Dialectic Journals

Book 7

Chapter 30

Page363

"It was this infant whose life would mean Dieneks' death, and Alexandros' and Suicide's by their association with him. And mine as well"

What strikes you about this passage?

What strikes me about this passage is that an infant can be responsible for so many people's deaths just by a woman claiming to be his mother. If he was not claimed, all of those men would not have to die. They would not have even been put into battle, yet because the Lady Arete claimed him as her own, they all will die on the suicide battle mission they may have avoided.

What point is the author trying to make here?

I think that there are two points that the author is trying to make. First of all I think he is trying to emphasize the importance of having a male in your family to continue your blood-line. I think this because the people chosen to be part of the 300 are chosen by whether they have a son or not. If they have no son (like Dienekes) they are not chosen as part of the 300, because if they die they will have no one to carry on their family name. But those people who do have sons (like when the Lady Arete claims the infant, Dienekes then has a son) are chosen to be part of the 300. Also I think the author is trying to make the point that the rules in Sparta are strict and no matter how important you are or how many people do not want you to go to battle, you still have to.