Because I like it – and because it starts with a ‘G’ 🙂 – here is a « fragment que Ronsard n’a peu achever, prevenu de mort. » (a fragment Ronsard was unable to finish, overtaken by death).
Galland, ma seconde ame, Atrebatique race, Encor que nos ayeux ay’nt emmuré la place De nos villes bien loin, la tienne prés d’Arras, La mienne prés Vendosme, où le Loir de ses bras Arrouse doucement nos collines vineuses, Et nos champs fromentiers de vagues limoneuses, Et la Lise des tiens qui baignent ton Artois S’enfuit au sein du Rhin, la borne des Gaulois : Pour estre separé de villes et d’espaces, Cela n’empesche point que les trois belles Graces, L’honneur et la vertu, n’ourdissent le lien Qui serre de si prés mon cœur avec le tien. Heureux qui peut trouver pour passer l’avanture De ce Monde un amy de gentille nature, Comme tu es, Galland, en qui les Cieux ont mis Tout le parfait requis aux plus parfaits amis. Jà mon soir s’embrunit, et déja ma journée Fuit vers son Occident à demy retournée, La Parque ne me veut ny me peut secourir : Encore ta carriere est bien longue à courir, Ta vie est en sa course, et d’une forte haleine Et d’un pied vigoureux tu fais jaillir l’areine Sous tes pas, aussi fort que quelque bon guerrier Le sablon Elean pour le prix du Laurier … Galland, my second soul, descended from the Atrebates, Although our ancestors had established the walls Of our towns far apart, yours near Arras And mine near Vendôme, where the Loir with its arms Gently waters our vine-bearing hills And our fields of wheat with its muddy waves, While the Lise with its [arms] which bathe your Artois Runs down to the bosom of the Rhine, the edge of Gaul; Though separated by towns and distance, That does not prevent the three fair Graces, Honour and virtue from weaving the bond Which binds my heart so closely with yours. Fortunate he who can find, to share the adventure Of this world, a friend of noble nature Like you, Galland, in whom the Heavens have placed Everything perfect required in the most perfect friends. Now my evening darkens, and my daytime Flees westward, half-passed, And Fate neither can nor will help me; But your career has long to run, Your life is set in its course, and with strong lungs And vigorous feet you make the sand leap Beneath your feet, as strongly as some fine warrior Might the sand of Elis to take the prize, the laurel-wreath … Ronsard’s trusted friend Jean Galland was principal of the Collège de Boncourt in Paris, and after Ronsard’s death both organised an annual commemoration of the poet in the chapel there, and (together with Claude Binet) edited Ronsard’s late verse and put together the ‘Tombeau de Ronsard’, a (substantial) collection of poems in Ronsard’s honour. The Collège had other links with Ronsard’s circle: tragedies by Jodelle were performed there, and Muret taught Jodelle and Belleau there. In 1688 it was Pierre Galand, then principal, who merged the Collège with the Collège de Navarre. This fragment is (obviously) very classicising, and stuffed with antique references. The Atrebates were a tribe from the Pas-de-Calais area, who established an offshoot in southern England after Caesar’s conquest. The centre of the region is now Artois, its capital Arras, from which the river (now the Scarpe) heads east towards the Rhine and the border between Gaul and Germania. Elis was a state in the south of ancient Greece: within it was Olympus, seat of the Olympic Games – so running on Elean sands is running in the Olympics. A minor editorial note: Blanchemain has “Pour estre separés de villes et d’espaces” in line 9. The text above in effect says ‘though I am separated from you…’, while Blanchemain’s plural says ‘though we are separated…’ – I leave you to choose which you prefer.Feb27
