American Rhetoric: Movie Speech from Gladiator - Proximo Addresses his Gladiators Prior to 1st Battle

American Rhetoric: Movie Speech

"Gladiator" (2000)

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Proximo Addresses his Gladiators before First Battle

Some of you are thinking you won't fight; some, that you can't fight. They all say that until they're out there.

Listen. [crowd - now chanting, now cheering]

Thrust this [sword] into another man's flesh, and they will applaud and love you for that.

You? You may begin to love them -- for that.

Ultimately, we're all dead men. Sadly, we can not choose how. But, we can decide how we meet that end in order that we are remembered as men.