|
Scroll down this column to find list of most recent articles.
| |
|
LEONIDAS AND THEMISTOCLES
These are two of my neighbors. Just kidding. Greek guys for sure.
Anyway, one Sunday afternoon my niece and I are hanging out and decide to take in the movie 300
at a local
discount movie theater(300 had been out awhile).
I had read a 300 review(300 plot) and thought that the movie sounded like a good choice. Unschooled in Greek mythology, we lasted about thirty minutes.
The movie reminded me of some of those comic book films. Plus, it was crowded with young teenagers which should have told us something.
Later, when I had time, I learned a little about the main characters in the movie.
When the battle began, three hundred Greek soldiers met a Persian army made up of thousands. The Greeks were schooled in tactics and suffered very few casualties.
Leonidas was quite the warrior and possessed all the qualities of a good leader: brave, straightforward and self-sacrificing. However, his earlier arrogance caused him to make a fatal mistake- he rejected help from a less than perfect warrior,Ephialtes, who eventually was responsible for helping the Persians defeat the Greeks by showing them a secret passage.
Eventually, the Greeks triumphed over the Persians but it was not Leonidus but another Greek, Themistocles who was much less idealistic. In fact, he was downright the opposite of the great warrior, Leonidas. But, he was a super tactician and was not above manipulating intelligence to give him the favored result. Heard this before. He encouraged the Greeks who desperately needed a victory after the terrible defeat at Thermopylae.
Themistocles gave it to the Persians when he maneuvered them into a battle on unfriendly waters with heavy and slow Greek warships. Theo, as I like to call him, was not above stretching the truth as he lied to the Persian King
Xerxes
There's a couple of real lessons here: Stay out of war if you are not threatened. We get that.
But, the most important lesson is to elect a leader who is much more Theo(great tactician, listens to others) than Leo. Looking the part may play well on TV but has been an anathema(curse) on us for the last several years. The best don't make it to the top and we are all the poorer for it.KT
Related Articles:
What Are They Smoking
Vietnam And Iraq
| |
|
Commentary