The Spartans mentality is often referred to here at USNA. My old company was 22 and their mascot was the Spartans. Over plebe summer we always said, “come back with your shield or on it”. The warrior mentality is one that is important in the future of our fleet. Even the old Commandant made the brigade read Gates of Fire because of the applicable lessons that could help us in the future. Pericles’ Funeral Oration highlights the importance of being a well-balanced warrior. Joining this profession where death could possibly be in the future, the Funeral Oration has great meaning. Pericles gave this speech after suffering great loss at the hands of the Peloponnesian War. It was the idea that these great soldiers were able to not focus on their own needs, but focusing on the needs of the good of the city. There was a great respect for the warriors who had died and they deserved the utmost respect since they gave their lives for Athens. As future officers, we must know how to be able to raise morale when hope seems inevitable and to fight for what we believe. The oration also stresses the importance of belief in one’s city.
…when you are impressed by the spectacle of her glory, reflect that this empire has been acquired by men who knew their duty and had the courage to do it, who in the hour of conflict had the fear of dishonour always present to them, and who, if ever they failed in an enterprise, would not allow their virtues to be lost to their country, but freely gave their lives to her as the fairest offering which they could present at her feast.
It is important to remember that a country is built on the sacrifices of others. The military is a unique profession in the sense of one’s sacrifices so that others may have freedom. The Athens mentality towards their brave soldiers is something that will be useful to me in the fleet.
King Phillip was a military mastermind with his innovations in the military. As stated in Readings in Greek History: “He reorganized the military formations and equipped them suitably with weapons, and held continuous military reviews and competitive exercises.” This kind of thinking is important in the fleet since it allows for safer ways to win wars. Continuous military reviews allow for the ability to reflect on what works and what could be improved on. King Phillip taught us that it is acceptable to change previous systems if there is a more efficient approach.
Alexandra Butler WC: 429
The West in the Pre-Modern World 
I strongly agree with this blog post and some of the points you make. The Spartan warrior mindset is something that we talked about in depth during plebe summer. This mindset of strength and courage and pure motivation to get the task at hand, whatever it may be, done. The idea of sacrifice is something that I believe the Spartans truly believed in and I believe it is something that is very important to think about while attending the Naval Academy. I am positive every midshipman here has had this talk before about being ready to give your own life but I do not think everyone really grasps the idea of laying down your own life to save another. I strongly agree with your statement, “It is important to remember that a country is built on the sacrifices of others.” Everything we have today comes from this nation’s ancestors and all the sacrifices they gave. The last point I want to stress is about this idea of sacrifice. Being in the military environment we are all in, it is easy to tie the word sacrifice with death. This should not be the case. Sacrifice can be as simple giving up time that you need to help someone in need. It also doesn’t have to deal with another being. I sacrificed going to a normal college to come to the Academy and serve this country. The idea of sacrifice is so grand and I believe that sacrifice can be carried out in many different ways.
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I actually wrote about Greek society too! I wanted to add some more information to your blog concerning your titular quote: it comes from Plutarch’s Moralia in a section called “Sayings of Spartan Women.” The context is a mother bidding her son goodbye as he leaves for war. This quote is definitely a favorite of mine, and I applied it to my own post. Overall, I agreed with the message of your post, but I think it would have been more effective if you focused on just one area of Greece and its values. You jumped between the Spartans, Athenians, and Macedonians, all of which are pretty different from each other as far as values go. While they all contribute to the warrior ethos, I would have liked to see what one specific culture contributed to you as far as a soon-to-be officer. This would have helped with your post’s organization and structure a lot.
Word Count: 155
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Having read the Warrior Ethos (one of the plebe summer issued books) I am well familiar with the Spartan philosophy and the symbolic nature of their shields. I wholeheartedly agree with your post, and I think there are some very valuable points made. For example, you mention that “the country is built on the sacrifices of others” and I can’t help but feel that this has always been true. For the Spartans, pledging their lives at the Battle of Thermopylae in the face of an insurmountable Persian force had a major impact on the fighting spirit of Greece as a whole and arguably inspired the Greeks to win several important battles later on. As a future United States officer, this is still true today because freedom always comes with a cost- it is never truly free. The idea of “ship, shipmate, self” is one of the most important concepts especially for Naval officers, because just like the Spartans it would be more noble to die on the battlefield defending your brother than to return home having allowed him to die.
WC: 180
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Alexandra,
I liked how you mentioned how great solders are able to not focus on their own needs, but the needs for the good of the city. I agree that developing a “spartan mindset” is very important here at the Academy, however, I would like to add that this warrior mindset is a dangerous attitude to carry into civilian life and the spartan lifestyle should never be taken literally. Being an “officer and a gentleman” is very important to military officers. Officers and graduates from USNA must be able to conduct themselves effectively in front of leadership, the public, and the people around them. Civilians need to be able to look at officers and USNA graduates as people who are some of the best and brightest of the American people. In today’s day and age, we are constantly watched by the public. I doubt that the spartan warriors had to worry when they were away fighting against the enemy how the public thought of them. Officers in the military today must be presentable at all times and especially in front of the media.
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