The Spartans(спартанцы) lived in that part of southern Greece called Laconia. Sometimes people call them Spartans and sometimes Laconians. Those people war very brave and their way of live(образ жизни) was very simple. One of their rules(правила) was that they must always speak very briefly using no more words than were necessary. To this day (до наших дней), we often call a short answer laconi; that is, such an answer as a Laconian might give. There was in northern Greece a land called Macedon, ruled over (находящаяся под властью) by a king, Philip by name. Philip wanted to become head of all Greece. He had a great army and conquered state after state. But although his strength was so great, Laconia remained free. When Philip reached Laconia he sent a letter to the brave Spartans saying, "If i conquer your country, I will level your great city to the ground." In a few days he saw the answer brought to him. On opening the letter he found only one word written in it. That word was IF.