Thermopylae Quotes:

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

- Sappho

topic: Dark, Earth, Thermopylae

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

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

topic: Three, Conquer, Hundred, Thermopylae

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

source: Constantine P. Cavafy, “Thermopylae”

topic: Badass, Hate, Lying, Thermopylae, Those Who Lie

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

- Steven Pressfield

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

topic: Lying, Passing By, Law, Thermopylae, Ancient Greece

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

topic: Block, Archer, Fighting, Undaunted, Thespians

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

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

topic: Three, Earth, Remnants, Thermopylae

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

- Cassandra Clare

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

topic: Battle, Lasts, Treats, Last Stand, Thermopylae

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

topic: Wall, Men, Hair, Panache, Thermopylae

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

topic: Book, Battle, Needs, Modern Culture, Thermopylae

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

topic: Moving, Hair, History, Concise, Thermopylae

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

topic: Teacher, Should Have, Battle, Ancient History, Thermopylae