`titrebBoileau’s Dialogue des Héros de Roman : from the Gallantry of the Classical Age to the Simulation of the Games Played in Polite Society`/titreb This study is a reading of Nicolas Boileau’s Dialogue des héros de roman from the perspective of the issue of the gallantry of the writers of the Classical Age which takes into account the humorous critique expressed by the heroes of modern novels such as Cyrus and Clélie. This critique is based on the discrepancy between the importance they give to love and their historical gravitas as it reflects that of their sources, Livy, Plutarch or Herodotus ; love debases their heroism and renders them incapable of great achievements. But at the same time as he constructs a dialogue in the manner of Lucian, intended to show up the ridicule of his characters, Boileau satirises the gallantry of his own social world, which is not only obsessed with artificial aesthetic choices and with minor genres, but also fascinated by puerile role games which rely on lies and impersonation. The conclusion is that at the same time as Boileau condemns the abusive use of classical writers through the prism of gallantry ; he is attacking the frivolity of the culture of polite society and exposing its false colours.