This Is Sparta: 20 King Leonidas Quotes from 300

A smorgasbord of rousing and inspirational King Leonidas quotes.

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king leonidas quotes 300

About King Leonidas and 300

300 is an epic historical action movie loosely based on the comic book series by creators Frank Miller and Lynn Varley. Directed by Zack Snyder, 300 is a dramatic retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae in the Greco-Persian Wars, in which 300 brave Spartan warriors march into battle against over 300,000 Persian soldiers.

Portrayed by actor Gerard Butler, King Leonidas leads the brave Spartans into battle and throughout the film he’s responsible for a smorgasbord of brave and inspirational one-liners that are sure to put a spring on your step – ensuring you conquer the day!

RELATED: 10 Movies Similar to 300 (2006 Film)

Best King Leonidas Quotes

Best King Leonidas Quotes from 300

“You bring the crowns and heads of conquered kings to my city steps. You insult my queen. You threaten my people with slavery and death! Oh, I’ve chosen my words carefully, Persian. Perhaps you should have done the same!”

Stelios: It’s an honor to die at your side.
King Leonidas: It’s an honor to have lived at yours.

“Spartans! Ready your breakfast and eat hearty… For tonight, we dine in hell!”

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 share.
King Leonidas: Haven’t you noticed? We’ve been sharing our culture with you all morning.

“This is where we hold them. This is where we fight! And this is where THEY DIE!”

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 surrender! Go spread the word. Let every Greek assembled know the truth of this. Let each among them search his own soul. And while you’re at it, search your own.

“My Queen! My wife. My love…”

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 Leonidas: You are generous as you are divine, O king of kings. Such an offer only a madman would refuse. But the, uh, the idea of kneeling, it’s- You see, slaughtering all those men of yours has, uh, well it’s left a nasty cramp in my leg, so kneeling will be hard for me.

“You have many slaves, Xerxes, but few warriors. It won’t be long before they fear my spears more than your whips.”

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.

Xerxes: You Greeks take pride in your logic. I suggest you employ it. Consider the beautiful land you so vigorously defend. Picture it reduced to ash at my whim! Consider the fate of your women!
King Leonidas: Clearly you don’t know our women! I might as well have marched them up here, judging by what I’ve seen.

King Leonidas: The ‘No Retreat, No Surrender’ speech

“Relax, old friend. If they assassinate me, all of Sparta goes to war. Pray they’re that stupid. Pray we’re that lucky.”

Queen Gorgo: Your lips can finish what your fingers have started… or has the Oracle robbed you of your desire as well?
King Leonidas: It would take more than the words of a drunken adolescent girl to rob me of my desire of you.

“The world will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many, and before this battle was over, even a god-king can bleed.”

“Your father should have taught you how our phalanx works. We fight as a single, impenetrable unit. That is the source of our strength. Each Spartan protects the man to his left from thigh to neck with his shield.”

“Children, gather round! No retreat, no surrender; that is Spartan law. And by Spartan law we will stand and fight… and die. A new age has begun. An age of freedom, and all will know, that 300 Spartans gave their last breath to defend it!”

“Unless I miss my guess, we’re in for one wild night.”

Captain: They look thirsty!
King Leonidas: Well, let’s give them something to drink! To the cliffs!

“Give them nothing! But take from them everything!”

“THIS IS SPARTA.”

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king leonidas 300 quotes

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