The Spartans arose from the city-state of Sparta of ancient Greece. They were a warrior society that paid homage to the values of honor, duty, discipline, and endurance. Values that have led to their being regarded as some of the fiercest warriors history has ever known. And while their legacy still inspires and instructs professional warriors who are actually involved in armed conflict to this day; their legacy is equally as inspiring to everyday people. Why? Because we are all warriors. We all fight wars, be they internal struggles with motivation, our purpose, our relationships, etc… or external struggles like struggling for the flourishing of our careers, the survival of our businesses, or the advancement of our dreams.
“Only The Hard, Only The Strong.”
The bottom-line is we fight. And because we fight, there is still value that we can extract from the wise words uttered by and about the world’s greatest warriors. As such, we are publishing the most inspiring and motivating Spartan quotes for you. We hope these quotes give you a better understanding of the values that have led to the Spartan’s enduring legacy. But most importantly, we hope these Spartan Quotes guide, motivate, and better equip you to take on life’s battles.
BEST MOTIVATIONAL SPARTAN QUOTES
1. “Son, remember your courage with each step.” – Spartan Mother
2. “Come and take the them.” – Leonidas, Spartan King
3. “The daughters of Sparta are never at home! They mingle with the young men in wrestling matches.” – Euripides
4. “Feel no fear before the multitude of men, do not run in panic, but let each man bear his shield straight toward the fore-fighters, regarding his own life as hateful and holding the dark spirits of death as dear as the radiance of the sun.” – Spartan Proverb
5. “He who sweats more in training bleeds less in war.” – Spartan Creed
6. “You should reach the limits of virtue before you cross the border of death.” – Aristodemus, Spartan Warrior
7. “Rise up, warriors, take your stand at one another’s sides, our feet set wide and rooted like oaks in the ground. ‘‘…learn to love death’s ink-black shadow as much as you love the light of dawn. ‘Here is courage, mankind’s finest possession, here is the noblest prize that a young man can endeavor to win.” – Tyrtaeus, Spartan Poet
8. “Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here, obedient to their laws, we lie.” – Simonides, Greek Poet
9. “Either quit your thieving or quit breathing.” – Spartan Mother
10. “The Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy but where are they.” – Plutarch
11. “There is no use for bravery unless justice is present, and no need for bravery if all men are just.” – Agesilaus, Spartan King
12. “Now eat a good breakfast, men. For we’ll all be sharing dinner in hell.” – Leonidas, Spartan King
13. “If you confer a benefit, never remember it; if you receive one, never forget it.” – Chilon of Sparta
14. “The Spartans are the equal of any men when they fight as individuals; fighting together as a collective, they surpass all other men.” – Demaratus, Spartan King
15. “Come back with your shield, or upon it.” – Spartan Mother
16. “King Phillip II: If I invade Lakonia you will be destroyed, never to rise again. Spartan Reply: IF” – Spartan Quote
17. “Phillip II of Macedonia: ‘If I invade Laconia you will be destroyed, never to rise again.’
Spartan Ephors: ‘If.’”
18. “The walls of Sparta were its young men, and its borders the points of their spears.” – Agesilaus, Spartan King
19. “Molon labe” – Spartan Motto
20. “A city is well-fortified which has a wall of men instead of brick” – Lycurgus of Sparta
Halfway There
Alright, you are more than halfway there. We hope you have found some inspiration from the medley of Spartan Quotes above. To provide you with a bit more motivation, we are publishing the most moving quotes from the popular Spartan movie known as three hundred. Enjoy!
Fun Fact: The word Spartan has come to mean self-restrained, simple, frugal, and austere, all of which are key traits of the self-disciplined.
Related: 100 Badass Quotes on Discipline
Inspiring Spartan Quotes From 300
The following collection of Spartan quotes stems from the famous Spartan inspired movie ‘300’. And while the quotes stem from key lines within a movie, many are historically accurate, considering the movie was meant to capture the spirit of the Spartan ethos along with their most famous battle; the Battle of Thermopylae.
21. “From the time he could stand, he was baptized in the fire of combat. Taught never to retreat, never to surrender, but death on the battlefield in service to Sparta was the greatest glory he could achieve in his life.” – Dilios, 300
22. “I am here for all those voices which cannot be heard: mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, three hundred families that bleed for our rights. We must send the entire Spartan army to aid our king in the preservation of not just ourselves, but of our children. Send the army for the preservation of liberty. Send it for justice. Send it for law and order. Send it for reason. But most importantly, send our army for hope. Hope that a king and his men have not been wasted to the pages of history and that their courage bonds us together, that we are made stronger by their actions, and that your choices today reflect their bravery.” – Queen Gorgo, 300
23. “Spartans! Prepare for glory!” – King Leonidas, 300
24. “It is not a question of what a Spartan citizen should do, nor a husband, nor a king. Instead, ask yourself what should a free man do?” – Queen Gorgo, 300
25. “You have many slaves, but few warriors. It won’t be long before they fear my spears more than your whips.” – King Leonidas, 300
26. “Xerxes: It isn’t wise to stand against me. Imagine what horrible fate awaits my enemies when I would gladly kill any of my own men for victory. King Leonidas: And I would die for any one of mine.” – 300 Quote
27. “King Leonidas: A Spartan’s true strength is the warrior next to him. So give respect and honor to him, and it will be returned to you. First, you fight with your head…. Queen Gorgo: Then you fight with your heart.” – 300 Quote
28. “This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die! Remember this day, for it will be yours for all time.” – King Leonidas, 300
29. “Spartans never retreat! Spartans never surrender! Go spread the word. Let every Greek assembled know the truth of this. Let each among them search his own soul. And while you’re at it, search your own.” – King Leonidas, 300
30. “There’s no room for softness… not in Sparta. No place for weakness. Only the hard and strong may call themselves Spartans. Only the hard, only the strong.” – Dillios, 300
Related: The Warrior Mindset
31. “Persian Warrior: Spartans, lay down your weapons. King Leonidas: Persians, come and get them.” – 300 Quote
32. “The enemy outnumber us a paltry three to one, good odds for any Greek. This day we rescue a world from mysticism and tyranny and usher in a future brighter than anything we can imagine.” – Dilios, 300
33. “Freedom isn’t free at all, that it comes with the highest of costs. The cost of blood.” – Queen Gorgo, 300
34. “Queen Gorgo: Do not be coy or stupid, Persian. You can afford neither in Sparta! Messenger: What makes this woman thinks she can speak among men? Queen Gorgo: Because only Spartan women give birth to real men!” – 300 Quote
35. “Give them nothing, but take from them, everything.” – King Leonidas, 300
36. “This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die! Remember this day, for it will be yours for all time.” – King Leonidas, 300
37. “Spartans, Ready Your Breakfast And Eat Hardy, For Tonight We Dine In Hell!” – Leonidas, 300
38. “For he did not wish tribute, nor song, nor monuments nor poems of war and valor. His wish was simple “Remember us. Remember why we died.” – Dilios, 300
39. “The world will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many. And before this battle is over, that even a god king can bleed.” – King Leonidas, 300
40. “No retreat, no surrender; that is Spartan law. And by Spartan law, we will stand and fight, and die.” – Leonidas, 300
Insightful Quotes About Spartans
This final section of our spartan quotes selection is related to quotes about Spartans from notable people, academics, or stated in a memorable way. We hope then inspire you as much as the previous quotes. Enjoy!
41. “Mental toughness is spartanism with qualities of sacrifice, self-denial, dedication. It is fearlessness, and it is love.” – Vince Lombardi
42. “A Spartan entered the army at eighteen and remained in service till he was sixty; he regarded al other occupations as unfitting for a man.” – Steven Pressfield
43. “The Spartans were the ultimate warriors because they embodied the warrior ethos: discipline, self-control, and honor.” – Jocko Willink
44. “To cry out was considered a sign of cowardice. It was not unheard of for a Spartan boy to die of a beating without uttering a word.” – Steven Pressfield
45. “Sparta was the original utopia.” – Paul Cartledge
46. “‘Spartan’ today remains a descriptor synonymous with simplicity, austerity, and frugality — a comfort with discomfort and a disdain for luxury.” – Brett and Kate McKay
47. “A messenger returned to Sparta from battle. The women clustered around. To one, the messenger said, ‘Mother, I bring sad news: your son was killed facing the enemy.’ The mother said, ‘He is my son.’ ‘Your other son is alive and unhurt,’ said the messenger. ‘He fled from the enemy.’ The mother said, ‘He is not my son.’” – Steven Pressfield
48. “The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.” It was true in Spartan times. It was true in Johnson’s time, eighteenth-century England. It’s true today.” – Joe De Sena, Founder of Spartan Race
49. “If you talk to any ordinary Spartan, he seems to be stupid, but eventually, like an expert marksman, he shoots in some brief remark that proves you to be only a child.” – Plato
50. “Philip II, king of Macedon and father of Alexander the Great, had just conquered all of Northern Greece when he turned his armies south to Sparta. In a message to the city elders, the king warned: “You are advised to submit without further delay, for if I bring my army into your land, I will destroy your farms, slay your people, and raze your city.” The Spartans replied with a single word: “If.”” – Brandon Specktor
51. “Every time I trained, it made me feel more like a Spartan, more like a king, more like I was impressing my men and more like they would be willing to follow me.” – Gerard Butler
52. “The Spartans were a race of giants, strong and terrible in battle.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
53. “We may find inspiration in the story of the Spartans, who, when asked what number of troops they would send to fight the Persians, replied with the single word, ‘All.’” – General George S. Patton
54. “If I had been born in ancient Greece, I would have wanted to be a Spartan.” – Napoleon Bonaparte
55. “The Spartans didn’t just conquer their enemies, they conquered themselves first.” – Ryan Holiday
56. “The Spartans saw discipline as a way of life, not just something you did when it was convenient.” – Ryan Holiday
57. “The Spartans trained with a purpose, they had a vision. They had a very clear idea of what they wanted to achieve and they went after it with everything they had. That’s the kind of mentality you need to be successful in anything.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
58. “The Spartans were masters of pain. They knew how to embrace it and push through it. They didn’t just endure pain, they welcomed it. That’s what made them so powerful.” – David Goggins
59. “The Spartans didn’t just train for battle, they trained for life. They lived every moment as if it was their last and were always ready for whatever came their way.” – Jocko Willink
60. “Sparta had many faults, but it produced men.” – Plutarch
61. “The Spartans were masters of military strategy. They knew how to use their terrain to their advantage and were experts at deception and surprise attacks. They were fearless on the battlefield and always kept their enemies guessing.” – General Collin Powell
62. “The Spartans knew that the price of freedom was eternal vigilance, and they were willing to pay that price with their lives. Their unwavering dedication to their cause and their willingness to sacrifice everything for it should serve as an inspiration to us all.” – General Douglas MacArthur
63. “Courage, particularly in the face of death, was the foundation stone of Spartan culture.” – Donald J. Robertson
64. “In Sparta, the word ‘I’ did not exist. The only word was ‘we’.” – King Leonidas
65. “The Spartans taught that excellence is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
Related: No Guts No Glory Quotes
Bonus Spartan Quote
Bonus: Here’s one last bonus spartan quote that we believe will resonate with all modern-day spartans. Enjoy!
“A New Age Has Begun. An Age Of Freedom. And All Will Know That 300 Spartans Gave Their Last Breath To Defend It!”
Final Thoughts
There you have it, some of the most inspiring Spartan quotes to help you take the battle to your internal enemies and win against vices like weakness, envy, greed, selfishness, laziness, and deceitfulness.
May they inspire you to be victorious over those enemies we find both in our lives and the ones that exist within our own hearts.
Till you achieve your aims,
STRIVE
PS – If you enjoyed these inspiring Spartan Quotes and Sayings, then you’ll love this ultimate list of Inspirational Warrior Quotes.
