Fifty Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin, 36. THE BRAVE THREE HUNDRED

36. THE BRAVE THREE HUNDRED

ALL Greece was in danger. A mighty army, led by the great King of Persia, had come from the east. It was marching along the seashore, and in a few days would be in Greece. The great king had sent messengers into every city and state, bidding them give him water and earth in token that the land and the sea were his. But they said,—

"No: we will be free." And so there was a great stir throughout all the land. The men armed themselves, and made haste to go out and drive back their foe; and the women staid at home, weeping and waiting, and trembling with fear.

There was only one way by which the Persian army could go into Greece on that side, and that was by a narrow pass between the mountains and the sea. This pass was guarded by Leonidas, the King of the Spartans, with three hundred Spartan soldiers.

Soon the Persian soldiers were seen coming. There were so many of them that no man could count them. How could a handful of men hope to stand against so great a host?

And yet Leonidas and his Spartans held their ground. They had made up their minds to die at their post. Some one brought them word that there were so many Persians that their arrows darkened the sun.

"So much the better," said the Spartans; "we shall fight in the shade." Bravely they stood in the narrow pass. Bravely they faced their foes. To Spartans there was no such thing as fear. The Persians came forward, only to meet death at the points of their spears.

But one by one the Spartans fell. At last their spears were broken; yet still they stood side by side, fighting to the last. Some fought with swords, some with daggers, and some with only their fists and teeth.

All day long the army of the Persians was kept at bay. But when the sun went down, there was not one Spartan left alive. Where they had stood there was only a heap of the slain, all bristled over with spears and arrows.

Twenty thousand Persian soldiers had fallen before that handful of men. And Greece was saved.

Thousands of years have passed since then; but men still like to tell the story of Leonidas and the brave three hundred who died for their country's sake.

36. THE BRAVE THREE HUNDRED 36. OS VALENTES TREZENTOS

ALL Greece was in danger. A mighty army, led by the great King of Persia, had come from the east. Büyük Pers kralı öncülüğünde güçlü bir ordu doğudan gelmişti. It was marching along the seashore, and in a few days would be in Greece. Sahil boyunca yürüyordu ve birkaç gün içinde Yunanistan'da olacaktı. The great king had sent messengers into every city and state, bidding them give him water and earth in token that the land and the sea were his. 偉大な王はすべての都市と州に使者を送り、土地と海が彼のものであるという証として水と土を彼に与えるように命じました. Великий царь послал посланников в каждый город и штат, требуя, чтобы они дали ему воду и землю в знак того, что земля и море были его. Büyük kral her şehre ve ülkeye elçiler göndermişti ve onlara kara ve denizin kendilerine ait olduğunu belirterek su ve toprak vermelerini teklif etmişti. Великий цар послав посланців у кожне місто і державу з проханням віддати йому воду і землю на знак того, що земля і море належать йому. But they said,—

"No: we will be free." “Hayır: özgür olacağız.” And so there was a great stir throughout all the land. そして、全土に大騒動が起こった。 И так было много волнений по всей земле. Ve böylece tüm arazi boyunca büyük bir heyecan vardı. The men armed themselves, and made haste to go out and drive back their foe; and the women staid at home, weeping and waiting, and trembling with fear. 男たちは武装し、急いで外に出て敵を追い返しました。女たちは家にこもり、泣きながら待っていて、恐怖に震えていました。 Erkekler kendilerini silahlandırdılar ve dışarı çıkıp düşmanlarını geri götürmek için acele ettiler; ve kadınlar evde durup ağlıyor, bekliyor ve korkudan titriyorlar.

There was only one way by which the Persian army could go into Greece on that side, and that was by a narrow pass between the mountains and the sea. Был только один путь, по которому персидская армия могла войти в Грецию на этой стороне, и это был узкий проход между горами и морем. This pass was guarded by Leonidas, the King of the Spartans, with three hundred Spartan soldiers. この峠は、スパルタの王であるレオニダスが 300 人のスパルタ兵と共に守っていました。 Этот проход охранял Леонид, король спартанцев, с тремя сотнями спартанских солдат.

Soon the Persian soldiers were seen coming. There were so many of them that no man could count them. その数はあまりにも多く、誰も数えることができませんでした。 How could a handful of men hope to stand against so great a host? Jak mohla hrstka mužů doufat, že se postaví proti tak velkému hostiteli? どうして一握りの男性がこんなに素晴らしいホストに立ち向かうことを望むことができるでしょうか？ Как горстка людей может надеяться противостоять такому великому хозяину?

And yet Leonidas and his Spartans held their ground. A přesto se Leonidas a jeho Sparťané udrželi na svém. それでも、レオニダスと彼のスパルタンは自分たちの立場を維持しました。 И все же Леонидас и его спартанцы удерживали свои позиции. They had made up their minds to die at their post. Rozhodli se zemřít na svém místě. Они решили умереть на своем посту. Some one brought them word that there were so many Persians that their arrows darkened the sun. Někdo jim přinesl zprávu, že je tolik Peršanů, že jejich šípy zatemňují slunce. 誰かが、彼らの矢が太陽を暗くするほど多くのペルシャ人がいるという知らせを彼らに伝えました.

"So much the better," said the Spartans; "we shall fight in the shade." "Tím lépe," řekli Sparťané; "Budeme bojovat ve stínu." 「そのほうがずっといい」とスパルタ人は言った。「日陰で戦おう。」 Bravely they stood in the narrow pass. Bravely they faced their foes. Statečně čelili svým nepřátelům. 彼らは勇敢に敵に立ち向かいました。 Смело они встретились со своими врагами. To Spartans there was no such thing as fear. Pro Sparťany nic takového jako strach neexistovalo. スパルタ人にとって、恐怖などというものはありませんでした。 Для спартанцев не было такого понятия, как страх. The Persians came forward, only to meet death at the points of their spears. Peršané přistoupili, jen aby potkali smrt v hrotech svých kopí. ペルシャ人は前に出て、槍の先で死に会っただけでした。 Персы вышли вперед только для того, чтобы встретить смерть в точках своих копий.

But one by one the Spartans fell. Sparťané ale jeden po druhém padali. しかし、スパルタ人は次々と倒れました。 At last their spears were broken; yet still they stood side by side, fighting to the last. Konečně byla jejich kopí zlomena; přesto stále stáli bok po boku a bojovali do posledního. とうとう彼らの槍は折れた。それでも彼らは並んで立ち、最後まで戦った。 Наконец их копья были сломаны; и все же они стояли бок о бок, сражаясь до последнего. Some fought with swords, some with daggers, and some with only their fists and teeth. 剣で戦った人もいれば、短剣で戦った人もいれば、拳と歯だけで戦った人もいました。

All day long the army of the Persians was kept at bay. Celý den byla armáda Peršanů držena na uzdě. 一日中、ペルシャ軍は寄せ付けられなかった。 But when the sun went down, there was not one Spartan left alive. しかし、太陽が沈むと、生き残ったスパルタンは一人もいませんでした。 Where they had stood there was only a heap of the slain, all bristled over with spears and arrows. Tam, kde stáli, byla jen hromada zabitých, celá naježená oštěpy a šípy. 彼らが立っていたところには、殺された山だけがあり、すべてが槍と矢で剛毛で覆われていました。 Там, где они стояли, была только куча убитых, все покрытые копьями и стрелами.

Twenty thousand Persian soldiers had fallen before that handful of men. Před tou hrstkou mužů padlo dvacet tisíc perských vojáků. 2万人のペルシャ兵が、その一握りの男たちの前に倒れた。 Двадцать тысяч персидских солдат пали перед этой горсткой людей. And Greece was saved.

Thousands of years have passed since then; but men still like to tell the story of Leonidas and the brave three hundred who died for their country's sake. それから何千年も経ちました。しかし、男性は今でもレオニダスと、国のために命を落とした勇敢な 300 人の物語を好んで語ります。 С тех пор прошли тысячи лет; но людям все еще нравится рассказывать историю Леонидаса и трехсот храбрых, которые погибли ради своей страны.