[“Proximus sum egomet mihi.” = I myself am nearest to myself.—Terence.]
La charité, s’il vous plaît! = Please give me a penny!
Charlemagne
Faire Charlemagne = To leave off a winner, without giving one’s adversaries a chance of revenge.
[Génin explains this as a shortened form of faire comme Charlemagne, who died without losing any of the conquests he had made.]
Charrette
Mettre la charrette (or, charrue) devant les bœufs = To put the cart before the horse.
[Lucian says: ἡ ἅμαξα τὸν βοῦν ἕλκει = The waggon drags the ox.]
Mieux vaut être cheval que charrette = Better lead than be led.