I do hate a proud man as I hate the engendering of toads.
(William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Ajax, in Troilus and Cressida, act 2, sc. 3, l. 158-9.
Nestor wisely comments, "And yet he loves himself.")
(Pierre Corneille (1606-1684), French playwright. Chimène, in The Cid, act 3, sc. 4 (1637).
Chimène declares she still loves Rodrigue, who has killed her father. One of the most famous expressions in Corneille (Va, je ne te hais point), the most cited French example of classical understatement, or litotes (expressing the affirmative by negating its opposite).)
(Pierre Corneille (1606-1684), French playwright. Pulchérie, in Héraclius, act 5, sc. 2 (1647).
Pulchérie, to the hero, in doubt whether to kill a tyrant who might be his father.)
(Gilbert Ralston, U.S. screenwriter, and Daniel Mann. Willard (Bruce Davison), Willard, to his cruel employer, just before attacking him with rats (1971).)