Pierre 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.

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.]

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

Just vengeance does not call for punishment.

Treachery is noble when aimed at tyranny.

Do your duty and leave the rest to heaven.

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

It matters more how one gives than what one gives

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

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

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

What destroys one man preserves another.

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.

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

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

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

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

He who despises life is his life's master.

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

Danger breeds best on too much confidence.

To he who avenges a father, nothing is impossible

He who allows himself to be insulted deserves to be.

This dark brightness that falls from the stars.

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

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

For souls nobly born, valor doesn't await the passing of years

How delicious is pleasure after torment!

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.