Thermopylae Quotes

• Every great crisis of human history is a pass of Thermopylae, and there is always a Leonidas and his three hundred to die in it, if they can not conquer.

  George William Curtis

  Three, Conquer, Hundred

  "The Call of Freedom". "Orations and Addresses" by George William Curtis, www.bartleby.com. 1894.

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• Honor to those who in the life they lead
  define and guard a Thermopylae.
  Never betraying what is right,
  consistent and just in all they do
  but showing pity also, and compassion;
  generous when they are rich, and when they are poor,
  still generous in small ways,
  still helping as much as they can;
  always speaking the truth,
  yet without hating those who lie.
  And even more honor is due to them
  when they foresee (as many do foresee)
  that in the end Ephialtis will make his appearance,
  that the Medes will break through after all.

  C.P. Cavafy

  Badass, Lying, Hate

  Constantine P. Cavafy, “Thermopylae”

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• Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie.

  Steven Pressfield

  Lying, Passing By, Law

  Steven Pressfield (2000). “Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae”, Random House

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• Although extraordinary valor was displayed by the entire corps of Spartans and Thespians, yet bravest of all was declared the Spartan Dienekes. It is said that on the eve of battle, he was told by a native of Trachis that the Persian archers were so numerous that, their arrows would block out the sun. Dienekes, however, undaunted by this prospect, remarked with a laugh, 'Good. Then we will fight in the shade.

  Herodotus

  Block, Archer, Fighting

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• Earth! render back from out thy breast A remnant of our Spartan dead! Of the three hundred grant but three, To make a new Thermopylæ!

  Lord Byron

  Three, Earth, Remnants

  Lord Byron (2015). “Don Juan”, p.139, Xist Publishing

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• For some the fairest thing on the dark earth is Thermopylae,
  And the Spartan phalanx lowering lances to die.

  Sappho

  Dark, Earth, Dies

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• It's love, not the Battle of Thermopylae. You don't have to treat everything like it's a last stand.

  Cassandra Clare

  Battle, Lasts, Treats

  Cassandra Clare (2014). “City of Lost Souls”, p.515, Simon and Schuster

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• Men propound mathematical theorems in besieged cities, conduct metaphysical arguments in condemned cells, make jokes on the scaffold, discuss a new poem while advancing to the walls of Quebec, and comb their hair at Thermopylae. This is not panache; it is our nature.

  C. S. Lewis

  Wall, Men, Hair

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• Look, if you have a problem with distilling the Battle of Thermopylae down to freedom versus tyranny, you need to read Herodotus because he's the one. It's his fault, not modern culture's fault. He did it.' [Victor Davis Hanson] references a lot of things like that because he feels like the spirit of the book and of the movie ["300"] are very close to the Spartan aesthetic. That's really kind of what he feels."

  Zack Snyder

  Book, Battle, Needs

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• The Spartan, smiting and spurning the wretched Helot, moves our disgust. But the same Spartan, calmly dressing his hair, and uttering his concise jests, on what the well knows to be his last day, in the pass of Thermopylae, is not to be contemplated without admiration.

  Thomas B. Macaulay

  Moving, Hair, History

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• My ancient history teacher, Millie Lloyd, should have worn a medal for her performance at the battle of Thermopylae. She was excited and we were excited.

  Kurt Vonnegut

  Teacher, Should Have, Battle

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