"Life is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel."
— Jean Racine

"Le nom d'amant peut-être offense son courage;
Mais il en a les yeux, s'il n'en a le langage."
— Jean Racine

"Présente je vous fuis; absente, je vous trouve;
Dans le fond des forêts votre image me suit"
— Jean Racine (Phedre)

" I cherished you inconstant; what would I have done,
faithful? Now, even now, when your cruel mouth
so calmly speaks my death sentence, I wonder,
cold wretch, I wonder still, if I do not love you. "
— Jean Racine

"" je ne te hais point""
— Jean Racine (Phedre)

"Quand tu sauras mon crime, et le sort qui m'accable,
Je n'en mourrai pas moins, j'en mourrai plus coupable"
— Jean Racine (Phèdre)

"In their opinion, a tragedy with so little plot could not conform with the rules of drama. I enquired whether they were complaining that they had found my play boring. I was told that none of them was bored, that they were often touched by it, and that they would go and see it again with pleasure. What more do they want?"
— Jean Racine (Bérénice)