Thus a. Simple occurrence, which is the introduction of a new action now beginning to take place, takes the passé défini.
E.g., l. 19: . . . ajouta-t-il, . . . = "he [then] added."
l. 26: . . . qui sauva nos aïeux = "which [once before] saved our forefathers."
l. 494.: il trembla pour sa vie = "he began to tremble for his life."
b. Continuous duration through a completed period of time which may be expressed or implied, takes the passé défini.
E.g., l. 4: . . . fus de mes premiers ans la compagne assidue = "wast the constant companion of my earliest years."
l. 272: . . . qui ne furent jamais = "who never [in all time] had existence."
l. 477: . . . il fut des Juifs = "there was once [but is no more] a race of Jews."
NOTE that the action may be stated as recurring a given or indefinite number of times, and yet the verb will not be in the imperfect.
E.g., l. 249: Mon pere mille fois m'a dit . . .