Rome: Total War

"Skill and valour still count for something in war!"

"They are worth less than the dirt beneath a toenail!"

"Today is a good day to die! Today is a great day to meet the gods! So let us send the enemy screaming to meet their gods today!"

"Victory is near at hand! If all do their duty, it will be OUR victory! Bend your backs to your tasks, and all will be well!"

"We go now to our bloody business."

"And remember this above all: our Roman gods are watching! Make sure they are not ashamed!"

"Today the carrion birds feast! But they shall feast on the flesh of our enemies; not on good, Roman flesh!""

"I want to see blood! I want to BATHE in their blood! I want to bathe in their blood for a week! Now, KILL THEM ALL! (from "bloody" or "bloodthirsty" Roman generals)"

"And any man who comes through this fight mostly unharmed will be my sister! It'll be free frocks and jollies forever, you'll see! (from a "dangerously mad" Roman general)"

"I do not fight with a cool head today, I admit it. My eyes see only a red mist. I do not want them to run from battle, I want their heads on our pikes by evening! (from a Roman general with "angry")"

"They have been led here by mewling infants instead of leaders, now they will pay the price! (if the enemy general has poor skills)"

"How terrible it must be to face us; the sons of the wolf and the bear! Even now fear works in the bowels of our foes!(From Barbaric Generals, especially Germanic)"

"We are gathered here today to do battle. Regrettable isn't it? I didn't want to be here myself, but my grandmother told me that I better make a good show out of it. So here it goes. (from a Roman general with "tedious speaker" trait)"

"The enemy war god must have a sense of humour, I mean look at them (from a roman general when the enemy force is heavily damaged and vastly outnumbered)"

"My brave men! Victory shall be ours, by grace of my inspired leadership. But this means I can not risk myself in the front line. I must remain safe, guarded by you my loyal warriors! This is not cowardice, oh no. It is prudence, the handmaiden of victory!(from a roman general with "doubtful courage")"

"Men! We face adversity, a band of brothers, dedicated to the warrior's code of strength and victory. But we will never know defeat while we stand together! This day we add another triumph to the history of our people! We will be honoured as men!"

"I carry on my body many great scars, honourably earned in battle! I have fought many a foe in open combat! I come to fight today! Who stands with me?"

"The gods have surely smiled upon us! The omens are so numerous and so in our favour that I cannot describe them all and still have time for a battle today!"

"What we do today, we do as servants of the gods. Ask them for courage and strength! Honour them in your hearts, and they will aid us all! Look to your weapons, but also look to the heavens and raise a mighty shout in praise of the gods! Now, to battle!"

"Now you're probably wondering about this evening's entertainment. There's enough wine in camp to float a boat. It's all yours when they're dead. Oh yes, and the camp women will be suitably appreciative too."

"Now, you know I have a reputation for cunning in battle. I do not intend this to be a fair fight. I am going to fall upon them without warning! I will strike at their weakest points! This won't be a battle - it'll be a kick up the toga!"

"Let us offer prayers to the gods for victory. And then let us arm ourselves to the teeth, just in case the gods aren't listening"

"Battle is an easy thing, what is hard is the look on your woman's face when you are a weakling! But I do not see anyone here who needs to worry about that!"

"So harden your hearts, sharpen your swords and when the enemy is here, gut him like a fish."

"Is that the best they can do. Kill them all!"

"My grandmother could take on this lot, so we should be fine!"

"By tomorrow our sword arms will ache from over-use!"

"Brave Romans to a man!"

"There is no shame in fear, only letting fear rule you. Try not to look scared and you'll find bravery in your heart!"

"You may be wondering why I've called you here today. I was wondering myself. Oh yes!"

"The enemy may have the Moon People on their side, but we have lovely hats! Those hats will shield us from their fearsome gaze! (If your general has the “mad” trait)"

"Day has dawned. This will be bloody, come what may, but we are free men, and we do not fear the sight of a little blood. Now, sound the horns!"

"Free men, proud children of Greece! Prepare to fight or your honour!"

"A battle is never an easy thing, especially before breakfast. Never mind, time enough to feast when we have driven these dogs back to their kennel!"

"And remember this above all: the Gods are watching from Olympus, make sure they are not ashamed!"

"Bravery is in every warriors heart, bravery and more! Every warrior knows bravery, and those who run will not only answer to me but to the Gods!"

"Julii: Gods...I hate Gauls. My grandfather hated them too, even before they put out his eyes. Did you think I'd be out here on the frontier without good reason? Yes, Rome needs a strong frontier. No, Rome doesn't need unwashed barbarians at its gates! So, that's why I'm here, the leader of the Julii: to bring Roman order to stinking Gauls. Revenge? That'd be good too. This war against the Gauls won't last long, and when it's done, I've got plans. This is all about power, power in Rome. Going down that road means dealing with all my rivals: the Senate, the Greeks, those Carthaginian elephant-riders, the Scipii and the Brutii families too. After all, the man who controls Rome rules the world...and one day, I will be Emperor."

"Brutii: We Brutii are the only true Romans. We saved Rome, we drove out the kings, we made the Republic. The family deserve respect; respect, and obedience. We know what is best for Rome: new lands, living space, territories, slaves! I know what must be done. The Greeks look down their perfumed noses at all Romans, and they hate us. I'm going to give them a reason for hate...when I've crushed them! Roman steel, that's the answer; Roman steel in the Brutii fist. And the other great Roman families...the Scipii; trash! They have no respect for proper Roman ways, for us! The Julii prostitute themselves. As if the people matter! Bah! We Brutii must lead Rome."

"Scipii: My family, the House of Scipii, are beloved of the gods. A proud boast, but true all the same. In return we have served Rome, ruled well, led irs armies to glory; it has cost us dearly, despite the love of the gods. Sometimes the hatred of men is stronger. Our dead lie in many graves, put there by Carthaginian swords...and a few Greek ones. Even Roman blades have taken Scipii lives; that, we do not forget, or forgive. So, now our time has come. The spirits of the dead cry out for blood. I will lead our family in this undertaking. The gods will grant us vengeance. When Sicily is Roman, when Carthage is crushed, when the other Roman families are gone, when the world is mine...then I will stand before the gods and be worthy of their love. And worthy to rule Rome!"

"Greek factions: Greeks could rule the world. Alexander did. He took a Greek army to the far Indus. There was nothing left to conquer; the world was his. But Alexander is dead. His empire is gone. And so we live in evil days; the free men of Greece have turned on each other, instead of their proper enemies: those who envy all the Greeks have done. Alexander must weep, if the dead weep. I will weep in his place, but I will also hope. The world turns; what was may come again. The Fates still spin the web of men's lives. So now, perhaps the gods wish Greeks to be great again. Perhaps a new Alexander will take up the sword, bring order where there is chaos, remake the world of men into a better place...perhaps."

"Egypt: I have been in the service of Pharaoh for many, many years. It is my task to write down all that is decided. My father did this before me, and his father before him. We have faithfully recorded and seen much. Pharaoh is our lord and master; he is Horus reborn, and will be Osiris in the afterlife. All of Egypt lives and dies by his divine wish, and this is as it should be. We are his children; Pharaoh loves us all. We would conquer the world, so that all can know his wise rule. Even if Pharaoh did not ask this, we would do it. His enemies will be struck down; night and darkness will take them. The sands will be stained red. All this will come to pass, for Pharaoh has decreed it. So it is written. So it shall be."

"Barbarian factions: Before my grandfather's grandfather was born, this was our land. These are our good places; our gods live here, in the trees and the rivers. They watch over us. We are happy: we hunt, we love, we have families, homes, a good life. But sometimes we must fight! The Romans disturb the gods; they burn the forests; they take what is ours, wives, children, land! And the Romans talk of how they will 'help us and protect us'. They put us to sleep with golden promises: when we wake, all that we had is gone-stolen! They take our sons and turn them into little Romans. Gah! So we fight to keep what is ours, what must stay ours! There can be no peace, no peace with Romans, men of stone, and iron, and lies! There can be only war!"

"Carthage: Last night, the crying of the children kept me awake...and I had a terrible vision. I saw the fall of our city: bleached bones under a harsh sun; Carthage, gone! Why would Baal send such a vision? He is not cruel; he has watched over us. We have had victories aplenty in war. Our merchants sail to all corners of the world. Yet even now, I fear. I cannot help it. We are the envy of lesser people. They tell terrible lies about us. They do not understand, so they lie. But the Romans, they are the masters of falsehood. War will come, I am sure of it. So. I will have no more false visions...and I think the children will be quiet tonight."

"Eastern factions: The desert is ours. It is my home. Invaders come here, but they do not leave. They do not understand the desert; they do not understand how it gives life, and how it kills. So they die, and we grow stronger. The dead, now, the dead cannot pass on their newfound wisdom...so invaders keep coming, keep trying to take our lands and our wealth. But then, wealth flows through this land. And if our people have one thing, it is the love of wealth. It is sweeter than water, it is more powerful than the sword, for any sword can be turned aside with a gold coin. Gold will buy a thousand warriors...and a thousand warriors, why, they are the start of an empire!"

"I think the slain care little if they sleep or rise again."

"A people's voice is dangerous when charged with wrath."

"In war, truth is the first casualty."

"War, as the saying goes, is full of false alarms"

"We make war so that we may live in peace"

"One of you is worth more than any number of them!"