Thermopylae revisited

Besides its hot water spring Thermopylae is known for a very important battle between the Greeks and the Persians. It was our second visit that helped us to see more than the warm water I wrote a poem about.

Here is a poem written by Christopher Rudolph he tells the story clearly:

Four Hundred and Eighty years before Christ
the fearless 300
paid with their lives
The bravest men
that fought side by side
They fought thr fiercest battle
until they all had died

The Persians were marching 
Three hundred thousand strong
Xerxes determined to 
do Greece some wrong
They burned and destroyed as they moved from
town to town
These Greeks they laughed are nothing but clowns
They came to the hot gates of Thermopylae
Where three armed men could hold a company at bay

There was no way around
except the narrowest of paths
They would have to forge ahead and risk an attack.

The Persians found the path was blocked
A Spartan King
Sorang from the rocks
With a spear in his hands 
and Greeks at his heels
they drove back the Persians
The path had been sealed

A traitor went to Xerxes 
and told him a way.
A secret path around 
Thermopylae
He said, " If I succeed you will pay me well
If I fail, you can have my head."

The secret path was real
and they attacked from the rear
The Greeks were doomed to 
 die right there
The Spartan King Leonidas
ordered a decree
The Spartans will stay
but the others must flee.

" Go warn Athens
Prepare for War!
The Persians are coming
and they want to fight some more."

The Spartans held for three long days
Fighting with spears
they drove them away.

When their spears were broken they fought with their daggers
When their daggers were broken they fought with their hands
Until all 300 
had died for their land

The Oracle at Delphi 
Had sealed his fate
King Leonidas (the Greek)
died at the Hot Gates

The descendent of Hercules lay on the mound of the slain
His men bought Greece some time
They didn't die in vain.
Poem 
by 
Christopher Rudolph

It was not in vain. The battle of Gaugamela/Arbela took place in 331BC. The Army of Macedon under Alexander the Great defeated the Persian Army under King Darius III. It was the second and final battle between them with a complete conquest . Greece was now powerful.

Here is something of interest. This was foretold in a prophecy found in the Bible. Press on David Suchet reads Daniel 2. NIV Bible.

Daniel (620BC-538 BC) was asked by the King of Babylon to see the dream and interpret the his dream. GOD showed the dream and told Daniel the interpretation, who tgen told the King of Babylon .

The King was surprised that he and his descendents weren’t going to reign forever and that there were going to be other kingdoms.

We are so glad we returned to this spot.

Sandy 🙂