Claudius Quotes

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

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

Death renders all equal. ~ Claudius Claudianus

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

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

It is more important to know the properties of chlorine than the improprieties of Claudius! ~ Frederick Lindemann, 1st Viscount Cherwell

Every branch of knowledge which a good man possesses, he may apply to some good purpose. ~ Claudius Buchanan

No one is free who does not lord over himself. ~ Claudius

Great scientific minds, from Claudius Ptolemy of the second century to Isaac Newton of the seventeenth, invested their formidable intellects in attempts to deduce the nature of the universe from the statements and philosophies contained in religious writings ... Had any of these efforts worked, science and religion today might be one and the same. But they are not. ~ Neil DeGrasse Tyson

He who seeks to terrify others is more in fear himself. ~ Claudius Claudianus

Evidently, quality of wits is more important than quantity. ~ Claudius

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

The Roman censor Appius Claudius the Blind said, Every man is the architect of his own fortune. ~ Jim Rogers

The decision of such judges as Claudius and his Senate is worth very little in the question of a man's innocence or guilt; but the sentence was that Seneca should be banished to the island of Corsica. ~ Frederic William Farrar

He who desires is always poor. ~ Claudius

We each build our own future. We are the architects of our own fortune. ~ Appius Claudius Caecus

You fought well on Mona, my Mules, but I have brought you here for a little more javelin practice.' The words carried along the line and Valerius could see men grinning at the unlikely familiarity. 'Those who stand before you have murdered, tortured and raped Roman citizens, men, women and children; innocents whose only crime was to attempt to bring civilization to this land. They butchered and mutilated your comrades of the Ninth, and the brave veterans of Colonia who fell defending the Temple of Divine Claudius.' He paused and the silence was filled by a growl, like an enormous dog gathering itself for the attack. 'We offered them our friendship, our trust and our aid, and they took all with smiles of thanks, but when we turned our backs they reached for the knife and the sword and the spear, as is their way. They believe you are already defeated.' 'No!' The massed roar carried across the valley and echoed from the banks. 'They are the true face of barbarism. They are your enemy. They show no mercy and they deserve no mercy. Give them none. For Rome!'
'For Rome!' The words erupted from ten thousand throats and Valerius felt the ice in his belly melt and the first stirrings of life return to his heart.
'For Rome,' he whispered. ~ Douglas Jackson

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

HAMLET [ ... ] we fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service, two dishes, but to one table; that's the end.
CLAUDIUS Alas, alas.
HAMLET A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.
CLAUDIUS What dost thou mean by this?
HAMLET Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar. ~ William Shakespeare

[Jews were] fomenting a general plague on the whole world. ~ Claudius

Nature has given the opportunity of happiness to all, knew they but how to use it. ~ Claudius Claudianus

O my offense is rank, it smells to heaven. ~ Claudius

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

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

The neurotic thinks himself both Hamlet and Claudius, in a world that belongs to Polonius. ~ Mignon McLaughlin

Aristotle wore many rings and expensive clothes ... Plato found this off-putting and unsuited for a philosopher. ~ Claudius Aelianus

No one is more miserable than the person who wills everything and can do nothing. ~ Claudius

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

When Diogenes came to Olympia and perceived some Rhodian youths dressed with great splendor and magnificence, he said with a smile of contempt, "This is all arrogance." Afterwards some Lacedemonians came in his way, as mean and as sordid in their attire as the dress of the others was rich. "This," said he, "is also arrogance. ~ Claudius Aelianus

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

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

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

For although Claudius had been accused of gambling and drunkenness, not only were no worse sins laid to his charge, but he had successfully established some claim to being considered a learned man. ~ Frederic William Farrar

A severe war lurks under the show of peace. ~ Claudius Claudianus

Letter from Philippus of Athens to Lucius Annaeus Seneca: Yet the Empire of Rome that [Octavius] created has endured the harshness of a Tiberius, the monstrous cruelty of a Caligula, and the ineptness of a Claudius. And now our new Emperor is one whom you tutored as a boy, and to whom you remain close in his new authority; let us be thankful for the fact that he will rule in the light of your wisdom and virtue, and let us pray to the gods that, under Nero, Rome will at last fulfill the dream of Octavius Caesar. ~ John Edward Williams

Alas! the slippery nature of tender youth. ~ Claudius Claudianus

For this indiscretion Seneca relegates the emperor (Claudius) to a Sisyphean gamester's hell: condemned eternally to pick up the bones and thow them into a dice cup that has no bottom. ~ Ricky Jay

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

Whoever desires is always poor. ~ Claudius Claudianus

Clemency alone makes us equal to the gods. ~ Claudius Claudianus

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

He who wants peace must prepare for war. ~ Claudius

Words are Hamlet's constant companions, his weapons, and his defenses ...
And yet, words also serve as Hamlet's prison. He analyzes and examines every nuance of his situation until he has exhausted every angle. They cause him to be indecisive. He dallies in his own wit, intoxicated by the mix of words he can concoct; he frustrates his own burning desire to be more like his father, the Hyperion. When he says that Claudius is " ... no more like my father than I to Hercules" he recognizes his enslavement to words, his inability to thrust home his sword of truth. No mythic character is Hamlet. He is stuck, unable to avenge his father's death because words control him. ~ Carla Lynn Stockton

To do nothing evil is good; to wish nothing evil is better. ~ Claudius

Nothing is more annoying than a low man raised to a high position. ~ Claudius Claudianus

I remember one bobcat they had in here - now bobcats are an endangered species in this neck of the woods - they'd caught it somewhere and they must have put that cat through a dozen rounds of burn experiments before they finally determined that it was utterly useless to them. Like an empty beer can. And then you know what they did to it? Claudius was late for a lunch date so rather thanput the destroyed but still breathing animal to sleep, he picked it up by its hind legs and simply smashed its head against a wall repeatedly until it was dead. How can I forget it: I was the one told to clean up the mess. The head dented in. The eyes slowly closing. The once proud claws hanging down, stunned and lifeless, the utter senselessness of it all, and the hate, a hatred that was consummated in me which is as dangerous a hormone, or chemical, or portion of the brain, as any neutron bomb. Except that I didnt know how to explode. I was like a computer without a keyboard, a bird without wings. Roaring inside. I wanted to kill that man. To do unto others what they had done unto me. I was that bobcat, you better believe it. ~ Michael Tobias

Power call achieve more by gentle means than by violence. ~ Claudius Claudianus

Nothing can allay the rage of biting envy. ~ Claudius Claudianus

Mischief and craft are plainly seen to be characteristics of this creature. - Claudius Aelianus, third century A.D., writing about the octopus ~ Peter Godfrey-Smith

In Egypt, the cats ... afford evidence that animal nature is not altogether intractable, but that when well-treated they are good at remembering kindness. ~ Claudius Aelianus

Faber est suae quisque fortunae. Each man is the architect of his own fate. ~ Appius Claudius Caecus

To do nothing evil is good, but to wish nothing evil is better. ~ Claudius

Imagine the same scene in HAMLET if Pullman had written it. Hamlet, using a mystic pearl, places the poison in the cup to kill Claudius. We are all told Claudius will die by drinking the cup. Then Claudius dies choking on a chicken bone at lunch. Then the Queen dies when Horatio shows her the magical Mirror of Death. This mirror appears in no previous scene, nor is it explained why it exists. Then Ophelia summons up the Ghost from Act One and kills it, while she makes a speech denouncing the evils of religion. Ophelia and Hamlet are parted, as it is revealed in the last act that a curse will befall them if they do not part ways. ~ John C. Wright

Who, I ask, ever found salvation through the conquests of Alexander? What city was ever more wisely governed because of them, what individual improved? Many indeed you might find whom those conquests enriched, but not one whom they made wiser or more temperate than he was by nature, if indeed they have not made him more insolent and arrogant. Whereas all who now find their salvation in philosophy owe it to Socrates. ~ Flavius Claudius Julianus

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

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

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

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