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by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585)
Translation © by David Wyatt
L'Amour piqué par une abeille
Language: French (Français) after the Greek (Ελληνικά)
Our translations: ENG
Le petit enfant Amour Cueilloit des fleurs à l'entour D'une ruche, où les avettes Font leurs petites logettes. Comme il les allait cueillant, Une avette sommeillant Dans le fond d'une fleurette Lui piqua la main tendrette. Sitost que piqué se vit, Ah ! je suis perdu, ce dit ; Et, s'en courant vers sa mère, Lui monstra sa playe amère : Ma mère, voyez ma main, [Ce]1 disoit Amour, tout plein De pleurs, [voyez]2 quelle enflure M'a fait une esgratignure ! Alors Venus se sou-rit Et en le baisant le prit, Puis sa main luy a soufflée Pour guarir sa plaie enflée. Qui t'a, dy-moi, faux garçon, Blessé de telle façon ? Sont-ce mes Graces riantes, De leurs aiguilles poignantes ? Nenny, c'est un serpenteau, Qui vole au printemps nouveau [Avecques deux ailerettes Çà et là sur les fleurettes]3. Ah ! vrayment je le cognois, Dit Venus ; les villageois De la montagne d'Hymette Le surnomment [Mélissette]4. Si doncques un animal Si petit fait tant de mal, Quand son halesne espoinçonne La main de quelque personne, Combien fais-tu de douleurs Au prix de luy, dans les cœurs [De ceux contre qui]5 tu jettes Tes [homicides]6 sagettes ?
View original text (without footnotes)
1 Chardavoine: "Luy"
2 Chardavoine: "aussi"
3 Chardavoine: "Çà et là sur les fleurettes,/ Avecques deux ailerettes"
4 Chardavoine, Caietain: "une avette"
5 Chardavoine: "A qui pour butte" ; Caietain : "En qui pour butte"
6 Chardavoine, Caietain: "amoureuses"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
1 Chardavoine: "Luy"
2 Chardavoine: "aussi"
3 Chardavoine: "Çà et là sur les fleurettes,/ Avecques deux ailerettes"
4 Chardavoine, Caietain: "une avette"
5 Chardavoine: "A qui pour butte" ; Caietain : "En qui pour butte"
6 Chardavoine, Caietain: "amoureuses"
Modernized version of the text:
Le petit enfant Amour Cueillait des fleurs à l'entour D'une ruche, où les avettes Font leurs petites logettes. Comme il les allait cueillant, Une avette sommeillant Dans le fond d'une fleurette Lui piqua la main douillette. Sitôt que piqué se vit, « Ah, je suis perdu ! » ce dit, Et, s'en courant vers sa mère, Lui montra sa plaie amère ; « Ma mère, voyez ma main, Ce disait Amour, tout plein De pleurs, voyez quelle enflure M'a fait une égratignure ! » Alors Vénus se sourit Et en le baisant le prit, Puis sa main lui a soufflée Pour guérir sa plaie enflée. « Qui t'a, dis-moi, faux garçon, Blessé de telle façon ? Sont-ce mes Grâces riantes, De leurs aiguilles poignantes ? -- Nenni, c'est un serpenteau, Qui vole au printemps nouveau Avecques deux ailerettes Ça et là sur les fleurettes. -- Ah ! vraiment je le connois, Dit Vénus ; les villageois De la montagne d'Hymette Le surnomment Mélissette. Si doncques un animal Si petit fait tant de mal, Quand son alène époinçonne La main de quelque personne, Combien fais-tu de douleur, Au prix de lui, dans le cœur De celui en qui tu jettes Tes amoureuses sagettes ? »
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "L'Amour piqué par une abeille", appears in Odes de 1550, no. 16, Livre IV, first published 1550 [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Theocritus (c310 BCE - c250 BCE), "Κηριολεπτησ"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Fabrice-Marin Caietain (flourished 1570-1578), "L'Amour piqué par une abeille" [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Jean Chardavoine (c1537 - c1580), "L'Amour piqué par une abeille" [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Julien Tiersot (1857 - 1936), "L'Amour piqué par une abeille", published 1924 [ medium voice and piano ], from Chansons de Ronsard, no. 6, Éd. 'Au Ménestrel' Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist [an adaptation] ; composed by Henry Purcell.
- Also set in English, a translation by Andrew Lang (1844 - 1912) , "Idyl XIX", appears in Theocritus, Bion and Moschus ; composed by Granville Ransome Bantock, Sir.
- Also set in French (Français), [adaptation] ; composed by Gérard Condé, Charles Camille Saint-Saëns.
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle (1818 - 1894) , "Le kérioklépte", appears in Idylles de Théocrite et Odes anacréontiques, first published 1861 [an adaptation] ; composed by Albert Roussel.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David Wyatt) , "Love wounded", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-04-28
Line count: 40
Word count: 196
Love wounded
Language: English after the French (Français)
The little child Love Cupid Was picking flowers around A hive, where the bees Make their little homes. As he went picking them A sleepy bee In the heart of a little flower Stung him on his soft little hand. As soon as he felt himself stung He said "Oh, I'm done for!" And running towards up to his mother Showed her his painful wound. "Mother, look at my hand" -- [So said Love]1, full Of tears, "[look]2 at the swelling That this scratch has given me." Well, Venus smiled to herself And, kissing him, picked him up And blew on his hand To cure the swollen wound. "Who was it, tell me, you naughty boy Who wounded you in such a way? Was it my laughing Graces With their sharp needles?" "No, no, it was a sort of snake Which flies at the start of spring With its two tiny wings Here and there on the flowers." "Ah, now I recognise it" Said Venus, "The villagers Of Mount Hymettus Call it [Honey-Sweet]3 If such a small animal Does so much harm When his sting pricks Someone's hand How much pain do you cause In competition with him, in the hearts [Of those at whom]4 you shoot Your little [killer-]5 arrows?"
View original text (without footnotes)
Translator's note: Mount Hymettus is the mountain overlooking Athens, famous for its honey since Aesop's Fables
1 Chardavoine: "Said Love to her"
2 Chardavoine: "and"
3 Chardavoine, Caietain: "a bee"
4 Chardavoine, Caietain: "the targets at which"
5 Chardavoine, Caietain: "love-"
Translator's note: Mount Hymettus is the mountain overlooking Athens, famous for its honey since Aesop's Fables
1 Chardavoine: "Said Love to her"
2 Chardavoine: "and"
3 Chardavoine, Caietain: "a bee"
4 Chardavoine, Caietain: "the targets at which"
5 Chardavoine, Caietain: "love-"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2012 by David Wyatt, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "L'Amour piqué par une abeille", appears in Odes de 1550, no. 16, Livre IV, first published 1550 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Theocritus (c310 BCE - c250 BCE), "Κηριολεπτησ"
This text was added to the website: 2012-06-23
Line count: 40
Word count: 216