Saturday, March 03, 2012
O Sweet Company!
Ronsard, Elegie (from Sonnets pour Hélène, Book II), lines 7-14, tr. Malcolm Quainton and Elizabeth Vinestock:
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For, sole master of myself, I used to go at my leisure wherever my feet carried me, led by my wishes, always having in my hands, to serve as my guides, Aristotle, Plato or learned Euripides, my good, silent guests, who never displease; as freely as I pick them up, so freely do I put them down again. O sweet company, useful and honourable! Anyone else would numb my brain by prattling.
Car seul maistre de moy j'allois plein de loisir,
Où le pied me portoit, conduit de mon desir,
Ayant tousjours és mains pour me servir de guide
Aristote ou Platon, ou le docte Euripide
Mes bons hostes muets, qui ne faschent jamais:
Ô douce compagnie et utile et honneste!
Un autre en caquetant m'estourdiroit la teste.
