Come and get them...

I put a few new film trailer links up. The impetus for that was an article about the release of the trailer for "300".

I had never heard of the movie. Turns out, it is a movie adaptation of a comic book about the defense of the pass at Thermopylae by the 300 Spartans under the comand of King Leonidas. They all died, but not before inflicting heavy losses and ensuring the escape of the Greek army.

I've always loved the story because... back in the mists of time... my ancestors are Spartan.

By the by, because the Spartans were warlike they tended to speak in very blunt terms. They also had very dry humor. This way of speaking became termed "laconic" after their city Laconia.

A few other fun tidbits, courtesy of Wikipedia.org...

* With key Greek city-states in submission, Phillip II of Macedonia turned his attention to Sparta and sent a message: "If I win this war, you will be slaves forever".

The Spartans sent back a one word reply: "If."

Subsequently, Philip and Alexander both would leave them alone.

* Before the Battle of Thermopylae, Dienekes the Spartan, when told the Persian arrows blocked out the sun, responded with "Good, we shall fight in the shade".

* When a Spartan mother gave the shield to her son, when he was leaving for battle, she used to speak to him the laconically short phrase: Συν ται η επι ται! , "With it or on it!", implying that he should return (victoriously) with his shield, or (his cremated body in an urn) on it, but by no means after having saved himself by throwing away his heavy shield when fleeing.

* When the Spartan King Leonidas was in charge of guarding the narrow mountain pass at Thermopylae with just 300 Spartan men in order to delay the invading million man Persian army, the Persian leader Xerxes offered to spare his men if they gave up their arms. King Leonidas replied "Molon Lave" (Greek "Μολών Λαβέ"), which translates to "Come and get them."

:D