- How is it? - It missed the main artery, I think.
We shall see now.
This day will pass in peace. I see it on the barb.
Blood curdles well.
As always, Megistias, your omens speak truthfully.
The Persian camp is disrupted. It'll take them all day to put it together.
- Where's that young fool? - There.
He... he saved my life, Leonidas.
I know that. He also disobeyed his orders.
In wartime the punishment is death. You know that.
- Yes. - So death it will be.
Get him his armour and a red cloak.
That's the only way for Spartans to die these days.
Half the camp burned!
Myself almost captured! And all by a handful of Greeks. Where were your men?
These Spartans are scarcely human, my lord. They see in the night like cats.
This is no answer! I'm surrounded by incompetent fools.
Fear, panic, disorder!
How can this happen to the army that was made to conquer the world?
Panic started amongst the conscript savages.
By the end of the day we shall restore order.
But this day is already lost. And the Spartans are still in the pass.
By noon tomorrow, I want to see every one of them destroyed!
Or all of you will forfeit your lives!
Leave me!
(man) They're killing our women!
Phylon.
Ellas.
- You're a Spartan again. - Leonidas took me back into the army.
- You must have done something wonderful. - Nothing another Spartan wouldn't do.
- How are you now? - My fever's all gone.
Old Toris made me a bowl of herbs. She's so kind.
I can look at you again. I'm no longer ashamed of myself.
I've never been ashamed of you. I knew you were always a good soldier.
- But... - Yes?
I've been watching Samos and Toris. They're such good and simple people.
They know nothing about honour and glory.
But Toris knows that every night her man will be sleeping at her side.
They live for themselves. They do no harm.
Is it a crime to want to live in peace?
No, Ellas. But you shouldn't speak like that.
- Why, you yourself gave me the shield. - I know. I know it all.
I know that for a Spartan, life is a kind of preparation for death.
But why should a love like ours go down and be trampled in dirt and blood?
We must be ready to die for our country. But we don't have to die.
- I want to live and come to you with victory. - Victory? Did you see the enemy out there?
And there are only 300 of you.
We have men from other cities. Good men.
Everybody expects the Spartans to die first.
- Why hasn't the Spartan army arrived? - They will come.
- When? - I don't know, but they will come.
Our people won't abandon us.
(horses galloping)
- Those are the horses of Leonidas. - That's my aunt's servant riding them.
It must be an important message from Sparta. I must get back to camp.
Ellas, I must go.
My wife is a very clever woman. Even if the messenger had been captured,
no one would have guessed that there was a message hidden under the wax.
Shall we leave you alone, Leonidas?
No.
This news concerns us all.
Our troops are not coming.
Why, Leonidas?
The council made a secret decision to fortify the isthmus of Corinth,
and not to go beyond it.
- Then we cannot stay here! - We can. And we must.
We've received no orders to leave. And we have our duty to Greece.
Greeks followed us because they believed in our word. We are not going to break it.
Here we stay! And here we stand!
- For how long? - Until we win!
Or die.
Greetings, friends. What are the omens?
Last night a lioness came down to the pass with three of her cubs.
She cried piteously, as if begging mercy for her children.
This is a bad omen for Persia.
I accept the omen. The Spartans will meet the first attack.
The rest of the troops will stand by in reserve until I send for them.
- My men want to fight, Leonidas. - All Greeks want to fight.
But the Spartans were here first. We will lead.
The others will watch us, ready to move in when ordered.
To your places, friends.
- How many altogether? - 20,000, my lord.
The rest are ready to march through the pass once it's cleared.
- We shall be in Athens in four days. - Good.
I've ordered Mardonius to draw up the Sagartian horsemen behind the infantry.
Just before contact with the enemy, they will surprise the Spartans and take them alive.
Excellent, my lord.
I shall have Leonidas nailed to a board
and watch him die as we eat our meal at noon.
Come, let us enjoy this in peace.
Enemy is on the move. Drawing nearer to us.
Good. It also means that we are drawing nearer to them.
(man) Spears!
They intend to surprise us by faking an infantry charge.
Pass the word to Agathon and Pentheus. Be ready for horsemen.
- Cavalry. - Cavalry.
Spartans...
attack!
Spartans attack!
Drive them into the sea!
Don't let them escape!
- What does this mean? - Leonidas has guessed our manoeuvre.
He's killed most horsemen, forcing the rest to confound our foot soldiers. Then he attacked!
He is slaughtering my men like sheep! The cowards!
No. These men are a match for any regular soldiers. The Spartans fight like machines.
Leonidas. Leonidas.
- What news? - A Persian herald.
Hydarnes wants to speak with you.
- Hydarnes? - Yes. Shall I bring him here?
So he can see our defences? No. Here.
Get me a clean cloak.
How many men for your escort?
A Spartan king needs no escort to talk to a mere Persian.
- Greetings, Leonidas. - Greetings, Hydarnes.
The great king admires the valour of you and your men.
Thank him. And tell him we will earn even more of his admiration today.
Stubbornness will avail you nothing. It's only a matter of time before you lose this battle.
Perhaps.
But by that time you will have lost your war.
Yesterday we only probed your defences.
When we attack today, our arrows will blot out the sun.
Then we will fight in the shade.
But this slaughter is useless.
Surrender your arms...
and my king will spare you and your Spartans.
What shall I tell him?
Molon lave.
Come and take them.
(man) Spears!
(whistles)
Archers!
Spears! Spears!
Guards!
Advance!
The greatest army in the world, routed by savages!
We are giving Leonidas cheap victories, my lord.
Chariots cannot manoeuvre in that pass!
- I must see this pass cleared this morning. - Then do it quickly. Send in the Immortals.
- My own bodyguard? - They are the only men that can match them.
Once we wipe out the Spartans fanatics, the rest of the Greeks will give way.
Very well, Hydarnes. But I hold you responsible.
Pentheus.
What would you do now, if you were Xerxes?
Send in fresh troops. My very best.
That is just what he's doing. These are his Immortals.
The whole Persian army is watching them.
If we beat them back, fear will grip the others.
Phylon!
We'll fall back deliberately. Pretend to be dead and stay here.
Put the torches under the chariot.
To your places, friends.
(groans)
Yes.
What are we to do now?
It was your idea. You told me to send in the Immortals.
You! You!
How can you expect these others to fight after what they've seen today?
My lord... you have the power to have me slain.
Silence!
Death is too good for you. Get out of my sight!
I don't want to see your insolent face again! Go!
Another day.
The Spartans fought well.
So did the Thespians and all the other Greeks.
We can hold Thermopylae.
I've...
I have waited for the time when I could see you alone.
Why?
I'm...
I'm going down into the valley.
This is no place for you.
Come with me. Come with me.
I'll give you rubies and gold.
Touch me again and I'll strike you.
You? You strike me?
My lord.
Artemisia.
Surely you at least must be the bearer of good tidings.
Would that I were.
- Artemisia. You are hurt? - No. I'm all right.
But your fleet had no more success today than your army.
And three of my ships were sunk.
Even the gods seem to conspire against me.
My ships falter, my troops in revolt...
Seized by fear that spreads like leprosy through the camp.
- What am I to do? - Halt these senseless attacks
which the Greeks are turning into victories, demoralising your men.
Another day of this and your own troops will destroy you.
You must stop this war.
With two of my brothers slain? And Leonidas still in the pass?
I've sworn to destroy him.
This is Hydarnes' fault!
When the Immortals failed, all others lost heart.
Heart.
Yes.
I'll have his heart for this.
I'll have it cut out and brought to me on a platter!
No! Then you would admit defeat. There's a better way.
- What is it? - Even the greatest king cannot defy the gods.
Tell your men you've had a message from heaven to return to Persia.
By this you would save your honour, reaffirm your divine origins,
and rob Leonidas of victory.
Yes.
It was a dark day when the first woman came into this world.
Mardonius.
My lord.
I have had a vision in which my father's shade appeared to me.
He told me to destroy the rebellious foreign troops,
go back to Persia, and collect a new army.
I dare not disobey him.
We march at sunrise. Go and see that all is made ready.
Very good, my lord.
Now I know why they call you "great king".
They tell me your mother was a Greek,
and that you're a secret enemy trying to destroy me with your advice.
If I could prove it, I'd have your throat cut.
The bone is not broken and none of the muscles are cut.
Let me seal the wound with the iron.
Help him, Megistias. We need such men.
(music)
My lord.
- My lord. - Yes.
I beg you to accept this gift I bring to you.
- Gift? What gift? - Victory!
- What sort of a joke is this? - A joke, my lord?
This man will lead you to the victory which you have forsworn so easily.
Listen to him.
Who are you?
My name is Ephialtes. I live in these mountains.
What are you doing here?
I know a secret path through these mountains.
- What secret path? - An old goat track.
It comes down on the other side of Thermopylae.
- Can you lead us there? - You see, I'm a poor man.
Not any more. This is worth gold to you.
As much gold as you can carry.
Take him away.
Hydarnes, cancel all orders.
Take half the Immortals and go with this man. I will lead the troops from this side.
We will attack at sunrise and trap Leonidas. Go!
You can have Greece as I promised. Empty and beautiful. Doesn't that make you happy?
What if this is a trap? Those mountains are treacherous. You could lose your whole army.
You must have a dependable guide.
- Yes, but I have no one. - Yes, you have. Gryllus. He's with Demaratus.
Why not let him go with your troops?
Halt!
Take me to the king. I am Ellas, daughter of Pentheus.
And the queen's niece.
Follow me.
Father!
Ellas!
What are you doing here?
Persians are coming through the mountains. Phylon's father came to where I was staying.
- I led him here. - We have been betrayed.
Hydarnes and his Immortals are coming behind you.
They broke through your Phocian guards. I escaped during the night to warn you.
- You traitor. - No! If he was a traitor, why is he here?
Call the Spartans to arms.
Artemisia sent me, Leonidas.
Phylon.
You ride back to the pass.
Tell all Greek troops to retreat before they're cut off.
Then I can return. I didn't come to be a messenger.
You're here to obey orders!
Phylon, the message you carry today will buy centuries of freedom for Greece.
Tell the Spartans we are staying here obedient to their word.
- Ellas, you must hurry. - Ellas.
Ellas.
Tell my wife to take care of our son.
Tell her that I am thinking of them both.
I will, Leonidas.
Come, child.
Why are you here? Take your men out.
- My Thespians are staying. - And disobeying me?
We obey our honour.
Where do we fight?
You're a bad soldier, but a good Greek.
Go to the end of the pass and hold it as long as you can.
Here.
Only Spartans with living sons have the privilege to fight today.
And you've got one of the best.
Come, old friend. Today we carve out our own omens.
Sir, the main body of the Greek army has escaped in the direction of Opus.
- Who are left in the pass? - The Thespians are at one end.
The Spartans at the other, facing the army of the king.
Fools.
I wish I had men like that fighting for me.
Immortals, march!
Thespians, advance! Attack!
- Have you heard? - Agathon has just told me.
We have been betrayed.
Take your ships out of the straits at once. This is our last morning at Thermopylae.
I must move the fleet. But the ships can still take you out of this.
No. We shall stay here.
What about your wounded?
Spartan wounded go home only with victory.
In defeat they die with the rest.
I would share this day with you, Leonidas.
But I must be with the fleet when it fights again at Salamis.
I know you don't put much trust in omens, Themistocles.
But last night, Megistias received a most wondrous vision.
Megistias, tell him your vision.
I saw ships burning between two shores. Many of them.
With Persian markings on their sails.
There was Xerxes sitting upon a throne, his face in gloom,
listening to the cries of burning men.
And behind him, the goddess Athena, all in white,
a golden spear in her hand.
She was smiling.
Tell him all.
And a voice was saying:
"Divine Salamis, you will bring death to the enemies of Greece
when the seeds are sown or the harvests are gathered in. "
Thank you, old man.
They're advancing, sir. King Xerxes is leading them in his chariot.
I'll be right there.
We shall be watching you fight at Salamis, Megistias and I.
We shall not fail you...
friend.
Sir, Hydarnes is attacking the Thespians in our rear.
We are cut off.
- And the others? - All retreated safely.
Tell Demophilus to hold out as long as he can.
Spartans!
The orders for the day.
We can no longer defend the pass.
So we shall attack and kill Xerxes!
(man) Close the ranks!
Spartans...
advance!
Right flank, advance!
Get the body of Leonidas!
Halt!
Circle! Circle! Circle!
Circle!
My lord.
Your Immortals have destroyed the Greek rearguard to the last man.
You hear Hydarnes' message. Go deliver my final offer to the Spartans.
The Immortals have wiped out your rearguard.
But the great king grants you your lives.
Give us the body of Leonidas and you can depart.
- We stay with our king. - Your position is hopeless.
In a few moments you will be dead.
But Greece will live.
- Speak! - My king, they will not surrender.
- Shall we attack, my lord? - I shall waste no more of our men.
Finish them with arrows.
Archers!
(narrator) "O stranger, tell the Spartans that we lie here obedient to their word. "
This last message of the fallen heroes rallied Greece to victory.
First at Salamis, as predicted, and then at Plataea.
But it was more than a victory for Greece.
It was a stirring example to free people throughout the world
of what a few brave men can accomplish once they refuse to submit to tyranny.
ENGLISH SDH