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The subject of this article is a part of the The Princess Bride book universe.


This page is about Vizzini from the 1973 book. For the version from the 1987 film, see Vizzini (film).


Vizzini was the Sicilian criminal, bully, and mastermind employed by Prince Humperdinck to kidnap Buttercup and kill her, leaving evidence to frame Guilder of the murder so that Humperdinck can declare war. He serves as the film's tertiary antagonist. He is played by Wallace Shawn. He is the leader of Inigo and Fezzik and he hates it when Fezzik shows off his gift of rhyming. He is short of stature and temper, and often shouts "Inconceivable!" when frustrated. He can be bossy and is rather narcissistic, believing himself far more intelligent than everyone he meets. Vizzini is outsmarted by Westley when Wesley does the one thing Vizzini cant resist-Challenge Vizzini in a battle of wits for the Princess "to the death?"

Quotes[]

  • Vizzini: No more rhymes now! I mean it!
    Fezzik: Anybody want a peanut?
    Vizzini: (grunts)
    "Inconceivable!" (Catchphrase)
    VIZZINI: I'm afraid so -- I can't compete with you physically. And you're no match for my brains.
    MAN IN BLACK: You're that smart?
    VIZZINI: Let me put it this way: have you ever heard of Plato? Aristotle? Socrates?
    MAN IN BLACK: Yes.
    VIZZINI: Morons.
  • "But it’s so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you. Are you the sort of man who would put the poison into his own goblet, or his enemy’s? Now, a clever man would put the poison into his own goblet, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I’m not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool; you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me."
  • "Not remotely. Because iocane comes from Australia, as everyone knows. And Australia is entirely peopled with criminals. And criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me. So I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. "
  • "Yes — Australia, and you must have suspected I would have known the powder’s origin, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me."
  • "You’ve beaten my giant, which means you’re exceptionally strong. So, you could have put the poison in your own goblet, trusting on your strength to save you. So I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But, you’ve also bested my Spaniard which means you must have studied. And in studying, you must have learned that man is mortal so you would have put the poison as far from yourself as possible, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me."
  • "You only think I guessed wrong! That's what's so funny! I switched glasses while your back was turned! Ha ha, you fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - The most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia' - but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line"! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha..". (Vizzini bullying Westley during the Battle of Wits, shortly after drinking the poison.) Vizzini braggs of his superintelligence and switching goblets when Westley's back is turned, finally takes a drink, to which Westley replies 'I'm dead inside.'. Then after bragging about falling for 'one of the classic blunders', Vizzini topples over dead in mid-laugh.
  • "He didn't fall?! INCONCEIVABLE!"
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