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CARBON： 'Spolia opima！'
ALL （laughing）： Ah！ ah！ ah！
CUIGY： He who laid that ambush； 'faith！ Must curse and swear！
BRISSAILLE： Who was it？
DE GUICHE： I myself。 （The laughter stops）： I charged them
work too dirty for my sword； To punish and chastise a rhymster sot。
（Constrained silence。）
The CADET （in a low voice； to Cyrano； showing him the beavers）：
What do with them？ They're full of grease！a stew？
CYRANO （taking the sword and； with a salute； dropping the hats at
De Guiche's feet）： Sir； pray be good enough to render them Back to
your friends。
DE GUICHE （rising； sharply）： My chair therequick！I go！ （To
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
Cyrano passionately）： As to you； sirrah！。 。 。
VOICE （in the street）： Porters for my lord De Guiche！
DE GUICHE （who has controlled himselfsmiling）： Have you read
'Don Quixote'？
CYRANO： I have！ And doff my hat at th' mad knight…errant's
name。
DE GUICHE： I counsel you to study。 。 。
A PORTER （appearing at back）： My lord's chair！
DE GUICHE： 。 。 。The windmill chapter！
CYRANO （bowing）： Chapter the Thirteenth。
DE GUICHE： For when one tilts 'gainst windmillsit may
chance。 。 。
CYRANO： Tilt I 'gainst those who change with every breeze？
DE GUICHE： 。 。 。That windmill sails may sweep you with their
arm Downin the mire！。 。 。
CYRANO： Or upwardto the stars！
（De Guiche goes out； and mounts into his chair。 The other lords go
away whispering together。 Le Bret goes to the door with them。 The
crowd disperses。）
SCENE 2。VIII。
Cyrano； Le Bret； the cadets； who are eating and drinking at the tables
right and left。
CYRANO （bowing mockingly to those who go out without daring to
salute him）： Gentlemen。 。 。Gentlemen。 。 。
LE BRET （coming back； despairingly）： Here's a fine coil！
CYRANO： Oh！ scold away！
LE BRET： At least； you will agree That to annihilate each
chance of Fate Exaggerates。 。 。
CYRANO： Yes！I exaggerate！
LE BRET （triumphantly）： Ah！
CYRANO： But for principleexample too； I think 'tis well
thus to exaggerate。
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
LE BRET： Oh！ lay aside that pride of musketeer； Fortune and
glory wait you！。 。 。
CYRANO： Ay； and then？。 。 。 Seek a protector； choose a patron
out； And like the crawling ivy round a tree That licks the bark to
gain the trunk's support； Climb high by creeping ruse instead of force？
No； grammercy！ What！ I； like all the rest Dedicate verse to
bankers？play buffoon In cringing hope to see； at last； a smile Not
disapproving； on a patron's lips？ Grammercy； no！ What！ learn to
swallow toads？ With frame aweary climbing stairs？a skin Grown
grimed and horny；here； about the knees？ And； acrobat…like； teach my
back to bend？ No； grammercy！ Or；double…faced and sly Run
with the hare； while hunting with the hounds； And； oily…tongued； to win
the oil of praise； Flatter the great man to his very nose？ No；
grammercy！ Steal soft from lap to lap； A little great man in a circle
small； Or navigate； with madrigals for sails； Blown gently windward
by old ladies' sighs？ No； grammercy！ Bribe kindly editors To
spread abroad my verses？ Grammercy！ Or try to be elected as the
pope Of tavern…councils held by imbeciles？ No； grammercy！ Toil
to gain reputation By one small sonnet； 'stead of making many？ No；
grammercy！ Or flatter sorry bunglers？ Be terrorized by every prating
paper？ Say ceaselessly； 'Oh； had I but the chance Of a fair notice in
the 〃Mercury〃！' Grammercy； no！ Grow pale； fear； calculate？ Prefer
to make a visit to a rhyme？ Seek introductions； draw petitions up？
No； grammercy！ and no！ and no again！ Butsing？ Dream； laugh； go
lightly； solitary； free； With eyes that look straight forwardfearless
voice！ To cock your beaver just the way you choose； For 'yes' or
'no' show fight； or turn a rhyme！ To work without one thought of gain
or fame； To realize that journey to the moon！ Never to pen a line
that has not sprung Straight from the heart within。 Embracing then
Modesty； say to oneself； 'Good my friend； Be thou content with
flowers；fruit；nay； leaves； But pluck them from no garden but thine
own！' And then； if glory come by chance your way； To pay no
tribute unto Caesar； none； But keep the merit all your own！ In short；
Disdaining tendrils of the parasite； To be content； if neither oak nor
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
elm Not to mount high； perchance； but mount alone！
LE BRET： Alone； an if you will！ But not with hand 'Gainst
every man！ How in the devil's name Have you conceived this lunatic
idea； To make foes for yourself at every turn？
CYRANO： By dint of seeing you at every turn Make friends；
and fawn upon your frequent friends With mouth wide smiling； slit
from ear to ear！ I pass； still unsaluted； joyfully； And cry；What； ho！
another enemy？
LE BRET： Lunacy！
CYRANO： Well； what if it be my vice； My pleasure to
displeaseto love men hate me！ Ah； friend of mine； believe me； I
march better 'Neath the cross…fire of glances inimical！ How droll the
stains one sees on fine…laced doublets； From gall of envy； or the
poltroon's drivel！ The enervating friendship which enfolds you Is
like