No. Cut off the head and the snake cannot strike.
6 seconds sound clip from the Gladiator (2000) movie soundboard.
You can hear this line at 01:24:48 in the Blu-ray version of the movie.
Quote context
[...]
- And who will tell them before it's too late? You, Gracchus? You, Gaius?
- I have been living in a prison of fear every day, because my son is heir to the throne.
- Quintus and the Praetorians would simply seize control for themselves.
- No. Cut off the head and the snake cannot strike.
- Until we can neutralize the Praetorians, we can achieve nothing.
- No, child. We keep our counsel. We prepare.
- As long as the people support him, we are voices without steel. We are air.
[...]