Demetrius Quotes in The Last Legion (2007)

Demetrius: You kept your armor after all these years?

Tertius: Ten years as a farmer gives you something worth fighting for. Twenty as a legionary teaches you to be ready for the day.

Demetrius: Good man.

Aurelius: My friends, we've all seen many mornings like this one. Together we've watched the sun rise, and not known if that day would be our last. Some comrades I've seen, scarcely out of boyhood, trembling before their first battle.

Demetrius: It was a cold morning, Commander.

Aurelius: That it was, Demetrius. And you men of the Ninth Legion, all of us, together we have fought all our lives for the Empire our ancestors created, and together we have watched that Empire crumble to dust. And with its fall we have lost two friends. I can tell you that in the darkest moments, I came to believe that there was nothing left to fight for. But I've been shown, through the wisdom of others, that there is one more battle to be waged, against tyranny and the slaughter of innocents. Let us defend to the last breath this island of Brittania, against those who would tear out its heart and soul! And then those who come after us l remember that there was such a thing as a Roman soldier, with a Roman sword, and a Roman heart!

[draws sword]

Aurelius: Hail, Caesar!

All: Hail, Caesar!

Demetrius: Then it would appear we are upon the horns of a Dilemma

Lampone: You're a really bad fuckin' liar.

Demetrius: What did you say?

Lampone: Allow me to clarify. How would *you* like my size twelve all up in your ass!

Demetrius: I'm sorry, I am trying to quit having things shoved *all* in my ass!

Demetrius: We traveled here together from Galilee, persuading people to give up their lives for a beautiful dream.

[he attempts to hand a goblet of wine to Peter]

Demetrius: Take it Peter. It's real... hot spiced, with cinnamon and cloves.

[chuckles and looks towards Messalina]

Demetrius: Did you know that Jesus could turn water into wine? And that was only one of his tricks.

Peter: Yes, only one. Anything that was base, He could make noble. He found a leper and made him clean. He found death and He made life. He found you a slave, and He made you free.

Demetrius: Get out!

Peter: And now you've won a great victory over Him, haven't you tribune ? You've made yourself a slave again.

Messalina: Why did you run? I don't think you're a coward. You had no real chance of escaping, you must have known that!

Demetrius: This is a place where men are trained to kill each other like animals!

Messalina: And men aren't animals?

Demetrius: No!

Messalina: We admire a magnificent animal who fights. Why not a man who fights ?

Demetrius: Because God did not put man on earth to destroy his own kind. Nor a woman to enjoy their agonies as they die.

Messalina: What is your name?

Demetrius: Demetrius.

Messalina: You spoke of a god, Demetrius. Which god?

Demetrius: There is only one God.

Claudius: He's one of "them". This is very interesting. A Christian!

Messalina: Are you a Christian?

Demetrius: Yes.

Messalina: And you won't fight?

Demetrius: No.

Claudius: He can't my dear. It's against his religion to kill.

Caligula: Christian. Do you renounce your false god ? This king of an invisible kingdom... who expects to come back some day and rule the earth ?

Demetrius: [after a long pause] There is no other king but Caesar. There is no power greater than his, in this world, or any other.

Caligula: By the mercy of Caesar, you are a free man.

Demetrius: [reflectively] We were friends once, Glycon.

Glycon: I know. I suppose I should blame myself for what has become of you. When I put that sword in your hand, it killed more than Dardanius and the others. It killed you. I hope you sleep well, sir. Good night.

Paula: You must be a famous warrior.

Demetrius: I'm a potter.

Paula: Only a potter? And they're sending you into the arena tomorrow? You must have done something awfully bad.

Demetrius: I did. I'm a Christian.

Messalina: There's one thing about your religion that still puzzles me: why should one want to live out a dull life forever?

Demetrius: To be a Christian these days is anything but dull.

Demetrius: Villain, what hast thou done?

Aaron: That which thou canst not undo.

Chiron: Thou hast undone our mother.

Aaron: Villain, I have done thy mother.

Demetrius: Chiron, thy years wants wit, thy wit wants edge and manners, to intrude where I am graced, and may for aught thou knowest, affected be.

Chiron: Demetrius, thou dost overween it all and so in this, to bare me down with braves. 'Tis not the difference of a year or two makes me less gracious or thee more fortunate. I am as able and as fit as thou to serve and deserve my mistress' grace, and that my sword upon thee shall approve. And plead my passions for Lavinia's love.

Aaron: [to the camera] Clubs, clubs! These lovers will not keep the peace.

Demetrius: [to Chiron] Why, boy, although our mother, unadvised gave you a dancing rapier by your side are you so desprite grown to threat your friends? Go to! Have your lath glued within your sheath till you know better how to handle it.

Chiron: Meanwhile, sir, with the little skill I have full well shalt thou perceive how much i dare.

Demetrius: Ay, boy, grow ye so brave?

[they draw]

Aaron: [Aaron stops them] How now, lords! Here in the emperor's palace dare you draw and maintain such a quarrel openly? Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge. I would not for a million of gold the cause were known to them it most concerns. Nor would your noble mother for much more be so dishonored in the cort of Rome. For shame, put up.

Demetrius: Not till I have sheathed my rapier in his bosom and withal thrust those reproachful speeches down his throat that he hath breathed in my dishonor here.

Chiron: For that I am prepared and full resolved. Foul-spoken coward, that thunderest with thy tongue and with thy weapon nothing darest perform.

Aaron: Away, I say! Now, by the gods that warlike Goths adore, this petty brabble will undo us all. Why, lords, think you not how dangerous it is to step upon a prince's right? What, is Lavinia then become so loose or Bassianus so degenerate that for her love such quarrels may be broached without controlment, justice, or revenge? Young lords, beware. And should the empress know this discord's ground, the music would not please.

Tamora: O cruel, irreligious peity!

Chiron: Was ever Scythia half so barbarous?

Demetrius: Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome! Alarbus goes to rest and we survive to tremble under Titus' threat'ning look.

Demetrius: [in the woods with the maimed and mutilated Lavinia] So, now go tell, an if thy tongue can speak, who 'twas that cut thy tongue and ravished thee?

Chiron: Write down thy mind. Bewary thy meaning so, and if they stumps will let thee play thy scribe.

Demetrius: See how with signs and tokens she can scrowl.

Chiron: Go home. Call for sweet water. Wash thy hands.

Demetrius: She hath no tongue to call nor hands to wash; and so let's leave her with her silent walks.

Chiron: And 'twere my cause, I should go hang myself.

Demetrius: If thou hadst hands to help thee knit the cord.

Chiron: Demetrius! Here's the son of Lucius! He hath some message to deliver us.

Aaron: Ay, some mad message from his mad grandfather.

Young Lucius: My lords, with all the humbleness I may, I greet your honors from Andronicus.

Demetrius: Gramercy, lovely Lucius. What's the news?

Young Lucius: My grandsire, well advised, hath sent by me the goodliest weapons of his armory to gratify your honorable youth... the hope of Rome, for so he bid me say,and so I do.

[aside]

Young Lucius: And so I leave you both. Like bloody villains.

[young Lusius leaves]

Demetrius: What's here, a scroll written round about.

[reads]

Demetrius: "Integer vitae, scelerisque purus, Non eget Mauri iaculis, nec arce."

Chiron: Oh, 'tis a verse in Horace. I know it well. " He who is pure of life and free of sin needs no bow and arrow of the Moor."

Aaron: Ay, just. A verse in Horace. Right, you have it.

[aside]

Aaron: Now, what a thing it is to be an ass. Here's no sound jest. The old man hath found their guilt and sends them weapons wrapped about with lines that wound beyond their feeling, to the quick. But were our witty empress well afoot, she would applaud Andronicus' conceit, but... let her rest in her unrest awhile.

Chiron: Aaron, a thousand deaths would I propose to achieve her whom I love.

Aaron: To achieve her? How?

Demetrius: Why makest thou it so strange? She is a woman and therefore may be woo'd. She is a woman, therefore may be won. She is Lavinia, therefore must be loved!

Judas: Why must men doubt? Tell them they must keep faith! They must keep faith!

[walking away]

Demetrius: Wait, tell who? Who are you?

Judas: My name is Judas.

Demetrius: Until now you only remembered what you did to a man. The wrong, and your shame. But now - you remember the man.

Demetrius: [to Marcellus] You crucified him. You, my master. Yet you freed me. I'll never serve you again, you Roman pig. Masters of the world, you call yourselves. Thieves! Murderers! Jungle animals! A curse on you! A curse on your empire!

Demetrius: [awaking to darkness] Is it night?

Jerusalem woman aiding Demetrius: No. It's the middle of the day. This isn't like other days.

Demetrius: You're afraid, but you really don't know the reason why. You think it's his robe that made you ill. But it's your own conscience, your own decent shame. Even when you crucified him you felt it.

Demetrius: Make Pilate understand that if he stains his hands with his blood, he's worse than a murderer.

Marcipor: To be a slave in this household is an honor.

Demetrius: [disdainfully] To be a slave anywhere is to be a dog.