A man’s and a people’a deeds can echo through eternity. They can inspire others down through the ages and give example of what man is capable of when functioning properly. They can become true to life legends and be remembered long past the expiration of either the people’s or the individual’s life. I can think of no clearer example of this than the Spartans.
And among then Leonidas and the Battle of Thermopylae. In Gates of Fire Steven Pressfield gives a narrative account of the lead up to the battle, the battle itself, and the aftermath. Released a ways before the movie 300, Gates of Fire provides a different more sober (but no less inspiring) account of the battle and the men who took part in it, on both sides.
Like the rest of the Fiction For Men series I don’t intend to give a blow by blow account of all of the plot doings or the writing style or anything of that matter but rather bring up pertinent themes and ideas related to masculinity, manhood, and everything that comes with that. So let’s get started.
Polynikes & The Warrior Ethos
My favorite character in this book by far was Polynikes. Though he had his faults and could at times verge on the edge of being a cruel bully, Polynikes also had one of the most realistic outlooks on life and what it takes to be a man. A great athlete and warrior, Polynikes served as an example for what a Spartan should be to the other Spartans. A man among men, an elite among elite.
Polynikes was dedicated to honor and self-discipline. Not expecting or putting on others what he himself could no do but also at the same time holding others to the fire and ensuring that they lived up to their full potential and were not allowed to grow lazy and weak. And while putting philosophical diatribes in fiction isn’t something that should generally be done Polynikes had the best one’s in the book. Especially on the pureness of warfare and preparing for it.
Here’s a quote from it “War, not peace, produces virtue. War, not peace, purges vice. War, and preparation for war, call forth all that is noble and honorable in a man. It unites him with his brothers and binds them in selfless love, eradicating in the crucible of necessity all which is base and ignoble. There in the holy mill of murder the meanest of men may seek and find that part of himself, concealed beneath the corrupt, which shines forth brilliant and virtuous, worthy of honor before the gods. Do not despise war, my young friend, nor delude yourself that mercy and compassion are virtues superior to andreia, to manly valor.”
Meeting Phobos
Something else that was well done in this book was the foreshadowing of the might of the Persian forces and the fear that they spread throughout Greece. It was referred to as the phobos or the fear. This fear paralyzed and panicked much of Greece. It was a great monster waiting in the darkness to devour them and that was something it would do in only a matter of time according to the thought of the time. It was a dragon that seemed unslayable.
And just like a dragon it spread fear throughout the Greek nations. However it was through trained men in the martial way that the dragon had any chance of being slain. Why the Persians cut across the North part of Greece they always knew that at some point they would have to face the might of the Spartans and knew that that would be the greatest test in taking Greece.
Two things to look at here. The first is the need for men of courage to meet the dragons of our and any time. Without these strong men, nothing good could ever hope to happen, much less flourish. The dragons are always there, the strong men…not so much. The second is the reputation of a man. The Spartans caused fear in their enemies before they had ever met a single Spartan in battle. Their deeds preceded them.
The Two Weaknesses
Most people think in binary terms. All good or all bad (except ironically for the few things that are binary in this world) and fail to see that balance is often called for. Being too fat is just as unhealthy as being too skinny. The Spartans understood this (and a great many other wise things, being students of war). There were two base things that could grip a man in battle and cause him to act in detrimental ways.
The first that most understand was allowing fear to overcome one’s duty and training. Cowardice in another word. Not the feeling of the fear itself which is inevitable for the vast majority of people, veterans or not. But rather to allow that fear to overcome other more important things. In the book it talked about fighting fear with the fear. The combat the fear of losing one’s life with the greater fear of dishonoring one’s self and one’s brothers or even worse being responsible for their death.
But it is not just cowardice that will harm an army but also rage or frenzy. Where people work themselves in a frothy undisciplined rage to fight. This isn’t very productive and makes you a slave to your emotions (same as with cowardice) over discipline and keeping a steady a mind as possible. This will also undue an army and a man. One must hold steady to discipline and a sound mind. That is the best way to live life and to fight battles (of the physical kind or otherwise).
Gates Of Fire
That’s not to say there are no weaknesses to this book. It does drag at points and there is some “conservatism” ideals that I just don’t think find water. I don’t think the Spartans fought for freedom so much for national/racial pride and honor. Also there is a part about the courage of women being greater than that of man’s because women much bear with the loss of the men while the men get to die.
Essentially a woman staying home from war and watching her sons march off to die is braver than the man actually fighting the battle. It’s a little more complicated than that but you get the gist, you can make your own decisions on how you feel about that. But aside from some occasional lapses into conservatism the book holds up really well and is worth a read for any man.
