Gaius Julius Caesar quotes from Rome

Caesar

You are a thief. A foolish, incompetent thief. But we will treat your foolishness as some species of loyalty.

Caesar

I do not like to quarrel with fortune, and clearly she's taken you for a pet.

Caesar

Our men must win or die. Pompey's men have... other options.

Caesar

I have conquered Gaul. I have defeated Pompey Magnus. I think I can handle a small boy and a eunuch.

Caesar

It's only hubris if I fail.

Caesar

[of an assassinated political opponent]I didn't know he existed until he didn't.

Julius Caesar

After all these years... Pompey surprises me! I had hoped to provoke some kind of aggression, sure, but to try and kill a Tribune, in the forum... The man's found some hard black iron in his soul.

Mark Antony

Sure it was yon demented little worm Cato who put him up to it. [On the wine] It's excellent, this... So, what next?

Caesar

Let's see what the men have to say...

Caesar

Don't do that! [Puts an arm on Mark's shoulder] You look fine exactly as you are. Like Leonidas at Thermopylae.

Caesar

Soldiers! Pompey, and the Senate, have formally declared that Gaius Julius Caesar is an enemy of Rome!

Caesar

They have declared that I am a criminal. They have declared, in the fact, that all of you, ALSO, are criminals!

Caesar

Tribune's veto was not exercised! People's Tribune, Mark Anthony, and fifty men of the XIII were assaulted by a thousand head of Pompeian scum.

Caesar

A Tribune, of the Plebs, assaulted on the steps of the Senate house! Can you imagine a more terrible sacrilege!? Our beloved Republic is in the hands of madmen! This is a dark day, and I stand in a fork in the road - I can abide the law and surrender my arms to the Senate, and watch the Republic fall to tyranny and chaos, or, I can go home, with my sword in my hand, and run those maniacs TO THE TARPEIAN ROCK!

Caesar

Legionary Titus Pullo, step forward! [Pullo is surprised to hear his name, but doesn't move] Titus Pullo!

Caesar

Of fifty brave men of the XIII, whom fought Pompey's Thousand in the forum, and saved the Tribune, it was Legionary Titus Pullo whom drew first blood! [Picks up a purse and raises it] Here's five hundred Denarii!

Pullo

[Shocked] Very grateful, sir!

Caesar

Are you with me, Titus Pullo? Will you come with me to Rome?

Pullo

[Briefly stuttering] Yes- YES SIR! Certainly!

Caesar

Titus Pullo is with me! AND YOU, ARE YOU WITH ME!?

Gaius Julius Caesar

Can we trust him?

Mark Antony

Who?

Gaius Julius Caesar

Lucius Vorenus.

Mark Antony

Vorenus? Deep Thirteenth, him. He'd follow the Eagle up Pluto's arse!

Caesar

[to Octavian after having an epileptic seizure] Vow to Orcus, never speak of this.

[nodding his head yes in agreement]

Caesar

They say a slave talks of bravery like a fish talks of flying.

Posca

They say that, do they? How very witty of them.

Caesar

Try to avoid bloodshed this time.

Posca

Wait a while, and Pompey can shave you instead.

Vorenus

His hands trembled, sir. His clothes were dirty, there was water in his eyes -- he is broken. I saw no need to apprehend him. I'd like to add that Legionary Pullo took no part in my decision, sir.

Caesar

You saw "no need." Do you not see that Pompey may be broken like a Dacian catamite and still be dangerous?! If he is still living, he will be a standard around which our enemies will gather. As long as he can propped on a horse, he's dangerous! But you saw no need to apprehend him?!

Vorenus

I did not, sir.

Caesar

[furious] AND WHO BY THE SONS OF DIS GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO MAKE SUCH JUDGEMENT?!

Vorenus

Sir, I am aware I have not done my duty and I respectfully ask your pardon.

Caesar

My pardon, he asks. I ought to have you scourged and crucified! [long pause] In future, you will remember that it is I that offers mercy. No one else. Clear?

Vorenus

Clear, sir.

Caesar

Dismissed.

Mark Antony

I don't like to disagree with you, but you're being far too lenient with him. He let Pompey go and you let him live?! The man should be made an example of!

Caesar

Any other man, certainly. But those two, they found my stolen standard, stumbled upon the treasury gold, and now they survive a wreck that drowned an army and find Pompey Magnus on a beach. They have powerful gods on their side and I will not kill any man with friends of that sort.

[presenting the head of Pompey Magnus] We were going to make him a body, with moving arms and legs, and do a mime show with real animals and everything, and...

Gaius Julius Caesar

[furious] SILENCE!

Gaius Julius Caesar

Shame on the House of Ptolemy for such barbarity. Shame.

But... you are enemies.

Gaius Julius Caesar

(shouts) He was a consul of Rome!

Gaius Julius Caesar

A consul of Rome, to die in this sordid way - quartered like some low thief? Shame!

Gaius Julius Caesar

Where is the rest of him?

Gaius Julius Caesar

Pompey's murderer?

Alas, he has run away.

Gaius Julius Caesar

Find him. In the meantime... [motions to Posca, who produces a scroll and hands it to Pothinus] These instruments tabulate the money that was borrowed by his majesty's illustrious father, Ptolemy XII. In the name of the Republic, I have come to collect.

Posca

Seventeen thousand, thousand drachmae.

Seventeen?! Absurd! Four, perhaps.

Posca

The tabulation includes all moneys borrowed from Pompey and other agents of the Republic now... unable to collect.

That is not just.

Posca

Post mortem interests of this type are legally entailed to the presiding consul, i.e. Gaius Julius Caesar. It's law.

Roman law.

Gaius Julius Caesar

Is there some other form of law, you wretched woman?

One thousand apologies, forgive us.

There! There's for your payment.

[stepping forward] So sorry!

Gaius Julius Caesar

His majesty forgets he's a vassal to Rome.

"Vassal"? "Vassal"?! I am no vassal! I am king! I am --

Gaius Julius Caesar

Sit down!

Gaius Julius Caesar

Thank you.