Posted on 08/14/2002 7:11:57 PM PDT by Freemeorkillme
MOLON LABE
(mo-lone lah-veh)
In 480 BC, Xerxes (son of Darius, King of Persia) was in full preparation to invade Athens, the leader of the Greek city-states.
King Leonidas of Sparta (Left), another city-state, had agreed to help stop the invading Persians, and marched with 300 hand-picked troops to Thermopylae on the north coast of Greece. Thermopylae was the best of three possible defensive areas in which Xerxes' invading army had to advance. This mountain gap along the coast was about 60 feet wide, and was the best location for a blocking action.
When Leonidas was preparing to make his stand, a Persian envoy arrived. The envoy explained to Leonidas the futility of trying to resist the advance of the huge Persian army and demanded that the Spartans lay down their arms. Leonidas told Xerxes "MOLON LABE", or "Come And Get Them."
"Our archers are so numerous," said the envoy, "that the flight of their arrows darkens the sun."
"So much the better," replied Leonidas, "for we shall fight them in the shade."
After three days of fighting and having killed countless numbers of Xerxes' elite troops, they were finally overrun after being betrayed by a traitor who showed the enemy another pass behind the defender. King Leonidas and his Spartans were then killed to the last man. However, King Leonidas and his troops gave the rest of Greece more time to mobilize and increased their morale. Xerxes' eventually withdrew.
Today there is a plaque dedicated to those heroes at the site. It reads: Go tell the Spartans, travelers passing by, that here, obedient to their laws we lie. The point of this true story is when anybody demands you to give up your guns, tell them "MOLON LABE". You may fall in the first fight, but many more will step into your place.
homer quote
MWLWN LABE
Ok
typo correction
"It is interesting THAT ALL..."
I don't have any idea what Jonestown has to do with this.
A better translation that I have seen is this.
"Go tell the Spartans stranger passing by, that here obedient to our laws we lie."
"Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield is a fantastic historic novel that covers the battle.
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