Ami , Chaulieu

163. 19. This speech is delivered by Genest (who is about to become a martyr) in the character of a Christian on the stage.

165. 14. Cléopâtre is the mother of Antiochus, Rodogune his betrothed, and the object of Cléopatre’s hatred. Timagène, the brother of Antiochus, and his rival, has been found dead.

169. 4. This vigorous poem, which explains Corneille’s character for arrogance, and on which much of that character is founded, dates from just after the Cid quarrel and had reference to it.

178. 1 . Cathos and Magdelon are girls of the middle class, but of some wealth, who affect the Précieuse fashion. Their suitors, irritated at their airs and grâces, send their valets Jodelet and Mascarille to personate men of rank and fashion ; Cathos and Magdelon fall into the snare.

181. 10. Alceste, the honourable and downright, but somewhat churlish lover of Célimène, is présent at one of her ordinary réceptions where scandai forms the chief subject of conversation. Philinte is Alceste’s friend, Eliante Célimène’s cousin. Acaste and Clitandre are two of the ordinary ‘ marquis’-courtiers of rank, whom Molière was never tired of satirising.

185.31. This passage, which is perhaps not wholly in place, is a translation of Lucretius. It is understood to be a fragment of a complété version projected or accomplished by Molière.

194.ii. Penchant in the physical sense ‘incline,’ ‘ slope,’ instead of as usually now ‘ inclination,’ in the metaphorical sense.