
La guerre doulce aux inexperimentez.
Les Papillons se vont brusler
A la chandelle qui reluyct.
Tel veult à la bataille aller
Qui ne scaict combien guerre nuyct

CEulx qui n’ont eu de guerre les travaulx,
Et qui n’ont veu les bannieres en l’aer
Donner dedans, abbatre les chevaulx
Faulser harnoys, meurtrir & affoller,
Qui n’ont aussy veu les esclatz voler,
Trompes sonner, & semondre à l’assault,
Tant que tout homme en fremit & tressault
Voyant son sang sur terre respandu,
Ceulx la je dy qui n’ont bien entendu
Les maulx divers de la guerre cruelle,
L’estimant doulce, amoureuse & tant belle
En desirant estre en telz bastillons,
Ilz sont ainsi que petis papillons,
Lesquelz s’en vont brusler à la chandelle.
★ On faict, on dict de guerre les chansons,
S’esjouyssant des assaulx & vacarmes,
Ce sont pour vray fascheux & meschantz sons
Dont les deux yeulx debvroient espandre larmes,
Ceulx qui les font n’ont gueres veu les armes
Et ne sont pas bien experimentez.
O pauvres sotz de guerre vous chantez
Et ne scavez les maulx qui sont en guerre
Vueillez premier l’effect d’icelle enquerre
Et ne louez ce qui est à blasmer,
N’appellez doulx ce qui est bien amer,
Et gardez bien qu’on ne vous y entasme,
Non que les fortz & les puissantz je blasme,
Car au besoing on les doibt bien aymer.
1. Cf. Erasmus, Adagia, 4.1.1 (Dulce bellum inexperis). See also Alison Saunders, The Sixteenth-Century French Emblem Book (Geneva, 1988), p. 42, for a parallel proverbial manuscript, where the image is associated with the idea of a dispute. This image will be later the topic for illustrating the suffering caused by love: see Dorothy Gabe Coleman, An Illustrated Love “Canzoniere”. The Délie of Maurice Scève (Geneva/Paris, 1981), pp. 57-58.
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- (high) hill [25H113] Search | Browse Iconclass
- candle [41B31] Search | Browse Iconclass
- candlestick [41B313] Search | Browse Iconclass
- communal rooms [41A22] Search | Browse Iconclass
- door [41A32] Search | Browse Iconclass
- flame [41B121] Search | Browse Iconclass
- flying animal(s) [25F(+5262)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- insects (with NAME) [25F711(BUTTERFLY)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- insects (with NAME) [25F711(MOTH)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- landscape with tower or castle [25I5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- smoke [41B162] Search | Browse Iconclass
- window [41A33] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- (military) flags and standards [45D1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Bad, Evil, Wrong [52B5112] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Bitterness; 'Amaritudine' (Ripa) [56BB11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- blood [31A22611] Search | Browse Iconclass
- cavalry, horsemen [45(+22)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- consequences of war [45A14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Cruelty, Ferocity; 'Crudeltà', 'Ferocità' (Ripa) [57AA91] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Damage, Disservice; 'Danno' (Ripa) [54BB31] Search | Browse Iconclass
- death during war [31E23(+33)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Exterior, Exteriority [51AA51] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Fear, Dread; 'Paura', 'Timidità o Timore', 'Timore' (Ripa) [56DD1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Folly, Foolishness; 'Pazzia', 'Sciocchezza', 'Stoltitia' (Ripa) [52AA51] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Friendliness, Gentleness, Affability; 'Affabilità, piacevolezza, amabilità', 'Animo piacevole, trattabile & amorevole', 'Benignità' (Ripa) [57A77] Search | Browse Iconclass
- horn, trumpet, cornet, trombone, tuba [48C7352] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Ignorance; 'Ignoranza', 'Ignoranza di tutte le cose', 'Ignoranza in un ricco senza lettere' (Ripa) [52AA5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Inexperience [54AA31] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Intrinsic Nature, Essence, Idea (according to Plato) [51A5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- military glory [45A31] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Strength, Power; 'Fortezza', 'Fortezza d'Animo e di corpo', 'Fortezza del corpo congiunta con la generosità dell'animo', 'Fortezza & valore del corpo congiunto con la prudenza & virtù del animo', 'Forza' (Ripa) [54A7] Search | Browse Iconclass
- vocal music, singing [48C755] Search | Browse Iconclass
- war [45A1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- weapons «« KEY (6) TO 45 warfare; military affairs [45(+6)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- weeping [31B6214] Search | Browse Iconclass
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