A letter about the Helen sonnets

A little of Ronsard’s prose for a change – and ‘natural’ prose rather than literary prose. I mentioned recently that a lot of the Helen sonnets had already appeared in print before the Helen books – sonnets 18-25 and 41 in book one, and sonnets 21-37 and 61-64 in book two (at least) had been printed in the ‘Amours diverses’. That’s about 30 from 140, just over 20% – though nearly a third of the sonnets in book two …

 

It seems that Hélène complained! (Perhaps that’s not a surprise.) Whether she was irritated simply that they were not new, or that they were not written expressly for her, or that they had been addressed to other ladies, we do not know. But she apparently asked for them to be removed and/or alternative poems added. Ronsard responds dismissively: his point, in a nutshell, is that a book of poems is literature first of all, not a historical record, and art not literal historical truth is what must shape the contents.

 

Monsieur mon antien amy, c’est, disoit Aristophane, un faix insuportable de servir un maistre qui radoute. Parodizant la dessus, c’est un grand malheur de servir une maistresse, qui n’a jugement ny raison en nostre poësie, qui ne sçait pas que les poëtes, principallement en petis et menus fatras come elegies, epigrames et sonnetz, ne gardent ny ordre ny temps, c’est affaire aux historiographes qui escrivent tout de fil en eguille. Je vous suplie, Monsieur, ne vouloir croire en cela Mademoiselle de Surgeres et n’ajouter ny diminuer rien de mes sonnetz, s’il vous plait. Si elle ne les trouve bons, qu’elle les laisse, je n’ay la teste rompue d’autre chose. On dit que le Roy vient à Blois et à Tours, et pour cela je m’enfuy à Paris et y seray en bref, car je hay la court comme la mort. Si elle veult faire quelque dessaing de marbre sur la fonteine, elle le pourra faire, mais ce sont délibérations de femmes, qui ne durent qu’un jour, qui de leurs natures sont si avares qu’elles ne voudroyent pas despendre un escu pour un beau fait. Faittes luy voir cette lettre si vous le trouvez bon. Je vous baize les mains de toute affection. De vostre Croixval, ce cinquiesme de juillet. Vostre humble et antien amy à vous servir.

 

— Sir, my old friend : it is, said Aristophanes, an unbearable thing to serve a master who fears [everything]. Pastiching the above, it is a great misfortune to serve a mistress who has neither judgement nor understanding of our poetry, who does not realise that poets, principally in small, unimportant stuff like elegies, epigrams and sonnets, have no regard for order or time: that’s a matter for writers of history, who write everything as if threaded with a needle. I beg you, Sir, not to believe Madame de Surgeres in that matter, and not to add or take away anything from my sonnets, please. If she does not find them good, then let her ignore them, it’s no skin off my nose. They say the King is coming to Blois and Tours, and for that reason I am running off to Paris and will be there very shortly, for I hate the court like death itself. If she wants to create some design in marble for the fountain, she may do so, but these are the plans of women which last but a day, who by their nature are so miserly that they don’t want to spend a penny on some good deed. Let her see this letter if you think that’s a good idea. I kiss your hands in all affection. From your Croixval, the fifth of July. Your humble old friend, at your service.

 

 

 

 

I do like seeing how Ronsard wrote when he was, simply, writing. This is not for publication or print, just a letter to a friend. The letter was found and first printed in 1923 by Nolhac, as one of “Deux lettres retrouvées de Ronsard”, ‘Two re-discovered letter of Ronsard’.

 

The connections in the thought jump around rather more – though we occasionally see that in the sonnets! – and so it’s not entirely obvious whether the second half of the letter is further insulting Hélène, or whether his barbs are aimed at someone else. (Grammatically, but not logically, the ‘she’ could even be the royal court (“la court”, which he hates in the previous sentence). It is nevertheless surprising to see quite so dismissive and insulting a tone in Ronsard’s references to Hélène, after reading all those love poems: a salutary reminder that the poems are, indeed, literature and we should not read too much biography into them.

 

The reference to hating court life also needs to be taken in context – though knowing the date of the letter would help in that regard. It is certainly late, as most of Ronsard’s Croixval letters seem to date from 1582-1584, in the few years before his death. But Gadoffre dates this one 1577, without explanation. It could be from just before publication of the Helen sonnets in 1578, but perhaps is more likely to be at a time when a new edition is being prepared. Whether in the 1570s or the 1580s, Ronsard was by then old, ill, and out of favour at court, hence perhaps the bitterness. 

 

Knowing who the letter is addressed to might also be relevant. It’s addressed Sainte-Marthe is probably Scévole de Sainte-Marthe, the poet (born 1536) not the historian & philosopher, born 1571 and of course far too young to be a correspondent of Ronsard’s). The letter seems to imply that Sainte-Marthe may have been preparing an edition, hence able to add or delete poems. Unfortunately there is no evidence, as far as I know, that he was: it was Gabriel Buon who published the collected works in 1584 and subsequently (as well as the 1578 set), and they contain no commentary on the Helen sonnets like that of Muret on Cassandre which might evidence the input of Sainte-Marthe. So, in the end, this doesn’t help to date the letter to the first or a subsequent edition.

 

(Incidentally, why ‘your Croixval’? Croixval is near Ronsard’s favourite Gastine forest, and the Loir valley. His links with the priory at Croix-Val or Croixval date to 1566 when he acquired it, after his brother inherited the family home at La Poissonnière. He spent much of the years 1578-1583 in retirement there. The building still stands: images are here. All this links Croixval to Ronsard; but not to Sainte-Marthe. I have not seen the original letter, but I would postulate that this is a mis-reading of a ‘v’ for an ‘n’, and that Ronsard wrote “nostre Croixval”, ‘my Croixval’.)

 

Finally, just to note that reference to his sonnets etc as ‘small, unimportant stuff’. Self-deprecation is something Ronsard does well; and he uses it here (of course) as part of his weaponry in the attack on Hélène. He doesn’t really think they’re unimportant; but she appears to, even while being upset that some of them are recycled…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ronsard on music

Music seems closely linked with Ronsard – partly because so many composers set so many of his poems to music, partly because Ronsard’s poetry itself is littered with references to music, musical instruments, and singing his own songs. In the past scholars and readers assumed that Ronsard must himself have been musical, not least because he refers to playing his songs on the lyre or guitar. But more recently the view of Ronsard’s musicianship has taken a more cynical turn – for good reason!

 

For a start, recall that he was hard of hearing: we don’t now how severe his deafness was, but it certainly inhibited his ability to present his own poetry as music at court (or – perhaps it did, if we assume that the musical supplement to the 1552 Odes was intended to paper over this problem area, and give Ronsard a weapon in the ‘war’ to replace Mellin de Saint-Gelais as court poet in residence).

 

Then, consider the famous Preface to the 1560 ‘Mellange de chansons’ by Le Roy & Ballard (reprinted with some additions in 1572). What evidence does this provide?

 

 

The Mellange is a large collection of songs old and new: Ronsard refers to some of them as positively ancient, though the oldest can date from no earlier than the 1490s! What we must recall is that, until the advent of printing, music was only transmitted in manuscripts, and consequently ‘old’ music was essentially forgotten music. This is the reason why Josquin (in particular, though some of his peers also) became a figure of legend, the paradigm of good music. For Josquin was the first ‘great’ composer whose music was preserved and perpetuated in prints for future generations to read and perform. He was the first composer to get a ‘revival’, as German publishers and musicians discovered the early prints and re-published material from them – and looked out more manuscript material to publish. It was Josquin who, as one German publisher pointed out, was producing more music dead than he had alive… So, Ronsard’s preface had to justify re-producing old music as well as new, despite the fact that in his poetry he had made clear that the new poetry – his poetry, that of the Pleiade – was the only poetry which adequately reflected that of the (true) ancients, the Greek and Roman masters. Hence it is that Josquin has to become an ‘ancient’: a true exemplar whom other ‘moderns’ can follow.  

 

 

Ronsard’s text (above) is not readily available, so here is a transcription:

 

PREFACE DE P. DE RONSARD

AV ROY CHARLES IX.

SIRE, tout ainsi que par la pierre de touche, on esprouve l’or s’il est bon ou mauvais, Ainsi les anciens esprouvoyent par la Musique les esprits de ceux qui sont genereux, magnanimes, & non forvoyans de leur premiere essence: & de ceux qui sont engourdiz paresseux, & abastardiz en ce corps mortel, ne se souvenant de la celeste armonie du ciel, non plus qu’aux compagnons D’ulisse d’avoir esté hommes, apres que Circe les eut transformés en porceaux. Car celuy, S I R E, Iequel oyant un doux accord d’instrumens ou la douceur de la voyx naturelle, ne s’en resjouist point, ne s’en esmeut point & de teste en piedz n’en tressault point, comme doucement ravy, & si ne sçay comment derobé hors de soy: c’est signe qu’il à l’ame tortue, vicieuse, & depravée, & duquel il se faut donner garde, comme de celuy qui n’est point heureusement né. Comment pourroit on accorder avec un homme qui de son naturel hayt les accords? celuy n’est digne de voyr la douce lumiere du soleil, qui ne fait honneur a la Musique, comme petite partie de celle, qui si armonieusement (comme dit Platon) agitte tout ce grand univers. Au contraire celuy qui luy porte honneur & reverence est ordinairement homme de bien, il a l’ame saine & gaillarde, & de son naturel ayme les choses haultes, la philosophie, le maniment des affaires politicques, le travail des guerres, & bref en tous offices honorables il fait tousjours apparoistre les estincelles de sa vertu. Or’ de declarer icy que c’est que Musique, si elle est plus gouvernée de fureur que d’art, de ses concens, de ses tons, modulations, voyx, intervalles, sons, systemates, & commutations: de sa division en Enarmonique, laquelle pour sa difficulté ne fut jamais perfaittement en usage: en chromatique, laquelle pour sa lasciveté fut par les anciens banye des republiques, en diatonique laquelle comme la plus aprochante de la melodie de ce grand univers fut de tous approuvée. De parler de la Phrigienne, dorienne, lydienne: & comme quelques peuples de Grece animez d’armonie, alloyent courageusement a la guerre, comme noz soldatz aujourdhuy au son des trompettes & tabourins: comme le Roy Alexandre oyant les chams de Timothée, devenoit furieux, & comme Agemennom allant a Troye, laissa en sa maison tout expres je ne sçay quel Musicien D’orien, lequel par la vertu du pied Anapeste, moderoit les efrenées passions amoureuses de sa femme Clytemnestre, de l’amour de laquelle Ægiste emflamé, ne peut jamais avoir joyssance, que premierement il n’eut fait meschamment mourir le Musicien. De vouloir encores deduire comme toutes choses sont composées d’accordz, de mesures, & de proportions, tant au ciel, en la mer, qu’en la terre, de vouloir discourir davantage comme les plus honorables personnages des siecles passez se sont curieusement sentiz espris des ardeurs de la Musique, tant monarques, Princes, Philosophes, gouverneurs de provinces, & cappitaines de renom: je n’auroys jamais fait: d’autant que la Musique à tousjours esté le signe & la merque de ceux qui se sont monstrez vertueux, magnanimes & veritablement nez pour ne sentir rien de vulgaire. Je prendray seullement pour exemple le feu Roy votre Pere, que Dieu absolve, lequel ce pendant qu’il a regné a fait apparoistre combien le ciel l’avoit liberallement enrichy de toutes graces, & de presens rares entre les Roys lequel a surpassé soit en grandeur d’empire, soit en clemence, en liberalité, bonté, pieté & religion, non seullement tous les Princes ses predecesseurs, Mais tous ceux qui ont jamais vescu portant cet’ honorable tiltre de Roy: lequel pour descouvrir les etincelles de sa-bien naissance, & pour montrer qu’il estoit acomply de toutes vertus, a tant honoré, aymé, & prise la Musique, que tous ceux qui restent aujourdhuy en France bien affectionnez a cet art, ne le sont tant tous ensemble, que tout seul particulierement l’estoit. Vous aussi S I R E,   comme heritier & de son Royaume & de ses vertus, monstrez combien vous estes son filz favorisé du ciei, d’aymer si perfaittement telle sçience & ses accords sans lesquelz chose de ce monde ne pourroit demourer en son entire. Or de vous conter icy d’Orphée, de Terpandre, d’Eumolpe, d’Arion ce sont histoires, desquelles je ne veux empescher le papier, comme choses a vous congneues. Seullement je vous reciteray que les plus magnanimes Roys faisoyent anciennement nourrir leurs enfans en la maison des Musiciens, comme Peleus qui envoya son filz Achille, & Æson son filz Jason, dedans l’Antre venerable du Centaure Chiron, pour estre instruitz tant aux armes, qu’en la medecine, & en l’art de Musique: d’autant que ces trois mestiers meslez ensemble ne sont mal seans a la grandeur d’un Prince, & advint d’Achille & de Jason, qui estoyent princes de votre age, un si recommandable exemple de vertu, que l’un fut honoré par le divin poëte Homere, comme le seul autheur de la prinse de Troye: & l’autre celebré par Apolloine Rhodien, comme le premier autheur d’avoir apris a la mer, de soufrir le fardeau incongnu des navires: lequel ayant outrepassé les roches Symplegades, & domté la furie de la froide mer de Scytie, Finablement s’en retourna en son pays, enrichy de la noble toyson dor. Donques, S I R E, ces deux Princes vous seront comme patrons de la vertu, & quand quelque foys vous serez lassé de voz plus urgentes affaires, à leur imitation, vous adoucirez voz souciz par les accordz de la Musique, pour retourner plus fraiz & plus dispos a la charge Royalle que si dextrement vous suportez. Il ne faut aussi que votre Magesté s’esmerveille si ce livre de mellanges lequel vous est treshumblement dedié par voz treshumbles & tresobeissans seruiteurs & Imprimeurs Adrian le Roy, & Robert Ballard, est composé des plus vieilles chanssons qui se puissent trouver aujourdhuy, pource qu’on a tousjours estimé la Musique des anciens estre la plus divine, d’autant qu’elle a esté composée en un siecle plus heureux, & moins entaché des vices qui regnent en ce dernier age de fer. Aussi les divines fureurs de Musique, de Poësie, & de paincture, ne viennent pas par degrés en perfection comme les autres sçiences, mais par boutées & comme esclairs de feu, qui deça qui dela apparoissent en divers pays, puis tout en un coup sesvanouissent. Et pource, S I R E, quand il se manifeste quelque excellent ouvrier en cet art, vous le devez songneusement garder, comme chose d’autant excellente, que rarement elle apparoist. Entre lesquelz se font depuis six ou sept vingtz ans eslevez, Josquin des prez, Hennuyer de nation, & ses disciples Mouton, Vuillard, Richaffort, Janequin, Maillard, Claudin, Moulu, Jaquet, Certon, Arcadet. Et de present le plus que divin Orlande, qui comme une mouche à miel a cueilly toutes les plus belles fleurs des antiens, & outre semble avoir seul desrobé l’harmonie des cieux pour nous en resjouir en la terre surpassant les antiens, & se faisant la seule merveille de notre temps. Plusieurs autres choses se pourroyent dire de la Musique, dont plutarque & Boëce ont amplement fait mention. Mais n’y la breveté de ce præface, ny la commodité du temps, ny la matiere ne me permet de vous en faire plus long discours, Supliant le Createur, S I R E, d’augmenter de plus en plus les vertus de votre majesté , & vous continuer en la bonne affection qu’il vous plaist porter a la Musique, & à tous ceux qui s’estudient de faire reflorir soubz votre regne, les sçiences & les artz qui florissoyent soubz l’empire de Cesar Auguste: duquel Auguste Dieu tout puissant vous vueille donner les ans, les victoyres, & la prosperité.

And a translation:

 

PREFACE, BY P. DE RONSARD

TO KING CHARLES IX

SIRE, Just as with the touchstone it may be proven whether gold is true or false, so the ancients used music to prove the souls of those who are generous, magnanimous, and insightful as to their prime essence; and of those who are lazy, slothful, debased in this mortal body, not recalling the celestial harmony of heaven any more than the companions of Ulysses recalled being men after Circe had transformed them into swine. For, SIRE, he who, hearing the sweet harmony of instruments or the sweetness of the natural voice, does not rejoice in it, is not moved at all, does not shiver from head to foot like one sweetly swept away, and feel himself somehow swept up out of himself: this is a sign that he has a twisted, vicious, depraved soul, and we must take guard against him as one who is unhappily born.

How could we be in harmony with a man who, by his nature, hates harmonies? That man is not worthy to see the sweet light of the sun who does not honour music as a small part of that greater Music which so harmoniously (as Plato says) moves all our great Universe. By contrast, he who bears it honour and reverence is ordinarily a good man who has a healthy, happy soul and by nature loves higher things, philosophy, the management of political affairs, the work of war; briefly, in all honourable tasks the stars of his virtue will always appear.

So, to state here what Music is: whether it is governed more by passion than art, of its harmonies, of its notes, modulations, voices, intervals, sounds, organisation and linkages; of its division into Enharmonic, which because of its difficulties was never perfectly used, and Chromatic, which for its sensuality was banned by the ancients from their republics, and Diatonic, which as the one most closely approaching the melody of this great universe was approved of all.

– to speak of the Phrygian, Dorian, Lydian, and how some Greek peoples aroused by harmony went off courageously to war, as our soldiers do today to the sound of trumpets and drums; how Alexander the king, hearing the songs of Timotheus became mad, and how Agamemnon as he went to Troy deliberately left in his home some musician from the East who by the power of the Anapaestic metre could moderate the unchained passions of love in his wife Clytemnestra, inflamed by love of whom Aegisthus could never be happy had he not first of all had the musician killed.

– to seek again to deduce how all things are composed of harmonies, of measures, of proportions – whether in heaven, in the sea or on earth; to seek to discover furthermore how the most honoured persons of past ages felt themselves curiously swept up by the passions of music – whether monarchs, princes, philosophers, provincial governors, or renowned captains;

all these I would never have done, since music has always been the sign and mark or those who have shown themselves virtuous, magnanimous and truly born to feel nothing that is common. I shall take as example only the late King your father, whom God absolve, who while he reigned made apparent how much heaven had liberally enriched him with all graces and with gifts rare among Kings; who surpassed in the greatness of his power, in his clemency, in liberality, goodness, piety and religion not only all princes before him, but also all those who have ever lived bearing that honourable title of King; who to display the stars governing his fair birth and to show that he was accomplished in all virtues, so honoured, loved and took up music that all those who remain today in France who favour this art are not so significant all together as he was by himself.

You too SIRE, the inheritor of both his kingdom and his virtues, show how far you are his son, favoured by heaven, by loving so perfectly this science and its harmonies, without which no thing of this world could subsist entire. So, to tell you here of Orpheus, of Terpander, of Eumolpe, of Arion – these are stories with which I do not want to clutter up this paper as they are things which are well-known to you. I shall only tell you that the most magnanimous kings brought their children up of old in the houses of musicians, like Peleus who sent his son Achilles, and Aeson his son Jason, into the venerable cave of the centaur Chiron to be instructed as much in arms as in medicine and in the art of music; especially since these three roles mixed together sit not badly with the grandeur of a prince, and were for Achilles and Jason, who were princes of your own age, so commendable examples of virtue that one was honoured by the divine poet Homer as the sole author of the capture of Troy; and the other was celebrated by Apollonius of Rhodes as the first inventor of teaching the sea to suffer the unknown burden of ships – who, having passed beyond the rocks of the Symplegades [the Clashing Rocks], and conquered the fury of the frozen seas of Scythia, and finally returned to his own country enriched with the noble Golden Fleece.

So, SIRE, these two princes shall be patrons of your virtue, and when sometimes you are tired of your more urgent affairs, in imitation of them you will sweeten your cares through the harmonies of music, to return fresher and more eager to the royal charge which you carry out so ably. Your Majesty need also not marvel if this book of songs, which is most humbly dedicated to you by your most humble and most obedient servants and printers Adrian le Roy and Robert Ballard, is composed of the oldest songs which can be found today, since we have always considered the music of the ancients to be the most divine as it was composed in a more fortunate age, less stained with the vices which reign in this last age of iron.

Also, the divine passions of music, poetry and painting do not come to perfection by degree like the other sciences, but by bounds, and like flashes of lightning which appear here and there in various countries and just as quickly disappear. And so, SIRE, when some excellent workman in this art appears you should carefully protect him as a most excellent thing which appears but rarely. Among such men arose in the last twenty-sex or -seven years Josquin des Prez, a man of Hainault, and his disciples Mouton, Willaert, Richafort, Janequin, Maillard, Claudin [de Sermisy], Moulu, Jaquet, Certon and Arcadelt. And at the present time the more-than-divine Orlando [di Lasso] who like a honey bee has gathered all the fairest flowers of the ancients, and beyond that seems alone to have uncovered the harmony of the heavens for us to enjoy on this earth, surpassing the ancients, and making himself the sole wonder of our time.

Many other things could be said about music, of which Plutarch and Boetius have made ample mention. But neither the brevity of this preface nor the availability of time or material allow me to provide you with a longer discussion; calling on the Creator, SIRE, to increase more and more the virtues of Your Majesty and to continue you in the good affection it pleases you to bear towards music, and towards all those who study to make flourish again under your rule all the sciences and arts which flourished under the rule of Caesar Augustus; of which Augustus may the all-powerful God choose to give you the years, victories and prosperity.

Although this preface is sometimes presented as a unique and important statement of new enlightenment views, as I read it it seems to show more continuity with medieval views than a new departure: the Enharmonic, Chromatic & Diatonic; the Phrygian, Dorian & Lydian modes;  discussion of music’s ‘affect’, its impact on the emotions. Of course all this is fundamental to Ronsard’s view of music: it is important because it is useful, because it is affective, because it enhances the impact of poetry and because, like poetry, it can lead us to different emotional and intellectual states.

 

If Ronsard brings something new, it is of course a deep engagement with the classics, and therefore examples drawn from the myths to illustrate music’s importance. It has, however, been noted that Ronsard’s examples appear to have been lifted from his fellow-poet Baif, who wrote a much lengthier dialogue on the topic – and explained everything at much greater length, for let us be clear, Ronsard does not actually explain anything here. He simply summarises very briefly, without exploring in any detail.

 

And what Ronsard offers is not by any means an analysis of how music works – of the means and techniques which are used, of what makes good music ‘good’, let alone what makes music have the effects it does. All we are offered is (again) a list, some of the component parts of music: “de ses concens, de ses tons, modulations, voyx, intervalles, sons, systemates, & commutations…” In this respect Ronsard is very far from a ‘working musician’ or even (apparently) from ‘understanding’ music.  

 

Of course, Ronsard does offer a convincing list of leading musicians – something which has been used as evidence of his engagement with music, but which would not be difficult for anyone connected with Le Roy & Ballard to have provided (or helped him with). Indeed, most feature in the ‘Mellange de chansons’: Josquin, Mouton, Richafort, Maillard, Moulu, and especially Willaert, account for nearly 50 songs in the book, with Certon and Arcadelt adding a few more. Missing from the book, though in Ronsard’s list, are other significant French composers: Janequin and Claudin de Sermisy. But Ronsard omits others who might today seem greater than some in his list – Gombert and Clemens, for instance. So, is this list any evidence of Ronsard’s expertise? I don’t think it provides any substantial evidence.

 

What we are left with, then, is a decent ‘philosophical’ context for music, a list of music’s techniques, some evidence of classical reading about affects, and some borrowed mythological evidence, together with a fair list of composers. Not much, in effect, to build a reputation on – either for this preface or for Ronsard’s knowledge of music as ‘a science’.

 

Is that too cynical?  

 

 

 

 

Helen 2:17

Si de voz doux regars je ne vais me repaistre

A toute heure, et tousjours en tous lieux vous chercher,

Helas ! pardonnez-moy : j’ay peur de vous fascher,

Comme un serviteur craint de desplaire à son maistre,

 

Puis je crains tant vos yeux, que je ne sçaurois estre

Une heure en les voyant sans le cœur m’arracher,

Sans me troubler le sang : pource il faut me cacher,

A fin de ne mourir pour tant de fois renaistre.

 

J’avois cent fois juré de ne les voir jamais,

Me parjurant autant qu’autant je le promets :

Car soudain je retourne à r’engluer mon aile.

 

Ne m’appellez donq plus dissimulé ne feint.

Aimer ce qui fait mal, et revoir ce qu’on craint,

Est le gage certain d’un service fidele.

 

 

 

 

                                                                           Yes, I am not going to nourish myself on your glances

                                                                           At every moment, and always everywhere pursue you.

                                                                           Alas, pardon me: I fear to anger you,

                                                                           As a servant fears to displease his master.

 

                                                                           But then I fear your eyes so much that I could not

                                                                           Watch them for just one hour without my heart stopping,

                                                                           My blood being troubled: so, I must hide myself

                                                                           That I do not die to be reborn so many times.

 

                                                                           I’d sworn a hundred times never to see them,

                                                                           Forswearing myself as often as I promised it;

                                                                           For suddenly I’d return and glue my wings again.

 

                                                                           So don’t again accuse me of deception or pretence.

                                                                           Loving what harms us, and returning to what we fear,

                                                                           Is the certain token of faithful service.

 

 

This is a much more straightforward poem than the last we looked at! Textually it still offers a few interpretative decisions (though textually there are no variants to report). The opening, for instance, could as easily read “If I am not going to nourish myself … [then] alas, pardon me”. But I prefer to treat the opening ‘si’ as an assertive, contradictory ‘yes!’ rather than an uncertain ‘if’. At the other end of the poem, the ‘gage’ in the final line could be a ‘guarantee’ rather than a token: your choice.

 

The reference to glued wings is to the practice catching birds on sticky limed twigs: Ronsard here is the bird, once caught, who willingly comes back and is caught again.

 

After a reference to Petrarch in the last poem, here is a poem which springs from imitation of Petrarch. Canzoniere no.39 is the following, closely-related to Ronsard’s poem though Ronsard re-orders and re-imagines Petrarch’s original, like a true ‘Petrarchist’. (Note that ‘pegno’ in the last line has just the same dual meaning as ‘gage’ in Ronsard’s.)

 

 

Io temo sí de’ begli occhi l’assalto

ne’ quali Amore et la mia morte alberga,

ch’i’ fuggo lor come fanciul la verga,

et gran tempo è ch’i’ presi il primier salto.

 

Da ora inanzi faticoso od alto

loco non fia, dove ‘l voler non s’erga

per no scontrar chî miei sensi disperga

lassando come suol me freddo smalto.

 

Dunque s’a veder voi tardo mi volsi

per non ravvicinarmi a chi mi strugge,

fallir forse non fu di scusa indegno.

 

Piú dico, che ‘l tornare a quel ch’uom fugge,

e ‘l cor che di paura tanta sciolsi,

fur de la mia fede non leggier pegno.

 

 

 

                                                                           I fear so much the assault of those lovely eyes

                                                                           In which Love and my death lodge,

                                                                           That I flee them like a child flees the rod,

                                                                           And it’s a long time since I took the first step.

 

                                                                           From now on, no awkward or high

                                                                           Place exists where my will would not strive [to reach]

                                                                           So as not to encounter what scatters my senses

                                                                           Leaving me frozen like enamel.

 

                                                                           So if to see you I have turned only slowly

                                                                           That I might not come nearer to what consumes me,

                                                                           Perhaps I am not unworthy of excuse for my failing.

 

                                                                           Further I say that returning to what a man flees

                                                                           And a heart which is melted by such great fear

                                                                           Is no light token to my faithfulness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maletty’s Ronsard settings – updated

Just to record that I’ve uploaded a new version of Maletty’s Ronsard (and other) settings, correcting various typos and adding a little to the commentary. See here.

 

 

 

 

 

600 posts!

Apparently that was my 600th post!

Well, those 600 posts, spread erratically over the last four years, have covered all of Amours 1 (Cassandre) and most of Amours 2 (Marie); and all of the first book of Helen’s sonnets. There are also a variety of other longer and shorter poems on the blog, and a growing number of song-settings which feature Ronsard’s poetry. As my son would say, “Are we nearly there yet?”  Not really: I reckon I might have worked through about 10% of Ronsard’s output, and about 25% of the songs. So there’s plenty more to take us to 1,000 posts and beyond …

Poetry or music…?

A quick apology to those who would like to see more of Ronsard, and less of his musicians!  I’ve been concentrating on the latter for a while and have quite a lot of music to upload. At the same time I am getting a bit bogged down with some of the long poems that finish off Ronsard’s first book of Amours… I will get back to the poetry, but I’m afraid there’ll be more music than poetry for a little while…

Baif’s copy of the Works

In a comment on another post, I was pointed to this edition of the Oeuvres (Buon, 1584). It’s worth taking a look, it’s a beautiful book & beautifully reproduced – I wish I could own one, but copies seem to sell for upwards of 20, 000 euros and I don’t think my family would be happy swapping all their holidays for the next few years for one book…! 🙂  However, scan back up to the top of the book – and there’s an ownership inscription. This was Baif’s own copy, and judging from the inscription (in Latin – “Jean Antoine de Baif received/accepted [this book] with a very grateful heart) given to him by Ronsard!!!!  Lovely things found on Google Books no.1…

 

music – playable scores

Just before returning to the poetry …  I’ve added links for both songs to ‘playable scores’. What do I mean by that? They are on Score Exchange, which lets you both see the score & page through it more effectively than a series of images on this blog; and also (click on the Scorch plug-in tab) lets you play through them with a free browser plug-in and hear them while reading the score. Neat technology!

Cassandre 1-100 as PDF

… the first 100 poems to Cassandre are now available here in handy PDF format 🙂

 

 

 

 

Pause

Another short pause as my brain is too fried to translate anything!

In the meantime I’ve added a link to a complete text of La Mort de Marie for those who’d like it all in one place.