How we cite our quotes: (Act.Line)
Quote #1
CHRISTIAN
Then she may be
One of those aesthetes… Intellectuals,
You call them—How can I talk to a woman
In that style? I have no wit. This fine manner
Of speaking and of writing nowadays—
Not for me! I am a soldier—and afraid. (I.77-82)
Christian readily admits that he is not a clever man when it comes to speaking. This shows that the speech and writing of 17th-century France were relatively refined and complex.
Quote #2
FIRST MARQUIS [on Comte de Guiche]
Gascon, yes—but cold
And calculating—certain to succeed—
My word for it. (I.173-175)
Comte de Guiche is known for his deviousness. His intelligence, in sharp contrast to Cyrano’s, is characterized as morally corrupt, merciless, and even evil. Where Cyrano’s intelligence is spirited and often improvisatory, de Guiche’s is more cold and calculating—and often geared toward seeking revenge.
Quote #3
MONTFLEURY (After bowing to the applause, begins the role of Phedon)
"Thrice happy he who hides from pomp and power
In sylvan shade of solitary bower;
Where balmy zephyrs fan his burning cheeks—"
A VOICE (From the midst of the hall)
Wretch! Have I not forbade you these three weeks? […]
THE CROWD
Ah!...
CYRANO (Arises in the centre of the floor, erect upon a chair, his arms folded, his hat cocked ferociously, his moustache bristling, his nose terrible.)
Presently I shall grow angry!
(Sensation at his appearance)
MONTFLEURY (To the Marquis)
Messieurs,
If you protect me—
A MARQUIS (Nonchalantly)
Well—proceed!
CYRANO
Fat swine!
If you dare breathe one balmy zephyr,
I’ll fan your cheeks for you! (I.213-226)
Cyrano uses Montfleury’s own opening lines from La Clorise to mock and threaten him and eventually shame him off the stage.
Quote #4
CYRANO (To those who are shouting and crowding about him)
Pray you, be gentle with my scabbard here—
She’ll put her tongue out at you presently!—
(The circle enlarges.) (I.241-242)
In keeping with his sophisticated wordplay, Cyrano threatens the crowd with his sword, but does so in somewhat subdued language. Instead of "drawing his sword," Cyrano says the scabbard will "put her tongue out at you," as if his insult is merely annoying, not potentially harmful. The crowd, however, gets the message and backs off.
Quote #5
RAGUENEAU (Raises his head; returns to mere earth.)
Over the coppers of my kitchen flows
The frosted-silver dawn. Silence awhile
The god who sings within thee, Ragueneau!
Lay down the lute—the oven calls for thee!
(Rises; goes to one of the cooks.)
Here’s a hiatus in your sauce; fill up
The measure.
THE COOK How much?
RAGUENEAU (Measures on his finger.)
more dactyl.
THE COOK
Huh?...
FIRST PASTRYCOOK
Rolls!
SECOND PASTRYCOOK
Roulades!
RAGUENEAU (Before the fireplace)
Veil, O Muse, thy virgin eyes
From the lewd gleam of these terrestrial fires!
(To First Pastrycook)
Your rolls lack balance. Here’s the proper form—
An equal hemistich on either side,
And the caesura in between.
(To another, pointing out an unfinished pie)
Your house
Of crust should have a roof upon it.
(To another, who is seated on the hearth, placing poultry on a spit)
And you—
Along the interminable spit, arrange
The modest pullet and the lordly Turk
Alternately, my son—as great Malherbe
Alternates male and female rimes. Remember,
A couplet, or a roast, should be well turned. (II.3-19)
The clever and pretentious Ragueneau steeps his discussion with pastry cooks in the language of poetry. He uses terms referring to poetry’s meter to describe aspects of food; for example he uses "hiatus" to mean "not enough" when referring to the sauce, and "dactyl" to measure the amount the cook needs to fill something up. A dactyl is a metrical term, based off the Greek word meaning "finger," referring a metrical foot consisting of one long (or accented) syllable followed by two short (or unaccented) syllables. Other examples include Ragueneau’s use of "hemistich," "caesura," and "male and female rimes." He ends his clever speech with a phrase that could apply to either to roasted fowl or a good poem—"well turned."
Quote #6
ROXANE
Now tell me things.
CHRISTIAN (After a silence)
I love you.
ROXANE (Closes her eyes.)
Yes,
Speak to me about love…
CHRISTIAN
I love you.
Roxane:
Now
Be eloquent!...
CHRISTIAN
I love—
[…]
CHRISTIAN
I love—
ROXANE
I know; you love me. Adieu.
(She goes to the house.)
CHRISTIAN
No,
But wait—please—let me—I was going to say—
ROXANE (Pushes the door open.)
That you adore me. Yes; I know that too.
No!... Go away!...
(She goes in and shuts the door in his face.)
CHRISTIAN
I… I… (III.175-194)
Christian is as impeded by his ineloquence as Cyrano is by his nose.
Quote #7
CYRANO
Christian, be quiet!
ROXANE (Leaning over.)
What is that you say
To yourself?
CYRANO
I am angry with myself
Because I go too far, and so I say
To myself: "Christian, be quiet!" (III.350-353)
Cyrano is quick enough on his feet to keep from revealing his true identity and he manages to convince Roxane it is truly Christian speaking, even while he is holding an argument with the real Christian underneath the balcony.
Quote #8
CYRANO (The theorbos begin to play.)
Hark—someone
Is coming—
(Roxane closes her window. Cyrano listens to the theorobos, one of which plays a gay melody, the other a mournful one.)
A sad tune, a merry tune—
Man, woman—what do they mean?—
(A Capuchin enters; he carries a lantern, and goes from house to house, looking at the doors.)
Aha!—a priest! (III.354-355)
Rostand shows a bit of his own cleverness here by playing on the celibacy of the monks. Thus, even though the Capuchin is undoubtedly male, he does not have sex and his gender is therefore somewhat ambiguous. Thus, Rostand has the musicians indicate that both a man and a woman are approaching.
Quote #9
ROXANE (In a tragic tone)
Oh, this is terrible!
THE CAPUCHIN (Turns the light of his lantern on Cyrano.)
You are to be—
CHRISTIAN
I am the bridegroom!
THE CAPUCHIN (Turns his lantern upon Christian; then, as if some suspicion crossed his mind, upon seeing the young man so handsome.)
ROXANE (Quickly)
Look here—
"Postscript: Give to the Convent in my name
One hundred and twenty pistols"—
THE CAPUCHIN
Think of it!
A worthy lord—a very worthy lord!...
(To Roxane, solemnly)
Daughter, resign yourself! (III.441-446)
Roxane improvises to change the contents of the letter to her advantage. The simple Capuchin is completely taken in and agrees to marry the two, especially when Roxane adds a postscript (another clever device) detailing a donation to his convent.
Quote #10
CYRANO
Now then, to make
His Grace delay that quarter of an hour…
I have it!—up here—
(He steps on the bench, and climbs up the wall toward the balcony. The theorobos begin to play a mournful melody.)
Sad music—Ah, a man!...
(The music pauses on a sinister tremolo.)
Oh—very much a man! (III.450-453)
Again, Rostand cleverly plays with the idea of genders indicated in music. Comte de Guiche is a very powerful and respected man, so the music warning of his entrance is especially mournful and sinister. It ends on a string tremolo—as if even the musician is scared of him.
Quote #11
FIRST CADET
I have something on my mind that troubles me.
CYRANO
What is that?
FIRST CADET
My stomach.
CYRANO
So have I.
FIRST CADET
No doubt
You enjoy this!
CYRANO (Tightens his belt.)
It keeps me looking young.
SECOND CADET
My teeth are growing rusty.
CYRANO
Sharpen them!
THIRD CADET
My belly sounds as hollow as a drum.
CYRANO
Beat the long roll on it!
FOURTH CADET
My ears are ringing.
Liar! A hungry belly has no ears.
FIFTH CADET
Oh for a barrel of good wine!
CYRANO (Offers him his own helmet.)
Your casque.
SIXTH CADET
I’ll swallow anything!
CYRANO (Throws him the book which he has in his hand.)
Try the "Iliad."
SEVENTH CADET
The Cardinal, he has four meals a day—
What does he care!
CYRANO
Ask him; he really ought
To send you… a spring lamb out of his flock,
Roasted whole—
THE CADET
Yes, and a bottle—
CYRANO (Exaggerates the manner of one speaking to a servant.)
If you please,
Richelieu—a little more of the Red Seal…
Ah, thank you!
THE CADET
And the salad—
CYRANO
Of course—Romaine! (IV.50-65)
Cyrano uses his clever wordplay for good, in this case to distract the men from their hunger.
Quote #12
ROXANE (Comes out of the coach.)
Good morning!
(At the sound of a woman’s voices, every head is raised. Sensation.)
DE GUICHE
On the King’s service—You?
ROXANE
Yes—my own king—
Love! (IV.234-235)
Roxane shows her cleverness by making a pun on "king"; it is clever enough to get her through the enemy Spanish lines.
Quote #13
CHRISTIAN
She loves
You.
CYRANO
No!
CHRISTIAN (Bitterly)
She loves only my soul.
CYRANO
No!
CHRISTIAN
Yes—
That means you. And you love her. (IV.470-472)
Christian, though ineloquent, isn’t a dumb man; he’s smart enough to realize that Cyrano loves Roxane.
Quote #14
ROXANE
Did you tell him
To go away?
CYRANO
For the time being, yes.
I said: "Excuse me—this is Saturday—
I have a previous engagement, one
I cannot miss, even for you—Come back
An hour from now." (V.159-164)
Cyrano puns about his tardiness; the audience understands that the visitor to whom he refers is death. This mingling of the comedic and the tragic is a great reflection of the play’s tone.