I, Claudius Quotes

Caligula: [Livia is on her deathbed] I hear you're dying, great grandmother.
Livia: You won't forget your promise, will you?
Caligula: To make you a goddess? And what makes you think that a filthy, smelly old woman like you could become a goddess? I don't need you anymore, you see, great grandmother. My secret will die with you. You are going to stew in hell for ever and ever. Let me tell you something: Drusillus has made another prophecy. Told Tiberius. He said, One who is going to die soon will become the greatest god the world has ever known. No temples will be dedicated to anyone but him in the whole Roman world, not even to Augustus. Do you know who that one is? Me. *ME*. I shall become the greatest god of all. And I shall look down on you suffering all the torments of hell, and I shall say, Leave her there. Leave her there forever and ever and ever. [He kisses her]
Caligula: Goodbye, great grandmother.

Movie: I, Claudius
Claudius: I killed Britannicus' mother. I've been less than a father to him ever since.

Movie: I, Claudius
Herod: Listen Claudius, let me give you a piece of advice.
Claudius: Oh, I thought you'd finished giving advice.
Herod: Well, just one more piece, then I'm done. Trust no one, my friend, no one. Not your most grateful freedman. Not your most intimate friend. Not your dearest child. Not the wife of your bosom. Trust no one.
Claudius: No one? Not even you?

Movie: I, Claudius
Livia: Tiberius wants to be loved, at least after his death if not before. And the best way to insure that...
Claudius: ...is to have someone worse to follow him. Yes, naturally. He's certainly no fool.
Livia: He's the biggest fool in my family. I've always thought that that was you. But I think now... I was wrong.
Claudius: [Claudius pauses, crafting a response] Grandmother, after all these years you didn't invite me to dinner just to tell me this.
Livia: Wine has made you bold, hasn't it.
Claudius: You said you kept in with Caligula because he was to be the next emperor.
Livia: Lost your stutter too I see.
Claudius: But if by then you're dead, what difference can it make to you?
Livia: Oh, it makes a lot of difference. And that's really why you're here. [Pleadingly]
Livia: I want to be a goddess, Claudius.

Movie: I, Claudius
[When Sejanus falls, his sister, Claudius's once-arrogant wife, begs him for protection]
Aelia: [hysterical] They've even murdered his children!
Claudius: [horrified] His children?
Aelia: Yes! They raped the little girl before they killed her! And they dressed the boy up in his manly clothes! Apicata killed herself before they got to her! [sounds outside the house draw her in panic to the window, as Claudius bursts into tears]
Claudius: Rome, you are finished! Finished! [sobbing]
Claudius: You are despicable...

Movie: I, Claudius
[regarding Caligula]
Caesonia: Claudius, we must help him, the emperor.
Claudius: He's your husband, you help him.
Caesonia: Claudius, he's sick. He needs good people around him.
Claudius: He's killed them all.

Movie: I, Claudius