Esther

by Jean Racine

PASSÉ INDÉFINI.

With regard to the third tense, the PASSÉ INDÉFINI, there is no difficulty. It is used:

A. Precisely like the English compound of the past.

E.g., l. 30: le ciel a-t-il conduit . . . = "has heaven brought about. . ."

l. 158: a . . . conduit vos pas = "has guided your footsteps."

B. As a colloquial form of the passe defini in all its uses.

E.g., l. 24: j'ai su trouver = "I succeeded in finding."

l. 399: . . . que j'ai laissé plus calme = "whom I left . . ."