Ode à la fontaine Bellerie

Ode à la fontaine Bellerie

Original Text

"Pierre de Ronsard," Representative French Poetry, ed. Victor E. Graham, 2nd edn. (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1965): 10-11.

2Belle fontaine cherie
4Les cache au creux de ta source,
6Qui les pourchasse à la course
7Jusqu'au bord de ton ruisseau,
8Tu es la Nimphe eternelle
9De ma terre paternelle,
11Voi ton Poëte qui t'orne
12D'un petit chevreau de laict,
13A qui l'une et l'autre corne
15L'Esté je dors ou repose
16Sus ton herbe, où je compose,
17Caché sous tes saules vers
18Je ne sçai quoi, qui ta gloire
19Envoira par l'univers,
20Commandant à la mémoire
21Que tu vives par mes vers.
23Ton verd rivage ne brule,
24Tellement qu'en toutes parts
25Ton ombre est epaisse et drue
26Aux pasteurs venans des parcs,
27Aux beufs las de la charue,
28Et au bestial epars.
30Des fontaines la princesse,
31Moi celebrant le conduit
32Du rocher persé, qui darde
33Avec un enroué bruit
35Qui trepillante se suit.

Notes

1] The source of this poem is Horace's famous ode, "O fons Bandusiae" (Carm. III, xiii). Bellerie was the name of a spring on Ronsard's property at La Possonnière in Vendomois. The text is that of 1587. Back to Line
3] Ninfes: Nymphes. Back to Line
5] Satireau: Little Satyr. Back to Line
10] Pource: A cause de cela. Back to Line
14] The pagan custom was to sacrifice a kid but Ronsard probably is speaking metaphorically. Back to Line
22] la Canicule: the Dog Days (July 22-August 23). Back to Line
29] Iô: the Greek exclamation of joy. Back to Line
34] jazarde: babbling. Back to Line
RPO poem Editors
Victor E. Graham
Data entry: Sharine Leung
RPO Edition
2012
Special Copyright

Second edition copyright © 1965 University of Toronto Press. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, from which written permission must be obtained for any other edition or other means of reproduction.