The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)

Christopher Plummer: Commodus

Photos 

Quotes 

• Commodus : If you listen carefully... you will hear the gods... you will hear the gods laughing.

• Commodus : Gaius Livius! Warrior! Voyager!

  Livius : Commodus, Commodus! Most Roman of them all!

  Commodus : I've missed you!

  Livius : Are you well?

  Commodus : I'm never unwell!

• Lucilla : Rome has changed. It's now crawling with gladiators.

  Commodus : Sister, I thought you'd retired as a Vestal virgin.

  Lucilla : And abandon Rome to you? And your athletes?

  Commodus : Female philosopher!

• Commodus : Father thinks too much.

  Livius : There is much for a Roman to think of these days.

  Commodus : Why Livius, for a moment that honest warrior's face of yours took on the - philosopher's look. Let's not think, let's drink.

• Commodus : When my father was dying, I spoke to the gods saying I'm not like my father and if I'm too crowned Caesar, I will change all he did. I offered them my life - and told them if it was not for the good of Rome that I be Caesar, then let me be killed. But, you see - I'm alive.

• Commodus : Now, I wish to see Rome once more the city of light, gaiety, of beauty and strength. We will have games!

• Commodus : Sister!

  Verulus : If he'd not been Caesar, he'd be the greatest gladiator in Rome!

  Lucilla : Yes, you do belong in the arena.

  Commodus : You mean to say you came all this way to sharpen your wits? Everything you do - has a purpose. Hmm?

• Verulus : Ceasar, you are unarmed. Even a woman with a dagger can be dangerous.

  Commodus : She has no dagger. She's my - sister.

• Commodus : I've been made a god. Did you know?

• Commodus : I've finally understood why they have sent me this pestilence. There was famine, there were too many mouths, so the gods made less mouths.

• Commodus : I offered you everything and yet you put yourself against me. You could have become a god.

• Commodus : I loved you, Livius. Yet now you must die. But that's the sort of joke the gods love best. You told me once you'd never heard the gods laughing. Listen. Listen, carefully.