Last night saw foot soldiers go head to head with colossus, and while defeated, the soldiers were not shamed.
The soldiers were led by a battle hardened Leonidas who instilled all his faith in whatever resources he could gather and had them punching above their weight.Even before the war began, the Spartans were under-strength; lured by gold and overcome by lust, their own turned against them. In face of overwhelming adversity and odds stacked against them, even losing their deadliest warrior, the remaining ones showed impeccable character. Not one of them took a step back, not one of them flinched and not one of them feared death. They were asked to lay down their weapons and surrender, but they threw a spear and asked the enemy to “Come and get them!”They all stared their adversary in the eye and when the arrows rained…they fought in the shade. The enemy had gathered the best from around the world; the beasts, the giants, and the ‘Immortals’. Immortals…that name was put to the test.
It was all going according the plan, funneled into this narrow corridor, the Persians’ numbers counted for nothing. Every blow was met with a thunderbolt, and a man who is fancied as a God… felt a very human chill crawl up his spine.
For a while, the Spartans allowed themselves to believe “Against the world’s endless hordes, against all odds, we can do it. We can hold the Hot Gates. We can win.”
Alas, the Persians found their Turbaned Ephialtes who led them to the hidden path that entered behind the brave Spartans. As the end became inevitable, the King gathered his troops for their Final Stand. The King came out swinging and was felled, but not before he made sure that the world knew that free men stood against a tyrant. That few stood against many. And…that even a God-king can bleed.
Leonidas roared to his troops, “It’s an honor to die at your side.”
“It’s an honor to have lived at yours,” Were their last words.
“Remember us”
I know that the article was perhaps a little too romanticized, but please tell me that your heart didn’t gladden with joy when a courageous Sanju Samson tonked Harbhajan straight over the latter’s head for six off the first ball and took the fight to the mighty Mumbai Indians.