"Human grandeur," said Pangloss, "is very dangerous, if we believe the testimonies of almost all philosophers; for we find Eglon, King of Moab, was assassinated by Aod; Absalom was hanged by the hair of his head, and run through with three darts; King Nadab, son of Jeroboam, was slain by Baaza; King Ela by Zimri; Okosias by Jehu; Athaliah by Jehoiada; the Kings Jehooiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah, were led into captivity: I need not tell you what was the fate of Croesus, Astyages, Darius, Dionysius of Syracuse, Pyrrhus, Perseus, Hannibal, Jugurtha, Ariovistus, Caesar, Pompey, Nero, Otho, Vitellius, Domitian, Richard II of England, Edward II, Henry VI, Richard Ill, Mary Stuart, Charles I, the three Henrys of France, and the Emperor Henry IV."
Eglon, rey de los Moabita, fué asesinado por Aod; Absalon colgado de los cabellos y atravesado con tres saetas; el rey Nadab, hijo de Jeroboan, muerto por Baza; el rey Ela por Zambri; Ocosías por Jehú; Atalia por Joyada; y los reyes Joaquín, Jeconías y Sedecías fuéron esclavos. Sabido es de qué modo muriéron Creso, Astyages, Dario, Dionisio de Syracusa, Pyrro, Perseo, Hanibal, Jugurta, Ariovisto, César, Pompeyo, Neron, Oton, Vitelio, Domiciano, Ricardo II de Inglaterra, Eduardo II, Henrique VI, Ricardo III, María Estuardo, Carlos I, los tres Henriques de Francia, el emperador Heririque IV, el rey godo Don Rodrigo, Don Alvaro de Luna; y nadie ignora...