King Arthur Quotes

[after Cynric's defeat by Arthur's knights]
Cerdic: We've lost the respect of the enemy.
Cynric: Father... I offer my life as payment for my disgrace.
[he offers his knife; Cerdic takes it, and holds Cynric's head tightly]
Cerdic: No...
[he makes a deep cut down Cynric's face, but does not kill him and throws the

knife away]
Cerdic: Raewald. You're second-in-charge now.
[Raewald glows]
Cerdic: Yeah, you're like a son to me.
[Cynric stabs his knife into a nearby soldier; he falls, dead. Cynric stalks away. Cerdic laughs]

[first lines]
Lancelot: [voiceover] By 300 AD, the Roman Empire extended from Arabia to Britain. But they wanted more. More land. More peoples loyal and subservient to Rome. But no people so important as the powerful Sarmatians to the east. Thousands died on that field. And when the smoke cleared on the fourth day, the only Sarmatian soldiers left alive were members of the

decimated but legendary cavalry. The Romans, impressed by their bravery and horsemanship, spared their lives. In exchange, these warriors were incorporated into the Roman military. Better they had died that day.
Young Lancelot: Father. They are here.
Lancelot: For the second part of the bargain they struck indebted not only themselves...

Lancelot's Father: The day has come.
Lancelot: ...but also their sons, and their sons, and so on, to serve the empire as knights. I was such a son.

Lancelot: To try and get past the Woads in the north is insanity.
Arthur: Them, we've fought before.
Lancelot: Not north of the Wall! How many Saxons? Hmm? How many? Tell me. Do you believe in this mission?
Arthur: These people need our help. It is out duty to bring...
Lancelot: I don't

care about your charge. And I don't give a damn about Romans, Britain, or this island. If you desire to spend eternity in this place, Arthur, then so be it. But suicide cannot be chosen for another!
Arthur: And yet you choose death for this family!
Lancelot: No, I choose life! And freedom! For myself and the men!

[Cerdic stops a Saxon soldier raping a captive woman]
Saxon: By our laws, no man may deny me the spoils of our conquest!
Cynric: He speaks the truth, Father.
[Cerdic draws his sword and cuts the raping soldier almost in half]
Scottish Village Girl: Oh, my lord! God's blessings, my lord!
Cerdic:

[pushes her away] Kill her.
[the woman screams as the Saxons drag her away. Cerdic approaches Cynric]
Cerdic: Are you challenging me? If you're challenging me, you have to have a sword in your hand. While my heart beats, I rule and you hold your tongue... or I'll cut it out.

Arthur: [kneeling over Lancelot's body, looking up to the sky] It was my life to be taken! Not this! Never this!
[as Bors, Galahad, and Gawain approach, bearing Tristan's body]
Arthur: My brave knights, I have failed you. I neither took you off this island, nor shared your fate.
Merlin: [to Arthur] No fate is shared.

[to other knights, and more confident]
Merlin: No fate is shared.
Bors: They chose their own fate.
[turning to Galahad, he spoke more assuredly]
Bors: As did we all.
[quietly, facing Arthur]
Bors: As did we all.
[Arthur's eyes drift to the sword briefly, and back to Lucan who looks

down sadly]
Arthur: One day you'll be strong enough. And you'll come back for it.