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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
Les hommes valeureux le sont du premier coup.
Chimène, act II, scene iii.
Le Cid (1636)
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
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.”
Pierre Corneille book Le Cid
À qui venge son père, il n’est rien d’impossible.
Don Rodrigue, act II, scene ii.
Le Cid (1636)
