Corneille Quotes

The greater the effort, the greater the glory.

A liar is always lavish of oaths.

Self-love is the source of all our other loves.

Heaven often regulates effects by their causes, and pays the wicked what they have deserved.

When there is no peril in the fight there is no glory in the triumph.

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.

Clemency is the noblest trait which can reveal a true monarch to the world.

To take revenge halfheartedly is to court disaster; either condemn or crown your hatred.

He who plays advisor is no longer ambassador.

Time is a great manager: it arranges things well.

The man who pardons easily courts injury.

All great virtues become great men.

Deceit is the game of petty spirits, and that is by nature a woman's quality.

To win without risk is to triumph without glory.

Brave men are brave from the very first.

He who forgives readily only invites offense.

Happiness seems made to be shared.

One is often guilty by being too just.

All evils are equal when they are extreme.

Master of the universe but not of myself, I am the only rebel against my absolute power.

Just vengeance does not call for punishment.

Peace is produced by war.

In relating our misfortunes, we often feel them lightened.

By speaking of our misfortunes we often relieve them. [Fr., A raconter ses maux souvent on les soulage.]

Treachery is noble when aimed at tyranny.

Do your duty and leave the rest to heaven.

It matters more how one gives than what one gives

Love lives on hope, and dies when hope is dead; It is a flame which sinks for lack of fuel.

Oh rage! Oh despair! Oh age, my enemy!

What destroys one man preserves another.

He who is hated by all can not expect to live long.

I see, I know, I believe, I am undeceived.

As for our gods, we have a few too many to be true.

If you betray me, can I take a better revenge than to love the person you hate?

A liar is full of oaths.

Obedience is a hard profession.

We triumph without glory when we conquer without danger.

I can be forced to live without happiness, but I will never consent to live without honor.

To he who avenges a father, nothing is impossible

A true king is neither husband nor father; he considers his throne and nothing else.

Good fortune leads one to the highest glory, But to renounce it calls for equal courage.

He who despises life is his life's master.

Let us attend to the present, and as to the future we shall know how to manage when the occasion arrives.

Danger breeds best on too much confidence.

Liberty may be of no more use Than stirring up the flame of civil wars; Then, by disorder fatal to the world, One wants no king, the other wants no equal.

He who allows himself to be insulted deserves to be so; and insolence, if unpunished, increases! [Lat., Qui se laisse outrager, merite qu'on l'outrage Et l'audace impunie enfle trop un courage.]

We never taste a perfect joy; our happiest successes are mixed with sadness.

Whoever can do as he pleases, commands when he entreats.

One half of my life has put the other half in the grave.

He who allows himself to be insulted deserves to be.