Conan the Barbarian's famous quote on What is good in life? - he didn't really say it
One of the most famous quotes, perhaps the most famous quote, from Conan is: "Conan! What is best in life?" "To crush your enemies -- See them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women!"
As brilliant as director/writer John Milius is, he did not invent this dialogue. Who did? Was it taken from the Conan script by Oliver Stone that was rewritten by Milius? No, it came from a book. I know what you're thinking... a Robert E. Howard book, right? Wrong! Milius actually lifted it from a book by Harlod Lamb titled, GENGHIS KAHN: THE EMPEROR OF ALL MEN, pages 106-107:
One day in the pavilion at Karakorum he [Genghis Kahn] asked an officer of the Mongol guard what, in all the world, could bring the greatest happiness.
"The open steppe, a clear day, and a swift horse under you," responded the officer after a little thought, "and a falcon on your wrist to start up hares."
"Nay," responded the Kahn, "to crush your enemies, to see them fall at your feet -- to take their horses and goods and hear the lamentation of their women. That is best."
www.barbariankeep.com/ctbsecrets.html
So, now you know.
I am proud to serve to clear up misconceptions about the famous fictional, hyper-masculine and macho hero Conan. Maybe he was really a sensitive guy at heart, just misunderstood. 
= new reply since forum marked as read
because a whim of chance caused him to run with the watch-dogs.
"I carry twenty-three great wounds, all got in battle. Seventy-five men have I killed with my own hands in battle. I scatter, I burn my enemies' tents. I take away their flocks and herds. The Turks pay me a golden treasure, yet I am poor! Because *I* am a river to my people!"
I prefer Auda's philosophy - Conan and Genghis didn't seem so keen on being a river to the people...
Laurence makes it clear that he knows Auda is secretly keeping much of the wealth he extracts from the Turks for himself. He's a bit of a... well, a thief. 
I love that movie. Someone recently pointed out the pivotal scene to me, which I never really got in all the times I've watched it. It's when Laurence is standing in the desert and he sees that ship go by beyond a dune. Someone repeatedly calls to him, asking, "who are you?", and Laurence just stands there slack-jawed. I always just assumed it was because he's just been through a traumatic event, but as it was pointed out to me, that's the scene that really clobbers you over the head with Laurence's identity crisis.
I've seen some references - the Wiki page mentions it, for instance - that Auda's descendants really didn't like his portrayal in the movie. Perhaps that skimming of the turkish payoff was part of their objection.
I really like that canal scene as well, and I think it's supposed to be echoed at the very end: the person at the canal as I recall was a motorcycle courier, and at the very end of the movie another courier zips by just before Lawrence's chauffeur asks "Home, sir? Going home?" I guess the "who are you?" question was never really answered...
Christie has found his inner Ah-nold! ...
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