Scène 5. —Page 85. 6 d'étranges manies, strange follie s (fancies

13 j'en aurais fait mes Dieux, l shoiild hâve made t/tem my ^ods. Ail this verse and the next seem to us affected and exaggerated, and tend to mar, to a certain extent, the beauty of Sévère's words. Let us, however, remember again that Corneille was influenced hère by the languagc of the Précieuses,

16 Et que cette chaleur, qui sent vos premiers feux, and that this warmth xvhich rccalls yoiir first love. This line literally translated would seem ridiculous. In the language of poetry and in the style of tragedy it is appropriate.

17 ne pousse quelque suite, shonld bring on conséquences.

19 Mon Polyeucte, my Polyeucte. A beautiful use of the possessive adjective,

21 encore qu'innocemment, although innocently.

Page 86 2 tournerait toute en haine, for se tournerait ; would ail tu m to hatred.

10 Mais plus l'effort est grand, plus la gloire en est grande. Compare this verse with Le Cid, Act II., Scène 2:

"A vaincre sans péril, on triomphe sans gloire,"

13 Et si ce n'est assez de votre renommée. And if your

renowfi is not sufficieut. Compare with Camille's imprécations, Horace^ Act IV., Scène 5:

" Et si ce n'est assez de toute l'Italie Que rOrient contre elle à l'Occident s'allie."

15 toucher, and 16 cher. Thèse rhymes appear to be only for the eye. They were, however, says M. de Julleville, " thosc rhymes which were called A^orman, because in Normandy, final r was always mute ; cher was pronounced ché^ and even mer was pronounced wcf."

Scène 6. — 21 Qu'est-ce-ci. The correct spelling, as given in the best texls, and not qu'est-ceci.

Page 87. 5 elle ait osé renaître, elle in this verse and in the next refers to espérance in verse 2.

24 injurieux, unjust.

Page 88. 1 5 avec confidence, for en confidence^ in confidence.

23 Cérès Eleusine et la Bonne Déesse. Ceres, the Greek Demeter, the Egyptian Isis, adored at Eleusis, near Athens. La Bonne Déesse (Bona Dea)^ Cybele, daughter of Cœlus and Terra, and wife of Saturn. It is supposed that the mysteries of Cybele were iirst known about 1 580 years B.c.

Page 89. i sans fard, openly (without deceit). 8 pour être de vrais Dieux. The modem construction would be : pour qu'ils soient de vrais Dieux.

After this verse were the four following, which Corneille suppressed in 1660 :

" Peut-être qu'après tout ces croyances publiques Ne sont qu'inventions de sages politiques. Pour contenir un peuple ou bien pour l'émouvoir, Et dessus sa faiblesse affermir leur pouvoir."

Corneille, it is said, regretted having written thèse verses, as they might hâve been misconstrued.

10 Four verses after this one were also suppressed in 1660.

"Jamais un adultère, un traître, un assassin. Jamais d'ivrognerie, et jamais de larcin : Ce n'est qu'amour entre eux, que charité sincère, Chacun y chérit l'autre et le secourt en frère."

Voltaire says that thèse verses were considered too simple. Were they not suppressed because Corneille found the coiitrast too great between the early Christians and those of his tiine?

II Ils font des voeux pour nous qui les persécutons. The following remarks by Voltaire are very interesting : " Observe hère that Racine, in ' Esther * (Act 111., Scène 4), expresses the same idea m five verses :

* Tandis que votre main sur eux appesantie A leurs persécuteurs les hvrait sans secours, Ils conjuraient ce Dieu de veiller sur vos jours De rompre des méchants les trames criminelles, De mettre votre trône à l'ombre de ses ailes.'

Sévère, vvho speaks as a statesman, says only one word, and that Word is full of energy. Esther, who wishes to touch Assuérus, extends the idea further. Sévère makes only a reflection ; Usther makes a prayer ; thus, the one must be concise, and the other musC use an éloquence which may touch the heart."