(THUNDER CRASHING) 1 (WIND WHISTLING) (BABY COOS) NARRATOR: WHEN THE BOY WAS BORN, LIKE ALL SPARTANS, HE WAS INSPECTED. IF HE'D BEEN SMALL OR PUNY OR SICKLY OR MISSHAPEN, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN DISCARDED. (THUNDER RUMBLES) FROM THE TIME HE COULD STAND, HE WAS BAPTIZED IN THE FIRE OF COMBAT. (FIERCE YELL) (BOY GRUNTING, SWORDS CLANGING) (SWORD CLATTERS TO GROUND, GASPS) (PANTING) (GRUNTS) NARRATOR: TAUGHT NEVER TO RETREAT, NEVER TO SURRENDER. TAUGHT THAT DEATH ON THE BATTLEFIELD IN SERVICE TO SPARTA WAS THE GREATEST GLORY HE COULD ACHIEVE IN HIS LIFE. (METALLIC CLANGING) AT AGE SEVEN, AS IS CUSTOMARY IN SPARTA, THE BOY WAS TAKEN FROM HIS MOTHER AND PLUNGED INTO A WORLD OF VIOLENCE, MANUFACTURED BY 300 YEARS OF SPARTAN WARRIOR SOCIETY TO CREATE THE FINEST SOLDIERS THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN. THE "AGOGE," AS IT'S CALLED, FORCES THE BOY TO FIGHT, STARVES THEM, FORCES THEM TO STEAL, AND, IF NECESSARY... TO KILL. BY ROD AND LASH, THE BOY WAS PUNISHED, TAUGHT TO SHOW NO PAIN, NO MERCY. CONSTANTLY TESTED, TOSSED INTO THE WILD, LEFT TO PIT HIS WITS AND WILL AGAINST NATURE'S FURY. IT WAS HIS INITIATION, HIS TIME IN THE WILD. FOR HE WOULD RETURN TO HIS PEOPLE A SPARTAN... OR NOT AT ALL. (LOW, DEEP GROWLING) (SNARLING) (LOW GROWLING) (SNARLING) (LOW GROWLING) (SNARLS) THE WOLF BEGINS TO CIRCLE THE BOY, CLAWS OF BLACK STEEL, FUR AS DARK NIGHT, EYES GLOWING RED, JEWELS FROM THE PIT OF HELL ITSELF. THE GIANT WOLF SNIFFING, SAVORING THE SCENT OF THE MEAL TO COME. (SNARLS) (LOW GROWL) (SNARLING) (WOLF ROARING) (WOLF CRIES IN PAIN, HOWLS IN PAIN) (GROWLS, SNARLS) IT'S NOT FEAR THAT GRIPS HIM, ONLY A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF THINGS. THE COLD AIR IN HIS LUNGS, WINDSWEPT PINES MOVING AGAINST THE COMING NIGHT. (SNARLING, HOWLING) HIS HANDS ARE STEADY, HIS FORM... PERFECT. (WIND HOWLING) (TRIUMPHANT CHORAL THEME BEGINS) NARRATOR: AND SO THE BOY, GIVEN UP FOR DEAD, RETURNS TO HIS PEOPLE, TO SACRED SPARTA, A KING. OUR KING LEONIDAS! OTHERS (IN UNISON): HOOOH! HOOOH! HOOOH! IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 30 YEARS SINCE THE WOLF AND THE WINTER COLD. AND NOW, AS THEN, A BEAST APPROACHES, PATIENT AND CONFIDENT, SAVORING THE MEAL TO COME. BUT THIS BEAST IS MADE OF MEN AND HORSES, SWORDS AND SPEARS. AN ARMY OF SLAVES, VAST BEYOND IMAGINING, READY TO DEVOUR TINY GREECE. READY TO SNUFF OUT THE WORLD'S ONE HOPE FOR REASON AND JUSTICE. A BEAST APPROACHES. (THUNDER RUMBLES IN DISTANCE) IT WAS KING LEONIDAS HIMSELF WHO PROVOKED IT. (HOOVES RUMBLING) (RUMBLING) (NEIGHS FIERCELY) (NEIGHS) (NEIGHS) (BOY GRUNTING) MAN (PANTING): NOW, THE MORE YOU SWEAT HERE, THE LESS... YOU'LL BLEED IN BATTLE. MY FATHER TAUGHT ME... THAT FEAR IS ALWAYS A CONSTANT, BUT ACCEPTING IT... WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER. MY QUEEN, THE PERSIAN EMISSARY AWAITS LEONIDAS. (PANTING) IN THE END, A SPARTAN'S TRUE STRENGTH IS THE WARRIOR NEXT TO HIM. SO GIVE RESPECT AND HONOR TO HIM, AND IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU. FIRST... YOU FIGHT WITH YOUR HEAD. THEN YOU FIGHT WITH YOUR HEART. WHAT IS IT? A PERSIAN MESSENGER AWAITS YOU. DO NOT FORGET TODAY'S LESSON. RESPECT AND HONOR. RESPECT AND HONOR. (RUMBLING, DEEP CREAKING) COUNCILMAN THERON, YOU FOUND YOURSELF NEEDED FOR ONCE. (CHUCKLES): MY KING AND QUEEN, I WAS JUST ENTERTAINING YOUR GUEST. I'M SURE. BEFORE YOU SPEAK, PERSIAN, KNOW THAT IN SPARTA, EVERYONE, EVEN A KING'S MESSENGER, IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE WORDS OF HIS VOICE. NOW... WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU BRING? EARTH AND WATER. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) YOU RODE ALL THE WAY FROM PERSIA FOR EARTH AND WATER? DO NOT BE COY OR STUPID, PERSIAN. YOU CAN AFFORD NEITHER IN SPARTA. WHAT MAKES THIS WOMAN THINK SHE CAN SPEAK AMONG MEN? BECAUSE ONLY SPARTAN WOMEN GIVE BIRTH TO REAL MEN. (LEONIDAS CHUCKLES QUIETLY) LET US WALK TO COOL OUR TONGUES. IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIVES OVER YOUR COMPLETE ANNIHILATION, LISTEN CAREFULLY, LEONIDAS. XERXES CONQUERS AND CONTROLS EVERYTHING HE RESTS HIS EYES UPON. HE LEADS AN ARMY SO MASSIVE, IT SHAKES THE GROUND WITH ITS MARCH, SO VAST, IT DRINKS THE RIVERS DRY. ALL THAT GOD KING XERXES REQUIRES IS THIS: A SIMPLE OFFERING OF EARTH AND WATER, A TOKEN OF SPARTA'S SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF XERXES. SUBMISSION. NOW, THAT'S A BIT OF A PROBLEM. SEE, RUMOR HAS IT THE ATHENIANS HAVE ALREADY TURNED YOU DOWN. AND IF THOSE PHILOSOPHERS AND, UH, BOYLOVERS HAVE FOUND THAT KIND OF NERVE, THEN... WE MUST BE DIPLOMATIC. AND, OF COURSE, SPARTANS... HAVE THEIR REPUTATION TO CONSIDER. CHOOSE YOUR NEXT WORDS CAREFULLY, LEONIDAS. THEY MAY BE YOUR LAST AS KING. (WIND WHISTLING) (BIRD SQUAWKS IN DISTANCE) EMISSARY (VOICEOVER ECHOES): EARTH... AND WATER. MADMAN! YOU'RE A MADMAN. EARTH AND WATER. WELL, YOU'LL FIND PLENTY OF BOTH DOWN THERE. EMISSARY: NO MAN, PERSIAN OR GREEK, NO MAN THREATENS A MESSENGER. YOU BRING THE CROWNS AND HEADS OF CONQUERED KINGS TO MY CITY STEPS! YOU INSULT MY QUEEN. YOU THREATEN MY PEOPLE WITH SLAVERY AND DEATH. OH, I'VE CHOSEN MY WORDS CAREFULLY, PERSIAN. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME. THIS IS BLASPHEMY. THIS IS MADNESS! (LEATHER CREAKS) MADNESS? THIS IS SPARTA! (YELLING) (ECHOING YELLS) (YELLING) (WIND RUSHING, WHISTLING) (WIND WHISTLING) (GRUNTING) (GRUNTS) (GRUNTS) (FLAME ROARS) WELCOME, LEONIDAS. WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING YOU. (FLAME ROARS) NARRATOR: THE EPHORS... PRIESTS TO THE OLD GODS. INBRED SWINE. MORE CREATURE THAN MAN. CREATURES WHOM EVEN LEONIDAS MUST BRIBE AND BEG. AND NO SPARTAN KING HAS GONE TO WAR WITHOUT THE EPHORS' BLESSING. LEONIDAS (VOICEOVER): THE PERSIANS CLAIM THEIR FORCES NUMBER IN THE MILLIONS. I HOPE, FOR OUR SAKE, THEY EXAGGERATE. BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION WE FACE THE MOST MASSIVE ARMY EVER ASSEMBLED. BEFORE YOUR PLAN IS HEARD WHAT DO YOU OFFER? (METALLIC CLATTERING) WE WILL USE OUR SUPERIOR FIGHTING SKILLS AND THE TERRAIN OF GREECE HERSELF TO DESTROY THEM. WE WILL MARCH NORTH TO THE COAST, WHERE I WILL MAKE SURE... THIS IS AUGUST, LEONIDAS. (CHUCKLES): THE FULL MOON APPROACHES. THE SACRED AND ANCIENT FESTIVAL. SPARTA WAGES NO WAR AT THE TIME OF THE KARNEIA. SPARTA WILL BURN! HER MEN WILL DIE AT ARMS, AND HER WOMEN AND CHILDREN WILL BE SLAVES OR WORSE! NOW... WE WILL BLOCK THE PERSIAN COASTAL ASSAULT BY REBUILDING THE GREAT PHOCIAN WALL, AND FROM THERE, WE WILL FUNNEL THEM INTO THE MOUNTAIN PASS WE CALL THE "HOT GATES." NOW, IN THAT NARROW CORRIDOR, THEIR NUMBERS WILL COUNT FOR NOTHING, AND WAVE AFTER WAVE OF PERSIAN ATTACK WILL SMASH... AGAINST SPARTAN SHIELDS. XERXES' LOSSES WILL BE SO GREAT, HIS MEN SO DEMORALIZED, HE WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO ABANDON HIS CAMPAIGN. (CHUCKLES): WE MUST CONSULT THE ORACLE. TRUST THE GODS, LEONIDAS. I'D PREFER YOU TRUSTED YOUR REASON. YOUR BLASPHEMIES HAVE COST US QUITE ENOUGH ALREADY. DON'T COMPOUND THEM. WE WILL... CONSULT THE ORACLE. NARRATOR: DISEASED OLD MYSTICS. WORTHLESS REMNANTS OF A TIME BEFORE SPARTA'S ASCENT FROM DARKNESS. REMNANTS OF A SENSELESS TRADITION ` A TRADITION EVEN LEONIDAS CANNOT DEFY. FOR HE MUST RESPECT THE WORD OF THE EPHORS. THAT IS THE LAW. AND NO SPARTAN, SUBJECT OR CITIZEN, MAN OR WOMAN, SLAVE OR KING, IS ABOVE THE LAW. 1 THE EPHORS CHOOSE ONLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SPARTAN GIRLS TO LIVE AMONG THEM AS ORACLES. THEIR BEAUTY IS THEIR CURSE, FOR THE OLD WRETCHES HAVE THE NEEDS OF MEN... ...AND SOULS AS BLACK AS HELL. (WHISPERS INDISTINCTLY) PRAY TO THE WINDS. (WHISPERS INDISTINCTLY) SPARTA WILL FALL. (ORACLE WHISPERS) OR GREECE WILL FALL. (WHISPERS) TRUST NOT IN MEN. (WHISPERS) HONOR THE GODS. (WHISPERS) HONOR THE KARNEIA. NARRATOR: THE KING'S CLIMB DOWN IS HARDER. POMPOUS, INBRED SWINE. WORTHLESS, DISEASED, ROTTEN... CORRUPT. TRULY YOU'RE IN THE GODKING'S FAVOR NOW... OH, WISE AND HOLY MEN. YES, AND WHEN SPARTA BURNS, YOU SHALL BATHE IN GOLD. FRESH ORACLE SHALL BE DELIVERED TO YOU DAILY... FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE EMPIRE. (CHUCKLING) (DISTANT WOLVES HOWLING) (SIGHS SOFTLY) YOUR LIPS CAN FINISH WHAT YOUR FINGERS HAVE STARTED. OR HAS THE ORACLE ROBBED YOU OF YOUR DESIRE, AS WELL? IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN THE WORDS OF A DRUNKEN ADOLESCENT GIRL TO ROB ME OF MY DESIRE FOR YOU. THEN WHY SO DISTANT? BECAUSE IT SEEMS, THOUGH A SLAVE AND CAPTIVE OF LECHEROUS OLD MEN, THE ORACLE'S WORDS CAN SET FIRE TO ALL THAT I LOVE. SO THAT IS WHY MY KING LOSES SLEEP AND IS FORCED FROM THE WARMTH OF HIS BED? THERE'S ONLY ONE WOMAN'S WORDS THAT SHOULD AFFECT THE MOOD OF MY HUSBAND. THOSE ARE MINE. (LAUGHS) THEN WHAT MUST A KING DO TO SAVE HIS WORLD WHEN THE VERY LAWS HE IS SWORN TO PROTECT FORCE HIM TO DO NOTHING? IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF WHAT A SPARTAN CITIZEN SHOULD DO. NOR A HUSBAND, NOR A KING. INSTEAD, ASK YOURSELF, MY DEAREST LOVE, "WHAT SHOULD A FREE MAN DO?" (SIGHS) 1 IS THIS ALL OF THEM? AS YOU ORDERED. THREE HUNDRED. ALL WITH BORN SONS TO CARRY ON THEIR NAME. WE ARE WITH YOU, SIRE! FOR SPARTA! FOR FREEDOM! TO THE DEATH! LEONIDAS: HE IS YOUR SON. HE IS TOO YOUNG TO HAVE FELT A WOMAN'S WARMTH. I HAVE OTHERS TO REPLACE HIM. ASTINOS IS AS BRAVE AND READY AS ANY. NO YOUNGER THAN WE WERE THE FIRST TIME YOU STOOD NEXT TO ME IN BATTLE. (CHUCKLES) YOU ARE A GOOD FRIEND. BUT A BETTER CAPTAIN, THERE IS NONE. MY GOOD KING. (FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING) MY GOOD KING, THE ORACLE HAS SPOKEN. THE EPHORS HAVE SPOKEN. THERE MUST BE NO MARCH. IT IS THE LAW, MY LORD. THE SPARTAN ARMY MUST NOT GO TO WAR. NOR SHALL IT. I'VE ISSUED NO SUCH ORDERS. I'M HERE JUST TAKING A STROLL. STRETCHING MY LEGS. THESE, UH, 300 MEN ARE MY PERSONAL BODYGUARD. OUR ARMY WILL STAY IN SPARTA. AND WHERE WILL YOU GO? I HADN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT, UH... NOW THAT YOU ASK... I SUPPOSE I'LL HEAD NORTH. THE HOT GATES? MOVE OUT! OFFICER: MOVE OUT! WHAT SHALL WE DO? WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN YOU DO? SPARTA WILL NEED SONS. 1 1 SPARTAN! YES, M'LADY? (ETHEREAL CHANTING) COME BACK WITH YOUR SHIELD, OR ON IT. YES, M'LADY. NARRATOR: "GOODBYE, MY LOVE." HE DOESN'T SAY IT. THERE'S NO ROOM FOR SOFTNESS. NOT IN SPARTA. NO PLACE FOR WEAKNESS. ONLY THE HARD AND STRONG MAY CALL THEMSELVES SPARTANS. ONLY THE HARD. ONLY THE STRONG. 1 WE MARCH... FOR OUR LANDS, FOR OUR FAMILIES, FOR OUR FREEDOMS... WE MARCH. DAXOS, WHAT A PLEASANT SURPRISE. THIS MORNING'S FULL OF SURPRISES, LEONIDAS. WE'VE BEEN TRICKED. CAN'T BE MORE THAN A FEW HUNDRED. THIS IS A SURPRISE. DAXOS: SILENCE! WE HEARD SPARTA WAS ON THE WARPATH. AND WE WERE EAGER TO JOIN FORCES. IF IT IS BLOOD YOU SEEK... YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN US. BUT YOU BRING ONLY THIS HANDFUL OF SOLDIERS AGAINST XERXES? I SEE I WAS WRONG TO EXPECT SPARTA'S COMMITMENT TO AT LEAST MATCH OUR OWN. DOESN'T IT? YOU, THERE. WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION? I'M A POTTER... SIR. AND YOU... ARCADIAN... WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION? SCULPTOR, SIR. SCULPTOR. AND YOU? BLACKSMITH. SPARTANS, WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION? (THREE GRUNTS) YOU SEE, OLD FRIEND, I BROUGHT MORE SOLDIERS THAN YOU DID. NARRATOR: NO SLEEP TONIGHT. NOT FOR THE KING. ALL HIS 40 YEARS HAVE BEEN A STRAIGHT ROAD TO THIS ONE GLEAMING MOMENT IN DESTINY THIS ONE RADIANT CLASH OF SHIELD AND SPEAR, SWORD AND BONE AND FLESH AND BLOOD. HIS ONLY REGRET IS THAT HE HAS SO FEW TO SACRIFICE. (WIND WHIPPING) WE'RE BEING FOLLOWED. IT HAS FOLLOWED US SINCE SPARTA. MY KING! LOOK! (FLIES BUZZING) WHAT HAPPENED HERE? WHERE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE? PERSIANS. I PUT THEIR NUMBER AT AROUND 20. A SCOUTING PARTY. BUT THESE FOOTPRINTS... (FLIES BUZZING) (CLATTERING) BEHIND US! CHILD! (SHARP THUD) (WHISPERING): IT'S QUIET NOW. THEY... THEY CAME WITH BEASTS FROM THE BLACKNESS... WITH THEIR CLAWS AND FANGS, THEY GRABBED THEM. EVERYONE... BUT ME... (SIGHS) THE VILLAGERS. I FOUND THEM. HAVE THE GODS NO MERCY? WE ARE DOOMED. QUIET YOURSELF. THE CHILD SPEAKS OF THE PERSIAN GHOSTS KNOWN FROM THE ANCIENT TIMES. THEY ARE THE HUNTERS OF MEN'S SOULS. THEY CANNOT BE KILLED OR DEFEATED. NOT THIS DARKNESS. NOT THESE IMMORTALS. IMMORTALS... WE'LL PUT THEIR NAME TO THE TEST. 1 NARRATOR: INTO THE HOT GATES, WE MARCH. INTO THAT NARROW CORRIDOR, WE MARCH... WHERE XERXES' NUMBERS COUNT FOR NOTHING. SPARTANS, CITIZEN SOLDIERS, FREED SLAVES, BRAVE GREEKS ALL. BROTHERS, FATHERS, SONS ` WE MARCH. FOR HONOR'S SAKE, FOR DUTY'S SAKE, FOR GLORY'S SAKE, WE MARCH. LOOK! PERSIANS! INTO HELL'S MOUTH, WE MARCH. (THUNDERCLAP) LET'S WATCH THESE MOTHERLESS DOGS AS THEY'RE EMBRACED BY THE LOVING ARMS OF GREECE HERSELF. COME. TRUE. IT DOES LOOK LIKE RAIN. (THUNDER CRACKS) NARRATOR: ZEUS STABS THE SKY WITH THUNDERBOLTS, AND BATTERS THE PERSIAN SHIPS WITH HURRICANE WIND. GLORIOUS. (SHOUTING) (ROCK MUSIC PLAYING) ONLY ONE AMONG US KEEPS HIS SPARTAN RESERVE. ONLY HE... ONLY OUR KING. (THUNDER RUMBLES) MY QUEEN? MY QUEEN, THE COURTYARD IS A MORE FITTING PLACE FOR A MARRIED WOMAN. I'M AFRAID GOSSIP AND PROTOCOL ARE THE LEAST OF MY WORRIES NOW, COUNSELOR. IS SUCH SECRECY NEEDED? HOW AM I TO TRUST BEYOND THE WALLS OF MY OWN HOME? EVEN HERE, THERON HAS EYES AND EARS WHICH FUEL SPARTA WITH DOUBT AND FEAR. YOU SPEAK AS IF ALL SPARTA CONSPIRES AGAINST YOU. I WISH IT WERE ONLY AGAINST ME. MANY ON OUR COUNCIL WOULD VOTE TO GIVE ALL WE HAVE AND FOLLOW LEONIDAS. BUT YOU MUST SHOW THEM FAVOR. AND YOU CAN ARRANGE FOR ME TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL. IF IT IS REASON THEY WANT, I WILL LET THEM KNOW. KNOW WHAT, MY QUEEN? FREEDOM ISN'T FREE AT ALL, THAT IT COMES WITH THE HIGHEST OF COSTS, THE COST OF BLOOD. I WILL DO MY BEST TO GATHER OUR COUNCIL. AND ITS CHAMBER SHALL BE FILLED WITH YOUR VOICE. I'M IN YOUR DEBT. NO, LEONIDAS IS MY KING AS WELL AS YOURS. (ANIMAL HOWLING IN DISTANCE) I SAW THOSE SHIPS SMASHED ON THE ROCKS. HOW CAN THIS BE? WE SAW BUT A FRACTION OF THE MONSTER THAT IS XERXES' ARMY. THERE CAN BE NO VICTORY HERE. WHY DO YOU SMILE? ARCADIAN... I'VE FOUGHT COUNTLESS TIMES, YET I'VE NEVER MET AN ADVERSARY WHO COULD OFFER ME WHAT WE SPARTANS CALL A BEAUTIFUL DEATH. I CAN ONLY HOPE, WITH ALL THE WORLD'S WARRIORS GATHERED AGAINST US, THERE MIGHT BE ONE DOWN THERE WHO'S UP TO THE TASK. (CHUCKLING) PERSIAN EMISSARY: MOVE! (WHIP CRACKS) KEEP GOING, YOU DOGS! MOVE! (WHIP CRACKS) FORWARD, I SAY! (WHIP CRACKS) STOP HERE. WHO COMMANDS HERE? (FLIES BUZZING) I AM THE EMISSARY TO THE RULER OF ALL THE WORLD. THE GOD OF GODS, KING OF KINGS. AND BY THAT AUTHORITY, I DEMAND THAT SOMEONE SHOW ME YOUR COMMANDER. LISTEN... DO YOU THINK THE PALTRY DOZEN YOU SLEW SCARES US? THESE HILLS SWARM WITH OUR SCOUTS. AND DO YOU THINK YOUR PATHETIC WALL WILL DO ANYTHING EXCEPT FALL LIKE A HEAP OF DRY LEAVES IN THE FACE... (BUZZING) (BUZZING) OUR ANCESTORS BUILT THIS WALL. USING ANCIENT STONES FROM THE BOSOM OF GREECE HERSELF. AND WITH A LITTLE SPARTAN HELP, YOUR PERSIAN SCOUTS SUPPLIED THE MORTAR. YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR BARBARISM! (WHOOSHING) (METAL CLANGING) (SHOUTING) (PANTING) MY ARM! IT'S NOT YOURS ANYMORE. GO NOW, RUN ALONG AND TELL YOUR XERXES HE FACES FREE MEN HERE, NOT SLAVES. DO IT QUICKLY, BEFORE WE DECIDE TO MAKE OUR WALL JUST A LITTLE BIT BIGGER. NO. NOT SLAVES. (CHUCKLES) YOUR WOMEN WILL BE SLAVES. YOUR SONS, YOUR DAUGHTERS, YOUR ELDERS WILL BE SLAVES, BUT NOT YOU. NO. BY NOON THIS DAY, YOU WILL BE DEAD MEN. THE THOUSAND NATIONS OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE DESCEND UPON YOU. OUR ARROWS WILL BLOT OUT THE SUN. THEN WE WILL FIGHT IN THE SHADE. THE WALL IS SOLID. IT'LL DO THE JOB OF FUNNELING THE PERSIANS INTO THE HOT GATES. CAPTAIN, HAVE THE MEN FOUND ANY ROUTE THROUGH THE HILLS TO OUR BACK? NONE, SIRE. THERE IS SUCH A ROUTE, GOOD KING. JUST PAST THAT WESTERN RIDGE. IT'S AN OLD GOAT PATH. THE PERSIANS COULD USE IT TO OUTFLANK US. NOT ONE STEP CLOSER, MONSTER! WISE KING, I HUMBLY REQUEST AN AUDIENCE. I'LL SKEWER YOU WHERE YOU STAND. I GAVE NO SUCH ORDER. FORGIVE THE CAPTAIN. HE IS A GOOD SOLDIER, BUT A BIT SHORT ON MANNERS. THERE IS NOTHING TO FORGIVE, BRAVE KING. I KNOW WHAT I LOOK LIKE. YOU WEAR THE CRIMSON OF A SPARTAN. I AM EPHIALTES... BORN OF SPARTA. MY MOTHER'S LOVE LED MY PARENTS TO FLEE SPARTA, LEST I BE DISCARDED. YOUR SHIELD... AND ARMOR... MY FATHER'S, SIR. I BEG YOU, BOLD KING, TO PERMIT ME TO REDEEM MY FATHER'S NAME BY SERVING YOU IN COMBAT. MY FATHER TRAINED ME TO FEEL NO FEAR, TO MAKE SPEAR AND SHIELD AND SWORD AS MUCH A PART OF ME AS MY OWN BEATING HEART. I WILL EARN MY FATHER'S ARMOR, NOBLE KING, BY SERVING YOU IN THE BATTLE. (GRUNTS) (PANTING) A FINE THRUST. I WILL KILL MANY PERSIANS. RAISE YOUR SHIELD. SIRE? RAISE YOUR SHIELD AS HIGH AS YOU CAN. (GRUNTING) YOUR FATHER SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU HOW A PHALANX WORKS. WE FIGHT AS A SINGLE... IMPENETRABLE UNIT. THAT IS THE SOURCE OF OUR STRENGTH. EACH SPARTAN PROTECTS THE MAN TO HIS LEFT, THIGH TO NECK, WITH HIS SHIELD. A SINGLE WEAK SPOT, AND THE PHALANX SHATTERS. FROM THIGH TO NECK, EPHIALTES. I AM SORRY, MY FRIEND. BUT NOT ALL OF US WERE MADE TO BE SOLDIERS. BUT I... IF YOU WANT TO HELP IN A SPARTAN VICTORY... YES! ...CLEAR THE BATTLEFIELD OF THE DEAD. TEND THE WOUNDED. BRING THEM WATER. (SIGHS) BUT AS FOR THE FIGHT ITSELF... I CANNOT USE YOU. (GARBLED MUMBLE) (SOBBING) NO! (ROARING) MOTHER! FATHER! YOU WERE WRONG! YOU ARE WRONG! LEONIDAS, YOU ARE WRONG! DISPATCH THE PHOCIANS TO THE GOAT PATH. PRAY TO THE GODS NOBODY TELLS THE PERSIANS ABOUT IT. (RUMBLING) EARTHQUAKE. NO, CAPTAIN. BATTLE FORMATIONS. (THUDDING FOOTSTEPS) (MULTITUDES SHOUTING) THIS IS WHERE WE HOLD THEM. THIS IS WHERE WE FIGHT! THIS IS WHERE THEY DIE! EARN THESE SHIELDS, BOYS! (GRUNTING) REMEMBER THIS DAY, MEN, FOR IT WILL BE YOURS FOR ALL TIME. SPARTANS, LAY DOWN YOUR WEAPONS. (HORSE WHINNYING) (WHIRRING) PERSIANS... COME AND GET THEM! (HORNS BLOWING LOUDLY) (ALL SHOUTING) (MAJESTIC CHORAL THEME PLAYS) HOLD! (SHOUTING) GIVE THEM NOTHING, BUT TAKE FROM THEM... EVERYTHING. STEADY! (THUNDEROUS BOOM) PUSH! (GRUNTING AND GROANING) THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO?! (CLAMORING SHOUTS) PUSH! PUSH! (SCREAMS) (GRUNTING AND GROANING) NO! (YELLING) PUSH! (YELLS) (SHIELDS AND WEAPONS CLANGING) (GROANS) (YELLING) NO PRISONERS! (COLLECTIVE GRUNT) NO MERCY! (COLLECTIVE GRUNT) (MUSIC GROWS HOLLOW, DISTORTED) (CLANGING) (WAILING) (METALLIC CLANG) (DISEMBODIED YELL) (WHOOSH) (CLANG) (GROANING) (HEART POUNDING) (PAINED GROAN) (PANTING) THEY LOOK THIRSTY. (CHUCKLES) WELL, LET'S GIVE 'EM SOMETHING TO DRINK. TO THE CLIFFS! (PANICKED MURMURING) (SCREAMING) (SWORD STRIKING) HOLD! (PANTING) HELL OF A GOOD START. HO! (COLLECTIVE GRUNTING) (DISTANT HORN SOUNDS) (WHIRRING) (WHIRRING GROWS LOUDER) COCKTAIL! PERSIAN COWARDS! (ARROWS THUDDING) (CHUCKLING) (CACKLING) WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LAUGHING AT? WELL, YOU HAD TO SAY IT. WHAT? FIGHT IN THE SHADE. (ALL LAUGHING) (GROANS) (THUDDING, LAUGHING STOP) RECOVER! TODAY, NO SPARTAN DIES. (HORSES WHINNYING) (PANTING) EASY, SON. (SHOUTING) (GROANING) (HORSE NEIGHS) (WHINNIES) NARRATOR: WE DO WHAT WE WERE TRAINED TO DO. WHAT WE WERE BRED TO DO. WHAT WE WERE BORN TO DO. (WHINNIES) NO PRISONERS, NO MERCY. A GOOD START. (INDISTINCT VOICES) (ANVIL CLANGING) (WATER SPLASHING) (CHILDREN SHOUTING) (CHILDREN SHOUTING) (HAMMERING LIGHTLY) (SPLASHING) I WAS AFRAID YOU MIGHT NOT COME. I'M SORRY, MY SON IS... IS DOING WHAT CHILDREN DO BEST. PLEASE, DON'T APOLOGIZE. YOUR SON STARTS THE AGOGE NEXT YEAR. THAT IS ALWAYS A DIFFICULT TIME FOR A SPARTAN MOTHER. YES, IT WILL BE HARD. BUT ALSO NECESSARY. YOU WILL SPEAK BEFORE THE COUNCIL IN TWO DAYS TIME. MY HUSBAND DOES NOT HAVE TWO DAYS. THINK OF THE TWO DAYS AS A GIFT. IT'S NO SECRET... THERON WANTS WHAT YOU CONTROL. IT'S HIS VOICE YOU MUST SILENCE. MAKE HIM YOUR ALLY, AND YOU WILL HAVE YOUR VICTORY. THANK YOU. YOU ARE WISE AS YOU ARE KIND. AH, THERE'S YOUR MOTHER. YOU SHOULD KEEP A BETTER EYE ON HIM IF HE'S TO BE KING ONE DAY. BE UNFORTUNATE IF ANYTHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO HIM. OR TO HIS BEAUTIFUL MOTHER. (SPEAR THUDDING, MAN SCREAMS) NO! (GROANS) OUR GREEK COMRADES ARE BEGGING FOR A CRACK AT THE PERSIANS, SIRE. GOOD. I'VE GOT SOMETHING I THINK THEY CAN HANDLE. TELL DAXOS I WANT HIM AND 20 OF HIS BEST EAGER, SOBER AND READY FOR THE NEXT CHARGE. KING LEONIDAS... (PANTING) CARRY ON, CATCH YOUR BREATH, BOY. YES, M'LORD. THE PERSIANS ARE APPROACHING. A SMALL CONTINGENT. TOO SMALL FOR AN ATTACK. (PANTING) CAPTAIN... I'LL LEAVE YOU IN CHARGE. BUT, SIRE... RELAX, OLD FRIEND. IF THEY ASSASSINATE ME, ALL OF SPARTA GOES TO WAR. PRAY THEY'RE THAT STUPID. PRAY... WE'RE THAT LUCKY. BESIDES... (BITING APPLE) (PERSIAN GROANS) THERE'S NO REASON WE CAN'T BE CIVIL, IS THERE? (PERSIAN GROANING) NONE, SIRE. (BIRDS CALLING) (RUMBLING) LET ME GUESS. YOU MUST BE... XERXES. COME, LEONIDAS. LET US REASON TOGETHER. IT WOULD BE A REGRETTABLE WASTE. IT WOULD BE NOTHING SHORT OF MADNESS FOR YOU, BRAVE KING, AND YOUR VALIANT TROOPS TO PERISH... ALL BECAUSE OF A SIMPLE MISUNDERSTANDING. THERE IS MUCH OUR CULTURES COULD SHARE. HAVEN'T YOU NOTICED WE'VE BEEN SHARING OUR CULTURE WITH YOU ALL MORNING. YOURS IS A FASCINATING TRIBE. EVEN NOW, YOU ARE DEFIANT... IN THE FACE OF ANNIHILATION, IN THE PRESENCE OF A GOD. IT ISN'T WISE TO STAND AGAINST ME, LEONIDAS. IMAGINE WHAT HORRIBLE FATE AWAITS MY ENEMIES WHEN I WOULD GLADLY KILL ANY OF MY OWN MEN FOR VICTORY. AND I WOULD DIE FOR ANY ONE OF MINE. YOU GREEKS TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR LOGIC. I SUGGEST YOU APPLY IT. CONSIDER THE BEAUTIFUL LANDS YOU SO VIGOROUSLY DEFEND. PICTURE IT REDUCED TO ASH AT MY WHIM. CONSIDER THE FATE OF YOUR WOMEN. CLEARLY, YOU DON'T KNOW OUR WOMEN. I MIGHT AS WELL HAVE MARCHED THEM UP HERE, JUDGING BY WHAT I'VE SEEN. YOU HAVE MANY SLAVES, XERXES, BUT FEW WARRIORS. IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE THEY FEAR MY SPEARS... MORE THAN YOUR WHIPS. IT'S NOT THE LASH THEY FEAR. IT IS MY DIVINE POWER. BUT I'M A GENEROUS GOD. I CAN MAKE YOU RICH BEYOND ALL MEASURE. I WILL MAKE YOU WARLORD OF ALL GREECE. YOU WILL CARRY MY BELT OF STANDARD TO THE HEART OF EUROPA. YOUR ATHENIAN RIVALS... WILL KNEEL AT YOUR FEET IF YOU WILL BUT KNEEL AT MINE. YOU ARE GENEROUS AS YOU ARE DIVINE, OH, KING OF KINGS. SUCH AN OFFER, ONLY A MADMAN WOULD REFUSE. BUT THE, UH, THE IDEA OF KNEELING, IT'S... YOU SEE, SLAUGHTERING ALL THOSE MEN OF YOURS HAS, UH, WELL, IT'S LEFT A NASTY CRAMP IN MY LEG, SO KNEELING WILL BE HARD FOR ME. THERE WILL BE NO GLORY IN YOUR SACRIFICE. I WILL ERASE EVEN THE MEMORY OF SPARTA FROM THE HISTORIES. EVERY PIECE OF GREEK PARCHMENT SHALL BE BURNED. EVERY GREEK HISTORIAN AND EVERY SCRIBE SHALL HAVE THEIR EYES PUT OUT AND THEIR TONGUES CUT FROM THEIR MOUTHS! WHY, HONORING THE VERY NAME OF SPARTA OR LEONIDAS WILL BE PUNISHABLE BY DEATH. THE WORLD WILL NEVER KNOW YOU EXISTED AT ALL. THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT FREE MEN STOOD AGAINST A TYRANT, THAT FEW STOOD AGAINST MANY, AND BEFORE THIS BATTLE WAS OVER, THAT EVEN A GODKING CAN BLEED. (FLIES BUZZING) YOU FOUGHT WELL TODAY. FOR A WOMAN. AS DID YOU. MAYBE IF I'M INJURED, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH ME. (CHUCKLES) PERHAPS I WAS SO FAR AHEAD, YOU COULDN'T SEE ME. MORE LIKELY OFFERING YOUR BACKSIDE TO THE THESPIANS. JEALOUSY... DOES NOT BECOME YOU, MY FRIEND. (GRUNTS) MOVE IT, MEN! (BODY THUDS) PILE THOSE PERSIANS HIGH. FOR, UNLESS I MISS MY GUESS... WE'RE IN FOR ONE WILD NIGHT. (RHYTHMIC RUMBLING) (RUMBLING GROWS NEARER) (BIRD CALLING) NARRATOR: THEY HAVE SERVED THE DARK WILL OF PERSIAN KINGS FOR 500 YEARS. EYES AS DARK AS NIGHT, TEETH FILED TO FANGS. SOULLESS. THE PERSONAL GUARD TO KING XERXES HIMSELF, THE PERSIAN WARRIOR ELITE. (WEAPONS CLATTERING IN UNISON) THE DEADLIEST FIGHTING FORCE IN ALL OF ASIA... THE IMMORTALS. THE GODKING HAS BETRAYED A FATAL FLAW... HUBRIS. (SHARP CLANGING OF SWORDS UNSHEATHING) EASY TO TAUNT, EASY TO TRICK. AFORE WOUNDS AND WEARINESS HAVE TAKEN THEIR TOLL, THE MAD KING THROWS THE BEST HE HAS AT US. XERXES HAS TAKEN THE BAIT. SPARTANS PUSH! (ALL GRUNTING) NARRATOR: IMMORTALS. HE PUT THEIR NAME TO THE TEST. (GRUNTS) (DISTORTED GRUNTS AND YELLS) (GRUNTING) (GROWLING) (GROWLING) (GRUNTS) SPARTAN: FATHER! (GROWLING) (BREATHING HEAVILY) (GROWLING) (SNARLS) MY KING! (GROWLING SOFTLY) (SHARP TINGING) (GROWLING FIERCELY) (GROWLING) (THUD) ARCADIANS, NOW! GO! SHOW THE SPARTANS WHAT WE CAN DO. GO! (ALL YELLING) NARRATOR: THEY SHOUT AND CURSE, STABBING WILDLY, MORE BRAWLERS THAN WARRIORS. THEY MAKE A WONDROUS MESS OF THINGS. BRAVE AMATEURS, THEY DO THEIR PART. (YELLS) 1 1 IMMORTALS... THEY FAIL OUR KING'S TEST. AND A MAN WHO FANCIES HIMSELF A GOD FEELS A VERY HUMAN CHILL CRAWL UP HIS SPINE. (THUNDER RUMBLING) (JOYOUS SHOUTING) TO OUR KING! (ALL HOOTING) AND OUR HONORED DEAD. WHOM WILL XERXES DARE TO SEND NEXT? WHOM? THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN STOP US NOW. (MEN HOOTING) NARRATOR: EVEN THE KING ALLOWS HIMSELF TO HOPE FOR MORE THAN GLORY. SUCH MAD HOPE, BUT THERE IT IS. AGAINST ASIA'S ENDLESS HORDES, AGAINST ALL ODDS, WE CAN DO IT. WE CAN HOLD OUR GATES. WE CAN WIN. (HARD ROCK MUSIC PLAYING) DAWN. WHIPS CRACK. (DISTORTED YELLING) BARBARIANS HOWL. THOSE BEHIND CRY, "FORWARD!" THOSE IN FRONT CRY, "BACK!" (ANIMAL GROWLING) ARISE, BEAR WITNESS TO THE GROTESQUE SPECTACLE COUGHED FORWARD FROM THE DARKEST CORNER OF XERXES' EMPIRE. (ROARING) (TREMENDOUS THUD) (GRUNTS) (SQUISHING) (EXPLOSIONS) WHEN MUSCLE FAILED, THEY TURNED TO THEIR MAGIC. 100 NATIONS DESCEND UPON US, THE ARMIES OF ALL ASIA FUNNELED INTO THIS NARROW CORRIDOR, AND NUMBERS COUNT FOR NOTHING. (YELLING) THEY FALL BY THE HUNDREDS. WE SEND THE SEVERED BODIES AND THE FRAGILE HEARTS BACK TO XERXES' FEET. (DISTORTED YELLING) KING XERXES IS DISPLEASED WITH HIS GENERALS. HE DISCIPLINES THEM. (TRUMPETING) XERXES DISPATCHES HIS MONSTERS FROM HALF THE WORLD AWAY. (TRUMPETING CONTINUES) (TRUMPETING FADES) THEY'RE CLUMSY BEASTS. THE PILED PERSIAN DEAD ARE SLIPPERY. (GRUNTS) (SPLATTERING) (GROANS) (SHARP CLANG) (STRAINED GROAN) (YELLS) YOU STILL HERE? SOMEBODY'S GOT TO WATCH YOUR BACK. NOT NOW, I'M A LITTLE BUSY! 1 1 ASTINOS! MY SON! CAPTAIN: ASTINOS! (ECHOING): NO! (METALLIC CLANG) (SOMBER MUSICAL THEME PLAYING) (RUMBLING THUD) NARRATOR: THE DAY WEARS ON. WE LOSE FEW, BUT EACH FELLED IS A FRIEND OR DEAREST BLOOD. AND UPON SEEING THE HEADLESS BODY OF HIS OWN YOUNG SON, THE CAPTAIN BREAKS RANK. HE GOES WILD, BLOODDRUNK. (GRUNTING AND GROANING) (PANTING) (SHUDDERING MOAN) (SCREAMING) THE CAPTAIN'S CRIES OF PAIN AT THE LOSS OF HIS SON ARE MORE FRIGHTENING TO THE ENEMY THAN THE DEEPEST BATTLE DRUMS. IT TAKES THREE MEN TO RESTRAIN HIM AND BRING HIM BACK TO OUR OWN. THE DAY IS OURS. NO SONGS ARE SUNG. (MIDDLE EASTERN MUSICAL THEME PLAYING) (WOMEN LAUGHING AND SIGHING) (PANTING) XERXES: YOUR GODS WERE CRUEL TO SHAPE YOU SO, FRIEND EPHIALTES. THE SPARTANS, TOO, ARE CRUEL TO REJECT YOU. BUT I AM KIND. (WOMAN LAUGHING) (WOMAN MOANING) EVERYTHING YOU COULD EVER DESIRE... EVERY HAPPINESS YOU CAN IMAGINE... ...EVERY PLEASURE YOUR FELLOW GREEKS AND YOUR FALSE GODS HAVE DENIED YOU... I WILL GRANT YOU. FOR I AM KIND. (PANTING AND MOANING) EMBRACE ME AS YOUR KING AND AS YOUR GOD! YES! LEAD MY SOLDIERS TO THE HIDDEN PATH THAT EMPTIES BEHIND THE CURSED SPARTANS, AND YOUR JOYS WILL BE ENDLESS. (PERCUSSIVE RHYTHM PLAYING) (WOMAN MOANING) YES! I WANT IT ALL! WEALTH... WOMEN... AND ONE MORE THING. I WANT A UNIFORM. DONE. YOU WILL FIND... I AM KIND. UNLIKE THE CRUEL LEONIDAS, WHO DEMANDED THAT YOU STAND... I REQUIRE ONLY... THAT YOU KNEEL. 1 BEAUTIFUL NIGHT. YES. BUT I DID NOT ASK YOU HERE FOR SMALL TALK, THERON. I'M SURE OF THAT. YOU NEVER SPARED WORDS WITH ME. CAN I OFFER YOU SOMETHING? A DRINK PERHAPS. IS IT POISON? I'M SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOU. IT'S ONLY WATER. I'M TOLD IT'S BEEN ARRANGED FOR YOU TO GO BEFORE THE COUNCIL. YES. I NEED YOUR HELP IN WINNING VOTES TO SEND THE ARMY NORTH TO OUR KING. YES. I CAN SEE IT, THE TWO OF US STANDING TOGETHER ME POLITICIAN, YOU WARRIOR, OUR VOICES AS ONE. BUT WHY WOULD I WANT TO DO THAT? IT PROVES YOU CARE FOR A KING WHO RIGHT NOW FIGHTS FOR THE VERY WATER WE DRINK. TRUE. BUT THIS IS POLITICS, NOT WAR. LEONIDAS IS AN IDEALIST. I KNOW YOUR KIND TOO WELL. YOU SEND MEN TO SLAUGHTER FOR YOUR OWN GAIN. YOUR HUSBAND, OUR KING, HAS TAKEN 300 OF OUR FINEST TO SLAUGHTER. HE'S BROKEN OUR LAWS AND LEFT WITHOUT THE COUNCIL'S CONSENT. I'M SIMPLY A REALIST. YOU'RE AN OPPORTUNIST. YOU'RE AS FOOLISH AS LEONIDAS IF YOU THINK MEN DON'T HAVE A PRICE IN THIS WORLD. ALL MEN ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL. THAT'S THE SPARTAN CODE, MY LITTLE QUEEN. (SETS CUP ON TABLE) I ADMIRE YOUR PASSION. BUT DON'T THINK THAT YOU, A WOMAN, EVEN A QUEEN, CAN WALK INTO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER AND SWAY THE MINDS OF MEN. I OWN THAT CHAMBER, AS IF IT WERE BUILT WITH THESE HANDS. (GASPING) I COULD CRUSH THE LIFE OUT OF YOU RIGHT NOW. YOU WILL GO BEFORE THE COUNCIL, BUT YOUR WORDS WILL FALL ON DEAF EARS. LEONIDAS WILL RECEIVE NO REINFORCEMENTS. AND IF HE RETURNS, WITHOUT MY HELP, HE WILL GO TO JAIL OR WORSE. DO YOU LOVE YOUR SPARTA? YES. AND YOUR KING? I DO. YOUR HUSBAND FIGHTS FOR HIS LAND, AND HIS LOVE. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER, IN RETURN FOR MY WORD THAT I'LL HELP YOU SEND OUR ARMY NORTH? WHAT DOES A REALIST WANT WITH HIS QUEEN? I THINK YOU KNOW. (GRUNTS) THIS WILL NOT BE OVER QUICKLY. YOU WILL NOT ENJOY THIS. I'M NOT YOUR KING. (SIZZLING) (GROANS) (GRUNTS) DILIOS. I TRUST THAT... SCRATCH HASN'T MADE YOU USELESS. HMM. HARDLY, MY LORD. IT'S JUST AN EYE. THE GODS SAW FIT TO GRACE ME WITH A SPARE. MY CAPTAIN? CURSES THE GODS AND MOURNS ALONE. (HORSE NEIGHING, HOOFBEATS APPROACHING) LEONIDAS! WE ARE UNDONE. UNDONE, I TELL YOU. DESTROYED. DAXOS, CALM YOURSELF. A HUNCHBACK TRAITOR HAS LED XERXES' IMMORTALS TO THE HIDDEN GOAT PATH BEHIND US. THE FORCES YOU POSTED THERE WERE SCATTERED WITHOUT A FIGHT. THIS BATTLE IS OVER, LEONIDAS! THIS BATTLE IS OVER WHEN I SAY IT IS OVER! BY MORNING, THE IMMORTALS WILL SURROUND US! THE HOT GATES WILL FALL! SPARTANS! PREPARE FOR GLORY! GLORY? HAVE YOU GONE MAD? THERE IS NO GLORY TO BE HAD NOW! ONLY RETREAT OR SURRENDER! OR DEATH. WELL, THAT'S AN EASY CHOICE FOR US, ARCADIAN! SPARTANS NEVER RETREAT! SPARTANS NEVER SURRENDER! GO SPREAD THE WORD. LET EVERY GREEK ASSEMBLED KNOW THE TRUTH OF THIS. LET EACH AMONG THEM SEARCH HIS OWN SOUL! AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, SEARCH YOUR OWN. MY MEN WILL LEAVE WITH ME. GODSPEED, LEONIDAS. HYAH! (HORSE NEIGHING) LEONIDAS: CHILDREN! CHILDREN! GATHER 'ROUND. NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER. THAT IS SPARTAN LAW. AND BY SPARTAN LAW, WE WILL STAND AND FIGHT! AND DIE. A NEW AGE HAS BEGUN. AN AGE OF FREEDOM. AND ALL WILL KNOW THAT 300 SPARTANS GAVE THEIR LAST BREATH TO DEFEND IT! ALL (CHANTING): AHOOH! AHOOH! AHOOH! MY FRIEND. I HAVE LIVED MY ENTIRE LIFE WITHOUT REGRET, UNTIL NOW. IT'S NOT THAT MY SON GAVE UP HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY... IT'S JUST THAT I NEVER TOLD HIM THAT I LOVED HIM THE MOST... THAT HE STOOD BY ME WITH HONOR... THAT HE WAS ALL THAT WAS BEST IN ME. MY HEART IS BROKEN FOR YOUR LOSS. HEART? (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) I HAVE FILLED MY HEART WITH HATE. GOOD. DILIOS... LET'S TAKE A WALK. YES, MY LORD. DILIOS: BUT, SIRE, I'M FIT AND READY FOR BATTLE. LEONIDAS: THAT YOU ARE. ONE OF THE FINEST. BUT YOU HAVE ANOTHER TALENT UNLIKE ANY OTHER SPARTAN. YOU WILL DELIVER MY FINAL ORDERS TO THE COUNCIL WITH FORCE AND VERVE. TELL THEM OUR STORY. MAKE EVERY GREEK KNOW... WHAT HAPPENED HERE. YOU HAVE A GRAND TALE TO TELL. A TALE OF VICTORY. VICTORY. YES, MY LORD. SIRE, ANY MESSAGE...? FOR THE QUEEN? (WIND WHISTLING SOFTLY) NONE THAT NEED BE SPOKEN. NARRATOR: HUNDREDS LEAVE. A HANDFUL STAY. ONLY ONE LOOKS BACK. SPARTANS! READY YOUR BREAKFAST AND EAT HEARTY. FOR TONIGHT, WE DINE IN HELL! FOR TONIGHT, WE DINE IN HELL! MAY I GIVE THE FLOOR NOW TO THE WIFE OF LEONIDAS AND QUEEN OF SPARTA. (CROWD MURMURING SOFTLY) HMM? WHAT'S THIS? COUNCILMEN, I STAND BEFORE YOU NOT ONLY AS YOUR QUEEN... I COME TO YOU AS A MOTHER. I COME TO YOU AS A WIFE. I COME TO YOU AS A SPARTAN WOMAN. I COME TO YOU WITH GREAT HUMILITY. I AM NOT HERE TO REPRESENT LEONIDAS. HIS ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN MY WORDS EVER COULD. I'M HERE FOR ALL THOSE VOICES WHICH CANNOT BE HEARD ` MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS, FATHERS, SONS, 300 FAMILIES THAT BLEED FOR OUR RIGHTS AND FOR THE VERY PRINCIPLES THIS ROOM IS BUILT UPON. WE ARE AT WAR, GENTLEMEN. WE MUST SEND THE ENTIRE SPARTAN ARMY TO AID OUR KING IN THE PRESERVATION OF NOT JUST OURSELVES, BUT OF OUR CHILDREN. SEND THE ARMY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIBERTY. SEND IT FOR JUSTICE. SEND IT FOR LAW AND ORDER. SEND IT FOR REASON. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, SEND OUR ARMY FOR HOPE. HOPE THAT A KING AND HIS MEN HAVE NOT BEEN WASTED TO THE PAGES OF HISTORY... THAT THEIR COURAGE BONDS US TOGETHER... THAT WE ARE MADE STRONGER BY THEIR ACTIONS... AND THAT YOUR CHOICES TODAY REFLECT THEIR BRAVERY. (CROWD MURMURING) (SLOW CLAPPING) MOVING. ELOQUENT. PASSIONATE. BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT YOUR HUSBAND HAS BROUGHT WAR UPON US. YOU ARE WRONG. XERXES BROUGHT IT FORTH, AND BEFORE THAT, HIS FATHER DARIUS AT MARATHON. THE PERSIANS WILL NOT STOP UNTIL THE ONLY SHELTER WE WILL FIND IS RUBBLE AND CHAOS. THIS CHAMBER NEEDS NO HISTORY LESSON, MY QUEEN. THEN WHAT IS THE LESSON YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE? SHALL I BEGIN TO ENUMERATE ALL OF THEM? HONOR, DUTY, GLORY. YOU SPEAK OF HONOR, DUTY AND GLORY? WELL, WHAT OF ADULTERY? HOW DARE YOU. (CROWD MURMURING) HOW DARE I? WATCH HER, CAREFULLY. SHE IS A TRICKSTER IN TRUE FORM. DO NOT PLAY WITH THE MEMBERS OF THIS SACRED CHAMBER, MY QUEEN. JUST HOURS AGO, YOU OFFERED YOURSELF TO ME. WERE I A WEAKER MAN, I WOULD HAVE HER SCENT ON ME STILL. THIS IS OUTRAGE. AH, THE HYPOCRITE SPEAKS! DID YOU NOT RECEIVE A SIMILAR PAYMENT, WHICH YOU TOOK, IN EXCHANGE FOR HER HAVING AN AUDIENCE WITH THESE NOBLE MEN? THAT IS A LIE. IS IT? WAS HE NOT, BY YOUR INVITATION, ASKED TO COME TO THE KING'S BEDCHAMBER? THE VERY BED WHERE YOU ATTEMPTED TO NEGOTIATE WITH ME SO VIGOROUSLY. (CROWD MURMURING) YOU LOOK SHOCKED. A BRIBE OF THE FLESH, GENTLEMEN, WHILE HER HUSBAND PROMOTES ANARCHY AND WAR! WORDS ESCAPE EVEN THE MOST CUNNING TONGUE... MY LITTLE WHORE QUEEN. (SPITS) (CHUCKLES) WHAT QUEENLIKE BEHAVIOR. (GRUNTS) REMOVE HER FROM THIS CHAMBER BEFORE SHE INFECTS US FURTHER WITH HER INGLORIOUS AND SHABBY SELF. (GRUNTS) (CROWD GASPING) (SWORD SLICING) THIS WILL NOT BE OVER QUICKLY. (GRUNTS) YOU WILL NOT ENJOY THIS. I AM NOT YOUR QUEEN. (SWORD SLICING) (GRUNTS) TRAITOR. TRAITOR. TRAITOR! (MEN CLAMORING) (VOICEOVER ECHOING): TRAITOR! TRAITOR! (GROWLING) (GROWLING) PERSIAN: LEONIDAS. MY COMPLIMENTS. AND CONGRATULATIONS. YOU SURELY HAVE TURNED CALAMITY INTO VICTORY. DESPITE YOUR INSUFFERABLE ARROGANCE, THE GODKING HAS COME TO ADMIRE SPARTAN VALOR AND FIGHTING SKILL. YOU WILL MAKE A MIGHTY ALLY. LEONIDAS! USE YOUR REASON! THINK OF YOUR MEN! I BEG YOU! PERSIAN: LISTEN TO YOUR FELLOW GREEK. HE CAN ATTEST TO THE DIVINE ONE'S GENEROSITY. DESPITE YOUR SEVERAL INSULTS, DESPITE YOUR HORRID BLASPHEMIES, THE LORD OF HOSTS IS PREPARED TO FORGIVE ALL, AND MORE, TO REWARD YOUR SERVICE. YOU FIGHT FOR YOUR LANDS. KEEP THEM. YOU FIGHT FOR SPARTA. SHE WILL BE WEALTHIER AND MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER BEFORE. YOU FIGHT FOR YOUR KINGSHIP. YOU WILL BE PROCLAIMED WARLORD OF ALL GREECE, ANSWERABLE ONLY TO THE ONE TRUE MASTER OF THE WORLD. LEONIDAS, YOUR VICTORY WILL BE COMPLETE IF YOU BUT LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS AND KNEEL TO HOLY XERXES. (GROWLING, SNARLING) NARRATOR: IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 30 YEARS SINCE THE WOLF IN THE WINTER COLD. AND NOW, AS THEN, IT'S NOT FEAR THAT GRIPS HIM, ONLY RESTLESSNESS, A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF THINGS. THE SEABORNE BREEZE COOLLY KISSING THE SWEAT AT HIS CHEST AND NECK. (SEAGULLS CAWING) GULLS CAWING, COMPLAINING, EVEN AS THEY FEAST ON THE THOUSANDS OF FLOATING DEAD. THE STEADY BREATHING OF THE 300 AT HIS BACK, READY TO DIE FOR HIM WITHOUT A MOMENT'S PAUSE. EVERY ONE OF THEM READY TO DIE. (GROWLING SOFTLY) (GULLS CAWING) NARRATOR: HIS HELMET IS STIFLING. (ECHOING CLANG) HIS SHIELD IS HEAVY. (ECHOING BOOM, CLANGING) YOUR SPEAR. (WIND WHISTLES) YOU THERE, EPHIALTES. MAY YOU LIVE FOREVER. LEONIDAS, YOUR SPEAR! (ECHOING CLANGING) (ECHOING THUD) 1 (WIND WHISTLES) 1 STELIOS! (FIERCE SHOUT) SLAUGHTER THEM! NARRATOR: HIS HELMET WAS STIFLING, IT NARROWED HIS VISION, AND HE MUST SEE FAR. HIS SHIELD WAS HEAVY, IT THREW HIM OFF BALANCE, AND HIS TARGET IS FAR AWAY. (WIND WHISTLES SOFTLY) (ARROWS WHOOSHING, MEN GRUNTING) (GRUNTS) (GRUNTS) (ECHOING GROAN) (GROANING IN PAIN) NARRATOR: THE OLD ONES SAY WE SPARTANS ARE DESCENDED FROM HERCULES HIMSELF. BOLD LEONIDAS GIVES TESTAMENT TO OUR BLOODLINE. HIS ROAR IS LONG AND LOUD. 1 (GROANING) MY KING. (GASPING BREATHS) IT'S AN HONOR... TO DIE AT YOUR SIDE. IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE LIVED AT YOURS. (GASPING BREATHS) MY QUEEN! (PANTING) (QUIETLY): MY WIFE. MY LOVE. (ARROWS WHOOSH) 1 1 1 1 1 1 NARRATOR: "REMEMBER US." AS SIMPLE AN ORDER AS A KING CAN GIVE. "REMEMBER WHY WE DIED." HE DID NOT WISH TRIBUTE... OR SONG. NO MONUMENTS, NO POEMS OF WAR AND VALOR. HIS WISH WAS SIMPLE. "REMEMBER US," HE SAID TO ME. THAT WAS HIS HOPE, SHOULD ANY FREE SOUL COME ACROSS THAT PLACE. IN ALL THE COUNTLESS CENTURIES YET TO BE, MAY ALL OUR VOICES WHISPER TO YOU FROM THE AGELESS STONES. "GO TELL THE SPARTANS, PASSERBY, THAT HERE, BY SPARTAN LAW, WE LIE." AND SO MY KING DIED, AND MY BROTHERS DIED... ...BARELY A YEAR AGO. LONG I PONDERED MY KING'S CRYPTIC TALK OF VICTORY. TIME HAS PROVEN HIM WISE. FOR FROM FREE GREEK TO FREE GREEK THE WORD WAS SPREAD THAT BOLD LEONIDAS AND HIS 300, SO FAR FROM HOME, LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES, NOT JUST FOR SPARTA BUT FOR ALL GREECE AND THE PROMISE THIS COUNTRY HOLDS. NOW, HERE ON THIS RAGGED PATCH OF EARTH CALLED PLATAEA, XERXES' HORDES FACE OBLITERATION! SOLDIERS: HOOOH! JUST THERE, THE BARBARIANS HUDDLE, SHEER TERROR GRIPPING TIGHT THEIR HEARTS WITH ICY FINGERS, KNOWING FULL WELL WHAT MERCILESS HORRORS THEY SUFFERED AT THE SWORDS AND SPEARS OF 300. YET THEY STARE NOW ACROSS THE PLAIN AT 10,000 SPARTANS COMMANDING 30,000 FREE GREEKS. HOOOH! SOLDIERS: HOOOH! HOOOH! HOOOH! THE ENEMY, OF NUMBER, IS A PALTRY THREE TO ONE. GOOD ODDS FOR ANY GREEK. THIS DAY WE RESCUE A WORLD FROM MYSTICISM AND TYRANNY AND USHER IN A FUTURE BRIGHTER THAN ANYTHING WE CAN IMAGINE. GIVE THANKS, MEN, TO LEONIDAS AND THE BRAVE 300! TO VICTORY! (SOLDIERS SHOUTING) For a list of the week's captioned shows, see Teletext pp 321-327. Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. TVNZ Captioning 2009