- [subtitled version]
- English Soldier: There are lots of good things in Italy.
- Michele Di Libero: You don't know Italy.
- English Soldier: Oh, we know Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo.
- Michele Di Libero: They are dead.
- [subtitled version]
- Cesira: Do you know what they have done those "heroes" that you command? Do you know what your great soldiers have done in a holy church under the eyes of the Madonna? Do you know?
- American Soldier: Peace, peace.
- Cesira: Yes, peace, beautiful peace! You ruined my little daughter forever! Now she's worse than dead. No, I'm not mad, I'm not mad! Look at her! And tell me if I am mad! Rotten crazy bastards!
- [subtitled version]
- Giovanni: [about her deceased husband] Did you love him?
- Cesira: But I married him.
- Giovanni: And you didn't even like him. I feel sorry for you.
- Cesira: I'd like to see you sleeping with the chickens! Eating once a day! And then a guy with money comes along and tells me, "I am taking you to Rome." I married Rome, not him!
- [subtitled version]
- Cesira: Rosetta's a saint. I'm not even worthy to be her mother.
- Michele Di Libero: No, you're something better than you think.
- [subtitled version]
- Cesira: Rose! Rose! Rosetta! Oh, my God, the horror! Rose! Analdo fetch some water. Fetch me some water!
- [subtitled version]
- Cesira: What are they singing?
- Il passeggero sul treno: It's always something sad.
- Cesira: Yes, they make you feel so melancholy.
- Il passeggero sul treno: Do you know who has the right to be melancholy? Us Italians.
- [subtitled version]
- Una contadina: [to Cesira and Rosetta] What beautiful creatures you are. And how my sons look at you.
- [subtitled version]
- Filippo, il padre di Michele: Nice to meet you. We are celebrating a bad anniversary. My marriage!
- [subtitled version]
- Filippo, il padre di Michele: I have a store in Fondi. People will always need groceries. Unless the Russians come.
- Accordion Player: What do you mean?
- Filippo's Friend: The Russians don't believe in business. Life without business is nothing.
- Filippo, il padre di Michele: As if you ate unsalted food.
- [subtitled version]
- Cesira: There are no sins on my conscience. Well, you might count one... the day before yesterday.
- Michele Di Libero: You see?
- Cesira: It was not a sin for which I should die. And where do the children come into it?
- [subtitled version]
- Niece: Just between us, Mussolini, as a man. I mean, what do you think of him?
- Filippo's Wife: He would scare me.
- Serafino: How can you make love with that man? I'd freeze up.
- Cesira: All you have to do is switch off the light.
- [subtitled version]
- Cesira: Does it seem right to you that a person has to stick to someone he doesn't love? It's terrible to go to bed with someone you don't like. Every night, all your life.
- [subtitled version]
- Russian: You seem like Ukrainian girl. Ukrainian eyes, beautiful.
- [subtitled version]
- Cesira: [about the muscular topless man in the field] He's beautiful. Is he really a Russian?
- Michele Di Libero: A deserter.
- Cesira: They never tell you that they make them like that in Russia.
- [subtitled version]
- La madre impazzita: Di-di-di-di-di-di-di! You can have this milk, if you like.
- La madre impazzita: [pulling out her breast] I don't need it anymore. What for? They killed my baby. Who will I give it to? You want it? Who want's milk? Who wants my milk?
- [subtitled version]
- Michele Di Libero: You Germans have war in your blood.
- Ufficiale tedesco batteria contraerea: War? War, my dear friend, is an experience without which a man cannot say he is a man.
- Michele Di Libero: If that's true, I would rather be castrated.
- [subtitled version]
- Filippo's Friend: May the Virgin protect you!
- [subtitled version]
- Cesira: I am so stupid. He was right, Michele. Escape. But you can't escape from this.
- [first lines]
- [subtitled version]
- Roman Citizens: Bombs! Bombs Away! Bombs Away!
- [subtitled version]
- Paride's Friend: You talk as if you weren't an Italian.
- Michele Di Libero: I'm not, if it means staying here and stuffing my face, while the rest of the country is dying. We're pigs! That's what we are! All pigs!
- [subtitled version]
- Paride's Mama: War changes things.
- [subtitled version]
- Cesira: You have a girl?
- Michele Di Libero: No.
- Cesira: Come on. Didn't you ever have one?
- Michele Di Libero: No.
- Cesira: But how can you live without a woman? A normal man can't do that.
- Michele Di Libero: Today if a man can't sacrifice a little, he's of no use to himself, his family or country.
- Cesira: Right, you can do without a lot of things, but not love.
- [subtitled version]
- Michele Di Libero: You always say what is in your heart - right or wrong. I don't have the courage anymore.
- Cesira: You're too honest, that's trouble.
- Michele Di Libero: I am not honest with you.
- Cesira: With me?
- Michele Di Libero: Yes, with you.
- [subtitled version]
- Michele Di Libero: I love you, Cesira.
- Cesira: In such a troubled time, you think of things like that?
- [subtitled version]
- Michele's Elderly Friend in Fondi: [to the German officer] Don't listen to her! She's only a woman.
- Cesira: Why didn't you tell me what you were going to do?
- Rosetta: You were asleep.
- Cesira: You two arranged this before. Last night!
- Rosetta: Yes.
- Cesira: [unwrapping a pair of nylon stockings] Who gave you these?
- Rosetta: Florindo.
- Cesira: And what for?
- Rosetta: [indifferently] To wear.
- Cesira: [rising anger] To wear?
- Rosetta: Sure.
- Cesira: [slapping Rosetta's face] Don't you ever say "sure" to me like that! Do you hear? You will not put those stockings on! You will not put them on! You will not put them on! You will not put them on! Now I'm going to smash his face, that dirty pig!
- Cesira: [imploring the heavens] What's happened to her, God? What have I done wrong? Tell me, what have I done wrong?
- Cesira: [regarding Rosetta with pity] She doesn't even cry. So stupid. He was right, Michele. Escape, escape. But you can't escape from yourself. You haven't even asked about Michele. He's dead! Michele!