Olympias Quotes in Alexander (2004)

Olympias: My poor child. You're like Achilles; cursed by your greatness. You must never confuse your feelings with your duties, Alexander. A king must make public gestures for the common people. You will be nineteen this summer, and the girls already say you don't like them, you like Hephastion more. I understand, it's natural for a young man. But if you go to Asia without leaving a successor you risk all.

Alexander: Hephastion loves me. As I am. Not who.

Olympias: The world is yours. Take it!

[referring to Philip, and his pregnant second wife]

Alexander: I'm his only worthy son, you crazed woman. He'd never hurt me. Even if Eurydice had a boy, he'd be twenty before he'd let him rule.

Olympias: Yes. And you would be forty. Old, and wise. Like Parmenion. And Philip's young son would be twenty. Like you, now. But raised by him. His blood. He will never give you the throne now, Alexander, never.

Alexander: What would you have me do?

Olympias: Whatever is necessary.

Alexander: Where have you lost your mind? There'd be civil war, clan against clan chaos!

Olympias: Yes. And you would win.

Olympias: My little Achilles.

[referring to Philip and his pregnant new wife, Eurydice]

Olympias: Pregnant, so soon? The little whore. He will marry her in the spring, during Dionysus' festival. And when her first son is born, her sweet Uncle Attalus will convince Phillip to name the boy his successor. And you will be sent on some impossible mission against some barbarous northern tribe, to be mutilated in one more meaningless battle. And I, no longer Queen, will be put to death with your sister and the remaining members of our family.

Alexander: I wish sometimes you could see the light, mother. The truth is he's taken from you nothing that you've not been long without.

Olympias: The only way is to strike. Announce your marriage to a Macedonian, now! Beget a child of pure blood. He would be one of them, not mine. And he would have no choice but to make you king. Eurydice was perfect! If your father, that pig, had not ravaged her first...

Alexander: Say nothing more of my father! Do you hear me? Say nothing!

Olympias: You're right. Forgive me. A mother loves too much.

Olympias: Three months you have been in Babylon, and leave me at the mercy of your enemies, of which you have many. Antipater: accustomed now to the power that you have given him. I must watch him grow stronger. I am certain that he communicates secretly with Parmenion, who is dangerous. But beware most of all of those closest to you. They are like snakes, and can be turned. Cassander is Antipater's son. Even Cleitus, your father's favorite. And Ptolmey. Your friend, yes, but beware of men who think too much. They blind themselves. Only Hephastion do I leave out. But all of them you make rich, while your mother and yourself you leave in generous poverty. Why won't you ever believe me? It is only a dark mind like mine that can know these secrets of the heart. For they are dark, Alexander. So dark. But in you, the son of Zeus, lies the light of the world. Your companions will be shadows in the underworld when you are a name living forever in history as the most glorious, shining light of youth. Forever young, forever inspiring. Never will there be an Alexander like you, Alexander the Great.

Olympias: Making himself a thirteenth god! He's drunk so much wine, my poor Phillip, he's lost his mind.

Alexander: [after Philip's assassination]

Alexander: How could you behave so shamelessly in public?

Olympias: Because it was meant to be.

Alexander: This is not how I wanted to become king!

Olympias: No one blames you.

Alexander: They blame me already! Behind my back, in secret!

Olympias: Slander is not power.

Alexander: Shame is? Who killed my father? Tell me! Tell me or shall I put you on trial for his murder?

Olympias: Pausanias.

Alexander: He had help! Did you help him?

Olympias: [not convincingly] No. Never. Why? Why would I?

Olympias: Why won't you ever believe me? Philip did not want you! You had a condition of the breathing and he wanted to leave you in the mountains for the birds to peck out your eyes!

Olympias: I was never a barbarian as Phillip said. We are of Achilles' royal blood.

[referring to Philip's murder]

Olympias: So many wanted it. Greeks, Persians, men, women, I would be shocked if there were not a god or two he had profaned.

Olympias: You are everything Phillip was not. He was coarse, you are refined. He was a general, you are a king. He could not rule himself. And you shall rule the world.

Alexander: You birthed me in a sack of hate! Hate you have for those stronger than you!

Olympias: I taught you my heart! And by Zeus and Dionysus you grew beautiful!

Alexander: Damn your sorceress soul!

Olympias: Your soul is mine, Alexander.

Alexander: No! You've taken from me everything I've ever loved! You've made me you!

Olympias: Stop it! Stop acting like a boy! You're a king, act like one!

Olympias: In my womb I carried my avenger!

Olympias: [instructing her son about snakes] They are like people. You can love them for years. Feed them, nurture them, but still, they can turn on you.

Olympias: [instructing her son about snakes] If you hesitate, she will strike.

Olympias: Women are the only ones who know Dionysus.

Nectenabus: There were signs of greatness at his birth! Quakes and storms shook the earth - and in the skies, a star fell... and two eagles perched upon the roof of the Queen's chamber. And in far-off Asia... the Temple of Ephesus was struck by lightning and burnt to the ground.

Philip of Macedonia: And how did you read these signs, soothsayer?

Nectenabus: The two eagles - that he was born to rule two worlds. The burning of the Temple - that a torch was kindled that day that would one day consume all the world. And this torch... your son.

Philip of Macedonia: And the falling of the star?

Olympias: That a god was born to me... *of* a god.

Olympias: [rocking the infant Alexander in his cradle ] Alexander... Alexander... Achilles, too, was born of a god... and at his birth, it was foretold that he would be greater than his father... and he was*. And this destiny shall be yours too, Alexander...

Alexander: What's all this about my father?

Olympias: To the sword, the cross, the rack - men who have been his friends for years. Now everyone is his enemy - he accuses everyone of conspiring against him... even me. You'll hear the story, Alexander - you'll hear it from him. But you mustn't believe him, you mustn't... you don't! Do you, Alexander?

Alexander: Why should he accuse you?

Olympias: He wants to get rid of me... he's been wanting to for years. He wants to marry again.

Alexander: Who?

Olympias: Attalus's niece. You be careful of Attalus - you be careful of all of them. She's no fool - she won't let him throw her away like he's done with all the others. She's young...

Alexander: Oh, Mother...!

Olympias: Whatever he asks of you, do. Whatever he says, agree with. For when you're regent...

[she smiles]

Olympias: *when you're regent*... then, *we'll* rule the land.

Alexander: *We*?

[Olympias's face falls]