Understanding the Legend of Pheidippides and the Marathon Run

The question asks about the famous last words attributed to the Greek messenger Pheidippides, who is legendary for his run from Marathon to Athens.

According to a popular, albeit debated, historical account, Pheidippides was sent to Athens to announce the victory of the Athenians over the Persians in the Battle of Marathon, which took place in 490 BCE. The distance between Marathon and Athens is roughly 42 kilometers (about 26 miles). The legend says that after running this distance without stopping, he delivered his message and then collapsed and died.

This heroic feat is the inspiration for the modern marathon running event.

Analyzing the Options for Pheidippides' Last Words

The question provides four possible phrases as the last words of Pheidippides. Let's look at the options:

These options offer different phrasings of a victory announcement. The legend holds that his final words conveyed the triumphant message of the Athenian victory.

Identifying the Correct Attributed Last Words

While the historical accuracy of the run and the specific last words is debated among scholars (Herodotus, the primary source for the Persian Wars, mentions Pheidippides running to Sparta for help *before* the battle, not to Athens after it to announce victory; the story of the post-battle run comes from later accounts), the popular legend attributes a specific phrase to him upon arriving in Athens.

The most widely cited and popularly accepted version of Pheidippides' last words is a phrase that directly announces the victory and urges celebration.

Comparing the options with the popular legend:

• "Celebrate, we won" - Similar meaning, but not the standard legendary phrase.
• "Rejoice, we conquer" - This is the phrase most commonly attributed to Pheidippides in later accounts of the legend. It translates the Greek word "Νενικήκαμεν" (Nenikēkamen), meaning "We have conquered" or "We are victorious," often rendered as "Rejoice, we conquer!" or "Joy, we won!".
• "Cheers, we conquered" - Another variation, but "Rejoice" is more traditionally associated with the legend.
• "Hip-hip Hurre" - This is a modern cheer and clearly not the historical or legendary phrase.

Therefore, based on the widely accepted legend of Pheidippides' run and death after announcing the victory at Marathon, the phrase "Rejoice, we conquer" is considered his last words.

Revision Table: Pheidippides and the Marathon Legend

Additional Information on the Marathon Legend and History

It's important to understand the distinction between the popular legend and historical accounts when discussing Pheidippides.

• Herodotus' Account: The historian Herodotus, writing about 50 years after the Battle of Marathon, mentions a runner named Pheidippides being sent from Athens to Sparta *before* the battle to ask for Spartan help. This run was much longer (around 240 km or 150 miles) and he reportedly completed it in about two days. Herodotus does *not* mention a runner being sent to Athens after the battle to announce the victory.
• Later Accounts: The story of the runner dying after announcing the victory in Athens appears in later Greek and Roman writings, such as those by Plutarch and Lucian, centuries after the event. It is in these later accounts that the legend of the Marathon-to-Athens run and the famous last words "Rejoice, we conquer" originated and became popular.
• Origin of the Modern Marathon: The modern marathon race distance (42.195 km or 26 miles 385 yards) was standardized for the 1908 London Olympics to finish in front of the royal box. The idea of a long-distance race called the "marathon" was introduced at the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896, inspired by the legendary run of Pheidippides from Marathon to Athens. The specific distance chosen for the 1896 race was approximately the distance between the two cities.

So, while the legend of Pheidippides dying after the Marathon-to-Athens run is famous and the basis for the modern sport, it is likely a later invention rather than a strictly historical event as described by Herodotus.