Racine: Phaedra

THE MISANTHROPE 295
Alceste. What possible understanding can we come to? Will
the decree of these gentlemen oblige me to speak highly
of the verses which are the cause of our quarrel? I can-
not retract what I have said ; I think them bad.
Philinte. But with a more conciliatory tone . . .
Alceste. I shall not yield ; the verses are execrable.
Philinte. Try to show yourself a little more tractable.
Come on.
Alceste. Unless an express command comes from the king
for me to approve of the verses about which so much ado
is made, by gad ! I shall maintain that they are detestable,
and that a man deserves to be hanged for having made
them. [To Clitandre and Acaste, zvho laugh.] 'Sdeath!
gentlemen, I did not think I was so amusing.
Celimene. Go quickly where you are wanted.
Alceste. I am going, madam, but I shall soon be back here
to finish our discussion.
ACT THIRD
Scene I.
Clitandre, Acaste
Clitandre. My dear marquis, I see you beaming with satis-
faction : you are amused at everything, and nothing seems
to alarm you. Now, do you really and truly believe, with-
out flattering yourself, that you have good reason to ap-
pear so joyful ?
Acaste. By Jove! I do not see, when looking at myself, that
I have any reason to be sad. I am rich and young; I
come of a family which can call itself noble with some
appearance of truth ; and I think that, thanks to the rank
I hold from my ancestors, there are few positions for
which I am not fit. As for courage, which we ought to
value above all things, it is well known, without boasting
on my part, that I am not wanting in that, and people
have seen me carry on a certain affair of honor with vigor
and determination enough. As for wit, I undoubtedly