Talk:Ephialtes of Trachis

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I will create a seperate article for the Athenian politician Ephialtes.--Yannismarou 11:14, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

I removed the information about the film '300' because I felt it out of place on this biographical page. It seems to me that the film is deliberately ahistorical and has nothing to offer in terms of providing understanding of the actual Ephialtes. Also, the information was duplicated elsewhere. Adam 23:47, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

Does anyone have a citation for the "George Washington" comment at the end of the article? I'm English and have never heard this. 82.10.59.252 (talk) 18:27, 7 May 2013 (UTC)

Theories

It is also possible that Ephialtes was in fact a great hero to Sparta. Based on his actions, it seems that he was the only one who understood what Leonidas was really doing and thus concluded the importance of the Persian army discovering that old path in time. If it wasn't for Ephialtes, the 300 would have run out from the front before they are outflanked by Xerxes and thus not proving he is a coward as the Leonidas has always stated. So really what Leonidas was thinking to hold them long enough just until the other path is discovered. I thinking the king was glad to hear that someone knows of the path, but his loyalty to Sparta was a problem. When Ephialtes asked to join the Spartans in battle, Leonidas found it an opportunity to bring out any hatred or betrayal that Ephialtes might be hiding for him or Sparta. The dented shield gave Leonidas the impression that Ephialtes is a pretender, very very true! beyond the king's wisdom at the time. Ephialtes dented his father's shield and went to see the king only to ask if he should do it or not. Leonidas' actions and how he handled the interview, trying to ridicule the hunchback by asking him to lift his shield was enough proof to Ephialtes what Leonidas wanted him to do.

The brave Ephialtes knowing fully well that Xerxes' men might not be loyal and word might not reach the emperor in time, he had to go to him himself!

In the end, when Ephialtes approached the king and brought spearing Xerxes' to his attention, Leonidas finally realized that there was someone even braver and more honorable, he wished him to live for ever thus receiving divine status. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.244.119.94 (talk) 04:35, 4 May 2008 (UTC)

Sir, your ignorance knows no bounds. Do not base your views Ephialtes by watching 300. My sincere advise to you would be to read extensively on this matter. 59.164.112.66 (talk) 06:43, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

I would also like to add that 300 is almost 100% pure fabrication. And while your view is interesting, it completely contradicts actual Spartan custom and culture. When Leonidas told Ephialtes to "live forever", he was in effect telling him that he was dishonorable and deserved to "live with his crime forever". For a Spartan, dying on the battlefield (not needlessly of course) was one of the best ways to live. If you live forever, that isn't going to happen, is it?TOneMillion (talk) 19:37, 23 September 2008 (UTC)

Ephialtes did betray the Spartans. The word in greek mean nightmare. The betrail to the cause in which prematurely ended the battle by betrail

Spelling of the above is questionable (it's betrayal), but the point is good. In modern Greek, Ephialtes does mean nightmare (look it up on Google Translate), and its root, according to the Greek naval officer I served with briefly, it's origin is from Ephialtes of Trachis for his actions at Thermopylae. Trivial knowledge, but interesting, and worthy of addition to the page. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.45.205.110 (talk) 05:03, 12 January 2011 (UTC)

If i may point out, according to the wikipedia entry for "Ephialtes (illness)", at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephialtes_%28illness%29 , it was the doctor Galen who first named nightmares thus. Could it be that the name is derived from the idea of something "jumping" on the dreamer, as implied in said entry, and not the person? After all, Ephialtes was a common name for some time after Thermopylae. Maybe the reference to bad dreams should be removed or clarified. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.65.7.242 (talk) 20:42, 11 March 2013 (UTC)

I'm no expert, but I am Greek. I have heard of this origin story, but I have also heard of another one. Ephialtes the Athenian was a politician/lawyer who was considered so skilled in court that it was said that judges would often have nightmares about him. As far as I know, I have never seen any definitive and satisfying proof of any of these origin stories. They're all apocryphal. 2.86.15.138 (talk) 06:51, 15 February 2016 (UTC)

A little musiunderstanding

in the article "Battle of Thermopylae", it is stated that it is not completely sure that the Thebans were hostages who (as stated in this article) "surrendered at the first chance", should i change it?

tavy 16:07, 8 April 2010 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Oktawiusz (talk • contribs)

Epialtes in Herodotus

If it's due to his psilotic dialect, this could be explained... AnonMoos (talk) 00:16, 16 February 2013 (UTC)

2006 film vs 1998 comic

he is consigned to noncombatant duties that do not satisfy his desire for a sense of belonging

Is there any indication of this being the case in preceding works?

If you were on the far left side of a Phalanx (hugging a wall, nobody to protect) that this actually wouldn't matter... since you only need to protect the man to your left and there would be no man to your left if you were on the far left of a line holding a pass.

There was also the various non-Spartans helping out, who were not forming Phalanxes either, who Ephialtes could have worked with.

If he was offered these options in the comic (or maybe some director's cut version of the film I haven't seen) then his betrayal would be more brutal and evil.

In the film he was only told to (1) remove dead (2) tend to wounded (3) fetch water.

But he could have fought on the right side of the Phalanx or with the goatherders who were not part of the Phalanx and who would charge into the melee during moments that the Phalanx broke.

Leonidas didn't even explore those opportunities.

When all he wanted to do was proof himself in combat, and he was denied any kind of combat role whatsoever even though there were many points in the film where the Phalanx broke up and Ephialtes inability to shield a comrade wouldn't have mattered. Ranze (talk) 03:12, 22 May 2015 (UTC)

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