E Tan E Epi Tas

[TheVTCGuy]

Need some honest opinons here... For my 50th birthday I had promised myself to get my first ever tattoo (probably my last and only). Being a (so-called) executive Of course it can't be visible, but I was thinking on my left shoulder, and had decided on a simple quote of words. I have give this a LOT of thought... and am pretty close to doing it... but have changed my mind more then once about which of my favorite two quotes I want permananetly placed on my body. It's... it's a pretty big deal for me.

I wanted something getting back to my Greek Heritage, and either the historial battle of Thermopoly in 480 BC, or the legend of Achillies and Troy. I had almost decided on Dionikus's quote to a Persian Lieutenant before the battle of Thermopoly (300 Spartans) "Then we will fight in the shade" But have also really liked the quote expressed by Spartan Mothers and wives to their men as they left for battle: "E Tan E Epi Tas" Loosely translated: "(Return) with this shield or on it" A Spartan warrior that fled the battlefield would have to drop his heavy shield to get away, and if a soldier had been killed in battle, he would be carried back on his shield like a stretcher. The premise was, return victorius or dead, for any other way is dis-honorable.

Since I'm already passed my 51st birthday ( I know.. I know... I'm working up to getting it though) I want to take this big step (all of you with tattoos are laughing at me right now for being such a .... chicken. I understand.

I don't want to bore you with the stories behind the quotes ("our arrows will blot out the sun") but if you (hopefully) can understand just a bit of the connection I feel toward this heritage, and the honor and self-philosophy I am trying to represent, which do you guys think is better?