Persian messenger: “Listen carefully, Leonidas. Xerxes conquers and controls everything he rests his eyes upon. He leads an army so massive it shakes the ground with its march, so vast it drinks the rivers dry. All the God-King Xerxes requires is this: a simple offering of earth and water. A token of Sparta’s submission to the will of Xerxes.”
[...]
Persian messenger: “Choose your next words carefully, Leonidas. They may be your last as king.”
[...]
Leonidas: “Earth and water… You’ll find plenty of both down there.” [indicates the well with his sword]
Persian messenger: “No man, Persian or Greek, no man threatens a messenger!”
Leonidas: “You bring the crowns and heads of conquered kings to my city’s steps! You insult my queen. You threaten my people with slavery and death! Oh, I’ve chosen my words carefully, Persian, while yours are lashed from your lips by the whip of your God-King. I’ll give you a final chance to live with justice: give up your fearful allegiance to your slavemaster Xerxes, do not speak his threats for him any more, and come live in Greece as a free man.”
Persian messenger: “This is blasphemy! This is madness!”
Leonidas: “Madness? THIS IS SPARTA!” [kicks the Persian messenger into the deep well]
Persian messenger: “Listen carefully, Leonidas. Xerxes conquers and controls everything he rests his eyes upon. He leads an army so massive it shakes the ground with its march, so vast it drinks the rivers dry. All the God-King Xerxes requires is this: a simple offering of earth and water. A token of Sparta’s submission to the will of Xerxes.”
[...]
Persian messenger: “Choose your next words carefully, Leonidas. They may be your last as king.”
[...]
Leonidas: “Earth and water… You’ll find plenty of both down there.” [indicates the well with his sword]
Persian messenger: “No man, Persian or Greek, no man threatens a messenger!”
Leonidas: “You bring the crowns and heads of conquered kings to my city’s steps! You insult my queen. You threaten my people with slavery and death! Oh, I’ve chosen my words carefully, Persian, while yours are lashed from your lips by the whip of your God-King. I’ll give you a final chance to live with justice: give up your fearful allegiance to your slavemaster Xerxes, do not speak his threats for him any more, and come live in Greece as a free man.”
Persian messenger: “This is blasphemy! This is madness!”
Leonidas: “Madness? THIS IS SPARTA!” [kicks the Persian messenger into the deep well]