Ronsard: Far away from Europe and far from its wars

Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts

Pierre de Ronsard
From The Fortunate Islands (1560)
Translated by Dr. Sahar Amer

Let us sail away, friends, since the wind commands
That we unmoor; let us go with vigorous arms,
Let us push the ship towards the blessed fields,
Towards the happy port of the Fortunate Isles,
Which the Ocean surrounds with its arms of blue waters,
Far away from Europe and far from its wars,
For our benefit, my friends.

*****

Or sus, amis, puisque le vent commande
De démarrer, sus, d’un bras vigoureux
Poussons la nef vers les champs bien-heureux,
Au port heureux des îles bien-heurées,
Que l’Océan de ses eaux azurées,
Loin de l’Europe et loin de ses combats,
Pour nous, amis, emmure de ses bras.