Benjamin 'Dizzy' Disraeli, aka Lord Beaconsfield- Disraeli: In an autocracy, the leader is the people. Europe is at the mercy of the most ruthless band of autocrats the world has yet seen. I know these dictators, these men of blood and iron, they have one weakness; they are always in a hurry. Their god is power, and its kingdom is on this Earth. They are men without humility and without hearts. The virtues we hold dear they call weaknesses, and what we love they despise. They hold themselves a race apart, divinely ordained to rule the world to the exclusion of all others. That is a form of madness that must eventually destroy the world or be destroyed, it cannot be appeased by soft words or good neighbourliness. All civilised methods of approach to international agreement are signs of weakness to these men. They recognise one argument, and one argument alone - FORCE!


--John Gielgud (as ) in The Prime Minister

Cassius: [referring to Julius Caesar] And this man is now become a god.


--John Gielgud (as Cassius) in Julius Caesar

Cassius: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,/ But in ourselves that we are underlings.


--John Gielgud (as Cassius) in Julius Caesar

Cassius: Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed that he hath grown so great?


--John Gielgud (as Cassius) in Julius Caesar

Cassius: Ye gods, it doth amaze me/ A man of such a feeble temper / Should so get the start of the majestic world/And bear the palm alone.


--John Gielgud (as Cassius) in Julius Caesar

George, Duke of Clarence: [speaking about Edward IV, who has sent Clarence to the Tower] He hearkens after dreams and prophecies / And from the crossrow plucks the letter 'G', / And says a wizard told him that by 'G' / His issue disinherited would be. / And for my name of George begins with G / It follows in his thoughts that I am he. /These and such like toys /Have moved his Highness to commit me now.


--John Gielgud (as George, Duke of Clarence) in Richard III

Henry 'Hotspur' Percy: O Harry, thou hast robbed me of my youth!


--John Gielgud (as ) in Chimes at Midnight

The Elder Pope: There is a legend about you. That once you were asked to deny the faith, and they tied up seven priests and shot them, shot them before your eyes. And still you would not deny the faith. Is that story true?
Kiril Lakota: I try not to look back on that, or other days, Holiness.
The Elder Pope: God is with you, my Brother. I believe that God has sent you. Trust us to make the best use of you. But first, you must be honored.
[Hold up the red cap of a cardinal]
The Elder Pope: Kneel.
[Lakota kneels]
The Elder Pope: You are created cardinal-priest in the title of Saint Athanasius.


--John Gielgud (as The Elder Pope) in The Shoes of the Fisherman

The Marchesa: I am an old-fashioned woman, Mr. Faber. I believe in life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. But you have to know the rules of the game.


--John Gielgud (as The Elder Pope) in The Shoes of the Fisherman