Pierre Corneille Quotes

The greater the effort, the greater the glory.

A liar is always lavish of oaths.

These flattering mirrors reflect imperfectly what is within; the countenance is often a gay deceiver. What defects of mind lie hidden under its beauty! What fair exteriors conceal base souls!

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.

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

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.

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

He who plays advisor is no longer ambassador.

The man who pardons easily courts injury.

Time is a great manager: it arranges things well.

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.

All evils are equal when they are extreme.

One is often guilty by being too just.

Happiness seems made to be shared.

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

Do your duty and leave the rest to heaven.

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

Just vengeance does not call for punishment.

In relating our misfortunes, we often feel them lightened.

Peace is produced by war.

It matters more how one gives than what one gives

Treachery is noble when aimed at tyranny.

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

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

What destroys one man preserves another.

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.

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

A liar is full of oaths.

Obedience is a hard profession.

Danger breeds best on too much confidence.

To he who avenges a father, nothing is impossible

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

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

He who despises life is his life's master.

There are secret ties, there are sympathies, by the sweet relationship of which souls that are well matched attach themselves to each other, and are affected by I know not what, which cannot be explained

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

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

We triumph without glory when we conquer without danger.

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 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.