Commodus: The general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor. Striking story! But now, the people want to know how the story ends. Only a famous death will do. And what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena?
Maximus: You would fight me?
Commodus: Why not? Do you think I am afraid?
Maximus: I think you've been afraid all your life.
Commodus: What is your name, gladiator?
[Maximus turns away.]
Commodus: How dare you show your back to me! You will remove your helmet and tell me your name!
[Maximus slowly turns and removes his helmet.]
Maximus: 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.
Marcus Aurelius: I am dying, Maximus. When a man sees his end... He wants to know there was some purpose to his life. How will the world speak my name in years to come? Will I be known as the philosopher? The warrior? The tyrant? Or will I be the emperor who gave Rome back her true self? There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish... It was so fragile. And I fear that it will not survive the winter.
Maximus: At my signal, unleash hell.
Maximus: You don't find it hard to do your duty?
Cicero: Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to.
Lucilla: Today I saw a slave become more powerful than the Emperor of Rome.
Maximus: If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and are already dead!
Maximus: Strength and honor.
Maximus: I am required to kill, so I kill. That is enough.
Proximo: That's enough for the provinces, but not enough for Rome.
Maximus: What we do in life echoes in eternity.
Gracchus: He will bring them death, and they will love him for it.
Lucilla: My brother hates all the world and you most of all.
Maximus: Because your father chose me.
Lucilla: No. Because my father loved you. And because I loved you.
Quintus: People should know when they're conquered.
Maximus: Would you, Quintus? Would I?
Commodus: They told me your boy squealed like a girl when they nailed him to the cross, and your wife moaned like a whore when they ravaged her again and again and again.
Gracchus: The Senate is the people, sire. Chosen from among the people, to speak for the people.
Juba: Now we are free. I will see you again. But not yet. Not yet.
Chosen answer: No, they are full brother and sister. They both had the same mother and father. Incest was not exactly normal at that time, but it stretches back within the imperial families as far as Caligula and possibly earlier. There is no evidence to suggest that the real Commodus was attracted to his sister, it was probably just included in the film in order to make the character seem more disturbed, and also as another reason why he would be Maximus' enemy (Maximus and Lucilla were, after all, once lovers).
The Doctor