{1}{1}23.976 {1745}{1819}{Y:i}When the boy was born {1819}{1903}{Y:i}like old Spartans|he was inspected. {1918}{2028}{Y:i}If he had been small|or puny or sickly or misshapen {2028}{2095}{Y:i}he would've been discarded. {2260}{2392}{Y:i}From the time he could stand, he was|baptized in the fire of combat. {2923}{3014}{Y:i}Taught never to retreat,|never to surrender, {3014}{3141}{Y:i}taught that death on the battlefield|in service to Sparta {3141}{3228}{Y:i}is the greatest glory he could|achieve in his life. {3581}{3695}{Y:i}At age seven, as|is customary in Sparta. {3695}{3821}{Y:i}the boy was taken from his mother|and plunged in a world of violence. {3837}{3964}{Y:i}Manufactured by 300 years,|a Spartan warrior society {3964}{4063}{Y:i}to create the finest soldiers|the world has ever known. {4071}{4142}{Y:i}The agoge is its goal. {4142}{4224}{Y:i}It forces the boy to fight,|starves him. {4224}{4281}{Y:i}It forces him to steal. {4281}{4377}{Y:i}And, if necessary,|to kill. {4416}{4482}{Y:i}By rod and lash,|the boy was punished. {4482}{4586}{Y:i}Taught to show no pain,|no mercy. {4606}{4694}{Y:i}Hunts to be tested,|tossed into the wild. {4694}{4834}{Y:i}Let to pit his wits and will|against nature's fury. {4834}{4946}{Y:i}It was his initiation.|His time in the wild. {4946}{5066}{Y:i}For he would return|to his people as Spartan {5066}{5127}{Y:i}or not at all. {5654}{5723}{Y:i}The wolf begins|to circle the boy. {5723}{5854}{Y:i}Claws of black steel|burned this dark night. {5854}{5974}{Y:i}Eyes glowing red,|jewels from the pit of hell itself. {6195}{6291}{Y:i}The giant wolf sniffing, {6291}{6370}{Y:i}savoring the scent|of the meal to come. {6948}{6997}{Y:i}It's not fear that grips him, {6997}{7079}{Y:i}only a heightened|sense of things. {7092}{7179}{Y:i}The cold air in his lungs. {7179}{7263}{Y:i}Winds swept pines,|moving against the coming night. {7450}{7510}{Y:i}His hands are steady. {7510}{7623}{Y:i}His form... perfect. {8241}{8355}{Y:i}And so the boy, given up for dead,|returns to his people. {8355}{8462}{Y:i}To sacred Sparta, a king.|Our king! {8462}{8512}Leonidas! {8664}{8766}It's been more than 30 years|since the wolf and the winter cold. {8791}{8884}Now, as then, a beast approaches. {8895}{9005}Patient and confident,|savoring the meal to come. {9027}{9161}This beast is made of men|and horses, swords and spears. {9181}{9248}An army of slaves,|vast beyond imagining, {9248}{9312}ready to devour tiny Greece. {9312}{9449}Ready to snuff out the world's|one hope for reason and justice. {9495}{9563}A beast approaches. {9624}{9747}It was King Leonidas himself|who provoked it. {9805}{9974}Subtitled by Mihai {9990}{10135}300- Heroes of Thermopylae {11649}{11767}My father taught me|that fear is always a constant. {11767}{11818}By accepting it, {11818}{11853}it makes you stronger. {11853}{11886}My queen. {11886}{11949}The Persian emissary|awaits Leonidas. {12016}{12154}In the end, the Spartan's true strength|is the warrior next to him. {12162}{12254}So give respect and honor to him.|It will be returned to you. {12280}{12373}First, you fight with your head. {12373}{12429}Then you fight with your heart. {12463}{12501}What is it? {12501}{12579}It's the Persian messenger.|He awaits you. {12609}{12645}Do not forget today's lesson. {12645}{12718}- Respect and honour.|- Respect and honour. {13082}{13169}Councilman Theron,|you found yourself needed for once. {13215}{13291}My king and queen,|I was just entertaining your guests. {13291}{13344}I'm sure. {13354}{13420}Before you speak, Persian,|know that in Sparta {13420}{13504}everyone, even a King's messenger,|is held accountable {13504}{13559}for the words of his voice. {13559}{13653}Now, what message|do you bring? {13660}{13743}Earth and water. {13774}{13879}You rode all the way from Persia|for earth and water? {13898}{14002}Do not be coy or stupid, Persian.|You can afford neither in Sparta. {14002}{14067}What makes this woman think|she can speak amongst men? {14067}{14153}Because only Spartan women|give birth to real men. {14170}{14273}Let us walk|to cool our tongues. {14321}{14386}If you value your lives|over your complete annihilation, {14386}{14445}listen carefully, Leonidas. {14445}{14537}Xerxes conquers and controls everything|he rests his eyes upon. {14561}{14639}He leads an army so massive|it shakes the ground with its march. {14639}{14708}So vast it drinks|the rivers dry. {14708}{14789}All the God-King Xerxes|requires is this. {14789}{14871}A simple offering of earth|and water. {14871}{14985}A token of Sparta's submission|to the will of Xerxes. {15230}{15317}Submission? {15335}{15395}Well, that's a bit of a problem. {15395}{15516}See, rumor has it the Athenians|have already turned you down. {15516}{15644}And if those philosophers and boy-lovers|have found that kind of nerve... {15644}{15681}We must be diplomatic. {15681}{15767}And of course, Spartans... {15767}{15819}...have their reputation|to consider. {15819}{15917}Choose your next words|carefully, Leonidas. {15917}{16009}They may be your last|as king. {16958}{17046}Earth and water. {17165}{17215}Madman.|You're a madman. {17215}{17327}Earth and water.|You'll find plenty of both down there. {17327}{17416}No man, Persian or Greek...|No man threatens a messenger. {17416}{17536}You bring your crowns and heads|of conquered kings to my city steps. {17536}{17592}You insult my queen. {17592}{17684}You threaten my people|with slavery and death. {17684}{17761}Oh, I've chosen my words|carefully, Persian. {17761}{17809}Perhaps you should|have done the same. {17809}{17908}This is blasphemy.|This is madness. {18321}{18384}Madness? {18384}{18463}This is Sparta! {20510}{20561}Welcome, Leonidas. {20580}{20653}We have been expecting you. {20815}{20926}{Y:i}The ephors.|Priests to the old gods. {20951}{21060}{Y:i}Inbred swine,|more creature than man. {21087}{21211}{Y:i}Creatures whom even Leonidas|must bribe and beg. {21242}{21349}{Y:i}No Spartan king has gone to war|without the ephors' blessing. {21394}{21490}The Persians claim their forces|number in the milions. {21509}{21578}I hope, for our sake,|they exaggerate. {21601}{21706}But there's no question we face|the most masive army ever assembled. {21706}{21847}Before your plan is heard,|what do you offer? {22076}{22172}We will use our superior|fighting skills, {22172}{22275}and the terrain of Greece itself|to destroy them. {22275}{22337}We will march north,|to the coast. {22337}{22422}- We'll make sure...|- It is august, Leonidas. {22422}{22479}The full moon approaches. {22479}{22557}Tha sacred and ancient festival. {22557}{22660}Sparta wages no war|at the time of the Carneia. {22660}{22712}Sparta will burn! {22712}{22753}Our men will die armed {22753}{22847}and your women|and children will be slaves or worse. {22891}{23017}Now, we will block|the Persian coastal assault, {23017}{23077}by rebuilding the great|Phocian wall. {23077}{23147}From now, we will funnel them|into the mountain pass {23147}{23197}we call The Hot Gates. {23197}{23304}Now, in that narrow corridor,|their numbers will count for nothing. {23304}{23456}Wave after wave of Persian attack|would smash against Spartan shields. {23478}{23584}Xerxes' losses will be so great,|his men so demoralized {23584}{23683}he will have no choice|but to abandon his campaign. {23683}{23778}We must consult the Oracle. {23778}{23838}Trust the gods, Leonidas. {23838}{23927}I'd prefer you trusted|your reason. {23927}{24069}Your blasphemies have cost us|quite enough already. {24098}{24208}Don't compound them. {24227}{24350}We will consult the Oracle. {24394}{24466}{Y:i}Diseased old mystics. {24476}{24516}{Y:i}Worthless remnants|of the time {24516}{24585}{Y:i}before Sparta's ascent|from darkness. {24594}{24666}{Y:i}Remnants of a senseless|tradition. {24678}{24786}{Y:i}A tradition even Leonidas|cannot defy. {24786}{24897}{Y:i}For he must respect|the word of the ephors. {24897}{24956}{Y:i}That is the law. {25006}{25092}{Y:i}And no Spartan,|subject or citizen, {25092}{25222}{Y:i}man or woman, slave or king|is above the law. {26058}{26161}{Y:i}The ephors choose only|the most beautiful Spartan girls {26161}{26225}{Y:i}to live amongst them|as oracles. {26225}{26301}{Y:i}Their beauty is their curse. {26301}{26402}{Y:i}For the old wretches|have the needs of men... {26427}{26504}{Y:i}...and souls as black as hell. {26595}{26656}Pray to the winds. {26736}{26802}Sparta will fall. {26861}{26937}All Greece will fall. {26996}{27075}Trust not in men. {27133}{27195}Honor the gods. {27301}{27381}Honor the Carneia. {27434}{27516}{Y:i}The king's climb down|is harder. {27516}{27587}{Y:i}Pompous, inbred swine. {27596}{27664}{Y:i}Worthless, diseased, rotten. {27678}{27722}{Y:i}Corrupt. {27808}{27881}Truly you're in the God King's|favor now. {27908}{27964}Oh, wise and holy men. {27964}{27998}Yes. {27998}{28114}And when Sparta burns,|you shall bathe in gold. {28126}{28231}Fresh oracles shall be delivered|to you daily, {28231}{28339}from every corner|of the Empire. {29185}{29263}Your lips gonna finish|what your fingers have started. {29343}{29416}Has the oracle rogued you|of your desire as well? {29440}{29515}It will take more than the words|of a drunken adolescent girl {29515}{29571}to rogue me of my desire|for you. {29659}{29712}Then why is it distant? {29762}{29851}Because it seems now|I'am a... {29851}{29968}...slave and captive|of luxurious old men. {29968}{30052}The oracle's words can set fire|to all that I love. {30052}{30098}So that is why my king|loses sleep {30098}{30159}and is forced from|the warmth of his bed? {30213}{30242}There's only|one woman's words {30242}{30306}that should affect|the mood of my husband. {30334}{30390}Those are mine. {30472}{30533}Then what must a king do|to save his world {30533}{30656}when the very laws he has sworn|to protect force him to do n...
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