Pierre Corneille quotes

Few people have heard of Pierre Corneille. He lived in the 1600s and much of his wisdom is as applicable today was when he wrote it.
Here are some of my favorites:


A first impulse was never a crime.


A good memory is needed after one has lied.


A liar is always lavish of oaths.


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


A Victory without danger is a triumph without glory.


After having won a scepter, few are so generous as to disdain the pleasures of ruling.


Alas, I emerge from one disaster to fall into a worse.


Ambition aspires to descend.


An example is often a deceptive mirror, and the order of destiny, so troubling to our thoughts, is not always found written in things past.


As great as kings may be, they are what we are: they can err like other men.


Brave men are brave from the very first.


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


Danger breeds best on too much confidence.


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


Desire increases when fulfillment is postponed.


Do your duty and leave the rest to heaven.


Do your duty, and leave the outcome to the Gods.


Do your duty, and let the gods do the rest.


Each instant of life is a step toward death.


Every man of courage is a man of his word.


Flee an enemy who knows your weakness.


Force is legitimate where gentleness avails not.


Guess, if you can, and choose, if you dare.


Happiness seems made to be shared.


He who allows himself to be insulted deserves to be so; and insolence, if unpunished, increases.


He who allows himself to be insulted deserves to be.


He who allows me to rule is in fact my master.


He who can live in infamy is unworthy of life.


He who does not fear death cares naught for threats.


He who fears not death fears not a threat.


He who forgives readily only invites offense.


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


He who pardons easily invites offense.


He who plays advisor is no longer ambassador.


How delicious is pleasure after torment!


I agree to, or rather aspire to, my doom.


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


I don't know how to defend myself: surprised innocence cannot imagine being under suspicion.


I have deserved neither so much honor or so much disgrace.


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


I would not like a king who could obey.


In recounting our woes, we often soothe them.


In the service of Caesar, everything is legitimate.


It is a crime against the State to be powerful enough to commit one.


It is the crime not the scaffold which is the disgrace.


It matters more how one gives than what one gives.


It takes good memory to keep up a lie.


Just vengeance does not call for punishment.


Love is a tyrant sparing none.


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


My reason, it's true, controls my feelings, but whatever its authority, it doesn't rule them so much as tyrannize them.


My sweetest hope is to lose hope.


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


Oh, how sweet it is to pity the fate of an enemy who can no longer threaten us!


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


One is often guilty by being too just.


One often calms one's grief by recounting it.


One ought to have a good memory when he has told a lie.


Peace is produced by war.


Reason and love are sworn enemies.


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


Severity is allowable where gentleness has no effect.


The crime and not the scaffold makes the shame.


The greater the effort, the greater the glory.


The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.


The subject of a good tragedy must not be realistic.


They who overcome their desires once can overcome them always.


This dark brightness that falls from the stars.


Those who easily forgive invite offenses.


To conquer without danger is to conquer without glory.


To die for one's country is such a worthy fate that all compete for so beautiful a death.


To he who avenges a father, nothing is impossible.


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


To vanquish without peril is to triumph without glory.


To win without risk is to triumph without glory.


Treachery is noble when aimed at tyranny.


True, I am young, but for souls nobly born valor doesn't await the passing of years.


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


We never taste happiness in perfection, our most fortunate successes are mixed with sadness.


We triumph without glory when we conquer without danger.


When the patient loves his disease, how unwilling he is to allow a remedy to be applied.


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


When we conquer without danger our triumph is without glory.