Spartacus (1960)

Laurence Olivier: Crassus

Photos 

Quotes 

• Crassus : Do you eat oysters?

  Antoninus : When I have them, master.

  Crassus : Do you eat snails?

  Antoninus : No, master.

  Crassus : Do you consider the eating of oysters to be moral and the eating of snails to be immoral?

  Antoninus : No, master.

  Crassus : Of course not. It is all a matter of taste, isn't it?

  Antoninus : Yes, master.

  Crassus : And taste is not the same as appetite, and therefore not a question of morals.

  Antoninus : It could be argued so, master.

  Crassus : My robe, Antoninus. My taste includes both snails and oysters.

• Crassus : One of the disadvantages of being a Patrician is that occasionally you are obliged to act like one.

• Crassus : You can't grieve forever.

  Varinia : I'm not grieving.

  Crassus : What are you doing?

  Varinia : I am remembering.

  Crassus : And what do you remember when you think of Spartacus?

  Varinia : I remember that he started out all alone. And yet, on the day he died, thousands and thousands died in his place.

• Crassus : In every city and province, lists of the disloyal have been compiled. Tomorrow they will learn the cost of their terrible folly... their treason.

  Gracchus : And where does my name appear on the list of disloyal enemies of the state?

  Crassus : First.

• Crassus : [about Antoninus and Spartacus]  Let them fight now. Unchain them.

  Julius Caesar : The entire city's been told, they'll fight tomorrow in the temple of your ancestors.

  Crassus : They will fight now, for me! Here! And to the death! And the victor will be crucified!

• Crassus : Are you not aware of Rome's most ancient law? That no General may enter the city at the head of his armed legions?

  Glabrus : Sulla did.

  Crassus : Sulla? To the infamy of his name! To the utter damnation of his line. No, my young friend. One day I shall cleanse this Rome which my fathers bequeathed me. I shall restore all the traditions that made her great. It follows that I can not come to power or defend myself by an act which betrays the most sacred tradition of all. I shall *not* bring my legions within these walls. I shall *not* violate Rome at the moment of possessing her.

• Batiatus : Marcus Licinius Crassus. Most noble radiance, first general of the Republic, father and defender of Rome, honour my house. Bless it with your presence. Wine! Sweetmeats! Can't you see that Their Honours are exhausted? Have the goodness to sit. Is anything wrong, Your Nobility?

  Marcus Licinius Crassus : No.

  Batiatus : Welcome to the Lady Claudia Maria, former wife of Lucius Caius Marius, whose recent execution touched us all so deeply. Honour to the Lady Helena, daughter of the late Septimus Optimus Glabrus, whose fame shall live on forever in the person of his son, your brother, Marcus Publius Glabrus, hero of the Eastern Wars.

  Helena Glabrus : How very much he knows. Allow me to bring you up to date. We're here to celebrate the marriage of my brother to the Lady Claudia.

  Batiatus : A mating of eagles, Your Sanctity! Fan His Magnitude. He sweats.

• Julius Caesar : [about Spartacus]  Did you fear him, Crassus?

  Crassus : Not when I fought him, I knew he could be beaten. But now I fear him, even more than I fear you.

  Julius Caesar : Me?

  Crassus : Yes, my dear Caesar, you.

• Marcus Licinius Crassus : Great merciful bloodstained gods! Your pardon. I always address heaven in moments of triumph.

• Crassus : Did you truly believe 500 years of Rome could so easily be delivered to the clutches of a mob? Already the bodies of 6000 crucified slaves line along the Appian Way. Tomorrow the last of their companions will fight to their death in the temple of my fathers as a sacrifice to them. As those slaves have died, so will your rabble... if they falter one instant in loyalty to the new order of affairs. Arrests are in progress. The prisons began to fill. In every city and province, lists of the disloyal have been compiled. Tomorrow, they will learn the cost of their terrible folly... their treason.

  Gracchus : Where does my name appear on the list of the disloyal enemies of the state?

  Crassus : First. Yet, I have no desire of vengeance upon you. Your property shall not be touched. You will retain the rank and title of a Roman Senator. A house... a farmhouse in Picenum has been provided for your exile. You may take your women with you.

  Gracchus : Why am I to be left so conspicuously alive?

  Crassus : Your followers are deluded enough to trust you. I intend that you shall speak to them tomorrow for their own good, their peaceful and profitable future. From time to time thereafter, I may find it useful to bring you back to Rome to continue your duty to her, to calm the envious spirit and the troubled mind. You will persuade them to accept destiny and order and trust the gods!

• Marcus Licinius Crassus : Why have you left us for Gracchus and the mob?

  Julius Caesar : I've left no one, least of all Rome. This much I've learned from Gracchus, Rome is the mob.

  Crassus : No! Rome is an eternal thought in the mind of God.

  Julius Caesar : I had no idea *you'd* grown religious.

  Crassus : That doesn't matter. If there were no gods at all, I'd revere them. If there were no Rome, I'd dream of her as I want you to do.

• Caius : Sir, allow us to pledge you the most glorious victory of your career.

  Marcus Licinius Crassus : I'm not after glory! I'm after Spartacus. And, gentlemen, I mean to have him. However, this campaign is not alone to kill Spartacus. It is to kill the legend of Spartacus.

• Crassus : I understand - I'm informed that Spartacus once trained under your auspices.

  Batiatus : Yes. In fact, if it isn't too subversive to say so, I made him what he is today.

• Julius Caesar : Is it me you want or is it the garrison?

  Crassus : [laughs softly]  Both.

• Crassus : The enemies of the state are known, arrests are being made, the prisons begin to fill.

• Glabrus : How were you able to get my appointment without Gracchus knowing?

  Crassus : I fought fire with oil. I purchased the Senate behind his back.

• [Crassus, as the new Consul, addresses the legions and the Senate] 

  Crassus : I promise you a new Rome. A new Italy, and a new Empire.

  [pause] 

  Crassus : This, I have sworn by the spirits of my ancestors. This I have sworn, in the temple that guards their bones.

• Marcus Licinius Crassus : You tread the ridge between truth and insult with the skill of a mountain goat.

• Batiatus : But, my dear, great, all-conquering Marcus Licinius Crassus... what if it is Spartacus who crosses the battlefield, looking for you?

  Crassus : In such circumstances, I have no doubt you will be helping him.

• Marcus Licinius Crassus : What position have we, I wonder, for a boy of such varied gifts? You shall be my body servant. Instruct him.

• Crassus : Have you thought how costly my services might be?

  Gracchus : We buy everything else these days. No reason why we shouldn't be charged for patriotism. What's your fee?

  Crassus : My election as First Consul, command of all the legions of Italy, and the abolition of senatorial authority over the courts.

  Gracchus : Dictatorship.

  Crassus : Order.

• Varinia : You're afraid of him, aren't you? It's no use trying to be better than him, it won't work.

  Marcus Licinius Crassus : We shall see...

• Marcus Licinius Crassus : My young friends desire a private showing of two pairs.

  Batiatus : Two pairs? Oh yes. I think I have something that would - please them.

  Helena Glabrus : Two pairs to the death.

  Batiatus : To the death, Your Ladyship?

  Helena Glabrus : Well, surely you don't think we came all the way to Capua - for gymnastics?

• Marcus Licinius Crassus : We've already been made to look a fool. Let's not add the trappings of a clown.

• Crassus : Antoninus, look. Across the river, there is something you must see. There, boy, is Rome. The might, the majesty, the terror of Rome. There is the power that bestrides the known world like a colossus. No man can withstand Rome. No nation can withstand her. How much less a boy? There's only one way to deal with Rome, Antoninus. You must serve her. You must abase yourself before her. You must grovel at her feet. You must - love her. Isn't that so, Antoninus? Antoninus! Antoninus?

• Marcus Licinius Crassus : What sort of a man is this leader of the slaves?

  Marcus Publius Glabrus : I don't know. I think they called him Spartacus.

• Julius Caesar : Gracchus is my friend. I won't betray him.

  Marcus Licinius Crassus : Caesar? Which is worse? To betray a friend or to betray Rome herself?

• Crassus : You may sell all the others but not this woman.

  Batiatus : But you haven't seen the others, Your Magnitude. They're of surpassing ugliness! A genius wouldn't be able to sell them.

• Marcus Licinius Crassus : Slaves are to be crucified along the roadside the full distance between here and the gates of Rome.

• Marcus Licinius Crassus : Will you have some squab and honey?

• Varinia : I don't care about my new life here.

  Crassus : But you care about the life of your child, don't you?

  Varinia : Why do you threaten me with my baby? I belong to you. You can take me anytime you wish.

  Crassus : But I don't want to take you. I want you to give. I want your love, Varinia.

  Varinia : You think by threatening to kill my child, you'll make me love you?

• Crassus : [presenting a necklace]  This belonged to a queen, the Queen of Persia.

  Varinia : It's heavy.

  Crassus : In time you will wear it lightly enough.

• Crassus : The infant, it thrives?

  Varinia : He thrives.

  Crassus : I purchased a wet nurse for him yesterday. I hope milk agrees with him.

  Varinia : I sent her away. I prefer to nurse the child myself.

  Crassus : I'm not sure I approve.

• Crassus : They will fight now for me. Here! And to the death. And the victor shall be crucified. We will test this myth of slave brotherhood. Unchain them!

• Crassus : Spartacus. You are he, aren't you?

• Crassus : I'm informed Spartacus once trained under your auspices.

  Batiatus : Yes! In fact, if it isn't too subversive to say so, I made him what he is today.

  Crassus : You're to be congratulated indeed. I too, as it happens. Since you're so admirably qualified to give me what up to now I've not been able to obtain, a physical description of Spartacus.

  Batiatus : Oh, yes! But, you saw him.

  Crassus : What?

  Batiatus : In the ring.

  Crassus : When?

  Batiatus : When you visited my school with those two charming ladies.

  Crassus : [rolls his eyes]  Wow!

  Batiatus : I trust they're both in good health. They selected him to fight against Draba, the negro.

  Crassus : I remember the negro.

  Batiatus : Oh, you had good cause to. If I - if I may say so, Your Excellency. A brilliant dagger thrust, difficult angle.

  Crassus : Spartacus was the opponent?

  Batiatus : Yes.

• Glabrus : Tomorrow I lead six cohorts of the garrison against the slaves on Vesuvius. The whole city is turning out to see us off!

  Crassus : Great merciful bloodstained gods!

  [sarcastically] 

  Crassus : Your pardon. I always address heaven in moments of triumph.