Judah Ben-Hur quotes from Ben-Hur (1959)

Judah Ben-Hur

You may conquer the land, you may slaughter the people. That is not the end. We will rise again.

Judah Ben-Hur

May God grant me vengeance. I pray that you live till I return.

Judah Ben-Hur

Find them, Messala. Restore them to me and I'll forget what I vowed with every stroke of that oar you chained me to.

Judah

I would do anything for you, Messala... except betray my own people.

Messala

In the name of all the gods, Judah, what do the lives of a few Jews mean to you?

Judah

If I cannot persuade them, that does not mean I will help you... murder them. Besides, you must understand this, Messala. I believe in the past of my people, and in their future.

Messala

Future? You are a conquered people.

Judah

You may conquer the land; you may slaughter the people. But that is not the end; we will rise again.

Messala

You live on dead dreams; you live on the myths of the past. The glory of Solomon is gone and you think it will return?. Joshua will not rise again to save you nor David. There is only one reality in the world today. Look to the West, Judah! Don't be a fool, look to Rome!

Judah

I would rather be a fool than a traitor... or a killer!

Messala

I am a soldier!

Judah

Yes! Who kills! For Rome! And Rome is evil!

Messala

I warn you...

Judah

No! I warn you! Rome is an affront to God! Rome is strangling my people and my country, the whole Earth! But not forever. And I tell you the day Rome falls there will be a shout of freedom such as the world has never heard before!

Messala

Judah, either you help me or you oppose me, you have no other choice. You're either for me or against me!

Judah

If that is the choice, then I am against you.

Judah

If you were not a bride I would kiss you goodbye

Esther

If I were not a bride there would be no goodbyes to be said.

Judah Ben-Hur, my people are praying for a man who can drive their team to victory over Messala. You could be that man! You could be the one to stamp this Roman's arrogance into the sand of that arena. You've seen my horses. They need only a driver who is worthy of them. One who would rule them with love and not the whip. For such a man, they would have raced the wind.

Judah

I must deal with Messala in my own way.

And your way is to kill him. I see this terrible thing in your eyes, Judah Ben-Hur. But no matter what this man has done to you, you have no right to take his life. He will be punished inevitably.

Judah

I don't believe in miracles.

Your whole life is a miracle. Why will you not accept God's judgment? You do not believe in miracles, yet God once spoke to me out of the darkness, and a star led me to a village called Bethlehem where I found a newborn child in a manger. And God lived in this child. By now, he is a grown man, and must be ready to begin his work. And that is why I have returned here, so that I may be at hand when he comes among us. He is near. He saw the sun set this evening as we did. Perhaps he's standing in a doorway somewhere on a hilltop. Perhaps he is a shepherd watching, a fisherman. But he lives in all our lives. From now on we'll carry his mark. There are many paths to God, my son. I hope yours will not be too difficult.

Arrius

What is your name, Forty-One?

Judah

Judah Ben-Hur.

Arrius

Judah Ben-Hur... Let me die.

Judah

We keep you alive to serve this ship. Row well and live.

Messala

Triumph complete, Judah. The race won. The enemy destroyed.

Judah

I see no enemy.

Messala

What do you think you see? The smashed body of a wretched animal! Is enough of a man still left here for you to hate? Let me help you...You think they're dead. Your mother and sister. Dead. And the race over. It isn't over, Judah. They're not dead.

Judah

Where are they? Where are they? Where are they?

Messala

Look for them in the Valley of the Lepers, if you can recognize them. It goes on. It goes on, Judah. The race, the race is not over.

Judah

I have just come from the Valley of Stone. My mother and sister live what's left of their lives. By Rome's will, lepers, outcasts without hope...Their flesh...carries Rome's mark...the deed was not Messala's. I knew him, well, before the cruelty of Rome spread in his blood. Rome destroyed Messala as surely as Rome has destroyed my family.

Where there is greatness, great government or power, even great feeling or compassion, error also is great. We've progressed and matured by fault. But Rome has said she is ready to join your life to hers in a great future...not to crucify yourself on a shadow such as old resentment or impossible loyalties. Perfect freedom has no existence. The grown man knows the world he lives in, and for the present, the world is Rome.

Judah

I am Judah Ben-Hur.

I become the hand of Caesar, ready to crush all those who challenge his authority. There are too many small men of envy and ambition who try to disrupt the government of Rome. You have become the victor and hero for these people. They look to you, their one true god as I called you. If you stay here, you will find yourself part of this tragedy.

Judah

I'm already part of this tragedy.

Esther

'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.'

Judah

Children of God! In that dead valley where we left them? I tell you, every man in Judea is unclean and will stay unclean until we've scoured off our bodies the crust and filth of being at the mercy of tyranny. No other life is possible except to wash this land clean.

Esther

In blood?

Judah

Yes, in blood.

Esther

I know there is a law in life. That blood begets more blood as dog begets dog. Death generates death. The vulture breeds the vulture. But the voice I heard on the hill today said, 'Love your enemy. Do good to those who spitefully use you.'

Judah

All who are born in this land hereafter can suffer as we have done.

Esther

As you make us do now! Are we to bear nothing together, even love?

Judah

I could hardly draw a breath without feeling you in my heart. Everything I do from this moment will be as great a pain to you as you have ever suffered. It is better not to love me!

Esther

It was Judah Ben-Hur I loved. What has become of him? You seem to be now the very thing you set out to destroy, giving evil for evil. Hatred is turning you to stone. It's as though you had become Messala! I've lost you Judah.

Judah

Almost at the moment He died, I heard Him say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

Esther

Even then.

Judah

Even then. And I felt His voice take the sword out of my hand.

Arrius

Not long ago, I returned to Rome... with a young man who had saved my life. You all know him as the finest charioteer in Rome. Five times, he's driven my horses to victory. I know him as one who stands in the place of the son I lost. I have the love and pride in a son's achievements... which I thought I should never have again. [calls Judah to appear before the crowd] Nothing could make stronger our bond... but tonight I wish to share it with you all. The formalities of adoption have been completed. Young Arrius is now the legal bearer of my name... and the heir to my property. This ring of my ancestors... would have gone to my son. So now it is yours.

Judah

It's a strange destiny that brought me to a new life... a new home... a new father. It brought me here. It may take me away. But wherever I may be... I shall always try to wear this ring as a son of Arrius should. With gratitude and affection... and with honor.
[The crowd cheers again]

Arrius

You're leaving.

Judah

I must.

Arrius

It's a journey I can't keep you from. Your eyes have never left it all these months. I can recognize pain. But still, my counsel is to wait. Gratus is to be replaced. The governorship goes to Pontius Pilate.

Judah

When?

Arrius

Very soon. It's very much to our purpose.

Judah

Nothing is to the purpose if, when I come back to Judea, I come too late. That is the thought which has punished me every moment I've spent here.

Arrius

Will Rome see you again?

Judah

Here is a part of my life which you have made for me. I shall remember it.

Arrius

Whoever the gods are, they take small interest in an old man's hopes.

Judah

They have their way.

Judah

This is where your search has brought you, Balthasar. He gave me water... and a heart to live. What has He done to merit this?

Balthasar

He has taken the world of our sins onto Himself. To this end He said He was born, in that stable, where I first saw Him. For this cause, He came into the world.

Judah

For this death?

Balthasar

For this beginning.