More fire from CHATGPT:
- Molon labe— come and take them!
- “If”
- “A guest is to be honored”.
I like ChatGPT to quickly essentially do a “Google search”— and spit out some interesting ideas. Quicker and more efficient way to do research!
ChatGPT:
The Spartans, known for their laconic wit and succinct way of speaking, left behind several famous sayings and retorts. Here are some of the best:
- “Μολὼν λαβέ” (Molōn labé): Meaning “Come and take them.” This was King Leonidas I’s defiant response to the Persian demand to surrender their weapons at the Battle of Thermopylae.
- “If”: When Philip II of Macedon sent a message saying, “If I enter Laconia, I will raze Sparta,” the Spartans simply replied with “If.”
- “Neither”: On being asked whether they preferred war or death, they responded, “Neither.”
- “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”
- “With it or on it (Ή ταν ή επί ταςch)”: Spartan mothers would tell this to their sons as they went off to battle, meaning they should either return with their shield in hand (victorious) or being carried upon it (dead).
- “I would not be afraid of an army of lions if led by a sheep. But I would always fear an army of sheep if led by a lion.”: A testament to the importance of leadership.
- “Short is the joy that guilty pleasure brings.”
- “A guest is to be honored.”: Showing the Spartans’ regard for hospitality.
- “The tomb of the brave lies where they fell.”
- “It is not the well-fed man who is brave, but he who endures hunger.”
These sayings offer a glimpse into the stoic and warrior mindset of the ancient Spartans, valuing honor, courage, and simplicity in their communication.