Molière Quotes

Que jamais par la force on n'entra dans un coeur,
Et que toute âme est libre à nommer son vainqueur.

Mademoiselle De Brie: But it can't be much fun seeing your work torn to shreds.

Moliere: What do I care? Didn't I get everything I wanted from my play? I was lucky — it appealed to the distinguished audience I was particularly eager to please. Don't you think I'm right to be happy with how it turned out? Can't you see that their attacks have come too late? It's out of my hands at this point. If people attack a successful play, they're attacking the audience who liked it, for their lack of judgement, not the art of the man who wrote the play, don't you see?

ORGON. Brother, your language smacks of atheism; And I suspect your soul's a little tainted Therewith. I've preached to you a score of times That you'll draw down some judgment on your head.

true heroes never are the ones Who make much noise about their deeds

ARNOLPHE. WAS SHE sad after I went away? Georgette. Sad? No. Arnolphe. No? Georgette. Yes, yes. Arnolphe. Why, then? Georgette. May I die on the spot, but she expected to see you return every minute; and we never heard a horse, an ass, or a mule pass by without her thinking it was you.

We'll let time knit these gentle ties between us.

DORINE. Then what's your plan about this other match? MARIANE. To kill myself, if it is forced upon me. DORINE. Good! That's a remedy I hadn't thought of. Just die, and everything will be all right. This medicine is marvellous, indeed! It drives me mad to hear folk talk such nonsense. MARIANE. Oh dear, Dorine you get in such a temper! You have no sympathy for people's troubles. DORINE. I have no sympathy when folk talk nonsense, And flatten out as you do, at a pinch.

Las cosas no valen sino lo que se las hace valer.

Appearances can deceive the keenest mind.
Remember my example, and be wise:
When things look simple, don't believe your eyes.

Good sense avoids all extremes, and requires us to be soberly rational. This unbending and virtuous stiffness of ancient times shocks too much the ordinary customs of our own; it requires too great perfection from us mortals; we must yield to the times without being too stubborn; it is the height of folly to busy ourselves in correcting the world.

All the ills of mankind, all the tragic misfortunes that fill the history books, all the political blunders, all the failures of the great leaders have arisen merely from a lack of skill at dancing

...y, por dejarlo claro, el amigo del género humano, no lo es mío.

The heart can do anything.

Plus on aime quelqu'un, moins il faut qu'on le flatte: À rien pardonner le pur amour éclate.

One ought to examine himself for a very long time before thinking of condemning others.