Saagar Asnani
on translating Pierre de Ronsard
Helen of Sparta, daughter of Zeus and a woman whose beauty was of mythic proportions, is often portrayed as the reason behind the fall of Troy, her irresistible allure causing conflict between the Greeks and Trojans over possession of her person. In this chanson or song, Ronsard has written an ode to Helen, describing her unparalleled beauty. However, in doing so, he has made use of a very interesting vocabulary, constantly linking the narrator’s adoration of her striking good looks to his own terrors, fears, unhappiness, and injuries. According to Ronsard, does Helen truly represent the pinnacle of human beauty, and if so, is this beauty something for which we are to strive? Her ravishing appearance has caused the downfall of many men and the narrator’s admiration of the wonders of her visage seems to be causing him physical and mental pain. The last stanza is particularly telling, as he then links this mythic metaphor to a more tangible example, his love for a woman, hailing from Saintonge, who seems to have rejected his advances.
Appearing in the volume Les Amours, a collection of sonnets, chansons, madrigals, and other poems dedicated to the topic of love and often based on mythical ideas, this poem is a truly well-written and beautiful example of Ronsard’s subtle mastery of the language of poetry and love. In this translation, I have opted to stay as close to the original meaning as possible. I have not tried to carry through the syllabic meter and rhyme scheme of the original, focusing instead on the content of the poem. Ronsard’s original was highly conscient of the form and style in which it was written, with a very strict alternance of decasyllabic and hexasyllabic lines and a clear ABABCCC rhyme scheme in each stanza.
I would like to thank Prof. Scott Francis of the French and Francophone Studies department for his help in editing my translation.
about the author
Pierre de Ronsard was born in 1524 in Couture-Sur-Loir, a small village on the banks of the Loir River. After completing his education in Paris, he made a name for himself as a master poet. He often found work as a translator of classical works into vernacular French, and the influence of ancient myths is apparent in the subject matter of his poetry. Forming lifelong friendships with other popular poets of the era, he and six others joined together to form la Pléiade, a group of seven poets who were bound by stylistic, topical, and philosophical ideas of writing. Ronsard was a founding member of the group and has since been known as one of the greatest lyricists of French history. Today, while la Pléiade forms an essential part of the French literary canon and is studied by French literature students of all levels, it is almost unknown in the realm of English literature. Given the genius of Ronsard’s writings and his delicate touch with the French language, it seems only fitting that his works reach a wider audience.
about the translator
Saagar Asnani is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences at Penn triple majoring in biology, French, and music. An avid Francophile at heart, he has always been fascinated by the beauty of the language, France’s cultural contributions to modern society, and its rich history. Given his love of Medieval and Renaissance French literature, he hopes to continue to translate various works from Old and Middle French into English and make these masterpieces accessible to a wider audience. In addition to translation, he is an avid performer, and can often be seen on campus carrying his viola to rehearsals and concerts. After Penn, he intends to attend medical school.
