Grecia, año 480 a.C. Trescientos soldados espartanos capitaneados por el general Leónidas se enfrentan al poderosísimo ejército persa de Jerjes en la batalla de las Termópilas. Alguien le hace saber al general que el enemigo es tan poderoso que sus flechas "oscurecerán el cielo".
A party of couples from Athens is planning to attend the performance of Medea in Ancient Epidaurus. They set off in their cars bright and early in the morning, combining their theater outing with a side trip to Nauplion. They stop at a railroad junction for the train to pass. There Mado recognizes the fleeting figure of the man standing at the window of the train and she faints.
The young daughter (Anna Synodinou) of a well-off family comes back from Switzerland after completing her studies, married to a young scientist, Thanasakis (Byron Pallis), who comes back to Greece determined to serve his country as a politician. With the financial support of his brother-in-law (Dinos Iliopoulos) he enters the election with no results. Soon though, another election is announced and he decides to run for a second time, again asking support from his brother-in-law who insists that a new campaign would be financial suicide for the family.
