Arsinoé immediately begins to flatter Alceste by telling him that his merits are not justly appreciated and that he should be more in favor with the court. Alceste, however, points out that he has done absolutely nothing to warrant the attention of the court, and, furthermore, the court should be involved in more important matters than trying "to bring to light the worth of everybody." Arsinoé maintains that Alceste's virtues are praised in certain houses, but Alceste is not interested because the "present age has no distinction left" and everyone is praised with equal fervor. He will not allow Arsinoé to "set intrigues at work" to get him into the court; quite the contrary, he points out that he has no qualities that would make him congenial enough for life at the court.
Arsinoé drops the subject of the court and turns her attentions to Alceste's relationship with Célimène. She tells him that his beloved is unworthy of him. Alceste tries to remind Arsinoé that she is maligning her friend, but she continues to insist that Célimène has betrayed Alceste. She offers to prove the accusation if Alceste will accompany her to her own house, where she will show him "faithful proof of Célimène's unfaithfulness."
