Stories and Histories Essay - Kyle Floyd
The Spartans, led by Leonidas took a stand at Thermopylae. Leonidas led the Spartans against the Persians, who were led by King Xerxes. They were exceedingly valiant in battle. Although they were outnumbered, but they still fought for everything they believed in, their pride for Polis, their hate towards the Persians, the phalanx, and their thoughts towards death. Leonidas and the “300” confronted the Persians at Thermopylae even though it was impossible to stop their invasion of Greece, because of their pride for their Polis. If they retreated at Thermopylae, it would bring shame upon Sparta, and its people. It is the same idea for the hoplites. They are told to stand their ground and push forward, …show more content…
The Spartans were brave, but they were unique. The Spartans did not fear death, for it was honorable to die in battle. “Yet when the news was brought home, and individual families were told which men had died, the relatives of the slain went about with cheerful, almost delighted expressions, whereas the relatives of the survivors, so far from being thrilled or relieved, were humiliated by what they regarded as a double insult – not only had the state’s army been defeated, but their relatives had lived to tell the despicable tale; so they cowered away from public view in a state of shock and self-hatred.” If you came home after a defeat, you were shamed and looked down on, but if you lived to tell the story of a victory, you were praised. The Spartans who fought in war always had a son. The Spartans were not afraid of death, and that is another contribution to the idea of why they took a stand at Thermopylae. You should conclude from this that the Spartans did not take a stand at Thermopylae for one reason engraved in stone, but for many. The Spartans fought for their Polis, their families back home, their pride for Sparta, and because of their hatred towards the Persian ways. They were outnumbered, but they took a stand for every one of those reasons. They did lose the battle, but they will always be remembered as
The Spartans, led by Leonidas took a stand at Thermopylae. Leonidas led the Spartans against the Persians, who were led by King Xerxes. They were exceedingly valiant in battle. Although they were outnumbered, but they still fought for everything they believed in, their pride for Polis, their hate towards the Persians, the phalanx, and their thoughts towards death. Leonidas and the “300” confronted the Persians at Thermopylae even though it was impossible to stop their invasion of Greece, because of their pride for their Polis. If they retreated at Thermopylae, it would bring shame upon Sparta, and its people. It is the same idea for the hoplites. They are told to stand their ground and push forward, …show more content…
The Spartans were brave, but they were unique. The Spartans did not fear death, for it was honorable to die in battle. “Yet when the news was brought home, and individual families were told which men had died, the relatives of the slain went about with cheerful, almost delighted expressions, whereas the relatives of the survivors, so far from being thrilled or relieved, were humiliated by what they regarded as a double insult – not only had the state’s army been defeated, but their relatives had lived to tell the despicable tale; so they cowered away from public view in a state of shock and self-hatred.” If you came home after a defeat, you were shamed and looked down on, but if you lived to tell the story of a victory, you were praised. The Spartans who fought in war always had a son. The Spartans were not afraid of death, and that is another contribution to the idea of why they took a stand at Thermopylae. You should conclude from this that the Spartans did not take a stand at Thermopylae for one reason engraved in stone, but for many. The Spartans fought for their Polis, their families back home, their pride for Sparta, and because of their hatred towards the Persian ways. They were outnumbered, but they took a stand for every one of those reasons. They did lose the battle, but they will always be remembered as