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class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 21 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-21" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">21 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-az mw-list-item"><a href="https://az.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nikola_Bualo" title="Nikola Bualo – Azerbaijani" lang="az" hreflang="az" data-title="Nikola Bualo" data-language-autonym="Azərbaycanca" data-language-local-name="Azerbaijani" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Azərbaycanca</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bg mw-list-item"><a href="https://bg.wikiquote.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B0_%D0%91%D0%BE%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BE" title="Никола Боало – Bulgarian" lang="bg" hreflang="bg" data-title="Никола Боало" data-language-autonym="Български" data-language-local-name="Bulgarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Български</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bs mw-list-item"><a href="https://bs.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau" title="Nicolas Boileau – Bosnian" lang="bs" hreflang="bs" data-title="Nicolas Boileau" data-language-autonym="Bosanski" data-language-local-name="Bosnian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bosanski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau-Despr%C3%A9aux" title="Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau-Despr%C3%A9aux" title="Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Esperanto</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicol%C3%A1s_Boileau" title="Nicolás Boileau – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Nicolás Boileau" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau" title="Nicolas Boileau – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Nicolas Boileau" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikiquote.org/wiki/%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%90_%D7%91%D7%95%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%95" title="ניקולא בואלו – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="ניקולא בואלו" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau" title="Nicolas Boileau – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Nicolas Boileau" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hy mw-list-item"><a href="https://hy.wikiquote.org/wiki/%D5%86%D5%AB%D5%AF%D5%B8%D5%AC%D5%A1_%D4%B2%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%A1%D5%AC%D5%B8" title="Նիկոլա Բուալո – Armenian" lang="hy" hreflang="hy" data-title="Նիկոլա Բուալո" data-language-autonym="Հայերեն" data-language-local-name="Armenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Հայերեն</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau" title="Nicolas Boileau – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Nicolas Boileau" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ka mw-list-item"><a href="https://ka.wikiquote.org/wiki/%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98%E1%83%99%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9A%E1%83%90_%E1%83%91%E1%83%A3%E1%83%90%E1%83%9A%E1%83%9D" title="ნიკოლა ბუალო – Georgian" lang="ka" hreflang="ka" data-title="ნიკოლა ბუალო" data-language-autonym="ქართული" data-language-local-name="Georgian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ქართული</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lt mw-list-item"><a href="https://lt.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nikola_Bualo" title="Nikola Bualo – Lithuanian" lang="lt" hreflang="lt" data-title="Nikola Bualo" data-language-autonym="Lietuvių" data-language-local-name="Lithuanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lietuvių</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau" title="Nicolas Boileau – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Nicolas Boileau" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau-Despr%C3%A9aux" title="Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau" title="Nicolas Boileau – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Nicolas Boileau" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikiquote.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B0_%D0%91%D1%83%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BE" title="Никола Буало – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Никола Буало" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sk mw-list-item"><a href="https://sk.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau" title="Nicolas Boileau – Slovak" lang="sk" hreflang="sk" data-title="Nicolas Boileau" data-language-autonym="Slovenčina" data-language-local-name="Slovak" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenčina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sl mw-list-item"><a href="https://sl.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau-Despr%C3%A9aux" title="Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux – Slovenian" lang="sl" hreflang="sl" data-title="Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux" data-language-autonym="Slovenščina" data-language-local-name="Slovenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenščina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikiquote.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B0_%D0%91%D0%BE%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BE" title="Никола Боало – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Никола Боало" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk 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id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"><span class="mw-redirectedfrom">(Redirected from <a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicholas_Boileau-Despreaux&redirect=no" class="mw-redirect" title="Nicholas Boileau-Despreaux">Nicholas Boileau-Despreaux</a>)</span></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Nicolas_Boileau.PNG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Nicolas_Boileau.PNG/250px-Nicolas_Boileau.PNG" decoding="async" width="220" height="274" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Nicolas_Boileau.PNG/330px-Nicolas_Boileau.PNG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Nicolas_Boileau.PNG/500px-Nicolas_Boileau.PNG 2x" data-file-width="632" data-file-height="786" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Time" title="Time">Time</a> flies and draws us with it. The <a href="/wiki/Moment" title="Moment">moment</a> in which I am speaking is already far from me.</figcaption></figure> <p><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau-Despr%C3%A9aux" class="extiw" title="w:Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux">Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux</a></b> (<a href="/wiki/1_November" class="mw-redirect" title="1 November">1 November</a> <a href="/wiki/1636" class="mw-disambig" title="1636">1636</a> – <a href="/wiki/13_March" class="mw-redirect" title="13 March">13 March</a> <a href="/wiki/1711" class="mw-disambig" title="1711">1711</a>), commonly called <b>Boileau</b>, was a French poet and critic. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Quotes">Quotes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolas_Boileau-Despr%C3%A9aux&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Quotes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Nicolas_Boileau.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Nicolas_Boileau.jpg/220px-Nicolas_Boileau.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="246" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Nicolas_Boileau.jpg/330px-Nicolas_Boileau.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Nicolas_Boileau.jpg/440px-Nicolas_Boileau.jpg 2x" data-file-width="975" data-file-height="1090" /></a><figcaption>Often the <a href="/wiki/Fear" title="Fear">fear</a> of one <a href="/wiki/Evil" title="Evil">evil</a> leads us into a worse.</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Nicolas_boileau_Girardon.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Nicolas_boileau_Girardon.jpg/220px-Nicolas_boileau_Girardon.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="298" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Nicolas_boileau_Girardon.jpg/330px-Nicolas_boileau_Girardon.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Nicolas_boileau_Girardon.jpg/440px-Nicolas_boileau_Girardon.jpg 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="610" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Happy" class="mw-redirect" title="Happy">Happy</a> the <a href="/wiki/Poet" class="mw-redirect" title="Poet">poet</a> who with ease can steer<br />From grave to gay, from lively to severe.</figcaption></figure> <ul><li><i>Tant de fiel entre-t-il dans l'âme des dévots ?</i> <ul><li>Can such bitterness enter into the heart of the devout?</li> <li><i>Le Lutrin</i> (1683) I, 12</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Pour soutenir tes droits, que le ciel autorise,<br /> Abime tout plutôt ; c'est l'esprit de l'Église.</i> <ul><li>To support Thy rights, heaven-condoned, Destroy all else; that is the spirit of the Church.</li> <li><i>Le Lutrin</i> (1683) I, 185</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><b>Let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace.</b> <ul><li><i>Épitres</i> (1701) I, 61</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Le chagrin monte en croupe et galope avec lui.</i> <ul><li>Trouble rides behind and gallops with him.</li> <li><i>Épitres</i> (1701) V, 44</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Le temps fuit, et nous traîne avec soi :<br />Le moment où je parle est déjà loin de moi.</i> <ul><li>Time flies and draws us with it. The moment in which I am speaking is already far from me.</li> <li><i>Épitres</i> (1701) III, 47</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Tenez, voilà, dit-elle, à chacun une écaille. <br />Des sottises d'autrui nous vivons au palais : <br />Messieurs, l'huître était bonne. Adieu. Vivez en paix.</i> <ul><li>"There, take," says Justice, "take ye each a shell;<br />We thrive at Westminster on fools like you.<br />'T was a fat oyster! live in peace,—adieu."</li> <li>Epître ii, reported in <i>Bartlett's Familiar Quotations</i>, 10th ed. (1919); translation by <a href="/wiki/Alexander_Pope" title="Alexander Pope">Alexander Pope</a>, <i>Verbatim from Boileau</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Rien n'est beau que le vrai : le vrai seul est aimable.</i> <ul><li><b>Nothing but truth is lovely, nothing fair.</b></li> <li><i>Epistle 9</i></li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i> Le pénible fardeau de n'avoir rien à faire.</i> <ul><li>The terrible burden of having nothing to do.</li> <li><i>Epistle 11</i></li></ul></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="The_Art_of_Poetry_(1674)"><span id="The_Art_of_Poetry_.281674.29"></span><i>The Art of Poetry</i> (1674)</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolas_Boileau-Despr%C3%A9aux&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: The Art of Poetry (1674)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Gift_of_USSR.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Gift_of_USSR.jpg/220px-Gift_of_USSR.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="293" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Gift_of_USSR.jpg/330px-Gift_of_USSR.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Gift_of_USSR.jpg 2x" data-file-width="336" data-file-height="448" /></a><figcaption>Hasten slowly, and without losing <a href="/wiki/Heart" title="Heart">heart</a>, Put your <a href="/wiki/Work" title="Work">work</a> twenty times upon the anvil.</figcaption></figure> <dl><dd><small><i>L'Art Poétique</i></small></dd></dl> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Eduardo_Zamacois_-_Jesters_Playing_%E2%80%9CCochonnet%E2%80%9D_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Eduardo_Zamacois_-_Jesters_Playing_%E2%80%9CCochonnet%E2%80%9D_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg/220px-Eduardo_Zamacois_-_Jesters_Playing_%E2%80%9CCochonnet%E2%80%9D_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="286" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Eduardo_Zamacois_-_Jesters_Playing_%E2%80%9CCochonnet%E2%80%9D_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg/330px-Eduardo_Zamacois_-_Jesters_Playing_%E2%80%9CCochonnet%E2%80%9D_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Eduardo_Zamacois_-_Jesters_Playing_%E2%80%9CCochonnet%E2%80%9D_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg/440px-Eduardo_Zamacois_-_Jesters_Playing_%E2%80%9CCochonnet%E2%80%9D_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2976" data-file-height="3868" /></a><figcaption>A <a href="/wiki/Fool" class="mw-disambig" title="Fool">fool</a> always finds one still more foolish to <a href="/wiki/Admire" class="mw-redirect" title="Admire">admire</a> him.</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Jan_Matejko,_Sta%C5%84czyk.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Jan_Matejko%2C_Sta%C5%84czyk.jpg/250px-Jan_Matejko%2C_Sta%C5%84czyk.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="164" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Jan_Matejko%2C_Sta%C5%84czyk.jpg/330px-Jan_Matejko%2C_Sta%C5%84czyk.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Jan_Matejko%2C_Sta%C5%84czyk.jpg/500px-Jan_Matejko%2C_Sta%C5%84czyk.jpg 2x" data-file-width="5766" data-file-height="4289" /></a><figcaption>Every age has its <a href="/wiki/Pleasures" class="mw-redirect" title="Pleasures">pleasures</a>, its <a href="/wiki/Style" title="Style">style</a> of <a href="/wiki/Wit" title="Wit">wit</a>, and its own ways.</figcaption></figure> <ul><li><i>Tout ce qu'on dit de trop est fade et rebutant.</i> <ul><li>That which is repeated too often becomes insipid and tedious.</li> <li>Canto I, l. 61</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Souvent la peur d'un mal nous conduit dans un pire.</i> <ul><li><b>Often the fear of one evil leads us into a worse.</b></li> <li>Canto I, l. 64</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Heureux qui, dans ses vers, sait d'une voix légère<br />Passer du grave au doux, du plaisant au sévère.</i> <ul><li><b>Happy the poet who with ease can steer<br />From grave to gay, from lively to severe.</b></li> <li>Canto I, l. 75</li> <li>Variant: Happy who in his verse can gently steer <br /> From grave to light, from pleasant to severe. <ul><li>As translated by <a href="/wiki/John_Dryden" title="John Dryden">John Dryden</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Ce que l'on conçoit bien s'énonce clairement,<br />Et les mots pour le dire arrivent aisément.</i> <ul><li>Whatever is well conceived is clearly said,<br />And the words to say it flow with ease.</li> <li>Canto I, l. 153</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Hâtez-vous lentement ; et, sans perdre courage,<br />Vingt fois sur le métier remettez votre ouvrage.</i> <ul><li><b>Hasten slowly, and without losing heart,<br />Put your work twenty times upon the anvil.</b></li> <li>Canto I, l. 171</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>La vérité n'a point cet air impétueux.</i> <ul><li>Truth has not such an urgent air.</li> <li>Canto I, l. 198</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l'admire.</i> <ul><li><b>A fool always finds one still more foolish to admire him.</b></li> <li>Variant A fool always finds a greater fool to admire him.</li> <li>Canto I, l. 232</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Le vrai peut quelquefois n'être pas vraisemblable.</i> <ul><li>At times truth may not seem probable.</li> <li>Canto III, l. 48</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Chaque âge a ses plaisirs, son esprit et ses mœurs.</i> <ul><li><b>Every age has its pleasures, its style of wit, and its own ways.</b></li> <li>Canto III, l. 374</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Un fat quelquefois ouvre un avis important.</i> <ul><li>A fop sometimes gives important advice.</li> <li>Canto IV, l. 50</li></ul></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Satires_(1716)"><span id="Satires_.281716.29"></span><i>Satires</i> (1716)</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolas_Boileau-Despr%C3%A9aux&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Satires (1716)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Boileau_cour_Napoleon_Louvre.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Boileau_cour_Napoleon_Louvre.jpg/220px-Boileau_cour_Napoleon_Louvre.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="489" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Boileau_cour_Napoleon_Louvre.jpg/330px-Boileau_cour_Napoleon_Louvre.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Boileau_cour_Napoleon_Louvre.jpg/440px-Boileau_cour_Napoleon_Louvre.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1400" data-file-height="3111" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Virtue" title="Virtue">Virtue</a> <a href="/wiki/Alone" class="mw-redirect" title="Alone">alone</a> is the unerring <a href="/wiki/Sign" title="Sign">sign</a> of a <a href="/wiki/Noble" class="mw-redirect" title="Noble">noble</a> <a href="/wiki/Soul" title="Soul">soul</a>.</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Castle_Romeo.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Castle_Romeo.jpg/220px-Castle_Romeo.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="276" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Castle_Romeo.jpg/330px-Castle_Romeo.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Castle_Romeo.jpg/440px-Castle_Romeo.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1174" data-file-height="1474" /></a><figcaption>Of <a href="/wiki/All" class="mw-redirect" title="All">all</a> the creatures that creep, swim, or fly, Peopling the <a href="/wiki/Earth" title="Earth">earth</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Waters" class="mw-redirect" title="Waters">waters</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Sky" title="Sky">sky</a>, From <a href="/wiki/Rome" title="Rome">Rome</a> to Iceland, <a href="/wiki/Paris" title="Paris">Paris</a> to <a href="/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a>, I really think the <a href="/wiki/Greatest" class="mw-redirect" title="Greatest">greatest</a> <a href="/wiki/Fool" class="mw-disambig" title="Fool">fool</a> is <a href="/wiki/Man" title="Man">man</a>.</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_coast_at_Tintagel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_74174.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/The_coast_at_Tintagel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_74174.jpg/220px-The_coast_at_Tintagel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_74174.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="323" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/The_coast_at_Tintagel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_74174.jpg/330px-The_coast_at_Tintagel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_74174.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/The_coast_at_Tintagel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_74174.jpg 2x" data-file-width="436" data-file-height="640" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Honor" title="Honor">Honor</a> is like an island, rugged and without a beach;<br /> Once we have left it, we can never return.</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:SHAEF_Shoulder_Patch.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/SHAEF_Shoulder_Patch.svg/220px-SHAEF_Shoulder_Patch.svg.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="297" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/SHAEF_Shoulder_Patch.svg/330px-SHAEF_Shoulder_Patch.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/SHAEF_Shoulder_Patch.svg/440px-SHAEF_Shoulder_Patch.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="117" data-file-height="158" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Now" title="Now">Now</a> two punctilious envoys, <a href="/wiki/Property" title="Property">Thine and</a> <a href="/wiki/Ownership" title="Ownership">Mine</a>,<br />Embroil the <a href="/wiki/Earth" title="Earth">earth</a> about a <a href="/wiki/Fantasy" title="Fantasy">fancied</a> line;<br />And, dwelling much on <a href="/wiki/Righteousness" title="Righteousness">right</a> and much on <a href="/wiki/Wrong" class="mw-redirect" title="Wrong">wrong</a>,<br /><a href="/wiki/Prove" class="mw-redirect" title="Prove">Prove</a> how the right is chiefly with the <a href="/wiki/Strong" class="mw-redirect" title="Strong">strong</a>.</figcaption></figure> <ul><li><i>Je ne puis rien nommer si ce n'est par son nom ;<br />J'appelle un chat un chat, et Rollet un fripon.</i> <ul><li>I can call nothing by name if that is not his name. I call a cat a cat, and Rollet a rogue.</li> <li>Satire I, l. 51</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Il plait a tout le monde et ne saurait se plaire.</i> <ul><li>He (<a href="/wiki/Moli%C3%A8re" title="Molière">Molière</a>) pleases all the world, but cannot please himself.</li> <li>Satire I, l. 94</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>N'en déplaise à ces fous nommés sages de Grèce, <br />En ce monde il n'est point de parfaite sagesse : <br />Tous les hommes sont fous, et, malgré tous leurs soins, <br />Ne diffèrent entre eux que du plus ou du moins.</i> <ul><li>In spite of every sage whom Greece can show,<br />Unerring wisdom never dwelt below;<br />Folly in all of every age we see,<br />The only difference lies in the degree.</li> <li>Satire 4, l. 37</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Le plus sage est celui qui ne pense point l'être.</i> <ul><li><b>The wisest man is he who is certain he is not.</b></li> <li>Satire 4</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Le plus fou souvent est le plus satisfait.</i> <ul><li>Greatest fools are oft most satisfied.</li> <li>Satire 4, l. 128</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>La vertu, d'un cœur noble est la marque certaine.</i> <ul><li><b>Virtue alone is the unerring sign of a noble soul.</b></li> <li>Satire 5, l. 42</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Si vous êtes sorti de ces héros fameux, <br />Montrez-nous cette ardeur qu'on vit briller en eux.</i> <ul><li>If your descent is from heroic sires,<br />Show in your life a remnant of their fires.</li> <li>Satire 5, l. 43</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>De tous les animaux qui s'élèvent dans l'air, <br />Qui marchent sur la terre, ou nagent dans la mer, <br />De Paris au Pérou, du Japon jusqu'à Rome, <br />Le plus sot animal, à mon avis, c'est l'homme.</i> <ul><li><b>Of all the creatures that creep, swim, or fly,<br />Peopling the earth, the waters, and the sky,<br />From Rome to Iceland, Paris to Japan,<br />I really think the greatest fool is man.</b></li> <li>Satire 8, l. 1</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>L'or même à la laideur donne un teint de beauté :<br />Mais tout devient affreux avec la pauvreté.</i> <ul><li>Gold gives an appearance of beauty even to ugliness:<br />But with poverty everything becomes frightful.</li> <li>Satire 8, l. 209</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>La satire, en leçons, en nouveautés fertile, <br />Sait seule assaisonner le plaisant et l'utile, <br />Et, d'un vers qu'elle épure aux rayons du bons sens, <br />Détromper les esprits des erreurs de leur temps.</i> <ul><li>But satire, ever moral, ever new,<br />Delights the reader and instructs him, too.<br />She, if good sense refine her sterling page,<br />Oft shakes some rooted folly of the age. <ul><li>Satire 9</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>L'honneur est comme une ile escarpée et sans bords ;<br />On n'y peut plus rentrer dès qu'on en est dehors.</i> <ul><li><b>Honor is like an island, rugged and without a beach; once we have left it, we can never return.</b></li> <li>Satire 10, l. 167</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Et le Mien et le Tien, deux frères pointilleux, <br />Par son ordre amenant les procès et la guerre, <br />En tous lieux de ce pas vont partager la terre ; <br />En tous lieux, sous les noms de bon droit et de tort, <br />Vont chez elle établir le seul droit du plus fort.</i> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Now" title="Now">Now</a> two punctilious envoys, <a href="/wiki/Property" title="Property">Thine and</a> <a href="/wiki/Ownership" title="Ownership">Mine</a>,<br />Embroil the <a href="/wiki/Earth" title="Earth">earth</a> about a <a href="/wiki/Fantasy" title="Fantasy">fancied</a> line;<br />And, dwelling much on <a href="/wiki/Righteousness" title="Righteousness">right</a> and much on <a href="/wiki/Wrong" class="mw-redirect" title="Wrong">wrong</a>,<br /><a href="/wiki/Prove" class="mw-redirect" title="Prove">Prove</a> how the right is chiefly with the <a href="/wiki/Strong" class="mw-redirect" title="Strong">strong</a>. <ul><li>Satire 11, l. 141</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolas_Boileau-Despr%C3%A9aux&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="noprint" style="clear: right; 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