- The Fool: If you won't stay with him, who will? I'm an ignorant man, but I've read a book or two. You may not believe it, but everything in this world has a purpose. Even this pebble, for example.
- Gelsomina: Which one?
- The Fool: This one. Any one. But even this one has a purpose.
- Gelsomina: What's its purpose?
- The Fool: Its purpose is - how should I know? If I knew, I'd be...
- Gelsomina: Who?
- The Fool: The Almighty, who knows everything. When you're born. When you die. Who knows? No, I don't know what this pebble's purpose is, but it must have one, because if this pebble has no purpose, then everything is pointless. Even the stars! At least, I think so. And you too. You have a purpose too.
- Zampanò: [reciting his act by rote before a crowd] Here we have a piece of chain that is a quarter of an inch thick. It is made of crude iron, stronger than steel. With the simple expansion of my pectoral muscles, or chest, that is, I'll break the hook.
- [collecting money from the crowd]
- Zampanò: Thank you, thank you. Now, to do this feat, I must fill myself up like a tire. If a blood vessel should break, I would spit blood. For instance, in Milan a man weighing 240 pounds lost his eyesight doing this trick. That is because the optical nerves take a beating, and once you lose your eyes, you are finished. If there's any delicate person in the audience, I would advise him to look away 'cause there could be blood.
- [with seemingly great effort, he breaks the chain]
- Nun: Do you like traveling from one place to the next all the time?
- Gelsomina: That's how his work is.
- Nun: We travel around too. We change convents every two years. This is my second.
- Gelsomina: Why?
- Nun: So we don't get too attached to the things of this world. You grow fond of where you live, even of a a plant. You risk forgetting your most important attachment, which is to God. So you see, we both travel. You follow your husband and I follow mine.
- Gelsomina's Mother: She's not like Rosa. But she's a good girl, poor thing. She'll do what she's told. She just came out a little strange. But, if she eats every day, maybe she'll get better.
- Gelsomina: Do you remember how beautiful it was, Zampanò? Watching the rain from the window that day?
- The Fool: What if I asked you to come with me? I'll teach you to walk the tightrope, way up in the air, with all the lights on you. I have a car. We'd be traveling all the time. We'd have a world of fun. Would you iike that? But no. "Nothing." You have to stay with Zampanò and perform his ridiculous stunts and let him beat you like a donkey. Such is life.
- Gelsomina's Mother: You want to go with Zampanò and take Rosa's place? He'll teach you a trade. You'll earn some money. And one less mouth to feed around here wouldn't be bad.
- Gelsomina's Mother: Gelsomina, Zampanò's a good man. He'll treat you well. You'll travel the world. You'll sing and dance. And look what he gave me: 10,000 lire! I have it here, 10,000 lire! We can fix the roof and these poor things can eat. Why did your father ever leave us?
- Zampanò: Come here. There should be something here to fit you. I want you to look elegant. I don't want to see you in rags. My women have always looked smart.
- Prostitute: What line of work are you in?
- Zampanò: I'm a traveling artist. This is my sidekick. I taught her everything. When I took her on, she couldn't even quack.
- Zampanò: Get in.
- Prostitute: Is this piece of junk your car?
- Zampanò: Don't you like it?
- Prostitute: Are you crazy?
- Zampanò: It's American. Hasn't broken down once in seven years.
- Wedding Guest: Long live the bride, fresh as a rose!
- Widow: For three nights I've been up at 1:00am to cook. Think I'm tired? If I felt like it, I could dance all night long. Us older women are better than young girls.
- Giraffa: Don't be afraid. He won't eat you. We're all one big family and we all work together. The more the merrier.
- The Fool: Don't wait for me to finish. You have to interrupt me! And I told you to blow it over here, silly girl!