Megaris
Perséos stepped out of his room donning his new iron armor and carrying his helmet at his side. He entered the streets of Sparta and began walking to where the rest of the army that was going to Megaris gathered, the closer he got the lounder the sounds of flutes and drums got as the Eílotes (Helots, εἵλωτες) played the farewell song to the army.
The young Eurypontid prince spotted a particular Eílot that was very well trusted within Sparta. "Ántiphos." He called out catching the Eílot's attention. "Join the farewell song."
Ántiphos was a Messenian, the slave race of the Spartans but despite being a slave the Spartans very muched respected and trusted him, he did everything he was told but he voiced his thoughts and concerns in particular task, even assisted the Spartans in building projects, and in calming down or preventing Helot riots, eventually it came to a point when he was moved out of the Helot slums and moved into the royal palace.
As Perséos approached the army of Spartan men, he noticed his mother and half brother, his mother holding his new shield, made of bronze, the face was painted black with red waves circling around a red Lambda symbol. He approached his mother and Agisílaos.
"Send the Athenians to Hades, return with your shield or on it, if can return alive return with the spoils of enemies you've slain and my heart will rejoice." Lampito said as her step son Agisílaos II (Ἀγησίλαος) handed his brother a red cloak, Perséos took the cloak and put it on before Lampito handed him a dipylon shield. Perséos passed his left arm through a leather loop in the middle and gripped with the handle at the edge.
(Dipylon shield, looks like the shield of Achilles and the myrmidons use)
Perséos noticed a small group of Spartans that were separated from the others, he assumed they must be the 80 men he was given command over. He approached the small group of men who's gathering was overseen by a Spartan in his 30's.
"Is this all of them?" He asked
The Spartan turned and replied, "As your father ordered, 80. Some with born sons to carry on their names, some with children on the way and most who have yet conceive a child"
"And you are?"
"I am Seleukos, son of Laertes." Seleukos was a Spartan in his 30's, he had long brown hair and a thin headband wrapped around his head. He wore a bronze musculata curiass, greaves and vambraces, he carried his helmet with had a red and black plume mounted transversely, and he carried hoplon which was littered with scars and punctures from arrows even a few scars on the Lambda symbol.
Perséos took a look at the men he would be commanding, some were in their early 20's to late 30's, most had plumes on their helmet signifying their veterancy and others had plumes from helmets that were passed down from father to son and some were just plumeless. Some had long hair, short hair, beards or clean shaven.
"Move out!" Came a command, Perséos turned to see two Spartans one wearing a bronze musculata and had short hair but a long braid, another much older Spartan wore linothorax armor, the older Spartan had grey hairs and full beard. Perséos guessed them to be Nikolaos and Stentor, time had not been too harsh on Nikolaos, he was old but he could still fight. Stentor was his adopted son, from any Spartan can tell during agoge Nikolaos was assigned as his tutor but later became his adoptive father.
Perséos turned to his men, "You heard the general, move out!" He ordered, immediately the Spartans turned and began marching close behind Nikolaos' army. They marched for hours without rest until they read the harbor of Gythion there they loaded the ships with supplies and weapons mostly swords and spears. They would be going to Megaris but another much larger army would be marching for Athens.
Perséos sat on a smooth boulder, watching the men load the ships, he was approached by another Spartan in a black musculata that had gone through it's fair share of wear and tear (HA) a bronze helmet with red plume with black stripes, bronze greaves and bracers.
"I see your enjoying some relaxation from the march." The hoplite joked, Perséos recognized that voice and stood up and they gripped forearms. "Tēlemakhos of house Agaid, good to see you and wearing the armor of Polynikes and carrying the sword of Menelaus."
"Pausanias entrusted the sword to me this morning." Tēlemakhos looked on to the horizon, admiring its beauty.
"I'm glad to fight by your side Tēlemakhos… You and Ikarios, if he is here."
"He and Brasidas remain in Sparta, for the moment… While we have fun in Megaris." Tēlemakhos chuckled.
"I wonder if Troilus will be there, is he as good a warrior as they say?"
"The best of all the Athenians, some say he's better than all of Sparta's sons."
Every Spartan in Lakonia has heard of Troilus (Τρωίλος), the champion of Athens, the man who killed the Achaian centaurs, who can best any Spartan in battle… 'or so the rumors go, Athenians swell his legend to their advantage.' Perséos thought.
Tēlemakhos saw the cocky look in the Eurypontid's eye, the Eurypontids were known for their arrogance and for their temper "You doubt, his skill?" he inquired.
"I don't doubt his skill, I doubt his legend."
"Well when you meet him, prince be sure to let him know."
I suppose you want me to tell you about Troilus the champion of Athens and how he got his title as champion… I thought so, patience young ones but first let's go to a small village in Attika and see how life is for a simple Athenian.
In the village of Kolpos, a small village in Attika south of Athens protected by a wooden wall with a small garrison to man it. Within the village a young Athenian was chopping wood while an old man taunted and teased him.
"You wield that axe well Dikaios. Maybe someday we'll see you use that same determination to find a wife." The old man chuckled.
"Are you conspiring with my mother now?"
"She worries about you."
"There's no need to worry about me." Dikaios replied, life was not always easy for Dikaios (Δίκαιος), born in 453 BC, named after the son of Poseidon Dicaeus. He was labeled a bastard and lived a life of ostrakismos. Not his fault and certainly not his mother's fault he was labeled a bastard. The old man lived in a hut outside of the village near the temple of Apollo. He taught Dikaios how to use a sword while he was a boy and cared for him and his mother until Dikaios was 15, at that point Dikaios took responsibility into his own hands.
"You know, being a warrior is not just being able to strike your opponent down, it's finding good reason to draw your sword in the first place."
Dikaios chops another piece of wood, "I draw my sword to protect those that I love." he answered.
"What about the others?"
"The others turn their backs on me."
"The weak, the defenseless. Who's going to protect them?"
Dikaios chuckled as he chopped another piece of wood, "Careful, too much worry will make you an old man." The old man chuckled at that comment.
Why would man such as Dikaios be labeled as a bastard, force to take on responsibilities he was not ready for, becoming a man long before he was ready, the answer lies with his mother
Everyday Dikaios's mother, Thaleia was a kind and generous woman, she was faithful and believed in the gods, but life for her and her son was anything but relaxing, everyday during praying someone would call her a 'whore'. 22 years ago she was raped by bandits and 9 months later came Dikaios. Even through all the insults and jeers the other villagers would throw at them, they still managed to live a good life.
"Dikaios…" The old man whispered, catching the young man's attention and pointing to a woman approaching from the temple. Dikaios recognized her as his mother and dropped the axe and grabbed his spear.
"Another accident?" Dikaios inquired notice his mother was drenched.
"Oh Dikaios." Thaleia said taking her sons arm and walking with him back to their house which was outside the village. "Maybe one day you'll join me in prayer. Ask the gods to grant me grandchildren before I am too old."
"Mother, your gods are children's stories. My spear is not. And you know, Mother, it takes more than lighting candles to make babies." Thaleia chuckled at her son's faithlessness, there was a time when Dikaios did believe in the gods but that was when he was a child and like all children, they grow out of their childish nonsense. "Besides, our priest wears a ridiculous hat."
Life was good in Kolpos, not perfect, but they didn't care. As long as they had each other then that is all they needed. But life in Attika was about to change, the sound of a bell being banged stopped the pair of mother and son as they turned to see a troop of twenty Athenian hoplites entering through the village gate, they had dirt and blood on their skin, armor and blue cloaks probably from dealing with local bandits, the man leading them was known as general Demosthenes. The hoplite troop stood in the village square where everyone had gathered.
"Fellow Athenians!" Demosthenes called out. "It is with great concern that I stand before you. The Spartans have declared war against Athens, a Spartan army is only a days march from here. We must evacuate this village immediately." The villagers began to panic, shouting jeers like "We will be slaughtered like pigs!" Or "We can't hope to fight them!"
"Silence, please! Quiet!"
"Villagers, we stand no chance!" Shouted a young Athenian hoplite.
"I said fall in Lysander!" The Athenian was pulled back into the crowd by a woman, while Demosthenes continued, "He is weary from battle! Please. We ask that every man, woman and child gather your belongings. Leave for Athens. Seek refuge behind the safety of the walls! There you will be protected. Anyone who needs more time, the old, the infirm, we will escort in a day's time."
Dikaios and his mother along with many other villagers had gathered all they would need, food, water, clothing, drachmae and began making they're way to Athens, any non-essentials or things they couldn't afford to transport they were told to leave it.
As Dikaios and Thaleia approached the gate, they were stopped by a man carrying a bronze musculata and his sword. Dikaios had anticipated something like this happening or running into a few bandits so he put on his linothorax armor just in case. The man stepped between Dikaios and said, "You're with the wrong party."
Dikaios sighed and asked, "Is this not the caravan traveling to Athens?"
"It is, but you will not be traveling among us. Go in the morning with your own kind."
"My kind?"
"Peasants and undesirables travel tomorrow."
Dikaios dropped the bag he was carrying and replied, "My kind's blood is the same color as yours. Should we spill some to prove it?" Dikaios shoved the man back a bit.
"Dikaios." Thaleia grabbed her son's arm but he shrugged it off, she knew Dikaios didn't like to be pushed around like a slave and there was another thing he didn't like and he didn't let this thing go unpunished.
"What happens here?" Two hoplites approached the two as the man said in a snarky way, "This bastard and his whore mother…" He was cut off by Dikaios knocking him off his feet with two punches to the chest.
The two hoplites rushed him, thrusting their doru spears at him, but he was too quick, he deflected one and took the other spacked its wielder across the face with the butt-spike. The hoplite Lysander swung his xiphos but Dikaios ducked and disarmed him of the sword and holding the blade to his neck. Dikaios took him hostage as he backed up to a wall.
"Stop! Fall back! Fall back!" Demosthenes commanded. The hoplites did as commanded and backed up a few spaces as Demosthenes approached Dikaios.
"Put the sword down." He said,
"I will not!"
"Kill him!" The young hoplite urged.
"Try! He dies first."
"What is it you want, brother?" Demosthenes asked, not wanting to make the situation any worse than it already was.
"It seems as though my 'kind' travel in the morning." Dikaios said glaring at the man who had insulted his mother who was now grinning. "I want them to have a proper escort."
"DAAAH!" The hoplite yelled as he pulled out a dagger but Dikaios grabbed that and put it against his neck.
"Move again. And I will bury this in your skull." He threatened.
Demosthenes resheathed the sword he had nearly drawn and asked, "What's your name?"
"Dikaios."
"Now is not the time for violence, Dikaios. Let him go."
"Only if I have your word the rest of the village will be protected."
"You have my word. I will leave capable men for the caravan tomorrow."
Dikaios reluctantly released the hoplite, though he had a few things to say upon being released, "Kill this traitor!"
"Enough with your spectacle!" Demosthenes kicked the hoplite down and commanded his men to, "Restrain him! Get him out of my sight!"
"He's a bastard!"
"Take him away and disarm him."
Dikaios threw away the xiphos and dagger and went to check on his mother to make sure he was not hurt in his scuffle. "Save your bloodlust for the Spartans, Dikaios. Join our ranks. You have been trained well." Demosthenes said.
Dikaios glanced over to the old man sitting on a porch before replying, "I had a good teacher."
"I could use men of your skill at our side to defeat the Spartan army."
"Why would I serve you? You would so easily abandon us." Dikaios took his mother and went back home while Demosthenes dealt with a problem, the hoplite Dikaios nearly killed, He was sitting by a fountain as Demosthenes approached he reached into the fountain and took some water and rubbed it around his neck and said, "Lysander, you're no longer part of this army. Relinquish your shield, your spear and remain here to travel with the peasants tomorrow."
"But you saw him-"
"It's done."
Dikaios before he entered his home went over to the old man. "Where are your things old man, are you not prepared for the march?" he asked.
"Such odysseys were meant for the young and expectant, not for a worn out old goat like me."
"Please reconsider, you know staying here is suicide."
"If the Spartans show up, at least I'll be spared a slow death, from what I understand indecision is not their 'style'."
Dikaios chuckled, "You are mad."
"No, just tired. It's not living as such that's important, Dikaios. It's living rightly."
Later that night
Two Athenian guards sat at the gates of the Kolpos guarding as Demosthenes had commanded them and a few others before his return to Athens. The two guards had their swords drawn incase someone climbed the walls and they needed to fight.
"I've never seen a Spartan before, but I've heard tales that they fight with a ferocity unlike anything you've ever seen and that they can see in the darkness. As though it suited them."
"You speak as if they're not human." the two guards shared a chuckle before a third voice made itself known.
"They are human." Said Lysander as he came out of the shadows brandishing a spear, "The Spartans bleed just as we do. The only difference is, their sense of duty is so strong that it allows them to kill without restraint. That is why they will win."
"Lysander. I thought Demosthenes ordered you disarmed." One of the guards pointed out.
"He did." In one swift motion Lysander impaled one guard with the spear just as he raised his sword in defense, then just as the other got up to attack Lysander took the now dead guards sword and sliced the other guards leg, sending him to the ground groaning and crawling. As he tried to crawl away, Lysander stepped on his blue cloak and decapitated him.
Meanwhile
The old man was walking in the temple but stopped when he felt a presence watching him. "Reveal yourself." He commanded in a voice low enough for whoever was watching him hear.
...Silence was the response but the old man knew better than to immediately take that as an answer. He looked at the pillars of the temple to Apollo and saw a female figure camouflaged against one of them. Taking his cloak and wrapped it around himself, as he did this his shape changed from that of weak old man to strong man in his 30's or 40's with long white hair.
He walked over to the pillar and this time with a voice of stern and youth commanded, "Reveal yourself." as he spoke the clouds in the rumbled with the sound of thunder. The female figure turned her head and spoke, "Father."
"Athena."
The woman, Athen reached into the ground and pulled out a toga and put it on before bowing, "Zeus."
"No need for formalities, none of the other gods aren't looking, are they." Athen, Goddess of Wisdom and patron god of Athens, she was the favored daughter of Zeus. When Zeus began to have headaches, he commanded his son Hephastos to open his head, he opened a fissure in the Thunder God's head using an axe and out sprung Athena with her armor and weapons and already a full grown adult. Zeus was proud to have given birth to such a remarkable creature who would become the Goddess of Wisdom and defensive war.
Athena chuckled.
"What?" Zeus asked.
"When you walked up here just now, you actually looked like a father, or maybe a grandfather." Athena smiled. The sound of voice getting closer caused the two gods to hide behind the pillars.
"We must tread carefully here, none of the mortals on Earth should witness us in our immortal form."
"But father you've come dangerously close, you've been influencing the boy Dikaios for years."
"Yet as one of them, never as a god, only as his friend."
"And why him?"
Before Zeus said anything he thought back to the 22 years he spent practically raising Dikaios, watching him turn from a boy into a man, "...He does not fear danger, nor pain, defeat or ridicule. He fears only the failure to defend that which he holds so dear… his loved ones, if there is one human who could lead them against the Spartans, it would be Dikaios, but it must be his choice."
Meanwhile
It had been 2 days since the Spartan sailed out for Megaris, they'd reach Mergarian shores by sun up… But that stupid song the oarsmen sang for hours and hours was driving Perséos mad. And again they would sing the song of one of Sparta's heroes; Castor, son of Sparta's ancient king Tyndáreos of the Lacedaemonid Dynasty. When he died the Spartans wrote a battle song about him, they'd sing this song while on campaign but Perséos has just about enough of it. "Enough!" He yelled, catching the attention of his crew.
"If you want a sea shanty then let's sing of a legend! Ántiphos." He called out. The Messenian began to play a tune on his flute while other Helots played the trichordon or the drums.
"Many many years ago, when Persia came ashore. Heeding Leonidas' call, the Spartans went to war." Perséos sang, and just as he was about to begin the next verse Tēlemakhos chimed in followed by Seleukos, "Joined by their brothers, a few against the fateful horde, Hellenic hearts are set aflame, the Hot Gates calls their name!"
Now it was time for the crew to pitch in from the Hoplites and Epibatai who thrusted their fists into the air to the Thranitai, Zygitai and Thalamitai oarsmen, "A final stand, stop the Persians, spear in hand!"
Perséos placed his hand upon the shoulder of a fellow Spartan and bumped heads with him, "Form a wall, live to fall, and live forever!"
"SPARTA! HELLAS!" The entire Spartan fleet cried out joining in on the song. "Then, and again. Sing of three hundred men. SLAUGHTER! PERSIANS! Glory et death, Spartans will never surrender."
"AHOU! AHOU! AHOU!"
"Morning has broken, today they're fighting in the shade. When arrows blocked the sun they fell, tonight they dine in hell" Tēlemakhos said banging forearms with another Spartan as the whole fleet bellowed, "By traitor's hand, secret passage, to their land!"
"Know his name, know his shame will last forever!" Perséos roared.
SPARTA! HELLAS! Then, and again. Sing of three hundred men. SLAUGHTER! PERSIANS! Glory et death, Spartans will never surrender."
"AHOU! AHOU! AHOU!" The Spartans roared as their ships sailed over large waves that would swallow the smaller fishing boats, as the tides of Poseidon's realm roared with furry, the Spartans roared louder and louder.
Perséos walked to the commanders post and stood between Seleukos and Tēlemakhos. "It's time I got to know the names of the men I'll be leading into battle. Seleukos, do you know a few?"
"Only a few…" He pointed to a Spartan who had a plumeless helmet (Spartan helmet from 300) and long brown hair. "Him, his name is Stelios, he is the grandson Dienekes, The man next to him," He then points to another Spartan a sminge bit smaller than Stelios,"Is Labotas, son Gorgos, grandson of Alexandros and great grandson of Olympios."
"Olympios and Alexandros, the father and son who marched with Leonidas and Helios to Thermopylai?"
"Yes, prince… The two over there are Astyanax and Atromitos."
"Brothers?"
"Cousins… Astyanax is the descendant Maron and Atromitos is the descendant of Alpheus. The Spartan brothers of Thermopylai."
"And him?" Perséos asked looking towards a Spartan with black armor and holding a black dipylon shield. Seleukos smiled and responded, "His name Telesinus, son of Attalos, he said to be a descendant of one the Myrmidons ."
"Stelios… Labotas... Astyanax... Atromitos and Telesinus. Is that all the men you know?"
"No there is also Ixas, Eusabios and Kaidas, each and every man under your command is a descendant of one of the 300."
"So, what do you know of the Athenian champion, Troilus?"
"Only what merchants and storytellers pass on… They say he is a descendant of Miltiades."
"The hero of Marathon?"
"The same… They say that Athens sent him to kill the centaurs that terrorized the Achaian coast, others claim when he fights that he is like Hektor reborn, a demigod…"
"I tend not to deal in legend, I'll believe his legends, when I witness his skill in battle."
"Careful, prince, this will be your first real battle."
Now comes the part of the tale of where I tell you about the Athenian champion, Troilus… descendant of the great general Miltiades. From a young age he was afforded the best education that was given in Athens, despite his mother being of Thessalian, his father was an Athenian noble and close friend to Perikles.
City of Megara, dawn
The city of Megara was most active last night. The forges were working nonstop to forge swords, axes, spear and arrow tips for the Athenian army in Megaris. When the weapons were forged they were loaded on to a carriage and moved to the armory. Bread was being prepared, and a young Athenian in his heavy linothorax armor, made his way with a band of his best men to the sanctuary of Athena to have their weapons blessed. Even warriors marching to war and slaughter must seek the favor of the gods, the warriors entered the sanctuary and knelt before the goddess, and presented their swords, shields and spears and praying, most of them prayed for victory while some prayed to survive and few others prayed for strength.
Suddenly, a loud ringing echoes throughout the city. The sound is harsh, but it alerts the occupants of Megara of invasion, The war has started.
(I'm gonna end here guys I've been stuck on this chapter for a year or at least what feels like a year. If you guys noticed the song the Spartans were singing it was Sparta by Sabaton.
As for some of the names of the 300, most of them have been lost to time but i managed to find some on a website called
Dienekes: Bravest of the 300 Spartans
Alpheus & Maron: Two Spartan brothers who distinguished themselves at Thermopylai
Eurytus: Suffered a severe Eye Inflammation which incapacitated him, He ordered his Helot to guide him in battle before eventually dying.
I found these two names on a 300 fandom page so take them with grain of salt
Olympios: known as captain Artemis in 300
Alexandros: known as Astinos in 300
I hope enjoyed this chapter, gonna be a long time before I release thenext one, but for now Wolf Howl AUUUUUUUU!)