Gladiator Film Quotes
Gladiator, the 2000 epic historical drama directed by Ridley Scott, is filled with memorable quotes that inspire, motivate, and captivate audiences worldwide. From Maximus’ powerful speeches to the brutal battles and personal vendettas, the film explores themes of honor, revenge, and the sheer will to fight for one’s beliefs. Join us as we delve into some of the greatest quotes from Gladiator, revealing the timeless wisdom and raw emotion that still resonate today.
Quotes of Honor and Valor
"What we do in life echoes in eternity." – Maximus
"Strength and honor." – Maximus
"I knew a man once who said, 'Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back.'" – Maximus
"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius." – Maximus
"Are you not entertained?" – Maximus
"I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next." – Maximus
"Brothers, what we do in life... echoes in eternity." – Maximus
"Three weeks from now, I will be harvesting my crops. Imagine where you will be, and it will be so." – Maximus
"Today I saw a slave become more powerful than the Emperor of Rome." – Lucilla
"Your fame is well deserved, Spaniard. I don't think there's ever been a gladiator to match you." – Proximo
"You have a great name. He must kill your name before he kills you." – Cassius
"The general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor." – Commodus
Quotes of Revenge and Justice
"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, and I will have my vengeance." – Maximus
"Your time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end." – Maximus
"Are you ready to do your duty for Rome?" – Proximo
"I am required to kill, so I kill." – Maximus
"You have not seen what it has become." – Maximus
"Do you think I'm afraid?" – Commodus
"The time for half-measures and talk is over." – Maximus
"The gods have shown their contempt for the Emperor." – Maximus
"I am an honorable man, dying dishonorably." – Maximus
"You are the son of a murderer." – Maximus
"He will bring them death, and they will love him for it." – Gracchus
"People should know when they are conquered." – Quintus
Quotes of Leadership and Command
"Hold the line! Stay with me!" – Maximus
"On my signal, unleash hell." – Maximus
"You have a great talent for deception, but I can see through you." – Maximus
"It vexes me. I’m terribly vexed." – Commodus
"You can't go to the Senate. They will kill you." – Lucilla
"I am a soldier. I obey." – Maximus
"The frost sometimes makes the blade stick." – Maximus
"He will give them something to believe in." – Juba
"I have seen much of the rest of the world. It is brutal and cruel and dark, Rome is the light." – Maximus
"These men are not my friends." – Maximus
"We mortals are but shadows and dust, shadows and dust." – Proximo
"Rome is the mob, conjure magic for them and they’ll be distracted." – Gracchus
Quotes of Sacrifice and Redemption
"I knew a man who once said, 'Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back.'" – Maximus
"What we do in life echoes in eternity." – Maximus
"There is always someone left to fight for." – Maximus
"It’s been too long, old friend." – Maximus
"I will win the crowd. I will give them something they have never seen before." – Maximus
"Am I not merciful?" – Commodus
"You’re in danger of becoming a good man." – Proximo
"And now we are free. I will see you again... but not yet. Not yet..." – Maximus
"You have proven your valiance yet again, Maximus." – Marcus Aurelius
"You simply... won't... die." – Commodus
"I have only one more life to take. Then it is done." – Maximus
"Tonight I will dine with those I would kill." – Maximus
Quotes of Freedom and Liberation
"We who are about to die salute you!" – Gladiators
"I think you've been afraid all your life." – Maximus
"Go to them." – Juba
"At my signal, unleash hell." – Maximus
"And what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena?" – Proximo
"Is Rome worth one good man's life?" – Juba
"I find myself being part of a great team." – Maximus
"You will meet them again, but not yet...not yet." – Juba
"I think you have a talent for creating greatness out of men." – Proximo
"That is why it must be a scar, no other reason." – Maximus
"If only you had been born a man, what a Caesar you would have made." – Marcus Aurelius
"My brother’s had that pleasure." – Commodus
Quotes of Wisdom and Philosophy
"My name is Gladiator." – Maximus
"The frost sometimes makes the blade stick." – Maximus
"A people should know when they are conquered." – Quintus
"I don’t pretend to be a man of the people. But I do try to be a man for the people." – General Maximus
"Save the majority!" – Cassius
"I wasn't the best because I killed quickly. I was the best because the crowd loved me." – Proximo
"I wouldn’t butcher the world if I had everything else in exchange." – Maximus
"He liked the feel of it cutting his teeth, click!." – Maximus
"He harbors it, fomenting in his prison." – Gracchus
"It’s a dream of mine to have a black horse called Emperor." – Commodus
"Win the crowd." – Proximo
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." – Maximus
Quotes of Betrayal and Treachery
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." – Maximus
"What we do in life echoes in eternity." – Maximus
"Are you not entertained?" – Maximus
"You are false as a Cretan whore." – Commodus
"You will love me as I loved you." – Commodus
"Father was a man. You are its son. We are misled by his pretensions to virtue." – Lucius
"Do not be troubled sister. They are sleeping on their feet as I do." – Commodus
"He is a soldier of Rome. Honor him." – Maximus
"You loved my father. I can only hope that you loved me as you loved him." – Maximus
"Their last breath becomes my strength, the blood of my sword." – Maximus
"The gods take the offering on my command, not Commodus." – Maximus
"Attention! You!" – Maximus
Quotes of Pride and Hubris
"You see, this is why none of you have the wit to become a Caesar." – Commodus
"I have been trying to secure the borders for two years." – Commodus
"I think you have a talent for creating greatness out of men." – Proximo
"Death by the blade or the hangman's wheel." – Cassius
"I am a father to a murdered son, a husband to a murdered wife, and I will have my vengeance." – Maximus
"The emperor has been slain." – Lucilla
"I once commanded your legions, my friend." – Maximus
"Fratres! Brothers!" – Proximo
"Rome still has power, but Rome is dying." – Proximo
"You say, 'judge me.' I am very disturbed." – Maximus
"Truth will be my weapon. I come to remember a past long forgotten." – Proximo
"You have proven your valiance once again, Maximus." – Marcus Aurelius
Quotes of Loyalty and Brotherhood
"Are you in danger of becoming a good man?" – Proximo
"He will give them something to believe in." – Juba
"I will win the crowd. I will give them something they have never seen before." – Maximus
"Brother!" – Proximo
"In this life or the next." – Maximus
"You had a dream boy, you were a gladiator." – Commodus
"You do have a great name; he must kill your name before he kills you." – Maximus
"Run, while there is still time, run!" – Lucilla
"You simply won't die." – Commodus
"Now let all the world call Rome their mother. My unending ambition is to make Rome a city of the people." – Maximus
"Because you honor Rome... I argue this to no avail." – Proximo
"Good," – Maximus
Quotes of Tragedy and Sorrow
"There was a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish, it was so fragile." – Marcus Aurelius
"My horse! Maximus, we must move swiftly!" – Commodus
"Your fame is well deserved Spaniard." – Proximo
"He’ll honor you in his own way." – Maximus
"The Senate has been purged by Rome’s praetorians, who are loyal to Commodus’s factions." – Proximo
"How will history remember me?" – Commodus
"Father, forgive me." – Commodus
"Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife." – Maximus
"In this life or the next." – Maximus
"We mortals are but shadows and dust, shadows and dust." – Proximo
"You bring me to tears, Maximus." – Lucius
"I once commanded your legions. And in that mission, I commanded your hearts." – Maximus
Final Words
Gladiator’s powerful and poignant quotes have left an indelible mark on cinema history. They remind us of the core human values of honor, sacrifice, and resilience, while highlighting the complexities of leadership, justice, and personal vendettas. Maximus’ words and actions are emblematic of an eternal struggle against corruption and tyranny, inspiring audiences to fight for their beliefs and honor, just as he did. The thematic elements encapsulated in these quotes continue to resonate with new and old audiences, affirming Gladiator as a timeless epic that transcends generations. Whether for motivation, contemplation, or sheer wisdom, these quotes endure, echoing in eternity.
