This article is an account of a way of presenting work leading to the solution of cubic equations. The work uses historical material as a way into the topic. This is consistent with the view that the « introduction of a historical perspective into the teaching of the sciences » is a necessity, and at least provides evidence about the possibility and opportunity of presenting mathematics education based on historical texts. It is not claimed that this « experience », carried out in 1988 with Premiere Scientifique class (17 yrs) is transferable to other situations. No definitive value is claimed for it, except that of the most reliable stimulus, that of pure pleasure. The reader is therefore invited to take this text for what it is, in the final analysis: on occasion for reading some mathematics and talking about it, and that is why the author wants to tell you about it. (ZDM/Mathdi)