Pierre Corneille: Rule

Pierre Corneille was French tragedian. Explore interesting quotes on rule.

Pierre Corneille: 162 quotes2 likes

“He has served me too well;
By increasing my power he has stolen it away:
He is now my subject only so long as he pleases.
He who allows me to rule is in fact my master.”

Pierre Corneille Nicomède

Prusias, act II, scene i.
Nicomède (1651)

“My reason, it’s true, controls my feelings,
But whatever its authority,
It doesn’t rule them so much as tyrannize them.”

Pierre Corneille Polyeucte

Ma raison, il est vrai, dompte mes sentiments,
Mais, quelque autorité que sur eux elle ait prise,
Elle n'y règne pas, elle les tyrannise.
Pauline, act II, scene ii.
Polyeucte (1642)

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

Pierre Corneille Cinna

Peu de généreux vont jusqu'à dédaigner,
Après un sceptre acquis, la douceur de régner.
Maxime, act II, scene i.
Cinna (1641)

“A monarch must sometimes rule even himself:
He who wants everything must risk very little.”

Pierre Corneille Tite et Bérénice

Un monarque a souvent des lois à s'imposer;
Et qui veut pouvoir tout ne doit pas tout oser.
Tite, act IV, scene v.
Tite et Bérénice (Titus and Berenice) (1670)