Spartan King : But that's not true!

  Themistocles of Athens : Truth is a heady wine, friend. A politician must never exaggerate people's capacity for it.

  Leonidas, Spartan King : I thank the gods I am only a soldier.

  Themistocles of Athens : And I thank them I'm a politician. Between us we may make our dream come true.

• Themistocles of Athens : How many men have you brought?

  Leonidas, Spartan King : 300 Spartans.

  Themistocles of Athens : 300?

  Leonidas, Spartan King : My personal bodyguard. Other Spartans will follow after the festival.

  Themistocles of Athens : Another festival?

  Leonidas, Spartan King : We are religious people.

  Themistocles of Athens : I know. Some day I may enter religion myself. It's better than politics. With the gods behind you, you can be far more irresponsible.

  Leonidas, Spartan King : Themistocles, we invoked divine help coming here. This is no time for impious remarks.

  Themistocles of Athens : Forgive me... friend.