The story begins with the baron of Thunder-ten-tronckh in Westphalia kicking Candide, the illegitimate son of the baron's sister, out of the manor for secretly kissing his daughter, Cunégonde. Candide wanders into the next town and gets recruited into the Bulgar army. After his training, Candide tries to desert the Bulgar army, but he fails and is forced to run the gauntlet thirty-six times. Candide escapes the Bulgar and Abares war and is taken in by a kind Anabaptist named Jacques. He later finds Pangloss, his old philosophy teacher in Westphalia, inflicted with syphilis. Pangloss, using his philosophy of "the best of the worlds,"" claims that syphilis is necessary along with the New world delights. Pangloss and Candide arrive at Lisbon only to witness a horrible earthquake. Pangloss attempts to soothe the victims by stating that it was for the best. However the Catholic Inquisitor retaliates and says that the downfall of man proves that not everything is for the best. The authorities decide to hang a couple of people, Pangloss, and to flog Candide. Candide begins to think that this was not "the best of both worlds- when another earthquake hits. Later, he finds Cunégonde and learns about her fate as a mistress. Candide, with the assistance of Cunégonde's old servant, murders Cunégonde's two masters. Candide is made captain and prepares to sail to the New World along with Cunégonde and her servant. The old servant turns out to be the tragic daughter of Pope Urban X and the princess of Palestrina. She also predicts that every single person on this ship was unhappy. When they land, Cunégonde is taken to be a mistress and with the help of his new valet ,Cacambo, Candide escapes and finds the colonel is actually Cunégonde's brother. However, Cunégonde's brother becomes angry upon learning of Candide's intentions of marrying his sister and a fight ensues with Candide as the victor.
