I Claudius Quotes

#1. Ambitious of vision and swooping of camera, 'I, Frankenstein' is no 'I, Robot,' let alone 'I, Claudius,' but it's definitely watchable on a cold Jan. evening or, a few months from now, on your I, Pad.

Richard Corliss

#2. Those who are enslaved to their sects are not merely devoid of all sound knowledge, but they will not even stop to learn!

Claudius Galenus

#3. The best manners are stained by haughtiness.

Claudius Claudianus

#4. Alas! the slippery nature of tender youth.

Claudius Claudianus

#5. He who wants peace must prepare for war.

Claudius

#6. What Roman power slowly built, an unarmed traitor instantly overthrew.

Claudius Claudianus

#7. Power call achieve more by gentle means than by violence.

Claudius Claudianus

#8. There was living in the palace at this time a brother of the great Germanicus, and consequently an uncle of the late emperor, whose name was Claudius Caesar.

Frederic William Farrar

#9. In the corrupted currents of this world
Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice,
And oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law. . .
(Claudius, from Hamlet, Act 3, scene 3)

William Shakespeare

#10. They are raised on high that they may be dashed to pieces with a greater fall.

Claudius Claudianus

#11. The Roman censor Appius Claudius the Blind said, Every man is the architect of his own fortune.

Jim Rogers

#12. I was thinking, So, I'm Emperor, am I? What nonsense! But at least I'll be able to make people read my books now.

Robert Graves

#13. The fickle populace always change with the prince.

Claudius Claudianus

#14. Nature has given the opportunity of happiness to all, knew they but how to use it.

Claudius Claudianus

#15. Claudius, you're luckier than you realize. Guard your appointment jealously. Don't let anyone usurp it."
"What do you mean, girl?"
"I mean that people don't kill their butts. They are cruel to them, they frighten them, they rob them, but they don't kill them.

Robert Graves

#16. Luxury, that alluring pest with fair forehead, which, yielding always to the will of the body, throws a deadening influence over the senses, and weakens the limbs more than the drugs of Circe's cup.

Claudius Claudianus

#17. Men live best upon a little; Nature has given to all the privilege of being happy, if they but knew how to use their gifts.

Claudius Claudianus

#18. O my offense is rank, it smells to heaven.

Claudius

#19. The people become more observant of justice, and do not refuse to submit to the laws when they see them obeyed by their enactor.

Claudius Claudianus

#20. Here is a fine field for talent.

Claudius Claudianus

#21. Hamlet: Farewell, dear mother
Claudius: Thy loving father, Hamlet
Hamlet: My mother. Father and mother is man and wife, man and wife is one flesh; so my mother.

William Shakespeare

#22. I saw Derek Jacobi play Hamlet when I was 17, and he directed me as Hamlet when I was 27, and I directed him as Claudius in 'Hamlet' when I was 35, and I'm hoping we meet again in some other production of Hamlet before we both toddle off.

Kenneth Branagh

#23. How silent lies the world
Within fair twilight furled,
Bringing such sweet relief!
A quiet room resembling,
Where, without fear or trembling,
You sleep away day's grief.

Matthias Claudius

#24. It's my new best friend, Claudius Templesmith, and as I expected it, he's inviting us to a feast.

Suzanne Collins

#25. No one is free who does not lord over himself.

Claudius

#26. He who desires is always poor.

Claudius

#27. But godhead is, after all, a matter of fact, not a matter of opinion: if a man is generally worshipped as a god then he is a god. And if a god ceases to be worshipped he is nothing.

Robert Graves

#28. On occasions of this sort it was, I must admit, very pleasurable to be a monarch: to be able to get important things done by smothering stupid opposition with a single authoritative word.

Robert Graves

#29. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.-King Claudius

William Shakespeare

#30. Life repeats Shakespearian themes more often than we think. Did Lady Macbeth, Richard III, and King Claudius exist only in the Middle Ages? Shylock wanted to cut a pound of flesh from the body of the merchant of Venice. Is that a fairy tale?

Varlam Shalamov

#31. The Road to insanity begins in the mind , Some have crossed half way , some have just begin ...

Claudius

#32. To do nothing evil is good; to wish nothing evil is better.

Claudius

#33. Nor is heaven always at peace.

Claudius Claudianus

#34. As the Jews were making constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he [ Claudius ] expelled them [the Jews] from Rome

Suetonius

#35. Faber est suae quisque fortunae. Each man is the architect of his own fate.

Appius Claudius Caecus

#36. He who seeks to terrify others is more in fear himself.

Claudius Claudianus

#37. When Nero, with a casual quip, declared 'mushrooms to be the food of the gods, since it was by means of a mushroom that Claudius has become a god',66 it

Tom Holland

#38. Alas! by what slight means are great affairs brought to destruction.

Claudius Claudianus

#39. He is next to the gods whom reason, and not passion, impels; and who, after weighing the facts, can measure the punishment with discretion.

Claudius Claudianus

#40. Nothing is more annoying than a low man raised to a high position.

Claudius Claudianus

#41. A severe war lurks under the show of peace.

Claudius Claudianus

#42. Nothing can allay the rage of biting envy.

Claudius Claudianus

#43. KING CLAUDIUS
How is it that the clouds still hang on you?
HAMLET
Not so, my lord; I am too much i' the sun.

William Shakespeare

#44. Every branch of knowledge which a good man possesses, he may apply to some good purpose.

Claudius Buchanan