Le Cid is a five-act French tragicomedy written by Pierre Corneille, first performed in December 1636 at the Théâtre du Marais in Paris and published the same year. It is based on Guillén de Castro's play Las Mocedades del Cid. Castro's play in turn is based on the legend of El Cid.
“Oh! how many actions, how many fabulous exploits
Remain without glory in the midst of the night.”
Ô combien d’actions, combien d’exploits célèbres
Sont demeurés sans gloire au milieu des ténèbres.
Don Rodrigue, act IV, scene iii.
Le Cid (1636)
“Brave men are brave from the very first.”
Les hommes valeureux le sont du premier coup.
Chimène, act II, scene iii.
Le Cid (1636)
Don Diègue: Rodrigue, as-tu du coeur?
Don Rodrigue: Tout autre que mon père
L’éprouverait sur l’heure.
Act I, scene v.
Le Cid (1636)
“He who can live in infamy is unworthy of life.”
Qui peut vivre infâme est indigne du jour.
Don Diègue, act I, scene v.
Le Cid (1636)
“To conquer without risk is to triumph without glory.”
À vaincre sans péril, on triomphe sans gloire.
Don Gomès, act II, scene ii.
Le Cid (1636)
“One half of my life has put the other half in the grave.”
La moitié de ma vie a mis l’autre au tombeau.
Chimène, act III, scene iii.
Le Cid (1636)
“Love is a tyrant, sparing none.”
L'amour est un tyran qui n'épargne personne.
Doña Urraque, act I, scene ii.
Le Cid (1636)
“We never taste a perfect joy;
Our happiest successes are mixed with sadness.”
Jamais nous ne goûtons de parfaite allégresse:
Nos plus heureux succès sont mêlés de tristesse.
Don Diègue, act III, scene v.
Le Cid (1636)
“And the combat ceased for want of combatants.”
Et le combat cessa faute de combattants.
Don Rodrigue, act IV, scene iii.
Le Cid (1636)
“True, I am young, but for souls nobly born
Valor doesn’t await the passing of years.”
Je suis jeune, il est vrai; mais aux âmes bien nées
La valeur n’attend point le nombre des années.
Don Rodrigue, act II, scene ii.
Le Cid (1636)
“He who fears not death fears not a threat.”
Qui ne craint point la mort ne craint point les menaces.
Don Gomès, act II, scene i.
Le Cid (1636)
“The wrinkles on his forehead are the marks which his mighty deeds have engraved.”
Ses rides, sur son front, ont grave ses exploits.
Don Diego, act I, scene i.
Le Cid (1636)
“I can be forced to live without happiness,
But I will never consent to live without honor.”
L’on peut me réduire à vivre sans bonheur,
Mais non pas me résoudre à vivre sans honneur.
Don Gomès, act II, scene i.
Le Cid (1636)
“As great as kings may be, they are what we are: they can err like other men.”
Pour grands que soient les rois, ils sont ce que nous sommes:
Ils peuvent se tromper comme les autres hommes.
Don Gomès, act I, scene iii.
Le Cid (1636)
“To he who avenges a father, nothing is impossible.”
À qui venge son père, il n’est rien d’impossible.
Don Rodrigue, act II, scene ii.
Le Cid (1636)
