The pass of Thermopylae - Фермопилы
Thermopylae is a scene of the heroic defence put up
by the Spartan King Leonidas and his 300 soldiers
against the Persian army of Xerxes in 480 B.C. In
that year, Xerxes and a great Persian army crossed the
Hellespont (a narrow strait between Asia Minor and
Europe, now called the Dardanelles) and threatened
Central Greece. The Persians could not cut straight
across the country because a ridge of mountains barred
their way. The Greeks thought that the army of Xerxes
would penetrate by the narrow pass of Thermopylae, or
the Hot Gates, called so because of a number of springs
of warm mineral water. Leonidas was sent with about
7,000 men to hold the pass against the Persian army.
Leonidas repulsed the attacks of the Persians for several days; but when the Persians came by a mountain
track to the rear of the Greeks, he divided his army»
himself remaining in the pass with 300 Spartans. The
little Greek army, attacked from both sides, was cut
down to a man. Leonidas fell in the thickest of the fight;
his h ta d was afterward cut off by Xerxes’ order and his
body wTas crucified. Later the Greeks were buried where
they had fallen. On this spot was set a memorial tablet
with the words: “Stranger, tell the Spartans that we
lie here in obedience to their laws.”
Our knowledge of the circumstances is too slight to
judge of Leonidas’ strategy, but his heroism and devotion secured him an almost unique place in the im agination of many generations.
1. Фермопильское ущелье — это горный проход, соединяющий северную и центральную Грецию. 2. В 408 г. до н. э. в период греко-персидских войн персы под командованием Ксеркса пересекли Геллеспонт и тем самым создали угрозу центральной Греции. 3. Однако персидская армия вынуждена была остановиться перед горным хребтом, через который вел единственный узкий проход — Фермопильское ущелье. 4. Греческий отряд под командованием спартанского царя Леонида три дня героически оборонял Фермопилы. 5. Но все воины Леонида пали на поле битвы, и персам удалось проникнуть в центральную Грецию. 6. В современном языке встретить свои Фермопилы — погибнуть, отстаивая свои идеалы, свои убеждения.