A Voyage to the Moon

89

Cyrano writes all proper names by musical notation, in imitation of the language of the moon as he has described it.

90

Possibly "field officers" here; in exact ranking, the Maréchal de Camp stands between Colonel and Lieutenant-Général, and corresponds to Brigadier-General.

91

Fencing sword. Cf. Shakspere, Hamlet:

"If he by chance escape your venomed tuck."

92

Cf. P. 95, n. 1 (#cn_73).

93

Folly, foolishness, ridiculous belief. Cf. Shakspere. Merry Wives of Windsor: "… drove the grossness of the foppery into a received belief."

94

Cf. the saying attributed to Galileo immediately after his public recantation (June 22, 1633): "E pur si muove" – "yet it does move."

95

The people, the populace. Cf. pp. 74 (#p_74) and 168 (#p_168).

96

"Libertinism" in seventeenth-century English is like the French libertinage, applied rather to licentiousness of opinion than of practice; so here it means rather "free thought" than free living.

97

Deference.

98

Cf. Gulliver's Voyage to Lilliput, chap. vi.

99

Respect.

100

Fr., Dieu Foyer. The change seems to be an interesting embroidery of the translator's fancy, since he has correctly translated the words as "Household God" on p. 76 (#p_76).

101

Fr., "sous une pomme de chou" under a cabbage-head; where, as too curious children are sometimes told in France, the babies are found. The English expression is exactly equivalent. Cf. Locke: "Sempronia dug Titus out of the parsley bed, as they used to tell children, and so became his mother."

102

Supported by the State. Cf. p. 34, n. 1 (#cn_18).

103

This and the following paragraphs appear to be an anticipation of the microbe theory.

104

Fr., "dont les Séditieux se sont gorgés" – with which the rebels have filled their bellies.

105

Cf. p. 95, n. 1.

106

Part and depart were interchangeable in the seventeenth century. Cf. Shakspere, Two Gentlemen of Verona:

"But now he parted hence ";

and, on the other hand, King John:

"Hath willingly departed with a part" (= given up a part).

107

Two alike, or all three alike.

108

Two sixes and a one.

109

Wondered at.

110

Notice that the basis of this discussion is the supposition that the visual rays start from the eye.

111

Lucretius.