The Battle Of A Greek Poet - 1076 Words

Simonides of Ceos, a Greek poet, wrote an epitaph to commemorate the three hundred Spartans’ brave sacrifice against the massive Persian Army. The Greek epitaph translates to â€Å"Go tell the Spartans passerby, that here, by Spartan law, we lie.† The three hundred Spartans died obeying their country’s law, â€Å"Never to flee in battle, however many the enemy may be, but to remain in the ranks and to conquer or die.† This law is the epitome of a warrior society that the Spartans wanted to create. At the time of the 5th century, the world recognized the Persians as the greatest force in the East. The expansion of the West to conquer the Greeks started with Darius the Great, king of Persia. His conquest failed when the Persian Army was defeated by a surprise attack from the Athenians at the plain of Marathon in 490 BC. Ten years later, Xerxes, Darius’s son, sought to revenge his father by launching an invasion of Greece with twice the force from Marathon. The battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC was the first interaction the Persians had with a Greek force during this second invasion. Even though the battle was won by the Persians, it is critical to question how such a small Greek force of three hundred led by Leonidas of Sparta was able to suppress the entire Persian Army for a total of three days. The three hundred Spartans successfully delayed the Persian invasion because of its warrior society breeding exceptional soldiers of invulnerable mentality, military equipment and tactics,Show MoreRelatedEssay about Homer vs. Ovid1417 Words   |  6 Pagesthe oldest, most influential poets that have ever lived. Although they are both poets, they have several differences in their writings. Homer, a Greek poet, is most famous for his epic poems Iliad and Odyssey. Ovid, a Roman poet, is most famous for Metamorphoses a 15 book poem containing over 250 myths. To compare and contrast these two poets and their writing styles, I will use Achilles’ battle with Hector in Homer’s Iliad book 22 and compare it with Achilles’ battle with Cycnus in Ovid’s MetamorphosesRead MoreThe Battle Of Thermopylae 480 Bc1508 Words   |  7 Pages The Battle of Thermopylae 480 BC was a significant battle in ancient history and others would speculate that it is primarily important for Western Culture. Though the battle had resulted in defeat it had echoed throughout history as the Battle in which cultivated the standard of bravery boys should follow. The battle itself more overshadowed the more significant battle of Platea in which the Greek military primarily the Spartan Military defeated the Persians and ensured a Greek Victory. The battleRead MoreAchilles and Homer1298 Words   |  6 PagesProfessor Reagan C. 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Many believe the war was glorified in this tale and others believeRead MoreAnalysis Of Omeros By Derek Walcott978 Words   |  4 PagesIn the epic poem â€Å"Omeros,† Derek Walcott uses ancient Greek myths with rich figurative language, a mix of considerable energy, visuals, notions, and speech to create an outstanding counterpointing of Homeric and Caribbean themes. â€Å"Omeros† and other Walcott writings are much more than an unimportant reproduction of ancient Greek and Roman motifs; there are references in Walcott’s poems that make his work more than a duplication of someone else’s stories and ideas. â€Å"Omeros† is considered Walcott’sRead MoreCompare And Contrast Achilles And Aeneas1263 Words   |  6 Pagesquestion concerning what makes someone an epic hero. Although each poet lived in a dramatically different time period, with different literary integrity, Homer and Virgil each portray an epic hero using different development of the characters, but similar themes and influences. Achilles and Aeneas demonstrate that an epic hero will do whatever it takes to fulfill their duties while simultaneously displaying the difference between Greek and Roman Society. The question will be answered by first, analyzing