Poems

Probleme/Ballade of Fortune

170 the poems of françois villon 2 Probleme Fortune fuz par clercs jadiz nommee, Que toy, Françoys, crye et nomme murtriere, Qui n’es homme d’aucune renommee! Meilleur que toy faiz user en plastriere, 4 Par povreté, et fouyr en carriere. S’a honte viz, te dois tu doncques plaindre? Tu n’es pas seul, si ne te dois complaindre. Regarde et voy de mes faiz de jadiz, 8 Mains vaillans homs par moy mors et roiddiz, Et n’es, ce sais, envers eulx ung soullon. Appaise toy et mect fin en tes diz; Par mon conseil prens tout en gre, Villon. 12 Contre grans roys me suis bien anymee, Le temps qui est passé ça en arriere: Priame occis et toute son armee; Ne lui valut tour, donjon, ne barriere. 16 Et Hannibal, demoura il derriere? En Cartaige par Mort le feiz actaindre, Et Scypïon l’Affricquain feiz estaindre. Julius Cesar au Senat je vendiz, 20 En Egipte Pompee je perdiz, En mer noyay Jazon en ung boullon, Et une foys Romme et Rommains ardiz. Par mon conseil prens tout en gre, Villon. 24 Alixandre, qui tant fist de hemee, Qui voulut voir l’estoille poucyniere, Sa personne par moy fut envelimee. Alphasar roy en champ sur sa baniere 28 Ruay jus mort. Cela est ma maniere! Ainsi l’ay fait, ainsi le maintendray; Autre cause ne raison n’en rendray. Holofernés l’idolastre mauldiz 32 shorter poems 171 2 Ballade of Fortune Fortune was the name they gave me, sages long ago, whom you, François, scold and call a murderess— yourself a man of no importance! I send better than you to the plaster works 4 routinely; to poverty, to the quarry. So you live in shame—is someone else to blame? You’re not alone, so let’s hear no complaints. Consider a while my deeds in times now past: 8 many brave men by my hand dead and stiff, compared to whom, you know, you’re just a kitchen boy. So calm yourself and quit your endless chatter! My advice, Villon? Take it all in stride. 12 Against great kings I have stoked my fury in times gone by and now far in the past: I killed Priam and with him all his army— no tower or castle did him much good. 16 And did Hannibal hold out much longer? In Carthage I let death overtake him then had Scipio Africanus snuffed out too. Julius Caesar I sold at the Senate house, 20 and in Egypt left Pompey to his fate; I drowned Jason in a tempest at sea and once burned Rome and half the Romans with it. My advice, Villon? Take it all in stride. 24 Alexander, who caused such carnage, who’d climb the stars to see the Pleiades, saw his body swell with venom, thanks to me. King Alphasar I left for dead on the field 28 sprawled on his banner. In my usual manner. So I’ve done and so I shall continue; no other cause or reason will I give. I cursed Holofernes the idolater 32 172 the poems of françois villon Qu’occist Judit (et dormoit entandiz) De son poignart, dedens son pavillon. Absallon, quoy? En fuyant le pendis. Par mon conseil prens tout en gre, Villon. 36 Pour ce, Françoys, escoute que te dis: Se riens peusse sans Dieu de Paradiz, A toy n’autre ne demouroit haillon, Car pour ung mal lors j’en feroye dix. 40 Par mon conseil prens tout en gre, Villon! shorter poems 173 and Judith killed him while he slept, with his own dagger, in his own pavilion. And Absalom? I hanged him as he fled. My advice, Villon? Take it all in stride. 36 So François, please heed what I have to say: if the Lord of Paradise gave me free rein I’d leave you without a rag on your bones; in place of one ill turn I’d give you ten. 40 My advice, Villon? Take it all in stride. ...