born March 6, 1619, Paris, France
died July 28, 1655, Paris
French satirist and dramatist.
He was a soldier until 1641 and studied under the philosopher Pierre Gassendi (15921655). He wrote plays as well as fantastical works combining science-fantasy and political satire that inspired such later writers as Jonathan Swift . He became the basis of many romantic legends, including Edmond Rostand 's play Cyrano de Bergerac (1897), in which he is portrayed as a gallant and brilliant but shy and ugly lover, with a remarkably large nose (which in fact he had).
Cyrano de Bergerac, engraving after a painting
H. Roger-Viollet