“And if there were only some way of contriving that a state or an army should be made up of lovers and their loves, they would be the very best governors of their own city, abstaining from all dishonour, and emulating one another in honour; and when fighting at each other's side, although a mere handful, they would overcome the world. For what lover would not choose rather to be seen by all mankind than by his beloved, either when abandoning his post or throwing away his arms? He would be ready to die a thousand deaths rather than endure this. Or who would desert his beloved or fail him in the hour of danger?”
~Plato’s Symposium
by Tragic Rabbit
In Grecian Thebes did Gorgidas
handpick his Sacred Band:
three hundred soldier lovers strong
the bravest in the land.
For in defense of worthy Thebes
was needed fighting force
that could withstand those enemies
who showed her no remorse.
So from Thebian soldier ranks
were chosen gallant best
of coupled lovers long in love
marshaled to meet this test.
In tandem with beloved ones
were soldiers housed and trained
till warriors unmatched in skill
had noble Thebes now gained.
These hoplite troops were then sent out
against the Thebian foes;
so valiant fierce, so fearless brave,
in arms none could oppose.
Their fame it spread throughout the land,
these stout heroic men:
their enemies would quail in fear
and long for home again.
In battle after battle, they
defended Thebian gates
till Thebes became supreme among
ancient Greek city states.
For forty years the Sacred Band
was unmatched in the field,
each soldier loathe to show distress
beside his lover’s shield.
Each man would fight till his last breath
and hide away his fear;
each man’s beloved at his side
made cowardice too dear.
For man can fight for gods and kings
and for a peaceful land
but no man will fiercer battle
than when his love’s at hand.
And none will hold honor higher
than those who fight beside
their heart’s true love and all those friends
in whom they do confide.
Are soldiers brave who fight for gold?
or honors and renown?
then far more so are those who fight
above all for love’s crown.
The men who fight and bleed for years
become close as brothers
and when heart love is added in
are more so than others.
Such men will fight and rise again
to fight another day,
undaunted in their zeal to win
and officers obey.
To see the light in lover’s eyes
and admiration shine,
a man will fight beyond his means
with honor hold the line.
To fall beside your lover dear
is death without its sting;
to conquer at your lover’s side
is like to be a king.
Thus forty undefeated years
did Thebian Sacred Band
protect fair Thebes and keep the peace
throughout that troubled land.
Men grew old and with their lover
retired to quiet fields,
they were replaced with lovers young
and their bright shining shields.
The fame of these strong fighting men
it spread across the sea;
fair Thebes was safe from enemies
and those who came did flee.
And famous Sacred Band of Thebes
were all above reproach,
in matters of honor and faith
they were each others’ coach.
In hot battle or in peacetime
they never ceased to train;
from dishonor and debauch did
the Sacred Band refrain.
At night each man would lay down arms
and crawl into his tent
to close embrace his dearest love
and spend the night content.
So Thebes did reign for forty years
as city paramount;
she flowered in the sun and did
her enemies discount.
But in those years of hostage peace
a canker it had grown
when Prince of Macedonia
was captive there alone.
Son of the king, his presence kept
the peace, and war at bay;
but royal boy he vowed revenge
when gone from Thebes’ sway.
Thebes sent him home but his time came
when twenty-six years hence,
he took himself, now Persian king,
to test the Greeks’ defense.
Philip, this was, a Persian lord,
and second of that name
who with conquest did earn renown
and everlasting fame.
He marched against the Greeks of old
with son who did not tire;
this Alexander would become
more famous than his sire.
And so it was, in August heat,
that Greeks did make their stand;
Thebes and Athens lined up against
the best from Philip’s land.
Thus at dusty Chaeronea
in year three thirty-eight,
Sacred Band faced two famed men and
force thirty-thousand great.
Athenians were brave enough
and Thebians more so,
but none could match the Sacred Band
who outfought every foe.
But Philip had learned from the Greeks
when he was captive boy,
behind phalanxes eight men deep
were horsemen to deploy.
With these had King Philip conquered
brave kingdoms great and small,
till only Thebes and Athens fought
lest Greece itself should fall.
Greeks did not fight with men on horse
to hurl a phalanx back,
cavalry then was just a tool
to finish an attack.
But Philip had his Persians learn
a different winning scheme,
where cavalry would break a foe
with infantry as team.
To envision a horsemen’s charge
into the ranks of spears
was genius, yes, but not the way
the world fought in those years.
This Persian strange horse strategy
was new under the sun,
thus was Chaeronea lost before
the battle had begun.
Not knowing this, the Sacred Band
took places in the sun
at the crucial far right Greek flank
and fearless was each one.
That morning had the Sacred Band
gathered, as was their way;
each lover arming dearest love,
preparing for the fray.
With kisses long and armor bright
did Thebian Sacred Band
make ready for the Persian foe
there on Boeotian sand.
When sun was up, the horns did blow
and battle was engaged;
little did those brave lovers know
what that day’s gods had staged.
For hours did the fighting Greeks
hold fast against the east,
till Alexander broke their line
and cavalry released.
Seeing this, did King Philip call
his men to charge the Greek;
Persians drove deep into the ranks
where Athens made it weak.
Bitter fought on Attic land was
Chaeronea’s doomed battle,
long hours did the spears sail high
and drawn weapons rattle.
But Athen’s men were weaker kind
than Thebian soldiers brave
for finally did they flee the field
their coward lives to save.
Alone did Thebes fight on against
the might of Persian sword
knowing Greek freedom was the stake
and would be their reward.
But back and back were Thebian men
driven by cavalry
with Alexander at their fore
urging their devilry.
They cut down Greeks like sheaves of wheat
of quarter, none was shown
they used their horse in strange new ways
the world had never known.
Greek left flank did waver and break
though men fought brave and true;
but on the right were Persians foiled
by Band of hundreds few.
For Sacred Band of Thebes did roar
and fight like gods on high:
not an inch to enemy give,
far better fight and die.
Though Persians strove to break the Band
and finally conquer Greece,
the Sacred Band would not allow
the might of Thebes to cease.
They fought like three hundred Furies,
foe bodies piled up high;
not cavalry, not spear nor sword
would cause the Band to fly.
Yet hundreds cannot stand alone
when thousands take the field,
but even so, the Sacred Band
bravely refused to yield.
Side by side, the Band fought till dusk
each lover back to back,
and thus they died at Chaeronea
just as the sky went black.
The Sacred Band of Thebes did die
upon the very ground
they were assigned at battle’s start,
together were they found.
When Philip walked the field that night
with his son at his side
they were then shown the Sacred Band
and told how they had died.
While Philip was a Persian king
and conqueror today,
he was himself lover of men
and hid not his dismay.
When he beheld the Sacred Band,
brave lovers side by side,
he stood there in the light of pyres
and honorably cried.
Three hundred dead, all rent with sword
and covered thick with blood
where Thebian Sacred Band had tried
to stop the Persian flood.
While Athens fled and Thebes did yield
the Sacred Band fought on;
they broke no trust, they kept their oaths
until their lives were gone.
Thus Philip wept to think of them
so noble, brave and true;
abandoned by their own allies,
his tears gave them their due.
With his son, he looked o’er the Band,
their bodies heaped on high,
there where they had been told to stand
and enemy defy.
Philip cried out, in tones of awe,
“O, Perish any man
who suspects that these brave men were
unseemly, or they ran!
For though they loved as man to man
their honor was unmatched;
sheer numbers beat them on this field,
loves would not be detached.
Each died beside his lifelong love
brave hearts all beat their last
next to the man that they loved best
and Hades’ bite surpassed.
For in the next world, will the Band
remain together still,
for such brave honorable loves
Death himself can not kill.”
Thus was the Sacred Band of Thebes
defeated and destroyed,
there on the field of Chaeronea
where they had been deployed.
Their honor was impeachable,
their fame lasts to these days;
their legacy proves loving men
aren't cowardly cliches.
Plato was right, for men who love
and give their hearts to men
can together form troops so brave
they are beyond our ken.
Not since Thebes have soldier lovers
assembled in this way;
the lessons of the Sacred Band
are forgotten today.
For forty years the Sacred Band
was unmatched in the field,
each soldier loathe to show distress
beside his lover’s shield.
Each man would fight till his last breath
and hide away his fear;
each man’s beloved at his side
made cowardice too dear.
For man can fight for gods and kings
and for a peaceful land
but no man will fiercer battle
than when his love’s at hand.
Such men will fight and rise again
to fight another day,
undaunted in their zeal to win
and officers obey.
To see the light in lover’s eyes
and admiration shine,
a man will fight beyond his means
with honor hold the line.
Perhaps once again, loving men
will be sought out and trained,
just as they were when antique Thebes
their Sacred Band maintained.
To fall beside your dearest love
is death without its bite;
perhaps someday the Sacred Band
will rise again to fight.
Nations one day may have the need
for men as brave and bold
as ancient Thebes’ Sacred Band,
those warriors of old.
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The Sacred Band of Thebes is a TR short story, and thus belongs to him alone, but the tale is true, based on Plutarch and other ancient sources. It is the only time in history that homosexual soldiers have been deliberately assembled, let alone paired and allowed to fight alongside their lovers. The Sacred Band of Thebes kept the peace in Greece, and assured the ascendancy of Thebes among Grecian city-states, for four decades before falling to Philip II and his son, later known as Alexander the Great, on August 2nd 338 B.C. at the Battle of Chaeronea in central Greece.
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Plutarch’s Pelopidas http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/mirror/classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/pelopida.html