Troy (2004)

Brendan Gleeson: Menelaus

Photos 

Quotes 

• Agamemnon : I see you're not hiding behind your high walls. Valiant of you. Ill-advised, but valiant.

  Hector : You come here uninvited. Go back to your ships and go home.

  Agamemnon : We've come too far, Prince Hector.

  Menelaus : Prince? What prince? What son of a king would accept a man's hospitality, eat his food, drink his wine, embrace him in friendship, and then steal his wife in the middle of the night?

  Paris : The sun was shining when your wife left you.

  Menelaus : She's up there, watching, isn't she? Good. I want her to watch you die.

  Agamemnon : Not yet, brother. Look around you, Hector. I brought all the warriors of Greece to your shores.

  Nestor : You can still save Troy, young prince.

  Agamemnon : I have two wishes. If you grant them, no more of your people need die. First, you must give Helen back to my brother. Second, Troy must submit to my command, to fight for me whenever I call.

  Hector : You want me to look upon your army and tremble? Well I see them. I see 50,000 men brought here to fight for one man's greed.

  Agamemnon : Careful boy, my mercy has limits.

  Hector : And I've seen the limits of your mercy and I tell you now, no son of Troy will ever submit to a foreign ruler.

  Agamemnon : Then every son of Troy shall die.

• Menelaus : [to Paris]  See the crows? They've never tasted Prince before.

• [Paris cowardly bows out of a duel with Menelaus, leaving everyone aghast, especially Menelaus] 

  Menelaus : [shouts to Helen]  Is this what you left me for?

• Menelaus : Princes of Troy, on our last night together, Queen Helen and I salute you!

• Menelaus : May the Gods keep the wolves in the hills and the women in our beds!

• Menelaus : I want her back.

  Agamemnon : Well, of course you do, she's a beautiful woman.

  Menelaus : I want her back so I can kill her with my own two hands, and I won't rest till I've burned Troy to the ground.

  Agamemnon : I thought you wanted peace with Troy.

  Menelaus : I should have listened to you.

  Agamemnon : Peace is for the women, and the weak. Empires are forged by war.

  Menelaus : All my life I've stood by your side, fought your enemies. You're the elder, you reap the glory. This is the war of the world. But have I ever complained, brother? Have I ever asked you for anything?

  Agamemnon : Never. You're a man of honour.

  Menelaus : Will you go to war with me, brother?

• Menelaus : May the Gods keep the wolves in the hills and the women in our beds.

• [Paris cowers from his single combat with Menelaus, and runs to Hector, lying at his feet] 

  Menelaus : [Raging at Helen, far away]  Is this what you left me for?

  [to Paris] 

  Menelaus : Fight! Fight me! You coward! Fight me! We have a pact! Fight!

  Priam : [From a top Troy, verbalizing]  Fight him son, fight him

  Menelaus : Fight me!

  Agamemnon : The Trojans have violated the agreement, prepare for battle!

  [the Greeks all change to a fighting position] 

  Menelaus : This is not honor! This is not worthy of royalty! If he doesn't fight, Troy is doomed!

  Hector : The fight is over

  Menelaus : The fight is not over. Stand back, Prince Hector, I'll kill him at your feet, I don't care!

  Hector : He's my brother

  [Menelaus angrily swings his sword in an attempt to decapitate Paris, but Hector quickly runs his sword through Menelaus' chest]