L'Age premier de l'homme Enfance est appellé ; Son cours est de quatre ans, maistrisé par la lune ; Auquel il s'agrandit, desja serf de fortune, Humide, delicat, d'ignorance voilé.
Sur les Sept Âges de l'homme
Song Cycle by Jack Ledru (1922 - 2013)
Translated to:
English — On the Seven Ages of Man (Grant Hicks)
1. L'Enfance [sung text not yet checked]
Language: Middle French
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "Enfance", appears in Gayetez et Epigrammes, in Sur les sept âges de l'homme, no. 1 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Middle French by Claude Gruget (d. c1560) [text unavailable]
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Pero Mexia (1497 - 1551) [text unavailable]
Go to the general single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Œuvres complètes de P. de Ronsard, Tome VI, Paris: Librairie A. Franck, 1866, page 419.
Researcher for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]
2. La Puérilité [sung text not yet checked]
Language: Middle French
La Puérilité est nostre âge second ; Son regne est de dix ans, gouverné par Mercure. Vollage, sans arrest, est lors nostre nature, Et l'esprit au sçavoir se veut rendre facond.
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "La Puérilité", appears in Gayetez et Epigrammes, in Sur les sept âges de l'homme, no. 2 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Middle French by Claude Gruget (d. c1560) [text unavailable]
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Pero Mexia (1497 - 1551) [text unavailable]
Go to the general single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "Childhood", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with M. Prosper Blanchemain, ed., Œuvres complètes de P. de Ronsard, Tome VI, Paris: Librairie A. Franck, 1866, page 419.
Researcher for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]
3. Adolescence [sung text not yet checked]
Language: Middle French
Le tiers est de huict ans, par Venus gouverné, Qui rend homme amoureux en son Adolescence, Son naturel enclin aux jeux et à la dance, De flammes et de feux son cœur environné.
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "Adolescence", appears in Gayetez et Epigrammes, in Sur les sept âges de l'homme, no. 3 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Middle French by Claude Gruget (d. c1560) [text unavailable]
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Pero Mexia (1497 - 1551) [text unavailable]
Go to the general single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "Adolescence", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with M. Prosper Blanchemain, ed., Œuvres complètes de P. de Ronsard, Tome VI, Paris: Librairie A. Franck, 1866, page 420.
Researcher for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]
4. La Jeunesse [sung text not yet checked]
Language: Middle French
La Jeunesse est le quart, guidé par le soleil, Regnant dix et neuf ans, poussant au mariage L'homme qui veult (vivant) colloquer son mesnage, Desireux de richesse, en force sans pareil.
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "Jeunesse", appears in Gayetez et Epigrammes, in Sur les sept âges de l'homme, no. 4 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Middle French by Claude Gruget (d. c1560) [text unavailable]
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Pero Mexia (1497 - 1551) [text unavailable]
Go to the general single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Œuvres complètes de P. de Ronsard, Tome VI, Paris: Librairie A. Franck, 1866, page 420.
Researcher for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]
5. Le Viril [sung text not yet checked]
Language: Middle French
Le quint est le Viril, suivant l'aspect de Mars; Son cours est de quinze ans, sa nature fascheuse, Magnanime, constante, avare, dangereuse, Rendant l'homme guerrier suivant ses estendars.
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "Le Viril", appears in Gayetez et Epigrammes, in Sur les sept âges de l'homme, no. 5 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Middle French by Claude Gruget (d. c1560) [text unavailable]
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Pero Mexia (1497 - 1551) [text unavailable]
Go to the general single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "Manhood", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with M. Prosper Blanchemain, ed., Œuvres complètes de P. de Ronsard, Tome VI, Paris: Librairie A. Franck, 1866, page 420.
Researcher for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]
6. La Vieillesse [sung text not yet checked]
Language: Middle French
Le six, soubs Jupiter, dans douze ans faict son cours, Jusqu'en l'an soixante-huit, âge nommé Vieillesse. L'homme alors vers le ciel tout repentant s'adresse, Soigneux de son salut, des humbles le secours.
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "Vieillesse", appears in Gayetez et Epigrammes, in Sur les sept âges de l'homme, no. 6 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Middle French by Claude Gruget (d. c1560) [text unavailable]
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Pero Mexia (1497 - 1551) [text unavailable]
Go to the general single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with M. Prosper Blanchemain, ed., Œuvres complètes de P. de Ronsard, Tome VI, Paris: Librairie A. Franck, 1866, page 420.
Researcher for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]
7. Le Caduc [sung text not yet checked]
Language: Middle French
Le Caduc est le sept des âges le dernier, Où Saturne commande, arrestant sa carriere En l'an quatre-vingt-huit. Nature à sa premiere Foiblesse le conduit, retournant au premier.
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "Le Caduc", appears in Gayetez et Epigrammes, in Sur les sept âges de l'homme, no. 7 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Middle French by Claude Gruget (d. c1560) [text unavailable]
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Pero Mexia (1497 - 1551) [text unavailable]
Go to the general single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "Dotage", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with M. Prosper Blanchemain, ed., Œuvres complètes de P. de Ronsard, Tome VI, Paris: Librairie A. Franck, 1866, page 420.
Researcher for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]
Total word count: 210