1.
The greater the effort, the greater the glory.
Pierre Corneille
2.
A liar is always lavish of oaths.
Pierre Corneille
3.
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!
Pierre Corneille
4.
Self-love is the source of all our other loves.
Pierre Corneille
5.
Heaven often regulates effects by their causes, and pays the wicked what they have deserved.
Pierre Corneille
6.
When there is no peril in the fight there is no glory in the triumph.
Pierre Corneille
7.
Clemency is the noblest trait which can reveal a true monarch to the world.
Pierre Corneille
8.
The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.
Pierre Corneille
9.
To take revenge halfheartedly is to court disaster; either condemn or crown your hatred.
Pierre Corneille
10.
He who plays advisor is no longer ambassador.
Pierre Corneille
11.
The man who pardons easily courts injury.
Pierre Corneille
12.
Time is a great manager: it arranges things well.
Pierre Corneille
13.
All great virtues become great men.
Pierre Corneille
14.
Deceit is the game of petty spirits, and that is by nature a woman's quality.
Pierre Corneille
15.
To win without risk is to triumph without glory.
Pierre Corneille
16.
Brave men are brave from the very first.
Pierre Corneille
17.
He who forgives readily only invites offense.
Pierre Corneille
18.
All evils are equal when they are extreme.
Pierre Corneille
19.
One is often guilty by being too just.
Pierre Corneille
20.
Happiness seems made to be shared.
Pierre Corneille
21.
Love lives on hope, and dies when hope is dead; It is a flame which sinks for lack of fuel.
Pierre Corneille
22.
Do your duty and leave the rest to heaven.
Pierre Corneille
23.
Master of the universe but not of myself, I am the only rebel against my absolute power.
Pierre Corneille
24.
Just vengeance does not call for punishment.
Pierre Corneille
25.
In relating our misfortunes, we often feel them lightened.
Pierre Corneille
26.
Peace is produced by war.
Pierre Corneille
27.
It matters more how one gives than what one gives
Pierre Corneille
28.
Treachery is noble when aimed at tyranny.
Pierre Corneille
29.
By speaking of our misfortunes we often relieve them.
[Fr., A raconter ses maux souvent on les soulage.]
Pierre Corneille
30.
If you betray me, can I take a better revenge than to love the person you hate?
Pierre Corneille
31.
What destroys one man preserves another.
Pierre Corneille
32.
Oh rage! Oh despair! Oh age, my enemy!
Pierre Corneille
33.
As for our gods, we have a few too many to be true.
Pierre Corneille
34.
I see, I know, I believe, I am undeceived.
Pierre Corneille
35.
He who is hated by all can not expect to live long.
Pierre Corneille
36.
A liar is full of oaths.
Pierre Corneille
37.
Obedience is a hard profession.
Pierre Corneille
38.
Danger breeds best on too much confidence.
Pierre Corneille
39.
To he who avenges a father, nothing is impossible
Pierre Corneille
40.
Good fortune leads one to the highest glory, But to renounce it calls for equal courage.
Pierre Corneille
41.
A true king is neither husband nor father; he considers his throne and nothing else.
Pierre Corneille
42.
He who despises life is his life's master.
Pierre Corneille
43.
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
Pierre Corneille
44.
Let us attend to the present, and as to the future we shall know how to manage when the occasion arrives.
Pierre Corneille
45.
I can be forced to live without happiness, but I will never consent to live without honor.
Pierre Corneille
46.
We triumph without glory when we conquer without danger.
Pierre Corneille
47.
Whoever can do as he pleases, commands when he entreats.
Pierre Corneille
48.
One half of my life has put the other half in the grave.
Pierre Corneille
49.
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.]
Pierre Corneille
50.
We never taste a perfect joy; our happiest successes are mixed with sadness.
Pierre Corneille
