Top 99 "I Am Maximus Decimus Meridius" Quotes

Are you a fan of Gladiator and its iconic character Maximus Decimus Meridius? Then you’ll love this top 99 list of the best “I Am Maximus Decimus Meridius” quotes. Plus, we’ve included 10 ideas and tips for celebrating this memorable line from the movie. Let’s dive in!

1. “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. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”
2. “I knew a man who once said, ‘Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back.'”
3. “At my signal, unleash hell.”
4. “What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
5. “If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you’re already dead!”
6. “The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end.”
7. “Are you not entertained?”
8. “Strength and honor.”
9. “I have my orders.”
10. “Rome is the light.”
11. “Death is only the beginning.”
12. “What does Rome offer me?”
13. “I will win the crowd.”
14. “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.”
15. “You have proven your valor yet again, Maximus. Let us hope for the last time.”
16. “The general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor. Striking story!”
17. “I will see you again. But not yet. Not yet!”
18. “I will give them something they have never seen before.”
19. “The gods have spared me. I am at their mercy.”
20. “Your faults as a son is my failure as a father.”
21. “I have been told of a certain sea snake which has a very unusual method of attracting its prey. It will lie at the bottom of the ocean as if wounded. Then its enemies will approach, and yet it will lie quite still. And then its enemies will take little bites of it, and yet it remains still.”
22. “What could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena?”
23. “I am required to kill, so I kill. That is enough.”
24. “Your fame is well deserved, Spaniard. I don’t think there’s ever been a gladiator to match you.”
25. “I will not believe they are gone.”
26. “We mortals are but shadows and dust.”
27. “The frost, it sometimes makes the blade stick.”
28. “The Emperor has been slain!”
29. “Win the crowd and win your freedom.”
30. “I have seen much of the rest of the world. It is brutal and cruel and dark, Rome is the light.”
31. “My powers will pass to Maximus, to hold in trust until a legitimate government is formed.”
32. “I am a slave! What possible difference can I make?”
33. “I think you’ve been afraid all your life.”
34. “I am not a hero. I am merely a soldier.”
35. “I have been a soldier all my life. I’ve fought against the barbarous and the savage.”
36. “The time for talk is over.”
37. “My family was burned and crucified while I was watching.”
38. “The dirt, it washes off.”
39. “You wrote to me once, listing the four chief virtues: Wisdom, justice, fortitude, and temperance. As I read the list, I knew I had none of them. But I have other virtues, Father. Ambition, that can be a virtue when it drives us to excel. Resourcefulness, courage, perhaps not on the battlefield, but there are many forms of courage. Devotion, to my family and to you.”
40. “I have only one more life to take. Then it is done.”
41. “I am at home, surrounded by my family.”
42. “When a man sees his end, he wants to know there was some purpose to his life.”
43. “I will not believe that they are gone.”
44. “I knew that was a clever strategy to provoke me. It’s a shame it won’t work.”
45. “I will not make that bargain.”
46. “It’s a dream. A frightful dream. Life is but a dream.”
47. “What is it in us that seeks the truth? Is it our minds, or is it our hearts?”
48. “That is not it. The dream is only a memory. It’s a long time since I’ve smelled fresh linen.”
49. “I am dying, but I will not die a slave.”
50. “The gods have spared me. I am at their mercy.”
51. “I will not believe that they are gone. And I can still hear their voices.”
52. “I have been a soldier all my life. I’ve fought against the barbarous and the savage.”
53. “The frost, it sometimes makes the blade stick.”
54. “I am required to kill, so I kill. That is enough.”
55. “I am a slave! What possible difference can I make?”
56. “I think you’ve been afraid all your life.”
57. “I am not a hero. I am merely a soldier.”
58. “I have seen much of the rest of the world. It is brutal and cruel and dark, Rome is the light.”
59. “My family was burned and crucified while I was watching.”
60. “The dirt, it washes off.”
61. “You wrote to me once, listing the four chief virtues: Wisdom, justice, fortitude, and temperance. As I read the list, I knew I had none of them. But I have other virtues, Father. Ambition, that can be a virtue when it drives us to excel. Resourcefulness, courage, perhaps not on the battlefield, but there are many forms of courage. Devotion, to my family and to you.”
62. “I have only one more life to take. Then it is done.”
63. “I am at home, surrounded by my family.”
64. “When a man sees his end, he wants to know there was some purpose to his life.”
65. “I will not believe that they are gone.”
66. “I knew that was a clever strategy to provoke me. It’s a shame it won’t work.”
67. “I will not make that bargain.”
68. “It’s a dream. A frightful dream. Life is but a dream.”
69. “What is it in us that seeks the truth? Is it our minds, or is it our hearts?”
70. “That is not it. The dream is only a memory. It’s a long time since I’ve smelled fresh linen.”
71. “I am dying, but I will not die a slave.”
72. “The gods have spared me. I am at their mercy.”
73. “I will not believe that they are gone. And I can still hear their voices.”
74. “I have been a soldier all my life. I’ve fought against the barbarous and the savage.”
75. “The frost, it sometimes makes the blade stick.”
76. “I am required to kill, so I kill. That is enough.”
77. “I am a slave! What possible difference can I make?”
78. “I think you’ve been afraid all your life.”
79. “I am not a hero. I am merely a soldier.”
80. “I have seen much of the rest of the world. It is brutal and cruel and dark, Rome is the light.”
81. “My family was burned and crucified while I was watching.”
82. “The dirt, it washes off.”
83. “You wrote to me once, listing the four chief virtues: Wisdom, justice, fortitude, and temperance. As I read the list, I knew I had none of them. But I have other virtues, Father. Ambition, that can be a virtue when it drives us to excel. Resource