Pierre Corneille was a French dramatist and poet of the 17th century. He is best known for his plays 'Ariane' and 'Medea', which are both referenced in this crossword. 'Ariane' is a tragedy about the daughter of Minos, King of Crete, and her ill-fated love affair with Theseus. 'Medea' is a tragedy about a woman who takes revenge on her husband by killing their children. Both plays were written by Corneille and remain popular to this day.