Billy Budd: Farewell to the Rights of Man!

Billy Budd: God bless Captain Vere!

Billy Budd: It's wrong to flog a man. It's against his being a man.

William O'Daniel, maintopman: [After Jenkons' burial at sea] Well, that's the end of Enoch Jenkins. Over the side he goes and his mates soon forget him.
Alan Payne, maintopman: They'll not forget him so soon, I'm thinking.
The Dansker, sailmaker: Ah, whatever happened to Jenkins, he ain't worried now. He got a hundred fathoms between him and the troubles of his life.
Billy Budd: I'd rather be buried at sea than on the shore when I come to die. Will you stand by the plank, mates, so I can shake a friendly hand before I sink?
[After a pause, they all laugh]
Billy Budd: .

The Dansker, sailmaker: [At Billy's court-martial] I look around and sense finality here.

[Billy and the Dansker have just witnessed a flogging]
Billy Budd: What was his crime?
The Dansker, sailmaker: Any one of many possible reasons.
Billy Budd: You mean you don't know what he did?
The Dansker, sailmaker: Flogging. The only solution to every problem. I warrant even the culprit himself doesn't know! It was just... his... turn!

Philip Seymour, 1st Lieutenant: They're talking about reform in the House of Commons.
Captain Nathaniel, Rights of Man: You know what that means - it means their reforms are nearly a century overdue.

Captain Vere: I am just a man, not fit to do the work of God... or the Devil.

Captain Vere: In the question of Jenkins, Budd was telling the truth.
Lieutenant Seymour: I know, sir. What are you going to do about Claggart?
Captain Vere: What can I do but watch and wait? No court martial would do more than strip him of his rank for such misconduct. And then what? As a rating, he'd be slaughtered by the other men. And who would replace him? And would the French refrain from attacking us while we settled our petty differences? No, I must give him his head until some act puts him squarely counter to the law and then let the law consume him. What would you do if you were captain of this ship?
Lieutenant Seymour: I'm not captain of the ship, sir.
Captain Vere: One day you may be, Philip. Then, remember.

Captain Vere: Master-at-Arms, you possess too much knowledge for such a lowly post.
Master At Arms Claggert: Why, thank you, Sir.
Captain Vere: [impatiently] It's no flattery, Mr. Claggert. It's a melancholy fact!