What book does the quote "Carry your shield or come home on it..." come from?

Question

The book is about Spartans I know that...

Answer 1

The ancient writing is classic history recorded as Herodotus' depiction of the battle of Thermopylae in his Histories:427-347  (completed in 430 BC)

The current writing is the graphic novel "300" by Frank Miller. The novel (and film) is a depiction of the historical battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC through the eyes of the Spartan king Leonidas I. . Before the warriors would leave for war, the women would always tell them, "Come back with your shields, or on them."

A similar quote is typically translated as, "Another woman handed her son his shield, and exhorted him: 'Son, either with this or on this,'" the quote is found in the writings of the Roman writer Plutarch--specifically, in his collection of 78 morals, tales, and short stories (of which more than half survive) called the Moralia, in a section called Sayings of Spartan Women.

"Come back with your shield - or on it" (Plutarch, Mor.241) was supposed to be the parting cry of mothers to their sons. Mothers whose sons died in battle openly rejoiced, mothers whose sons survived hung their heads in shame.

Asked why it was dishonorable to return without a shield and not without a helmet, the Spartan king, Demaratos (510 - 491) is said to have replied: "Because the latter they put on for their own protection, but the shield for the common good of all." (Plutarch, Mor.220)

Answer 2

I'm pretty shure the book your looking for is called "Gates of Fire". Hope it helps

Answer 3

"Come home carrying your shield or carried on it, for we will not spill our blood with cowards."

"He who has nothing worth dying for has nothing worth living for."

"I asked for a few Americans. They brought with them the courage of a whole Army." Gen Dostum, Afghani, November 2001

Answer 4

Hickcrazy1 is mostly correct (though it's all copypasted from a website), but I have something to add.

The phrase "with your shield or on it" was said because coming home with your shield meant that you fought bravely and didn't run away. To run away, a soldier would have to drop his shield, so he would be able to run faster, and coming home without your shield meant that you were a coward who left his fellow soldiers in a battle. Fallen soldiers (not necessarily dead, though that was the usual exit) were carried from the battlefield on their shields, in the same way a person would be moved on a stretcher.

Answer 5

the hickcrazy guy has it right.

i just thought it was wierd that i had that as my myspace quote