ACT V
Scène i. —Page 90. i la fourbe, the duplicity ; iox fourberie. 2 ma misère, my misfortitne.
1 1 Tranchant du généreux, setting up for a generous man.
12 pour ne pas Téventer, not to find it out. 14 la plus fine, the most skilful.
Page 91. 3 Epargnant son rival, were I to spare his rival,
10 que vous vous gênez, how you torture yourself.
Gêne {géhenjte)y from Hebrevv CeHinnom, was a much stronger word m Corneiile's time than now. M. Génin gives the word as an example of the influence of customs on language. The use of torture {ia gêne) being gradually forgotten, the word itself lost ils original force.
21 ne ferait que, 2£/^«/i/ ^///>/.
Page 92. 18 M'irait calomnier de quelque intelligence, would iolumniate me as ùetng in accord with the revolted people.
Page 93. 5 C'est à faire à, // will be advisable. M. de Julie vil le says : " Corneille always writes à faire à^ not affaire à ; besides, affaire îs only à faire, which has beconie a noun."
Scène 2. — 13 qui sente Tesclavage, which has anything slavish. Note the subjunctive after the négative implied in sans.
Page 94. 2 de la connaître, to know it (the law of the Christians ).
Page 96. 5 un change, for changement, (See Le Cidy line 1661) :
" Et vous m'osez pousser à la honte du change."
6 outrageux, insulting.
19 gagner temps (see line 2, page 63).
Scène 3. — Page 98. 9 Quels efforts à moi-même, whal efforts over mysetf ; à for sur (see line 16, p. 46).
23 ni votre foi, nor your fideltty (to him, Polyeucte).
24 \xi Le Cidy verse 929, Chimène says :
" De quoi qu'en ta faveur notre amour m'entretienne,** and Rodrigue (verse 945) says:
" De quoi qu'en ma faveur ton amour t'entretienne.'*
25 Je ne vous connais plus, si vous n*êtes chrétienne. Compare the famous line in Horace (Act IL, Scène 3), —
" Albe vous a nommé, je ne vous connais plus,"
and Curiace's reply;
"Je vous connais encore, et c'est ce qui me tue."
Page 99. 5 Un père est toujours père. Compare Racine, Phèdre (Act III., Scène 3), —
" Un père, en punissant, madame, est toujours père."
27 si détaché, so indiffèrent.
Page 100. 12 enfer, and 13 triompher, Norman rhyrr.es. 14 usent trop de remise, are too long delayed.
Page 101. I Je le ferais encore, si J'avais à le faire. Compare Le 0</, verses 877, 878 :
..." J'ai vengé mon honneur et mon père, Je le ferais encore si j'avais à le faire."
Polyeucte speaks hère as one inspire^ by the grandeur of his faith, His nobility of soûl is in striking contrast with the cowardly threats of Félix.
2 and 3 Let the student note the beautiful climax in thèse two verses.
Scène 4. — Page 102. 5 Ma bonté naturelle. In speaking of his natural goodness, after having sent his son in-law to death, Félix is not only odious, but somewhat ludicrous.
19 Qui tient je ne sais quoi d'une action trop noire. Which looks somewhat like too dark a deed.
Page 103. 7 die, archaic form for dise. M. Littré, however, says : *' It may still be kept in F"rench poetry." It was common ni the seventeenth century, and we ail remember Trissotin's famous quoi qtî*on die in Les femmes Savantes.
Scène 5. — Page 104, 2 Cette seconde hostie, that second vietim. Hostie is now exclusively a theological expression.
ç les mêmes matières, the same causes.
1 1 Je SUIS chrétienne enfin. Voltaire says : " This sudden conversion has shocked many people." The conversion of Pauline is not at ail incredible, considering her character, her spirit of abnega- Uon, her love for her husband, and the latter's death caused by her own father.
19 On m'y verra braver, / shall be seen to brave there (in the temple).
28 Puisqu'il t'assure en terre, since it strengthens your power on earth. En terre for sur terre.
The play, according to ail critics, should hâve ended with the death of Polyeucte and the conversion of Pauline. It is, however, of some interest to see Sévère once more, and to hear him generously pity Polyeucte's fate, and upbraid Félix for his cruelty.
