Pierre Corneille
Pierre Corneille
Pierre Corneillewas a French tragedian. He is generally considered one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Jean Racine...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionDramatist
Date of Birth6 June 1606
CountryFrance
play ambassadors advisors
He who plays advisor is no longer ambassador.
pardon offense invites
He who pardons easily invites offense.
forgiveness forgiving offense
He who forgives readily only invites offense.
insulted-him insolence deserve
He who allows himself to be insulted deserves to be.
force gentleness
Force is legitimate where gentleness avails not.
life inspire steps
Each instant of life is a step toward death.
sadness perfect joy
We never taste a perfect joy; our happiest successes are mixed with sadness.
severity effects gentleness
Severity is allowable where gentleness has no effect.
self feelings cynicism
As our self-interests differ, so do our feelings.
misfortunes
By speaking of our misfortunes we often relieve them. [Fr., A raconter ses maux souvent on les soulage.]
liars lying oath
A liar is always lavish of oaths. [Fr., Un menteur est toujours prodigue de serments.]
memories lying lied
A good memory is needed once we have lied. [Fr., Il faut bonne memoire apres qu'on a menti.]
happiness made seems
Happiness seems made to be shared. [Fr., Le bonheur semble fait pour etre partage.]
law broken benefits
It is a law, of the gods which is never broken, to sell somewhat dearly the great benefits which they confer on us.