Comments on: 300 http://larison.org/2007/03/08/300/ n. the principle of good order "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:25:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Robert Mitchell http://larison.org/2007/03/08/300/#comment-5850 Sat, 10 Mar 2007 02:10:33 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/03/08/300/#comment-5850 The first time I ever came across the the word Eunomia was in a book called The Art of Sparta back in 1985. I saw that word and thought there it is. The first time I ever came across the the word Eunomia was in a book called The Art of Sparta back in 1985. I saw that word and thought there it is.

]]> by: Kitty http://larison.org/2007/03/08/300/#comment-5801 Fri, 09 Mar 2007 04:37:04 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/03/08/300/#comment-5801 I've seen trailers for this, and my husband and I both groan. I'll be extremely happy to be proved wrong, but this just looks like a complete mess. The actual story is so good, why on Earth do they think it needs embellishments? Unless the ads have nearly nothing to do with the movie, it looks like they added supernatural elements and a bunch of CGI nonsense. Ugh. I’ve seen trailers for this, and my husband and I both groan. I’ll be extremely happy to be proved wrong, but this just looks like a complete mess. The actual story is so good, why on Earth do they think it needs embellishments? Unless the ads have nearly nothing to do with the movie, it looks like they added supernatural elements and a bunch of CGI nonsense. Ugh.

]]> by: Daniel Larison http://larison.org/2007/03/08/300/#comment-5791 Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:26:56 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/03/08/300/#comment-5791 Yes, I remember reading that a lot of the dialogue apparently does come from the original, and I'm glad to hear that. But I'm pretty sure the clunky "freedom and reason" pairing, which I remember distinctly from the "graphic novel," is not an example of a citation from Herodotos. I'll be glad to admit if I have that wrong. It is not even so much the content of the statement that sounds entirely wrong (Greeks, or at least post-Persian Wars Greeks, did regard themselves as rational and free, and saw barbarians as irrational slaves by nature), but the way that Miller had Leonidas saying it. It sounded too contrived. Yes, I remember reading that a lot of the dialogue apparently does come from the original, and I’m glad to hear that. But I’m pretty sure the clunky “freedom and reason” pairing, which I remember distinctly from the “graphic novel,” is not an example of a citation from Herodotos. I’ll be glad to admit if I have that wrong. It is not even so much the content of the statement that sounds entirely wrong (Greeks, or at least post-Persian Wars Greeks, did regard themselves as rational and free, and saw barbarians as irrational slaves by nature), but the way that Miller had Leonidas saying it. It sounded too contrived.

]]> by: jsinger008 http://larison.org/2007/03/08/300/#comment-5790 Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:10:45 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/03/08/300/#comment-5790 While I know you don't like his politics (to put it mildly), I think even you would agree that as a scholar, Victor Davis Hanson knows what he is talking about. So when you say: "In the mouths of Miller’s Spartans, the invocations of “freedom and reason” come off sounding like bad speechwriting for the current administration or, just as annoyingly in its way, the motto of a libertarian magazine." you should know that Hanson says a lot of dialogue comes straight from Herodotus or Plutarch. Here are his comments on the film: http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YzJmOTNmYmNlYjNmMDIyZjNmMWRjOGExOGNjYzBjMzU= While I know you don’t like his politics (to put it mildly), I think even you would agree that as a scholar, Victor Davis Hanson knows what he is talking about. So when you say:

“In the mouths of Miller’s Spartans, the invocations of “freedom and reason” come off sounding like bad speechwriting for the current administration or, just as annoyingly in its way, the motto of a libertarian magazine.”

you should know that Hanson says a lot of dialogue comes straight from Herodotus or Plutarch. Here are his comments on the film:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YzJmOTNmYmNlYjNmMDIyZjNmMWRjOGExOGNjYzBjMzU=

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