 One of my early discoveries in French poetry was a well-known sonnet by Joachim du Bellay. “Heureux qui comme Ulysse” was written in the mid-16th century during the poet's extended visit to Rome and published in 1558 in his collection Regrets. Du Bellay was a founder of the Pléiade movement; its best-known member is Ronsard.
Happy Was Ulysses By Joachim du Bellay Happy the Ulysses who finished his voyage, happy the man who seized the fleece, and came back home, wiser and experienced, to live among his people into old age. When will I, alas, in my little village again see the smoking chimney, in which season see again the espaliered trees of my garden, to me a province and peaceful anchorage? I prefer the dwelling my ancestors raised to Roman palaces’ audacious fronts; I like the marble less than the thin slate, my Liré more than Tiber’s Latin flow, the hills of home over the Palatine mount, sea air less than the sweetness of Anjou. The last two lines of the second stanza are more gloss than translation. The poem is available online with a very loose 19th-century translation into French and an audio file with a recitation in French. Heureux qui comme Ulysse By Joachim du Bellay Heureux qui, comme Ulysse, a fait un beau voyage, Ou comme cestuy-là qui conquit la toison, Et puis est retourné, plein d’usage et raison, Vivre entre ses parents le reste de son âge ! Quand reverrai-je, hélas, de mon petit village Fumer la cheminée, et en quelle saison Reverrai-je le clos de ma pauvre maison, Qui m’est une province, et beaucoup davantage ? Plus me plaît le séjour qu’ont bâti mes aïeux, Que des palais Romains le front audacieux, Plus que le marbre dur me plaît l’ardoise fine : Plus mon Loire gaulois, que le Tibre latin, Plus mon petit Liré, que le mont Palatin, Et plus que l’air marin la doulceur angevine. Posted 27 March 2026, edited 28 March 2026
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