20 Best Lt. Quotes

Maj. Hogan: Do you know anything about art, Richard? - Rubens, Boticelli...?
[puts up an unidentifiable drawing. Sharpe and Harper look at it, blankly]
Richard: What the devil is it, sir?
Maj. Hogan: It's a map of Spain! - Oh, sorry, it's upside down... Makes no difference either way!

Maj. Hogan: Ambition and romance is a poisonous brew. And I mean to distill one from the other.
[...]
Maj. Hogan: Oh, believe me, Richard, I've drunk of the cup. And its intoxication I can well remember!
Richard: I can hold my drink, sir.
Maj. Hogan: See that you do, Sharpe. See that you do!

Teresa: You think it's funny to die for an
[French Imperial]
Teresa: eagle?
Richard: I'm a soldier. Would you care if I died?
Teresa: Yes. - Yes!
[They kiss]
Richard: Then I shall take care not to!

Leroy: [he has just seen Sharpe talking with Colonel Lawford] You and the young lord twins, or what?
Richard: We spent three months chained in a cell in India. He had a page of the Bible. In three months he taught me how to read and write. How can you pay back a man who teaches you how to write your own name, Captain?

Sir: Do "you* know what makes a good soldier?
Richard: Yes, sir.
Sir: [pause, then] And what makes a good soldier?
Richard: The ability to fire three rounds a minute in any weather, sir.

Wellesley: Sharpe, I can make you a captain, but I cannot keep you a captain. There is talk of an imperial eagle, Sharpe. There is talk of a promise made to the late Major Lennox. Swear to me on oath that the talk is just idle gossip, Sharpe, or by God, sir, you will walk out of that door a lieutenant.
Richard: I swear on oath tha no one heard me make a promise in respect of an imperial eagle to Major Lennox, sir.
Wellesley: Colonel Lawford?
Colonel: Sir?
Wellesley: You may escort Captain Sharpe to the door, Colonel Lawford.

[Harper, framed by Hakeswill for theft, is being flogged]
Drummer: Ninety-three! Ninety-four! Ninety-five!
[Harper has spit out his gag and is grinning widely as the lash lands]
Drummer: Ninety-six! Ninety-seven! Ninety-eight! Ninety-nine! One hundred! One hundred and all's done, sir!
[Harper is released. Still grinning, he starts to walk away]
Colonel: Harper? Come back here.
Sgt. Patrick Harper: Sir?
Colonel: You're a brave man. I salute you for it.
[He tosses Harper a golden guinea. Harper catches it]
Sgt. Patrick Harper: Thank you, sir. Thank you.
[He walks past Sharpe]
Richard: You all right?
[Harper's grin remains, but his voice quavers]
Sgt. Patrick Harper: [whispering] Jesus, it hurts like hell! I couldn't have taken much more.

Richard: Obadiah, and a blackguardly officer called Morris, once beat a native Indian half to death, until I stopped them. They blamed me for it, and I was flogged. Watch him, Pat. He preys on the men. He'll snaffle kit, belts, frogs, haversacks, all entered or found lost by Obadiah, which leads to floggings unless he gets paid. Then wives. He beats men till their wives come to him, which I call rape. I've seen his like before. An evil man marching in a cloud of pipely. And because he kicks up salutes, obeys every officer, he's bombproof to all but us. We who come up from the ranks, we're smart to him.
Sgt. Patrick Harper: We are that.

[while talking to Harper on sentry, Sharpe hands him a bottle of whiskey]
Richard: Here. St. Patrick's Day.
Sgt. Patrick Harper: God save Ireland... you're a grand man.
[takes a pull]
Sgt. Patrick Harper: For an Englishman.

Richard: Sgt. Hakeswill...
Hakeswill: Permission to speak, sir!
[pause]
Hakeswill: I've nothing to say, sir.
[drops voice]
Hakeswill: Oh my word, what a surprise... Sharpie.
Richard: You are come to me?
Hakeswill: Ever such a long way. I was despairing.
Richard: LEFT FACE!
[Hakeswill obeys automatically]
Richard: QUICK MARCH!
[Hakeswill walks forward until he is facing the wall. Sharpe grabs his head and mashes his face into the wall]
Richard: You lay a finger on any of my men, Sgt., and I'll bloody kill you.

Richard: [Starting the rifle drill of his new men] Right, let's get to work! - And Mr. Denny, if you see any man doing anything not in the manual...
Denny: I take his name, sir?
Richard: Give him half a pint of rum on the spot, Mr. Denny!

Maj. Hogan: [Sharpe has just taught the South Essex to fire three rounds a minute] Sharpe.
Richard: Yes, sir?
Maj. Hogan: Stop showing off, Sharpe.
Richard: [grins] Yes, sir.

Richard: Three rules... Sharpe's Rules, by which i regulate the Light Company: First: Fight well, fight hard! Second: Don't get drunk unless i tell you! Third: Steal nothing but from the enemy or when starving!

Maj. Hogan: [talking about of the South Essex] Sir Henry apart, the South Essex... what do you make of them, man for man?
Richard: They're flogged soldiers, sir. And flogging teaches a soldier only one lesson.
Maj. Hogan: What's that, Richard?
Richard: How to turn his back.

Matthews: Would you take me with you if you get your command of the forlorn hope?
Richard: No.
Matthews: Oh, do, Richard, sir, it would make my name!
Richard: William, the forlorn hope are dead men the hour their names are called... That's why it's called 'forlorn'!
Matthews: But it is glorious, is it not? And of use! Some don't die! - If it's not of use, then why is it done?
Richard: Somebody has to be first.

Richard: That rifle's loaded and rammed, Sergeant.
Hakeswill: Sir?
Richard: Did you know, Sergeant?
Hakeswill: Me, sir? No, sir, never, sir!
Richard: This yours, Sergeant?
Hakeswill: No, sir. Not me, sir. Him, sir. Private 'Arper, sir!
Richard: Well how many more are loaded?
[puts rifles under Hakeswill's chin, pulls trigger, nothing happens]
Richard: Harris!
[throws him the rifle]
Richard: Cooper! Hagman! Perkins!
[threatens Hakeswill with Harper's volley gun]
Richard: They say you can't be killed, Sergeant Hakeswill. It is known. 'Come with me, my lads, for I cannot die. I'm going to live for ever, for they tried to hang me once but did... not... do it.' I could almost believe it. Except in the case of someone you tried to kill, Sergeant Hakeswill... and did... not... do it. I wonder who that might be, Sergeant. You're a dead man, Obadiah. BANG!

Richard: [referring to the Chosen Men] Where the blazes are they, Harper?
Patrick: They're hornin', sir. I told them once, I told them a thousand times, not to go hornin'. Why, says I, if you're desperate to hold on to something, hold a bottle! - It's not the best advice, sir...
Richard: You bloody old bishop! What's it matter if they're pissed or poxed, as long as they can fight!

Sir: What makes a good soldier, Sharpe?
Richard: The ability to fire three rounds a minute. In any weather, sir!

Captain: The men hate digging.
Richard: Wouldn't you?
Captain: [Awkward] I have never dug.

Richard: I'm a soldier, sir, not a bloody clerk! I fetch, I forage, and I take punishment drills! It's "yes sir, no sir, can I dig your latrine, sir?" and it's not bloody soldiering!
Major: It *is* bloody soldiering! What the hell do you think soldiering is? Just because you've been allowed to swan about like a bloody pirate for years...!
Richard: Look, sir, when you fling us up against those walls, you'll be glad there's some pirates in there, and not just bloody clerks!