Messenger: Choose your next words carefully, Leonidas. They may be your last as king. King Leonidas: [to himself: thinking] "Earth and water"? [Leonidas unsheathes and points his sword at the Messenger's throat] Messenger: Madman! You're a madman! Ki...
Stelios: It's an honor to die at your side. King Leonidas: It's an honor to have lived at yours.
Daxos: I see I was wrong to expect Sparta's commitment to at least match our own. King Leonidas: Doesn't it? [points to Arcadian soldier behind Daxos] King Leonidas: You there, what is your profession? Free Greek-Potter: I am a potter... sir. King Le...
Queen Gorgo: Do not be coy or stupid, Persian. You can afford neither in Sparta! Messenger: What makes this woman think she can speak among men? Queen Gorgo: Because only Spartan women give birth to real men!
Spartan King Leonidas: Spartans! Ready your breakfast and eat hearty... For tonight, we dine in hell!
Persian: A thousand nations of the Persian empire will descend upon you. Our arrows will blot out the sun! Stelios: Then we will fight in the shade.
King Leonidas: This is where we hold them. [pause] King Leonidas: This is where we fight! [pause] King Leonidas: And this is where THEY DIE! Captain: On these shield, boys! Spartans: AU! King Leonidas: Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for...
[as arrows rain down on the Spartans, Astinos begins laughing hysterically] Stelios: What the hell are you laughing at? Astinos: Well, you had to say it! Stelios: What? Astinos: "Fight in the shade"! [both laugh]
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 sh...
[Dilios is putting a patch over his eye] King Leonidas: Dilios, I trust that "scratch" hasn't made you useless. Dilios: Hardly, my lord, it's just an eye. The gods saw fit to grace me with a spare.
Dilios: "Remember us." As simple an order as a king can give. "Remember why we died." For he did not wish tribute, nor song, nor monuments nor poems of war and valor. His wish was simple. "Remember us," he said to me. That was his hope, should any fr...
King Leonidas: Spartans! Prepare for glory! Daxos: Glory? Have you gone mad? There is no glory to be had now! Only retreat, or surrender or death! King Leonidas: Well, that's an easy choice for us, Arcadian! Spartans never retreat! Spartans never sur...
King Leonidas: You have many slaves, Xerxes, but few warriors. It won't be long before they fear my spears more than your whips.
Xerxes: But I am a generous god. I can make you rich beyond all measure. I will make you warlord of all Greece. You will carry my battle standard to the heart of Europa. Your Athenian rivals will kneel at your feet if you will but kneel at mine. King...
Xerxes: 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. King Leonidas: And I would die for any one of mine.
Dilios: Immortals... we put their name to the test.
King Leonidas: [on being told the Persians are coming to parley] Captain, I leave you in charge. Captain: But, sire... King Leonidas: Relax, old friend. If they assassinate me, all of Sparta goes to war. Pray they're that stupid. Pray we're that luck...