Are You Not Entertained! 15 Most Iconic Quotes From Gladiator

Are You Not Entertained?! 15 Most Iconic Quotes From Gladiator

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1 Are You Not Entertained?! 15 Most Iconic Quotes From Gladiator

Ridley Scott’s Gladiator is an epic film with quotes to match. Here are the most iconic lines from the Academy Award-winning movie.

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Ridley Scott’s Gladiator is one of the most epic films of all time, highlighting the glory of Rome at its peak. The cinematography, cast, and action scenes were Oscar-worthy as the film won the best picture award of the year.

But it’s the quotes from the characters that stand above it all, echoing in eternity much like many of Maximus’s heroic actions. With that, here are 15 of the Most Iconic Quotes from Gladiator.

Updated September 30th, 2020 by Julian Beauvais: Gladiator was a beloved film at the time of its release and remains popular to this day. Its imminently quotable dialogue has rang true for decades. Rumors of a sequel have abounded ever since the film won Best Picture in 2001, and it has entered various stages of development without ever being filmed or released. With Russell Crowe’s recent revelation of a scuttled storyline for a nebulously impending sequel, it seemed like a good time to revisit some of the lines that made this film remarkably enjoyable.

15 “When a man sees his end, he wants to know there was some purpose to his life.”

Full Quote: “I am dying, Maximus. When a man sees his end, he wants to know there was some purpose to his life. How will the world speak my name in years to come? Will I be known as the philosopher? The warrior? The tyrant? Or will I be the emperor who gave Rome back her true self?”

Part of the appeal of Gladiator can be safely chalked up to the multiple pearls of age-old wisdom that emanated from the characters in almost every scene. Although Marcus Aurelius did not feature long in the film thanks to his son Commodus, he managed to spout some sayings that were worthy of his historical reputation as a philosopher.

Aurelius’ Meditations are a bedrock of stoic philosophy and have survived thousands of years to inspire readers of his works and developers of corporate motivational posters everywhere. Aurelius’ rumination as to his historical legacy is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, as he’s one of the more widely renown and favorably interpreted of the Roman Emperors.

14 “Whatever comes out of these gates, we’ve got a better chance of survival if we work together. Do you understand? If we stay together, we survive.”

Maximus was arguably one of the most compelling figures to ever grace the silver screen, due in no small part to Russell Crowe’s inspired interpretation of the character. His appeal was based on his competency in battle, his decisiveness, his courage, and his concern for his fellow fighting men.

This scene encapsulates all these qualities and provides another instance for audiences to admire the Roman general. Aside from informing the doomed gladiators of what could save them from death, his words ring true for all situations in which teamwork is necessary.

13 “Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to.”

Rome was infamous for running its empire on the backs of slaves, whose population was mostly comprised of people they had conquered.

Though not a slave, Maximus’ servant Cicero performed many tasks for the general, seemingly out of pure admiration and respect, aside from servitude. Still, his utterance of, “sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to,” not only solidified Maximus’ course of action in accepting the Emperor’s offer to lead Rome but struck a chord with working people everywhere.

12 “Would you, Quintus? Would I?”

Upon Quintus musing that “people should know when they’re conquered,” Maximus had this pointedly profound response. Despite Maximus’ heroic and admirable traits, audiences shouldn’t forget that he was the instrument of an empire that gained its riches through conquest. Roman armies routinely spread out to subsume the lands around the Empire and increase their borders, decimating the people and cultures that inhabited them.

Despite his mission of conquest, Maximus empathized with the people he was sent to subdue, admiring their unquenchable desire to remain free and autonomous. This mirrored Maximus’ eventual quest to break the yoke of his own captivity and gain revenge against Commodus.

11 “At my signal, unleash hell.”

The fierceness of the Roman army and the general who commanded it was evident when at the onset of the battle with the Germans, Maximus demanded that his soldiers, “at his signal, unleash hell.”

That utterance sent chills down the spines of the audience, who were already anticipating an epic battle, but were now expecting something frenetically bloodthirsty. The film didn’t disappoint, as Ridley Scott’s intentionally rocky cut of the battle accentuated the confusion and uncertainty of ancient warfare, while Russell Crowe’s wide-eyed and eager desire to inflict violence underscored his formidability as a warrior.

10 “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius…”

Full Quote: “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”

Gladiator is a revenge film, no doubt, and as many fans know, it’s a dish best served cold. This line delivered to Commodus was one of the best scenes in the entire movie, with Maximus revealing the fact that he’s still alive with one task left; to kill Commodus and avenge the murder of his family.

Maximus’s titles speak for themselves, and his following rivals the glory of Rome itself. With this line, Maximus became one of Hollywood’s most iconic characters.

9 “I think you’ve been afraid all your life.”

Commodus is a tragic character whose cowardice and naive mindset end up getting him killed. Maximus cans see right through him, which angers Commodus and strikes a jealous chord within him as Marcus Aurelius saw him as the son he never had.

Right before the final battle, this quote is uttered by Maximus who breaks Commodus with his honesty. Commodus has been afraid all his life, hiding behind the accomplishments of his father and Maximus while foolishly trying to make a name for himself.

8 “Brothers, what we do in life… echoes in eternity.”

Shadows and dust, as Proximo says, are all that men and women are. It’s what we do in life that’s forever engraved on our headstones and legacy, so make it count. Not to get all existential, but this quote was nothing short of inspirational.

Maximus states this to his men before their assault on the Germanic Barbarian tribes. What Maximus did in life will echo in eternity, the best picture award says it all.

7 “Today I saw a slave become more powerful than the Emperor of Rome.”

Commodus never became the man he wanted to be, always looming in the shadow of Maximus and his accomplishments. When Lucilla notices his lack of authority, Commodus realizes she’s right. A slave whose bloodshed earns him another day to live made him more powerful than the Ceaser, tough luck Commodus.

Seeing as the colosseum made legends, it’s no surprise Commodus lost his image to Maximus’s, after all, the guy is one of the greatest generals the Roman army had the honor of enlisting.

6 “I knew a man once who said, ‘Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back.'”

Death and taxes are two certainties in life, with the latter always arriving around April. Looking at the first guarantee, Maximus is a man of realism rather than fantasy. He can read a room or situation instantly, and a man just as well.

Maximus knows before his showdown with Commodus that he won’t come out alive, so he utters a phrase that does nothing but anger Commodus.

5 “Commodus. Your faults as a son are my failure as a father.”

Marcus Aurelius knew the glory Rome was capable of achieving was only possible through Maximus, which is why he confessed this line to Commodus. Like Fredo form Godfather, he’s foolish and naive.

His inability to rid Rome of its corruption will only prolong the suffering of the people. Marcus can only utter this line to his son as he breaks the news of who will take his place. This didn’t go so well, with Marcus going to sleep for good afterward.

4 “AM I NOT MERCIFUL?”

Fun fact, this line was improvised by Joaquin Phoenix, whose anger and sanity slowly begin to slip. Commodus is everything Maximus isn’t, the man he can only envy rather than emulate.

A reign of fear is one not worthy of supporting, with Lucilla realizing the monster Commodus has become. The desperation from Commodus was at its best here, looking for just the slightest bit of support from his sister.

3 “The beating heart of Rome is not the marble of the senate…”

Full Quote: “The beating heart of Rome is not the marble of the senate, it’s the sand of the coliseum. He’ll bring them death – and they will love him for it.”

The colosseum is the real house of power in Rome, a gathering place for the mob to celebrate bloodshed. Gracchus and the senate know it, and so does Commodus. With one thing on his mind, Commodus wanted nothing more than to promote his own image.

The gift of games meant the blood of Rome kept flowing to its heart, a machine built on death rather than justice. The glory of Rome isn’t quite glorious at all, but grotesque and corrupt.

2 “He enters Rome like a conquering hero. But what has he conquered?”

Commodus, much like in real life, suffered from megalomania and sought to label himself as the savior of Rome. Think of Daniel Radcliffe’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying but in the context of Rome.

Commodus simply wants the glory without the effort and arrives home to Rome as like Jesus Christ himself. It’s like a group project where the one member who did nothing takes all the credit.

1 “Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?”

Arguably the most recognizable quote from the movie, this line delivered by Maximus goes to show the lack of empathy the crowd embodies. The mob wants nothing more than bloodshed and death, a show to distract them from the emptiness of reality.

Maximus is a soldier, not a merciless killer who kills for fun. This separates him from the gladiators as one who fights for his county rather than one who fights for the show.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/gladiator-iconic-quotes-entertained/

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