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Nature ornant la dame qui devoyt De sa douceur forcer les plus rebelles, Luy fit present des beautez les plus belles, Que des mille ans en espargne elle avoyt Tout ce qu'Amour avarement couvoyt, De beau, de chaste, et d'honneur soubz ses ailles, Emmiella les graces immortelles De son bel oeil qui les dieux emouvoyt. Du ciel à peine elle estoyt descendue, Quand je la vi, quand mon ame ésperdue En devint folle: et d'un si poignant trait, Le fier destin l'engrava dans mon ame, Que vif ne mort, jamais d'une aultre dame Empraint au cuoeur je n'auray le portraict.
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Modernized version of the text:
Nature ornant la dame qui devait De sa douceur forcer les plus rebelles Lui fit présent des beautés les plus belles Que dès mille ans en épargne elle avait. Tout ce qu'Amour avarement couvait De beau, de chaste et d'honneur sous ses ailes Emmiella les grâces immortelles De son bel oeil qui les dieux émouvait. Du ciel à peine elle était descendue, Quand je la vis, quand mon âme éperdue En devint folle, et d'un si poignant trait Le fier Destin l'engrava dans mon âme Que, vif ne mort, jamais d'une autre dame Empreint au coeur je n'aurai le portrait.
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585) [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Anthoine de Bertrand (1540? - 1581?), "Nature ornant la Dame", 1576, published 1578, first performed 1576 [ vocal quartet a cappella ], from Les Amours de Pierre de Ronsard à 4 parties, Livre 1, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Clement Janequin (c1495 - c1560), "Nature ornant la Dame" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Frank Martin (1890 - 1974), no title, 1921 [ mezzo-soprano, flute, viola, and cello ], from Quatre sonnets à Cassandre, no. 2, uses the modernized version [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Julien Tiersot (1857 - 1936), "Nature ornant la dame", published 1924 [ vocal quartet with piano ], from Chansons de Ronsard, no. 12, Éd. 'Au Ménestrel' Heugel ; a realization of a melody by Clément Janequin [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , "Nature, when adorning that lady", copyright © 2000, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-10-28
Line count: 14
Word count: 100
Nature, when adorning that lady whose gentleness would compel the most recalcitrant, bestowed on her all the most beautiful features that she had been saving up for centuries. Everything fair and chaste and honourable that Eros was avariciously guarding under his wings went to sweeten the immortal graces of her beautiful eyes which excited the gods themselves. Scarcely had she descended from heaven than I saw her, and, distracted, became crazy about her... Proud Fate engraved her in my heart with such a sharp arrow that, whether alive or dead, I will never have the portrait of any other lady imprinted on my heart.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2000 by Peter Low, (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.
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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585)
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 105