Troy (2004)
Brad Pitt: Achilles
Photos
Quotes
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Achilles : I'll tell you a secret. Something they don't teach you in your temple. The Gods envy us. They envy us because we're mortal, because any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.
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Achilles : You gave me peace in a lifetime of war.
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[Priam kneels and kisses Achilles' hands]
Achilles : Who are you?
Priam : I have endured what no one on earth has endured before. I kissed the hands of the man who killed my son.
Achilles : [realizes, stands abrubtly] Priam? How did you get in here?
Priam : I know my country better than the Greeks, I think.
Achilles : [walks forward, lifts Priam] You are a brave man. I could have your head on a spit in the blink of an eye.
Priam : Do you really think death frightens me now? I watched my eldest son die, watched you drag his body behind your chariot. Give him back to me. He deserves a proper burial, you know that. Give him to me.
Achilles : He killed my cousin.
Priam : He thought it was you. How many cousins have you killed? How many sons and fathers and brothers and husbands? How many, brave Achilles? I knew your father, he died before his time. But he was lucky not to live long enough to see his son fall
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Achilles : [to his men] Myrmidons! My brothers of the sword! I would rather fight beside you than any army of thousands! Let no man forget how menacing we are, we are lions! Do you know what's waiting beyond that beach? Immortality! Take it! It's yours!
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Achilles : [to Hector's corpse] We will meet again, my brother.
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Achilles : Go home, prince. Drink some wine, make love to your wife. Tomorrow, we'll have our war.
Hector : You speak of war as if it's a game. But how many wives wait at Troy's gates for husbands they'll never see again?
Achilles : Perhaps your brother can comfort them. I hear he's good at charming other men's wives.
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Messenger Boy : Are the stories true? They say your mother was an immortal godess. They say you can't be killed.
Achilles : I wouldn't be bothering with the shield then, would I?
Messenger Boy : The Thesselonian you're fighting... he's the biggest man i've ever seen. I wouldn't want to fight him.
Achilles : Thats why no-one will remember your name.
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Hector : I've seen this moment in my dreams. I'll make a pact with you. With the gods as our witnesses, let us pledge that the winner will allow the loser all the proper funeral rituals.
Achilles : There are no pacts between lions and men.
[stabs spear into ground, and takes off helmet, throwing it to the side]
Achilles : Now you know who you're fighting.
Hector : [takes off helmet and throws it aside] I thought it was you I was fighting yesterday. And I wish it had been, but I gave the dead boy the honor he deserved.
Achilles : You gave him the honor of your sword. You won't have eyes tonight; you won't have ears or a tongue. You will wander the underworld blind, deaf, and dumb, and all the dead will know: This is Hector. The fool who thought he killed Achilles.
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[Eyes closed, Briseis has blade against his throat]
Achilles : Do it.
[Briseis doesn't do anything, but only stares at him. Achilles opens his eyes]
Achilles : Do it. Nothing is easier.
Briseis : Aren't you afraid?
Achilles : Everyone dies, whether today or fifty years from now.
Briseis : If I don't, you'll kill more men.
Achilles : Many.
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Achilles : At night I see their faces. All the men I've killed. They're standing there on the far bank of the river Styx. They're waiting for me. They say, 'Welcome, brother'.
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Achilles : What's your name?
[no reply]
Achilles : Did you not hear me?
Briseis : You killed Apollo's priests!
Achilles : I've killed men in five countries, never a priest.
Briseis : Well, then your men did. The sun god will have his vengeance.
Achilles : What's he waiting for?
Briseis : The right time to strike.
Achilles : His priests are dead, and his acolyte's a captive. i think your god is afraid of me.
Briseis : Afraid? Apollo is master of the sun, he fears nothing.
Achilles : Where is he?
Briseis : You're nothing but a killer! You wouldn't know anything about the gods!
Achilles : I know more about the gods than your priests. I've seen them. You're royalty, aren't you? Spent years talking down to men.
[sniffs her hair]
Achilles : You must be royalty. What's your name? Even the servants of Apollo have names.
Briseis : Briseis.
Achilles : Are you afraid, Briseis?
Briseis : Should I be?
Eudorus : [poking head through door flaps] My lord, Agamemnon requests your presence. The kings are gathering to celebrate the victory.
Achilles : You fought well today.
Eudorus : My lord.
Briseis : What do you want here in Troy? You didn't come for the Spartan queen.
Achilles : I want what all men want, I just want it more. You don't need to fear me, girl. You're the only Trojan who can say that.
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Achilles : If I hurt you, it's not what I wanted
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Achilles : [when asked why he let Hector go] It's too early in the day to be killing princes.
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Patroclus : Prince Hector, is he as good a warrior as they say?
Odysseus : The best of all the Trojans. Some would say...
[sidelong glance at Achilles]
Odysseus : ...he's better than all the Greeks.
[Achilles snorts]
Odysseus : Even if your cousin doesn't come, I hope you'll join us, Patroclus. We could use a strong arm like yours.
Achilles : Play your tricks on me. But not on my cousin.
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Achilles : [to Briseis] Trojan soldiers died protecting you. Perhaps they deserve more than your pity.
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Achilles : [to Hector] Get up, Prince of Troy! I won't let a stone rob me of my glory!
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Achilles : We men are wretched things.
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Achilles : I told you how to fight but I never told you why to fight.
Patroclus : I fight for you.
Achilles : Yes, but who will you fight for when I'm gone? Soldiers fight for kings they've never even met. They fight when they're told to fight, they die when they're told to die.
Patroclus : Soldiers obey.
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Achilles : Patroclus, put down your spear...
Patroclus : But I'm fighting the Trojans, cousin.
Achilles : Not today.
Patroclus : But I'm ready. You taught me how to fight.
Achilles : You're a good student, but you're not a Myrmidon yet. Look at these men, they are the fiercest soldiers in all of Greece, each of them has bled for me. You will guard the ship...
Patroclus : But this is a war!
Achilles : Cousin, I can't fight the Trojans if I'm concerned for you, guard the ship!
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Achilles : Apparently you won some great victory.
Agamemnon : Ah, Perhaps you didn't notice. The Trojan beach belonged to Priam in the morning. It belongs to Agamemnon in the afternoon.
Achilles : You can have the beach. I didn't come here for sand.
Agamemnon : No. You came here because you want your name to last through the ages. A great victory was won today, but that victory is not yours. Kings did not kneel to Achilles. Kings did not pay homage to Achilles.
Achilles : Perhaps the kings were too far behind to see, the soldiers won the battle.
Agamemnon : History remembers kings! Not soldiers! Tomorrow we'll batter down the gates of Troy! I'll build monuments to victory on every island of Greece. I'll carve "Agamemnon" in the stone.
Achilles : Be careful, king of kings. First you need the victory.
Agamemnon : Your men sacked the temple of Apollo, yes?
Achilles : You want gold? Take it. It's my gift to honour your courage. Take what you wish.
Agamemnon : I already have. Aphareus! Haemon!
[Aphareus and Haemon appear dragging Briseis]
Agamemnon : The spoils of war.
Achilles : No argument with you, brothers. But if you don't release her, you'll never see home again. Decide!
Agamemnon : Guards!
[Achilles draws his sword]
Briseis : [breaking free from guards] Stop! Too many men have died today. If killing is your only talent, that's your curse. I don't want anyone dying for me.
[Achilles groans, then sheathes his sword]
Agamemnon : Mighty Achilles, silenced by a slave girl. Tonight I'll have her give me a bath, and then, who knows?
Achilles : You sack of wine! Before my time is done, I will look down on your corpse and smile.
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Achilles : Is there no one else? Is there no one else?
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Achilles : [to Priam] You are a far better king than the one leading this army.
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Achilles : Myrmidans! Brothers of the sword, I rather fight beside you than any army of thousands!
Myrmidans : Ahhooooo!
Achilles : Let no man forget how menacing we are! We are Lions!
Myrmidans : Ahhhooooo!
Achilles : Do you know whats there, waiting beyond that beach? Immortality, take it, it's yours!
Myrmidans : Ahhhooo ahooooo ahooooo!
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Messenger Boy : [walks into Achilles's tent and sees him with two women] King Agamemnon has sent for you.
Achilles : Tell the king it can wait until morning.
Messenger Boy : Umm... it is morning.
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Achilles : The gods envy us.
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Achilles : [Seashore - Sunset. Achilles finds his mother, Thetis, standing in the surf. Her long black hair is streaked with gray. She sees a shell that she likes and stoops down to pick it up] Mother.
Thetis : [Thetis turns and smiles at Achilles] I thought I'd make you another seashell necklace.
Achilles : I haven't worn a seashell necklace since I was a boy.
Thetis : [Thetis looks at Achilles's bare neck] Don't you like them anymore?
[Achilles spots a good shell. He hands it to his mother]
Thetis : Oh, that's a pretty one.
[She surveys the beach for more pretty shells]
Achilles : They want me for another war.
[Thetis bends down and scoops up a silvery shell]
Achilles : Are you listening?
Thetis : Yes, my sweet. Another war.
Achilles : Patroclus wants to go.
Achilles : Patroclus has never seen war.
Thetis : [Thetis examines the shells in the palm of her hand. Finally she stands and looks at her son] If you stay here, with me, with your family, you'll have a long, peaceful life. You'll marry, you'll have children, and your children will have children. They'll love you, and when you're gone they'll remember you. But when your children are dead, and their children after them, your name will be lost.
[Thetis reaches up to touch her son's cheek. Her eyes are clear, her voice steady. She speaks these lines with no hesitation, no doubt]
Thetis : If you go to Troy, no one will earn more glory than you. Men will tell stories of your victories for thousands of years. The world will remember your name.
[Achilles stares at her, his eyes burning. These are words he's wanted to hear since the day he was born. His mother waits a moment before speaking again. The words hurt her]
Thetis : But if you go to Troy, you'll never come home. You'll die there.
Achilles : And you know this, mother?
Thetis : I know it.
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Achilles : It's a beautiful night.
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Achilles : Never hesitate.
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Achilles : [Contemptuously referring to Agamemnon] Imagine a king who fought his own battles! That would be a sight!
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Achilles : [the beach at sunset. Achilles finds his mother, Thetis standing in the surf. She sees a shell she likes and picks it up] Mother.
Thetis : [Thetis turns and smiles at Achilles] I thought I'd make you another seashell necklace.
Achilles : I haven't worn a seashell necklace since I was a boy.
Thetis : [Thetis looks at Achilles's bare back] Don't you like them anymore?
[Achilles spots a good shell. He hands it to his mother]
Thetis : Oh that's a pretty one.
[She surveys the beach for more pretty shells]
Achilles : They want me for another war.
[Thetis bends down and scoops up a silvery shell]
Achilles : Are you listening?
Thetis : Yes, my sweet. Another war.
Achilles : Patroclus wants to go.
Thetis : Patroclus has never seen war.
[Thetis examines the shells in the palm of her hand. Finally she stands and looks at her son]
Thetis : If you stay here, with me, with your family, you'll have a long, peaceful life. You'll marry, you'll have children, and your children will have children. They'll love you, and when you're gone they'll remember you. But when your children are dead, and their children after them, your name will be lost.
[Thetis reaches up to touch her son's cheek. Her eyes are clear, her voice steady. She speaks these lines with no hesitation, no doubt]
Thetis : If you go to Troy, no one will earn more glory than you. Men will tell stories of your victories for thousands of years. The world will remember your name.
[Achilles stares at her, his eyes burning. These are words he's wanted to hear since the day he was born. His mother waits for a moment before speaking again. The words hurt her]
Thetis : But if you go to Troy, you'll never come home. You'll die there.
Achilles : And you know this, mother?
Thetis : I know it.
[Achilles looks out to the sea. Thetis, tears in her eyes, smiles bravely]
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Achilles : Flank! To the flank!
