King Arthur Merlyn, why have you never taught me love and marriage?
Played by Richard Harris 
Camelot (1967) · 32 quotes
Camelot (1967) · 32 quotes
Most-quoted character in Camelot (1967): in 21 of its 32 quotes
Most scenes with: Guinevere (3), Lancelot (3), Pellinore (2)
Mordred, I must remind you that I am a civilized man. With occasional lapses.
More lines from King Arthur
11 quotes King Arthur King Arthur Proposition: It's far better to be alive than to be dead.
King Arthur [singing]
And -what of teaching me by turning me to animal and bird,
From beaver to the smallest bobolink!
I should have had a -whirl
At changing to a girl,
To learn the way the creatures think!
King Arthur Merlyn told me once: Never be too disturbed if you don't understand what a woman is thinking. They don't do it often.
King Arthur I dreamed ... I dreamed.
King Arthur All we've been through, for nothing but an idea! Something that you cannot taste, smell, or feel; without substance, life, reality, memory.
King Arthur I love them and they answer me with pain and torment. Be it sin or not sin, they betray me in their hearts and that's far sin enough. I can feel it in their eyes, I can feel it when they speak, and they must pay for it and be punished. I shall not be wounded and not return it in kind! I'm through with feeble hoping! I demand a man's vengeance! [Calming down] Proposition: I'm a king, not a man. And a civilized king. Could it possibly be civilized to destroy what I love? Could it possibly be civilized to love myself above all? What of their pain and their torment? Did they ask for this calamity? Can passion be selected?
King Arthur The adage, "Blood is thicker than water," was invented by undeserving relatives.
King Arthur Merlyn! Merlyn, make me a hawk. Let me fly away from here!
King Arthur [singing]
Ask ev'ry person if he's heard the story;
And tell it strong and clear if he has not:
That once there was a fleeting wisp of glory
Called Camelot.
Camelot! Camelot!
King Arthur [to Mordred]
Far more seasoned rascals than you have polished their souls, I advise you, get out the wax. Better to be rubbed clean than rubbed out.
Scenes with King Arthur
9 scenes Arthur But even the thought, "I'm not thinking a thought" is thinking, isn't it?
Merlyn Yes, and thinking is the sort of thing you should get into the habit of doing as often as possible.
Arthur A thousand pardons, Milady. Wait! Don't run. [She stops and looks at him coweringly] Please! I won't harm you.
Guenevere
You lie! You'll leap at me and throw me to the ground.
Arthur I won't do any such thing. [He takes a step toward her. She takes a step backwards. He stops]
Guenevere
Then you'll twist my arm and tie me to a tree.
Arthur But I won't.
Then you'll sling me over your shoulder and carry me off.
Arthur No, no, no! I swear it! By the Sword Excalibur! I swear I won't touch you.
[Hurt]
Why not? [Sudden rage] How dare you insult me in this fashion. Do my looks repel you?
Arthur No. You're beautiful.
Well, then? We're alone. I'm completely defenseless. What kind of a cad are you? Apologize at once.
The next time you traffic with me, remember... you challenge the right hand of King Arthur!
Arthur I am King Arthur!
What? You... are the king?
Arthur Almost the late king...
Arthur But for what purpose? Might isn't always right, Jenny.
Nonsense, dear, of course it is. To be right and lose couldn't possibly be right.
Arthur We must arrange for your knighthood.
No, sire! Invest me because of deeds, not words! Give me an order!
Arthur Now?
This moment! Is there some wrong I can right, some peril I can face, some quest I can undertake?
Arthur Well... actually... there's not much going on today. The Queen and some of her court have gone a-maying.
Gone... a-maying?
Arthur Well, it's a sort of... um... picnic? They pick flowers and chase young...
Picnic?
Arthur It's a custom we have here. This is England, you know. And this is the season for gathering flowers.
Knights? Gathering FLOWERS?
Arthur Well, SOMEONE has to do it!
Arthur Wrong or right, they have the might, so wrong or right, they're always right, and that's wrong... right?
Absolutely.
If the king grants you clemency, you shall be banished. If not, you hang.
Arthur Clemency is granted.
Arthur Let us say you are accused of burning down a farm.
Whose?
Arthur Er...let us say, a farmer named...William?
Well, can't see it happening, but get along.
Arthur Now, Pelly, you claim you haven't. What does he do then?
Well, he keeps his mouth shut if he knows what's good for him!
Arthur No, Pellinore. He takes you to court.
Ah! And we fight there!
Arthur No, Pellinore. Look, in the court, there is a prosecutor for Farmer William and a defendant for you.
Oh, I see! I see! And they fight!
Arthur No. In the court there is also a jury, who decides whether you are guilty or not guilty.
Well, what's the jury got to do with it? None of their damn business in the first place! Any jury finds me guilty, I'll have a whack at every last one of 'em!
Arthur Then you'd be charged with murder, Pelly!
Well, the ruddy thing's endless! Another jury finds me guilty, and I'll have to have a whack at them! And so on and so on, and whacking and whacking--
Arthur Oh, Pellinore, forget it! You will never burn down a barn, you will never know a farmer named William and you will never, ever, be found in a court!
Not without my ruddy sword I won't!
Who is that, Arthur?
Arthur One of what we all are, Pelly. Less than a drop in the great blue motion of the sunlit sea. But it seems some of the drops sparkle, Pelly. Some of them do sparkle! Run, boy!
