Stop, cruel, stop, secular troop; O violeurs, fear God, fear Jeanne (?)
The research is as interesting as doing the illustration. Getting sidetracked constantly. I found a website with a Voltaire poem in 21 engravings from -it says, but don't ask me for details- the Jean-Michel Moreau school 1819.
It was not easy to find an explanation in a few sentences of what the poem is about, but here is one:
Voltaire takes the appellation 'the Maid' literally, and turns the historical contest between the French and the English into a battle for Joan of Arc's virginity, upon which the fate of the war depends. In a work which focuses on the sexual exploits and desires of the characters (ascribed without regard to historical fact) the Maid is the subject of a series of attempted rapes and seductions, and in fact becomes the lover of the Count Dunois.
pourquoi Voltaire?
Omdat hij klaarblijkelijk zijn beste werk pas op hoge leeftijd schreef. En aangezien het lezerspubliek van de NRC... Maar dat is speculatie :-) Wel erg leuk hoor, Voltaire. Daar niet van.
The english machine translation provided with the pictures is delightful:
I. Has their return one drives them to the baths
II. O sudden wonder! Denis arrives, and Jeanne awakens.
III. Agnès Of John Chandos takes the seasons, and
passes Its thighs between, and the aiguillette laces up.
IV. And tendron contemplating ugliness It was said: I SOME will have more honor.
V. Has this speech, to this augustus name, You eussiez see to back up Grisvbourdon.
VI. (missing)
VII. Christian, he says, my niece is an irreligious one; I abandon it, and I excommunicate it.
VIII. On these debris the fearless Mongrel one Of Dorothée strengthening the steps.
IX. Ah! just God! which woman you are! Which action! which blow, and which danger!
X. Agnès here speaking aloud, On the portal apperçut a cross:
XI. Stop, cruel, stop, secular troop; O violeurs, fear God, fear Jeanne.
XII. That One flies here towards she; Rush all; the devil is with my beautiful one.
VIII. Agnès helped it of a timorous hand, That misled and was mistaken often.
XIV. The mongrel happy one On red grass spreads
the big Chandos; But while falling his enemy the entraine.
XV. Already Talbot had been done a passage.
XVI. O Rock! O Rock! O you on that Jésus Daigna to be founded his immortal church.
XVII. Skillfully to splash water bénite The born farfadet of the beautiful Alix.
XVIII. Ah! did it say, never similar loss In our fight was not suffered us.
XIX. Then on the point with forces thrusted, OF A mortal blow it soon is pierced.
XX. Jeanne itself unworthy, and returns in itself.
XXI. On the English it melts as a flash, As a flash that the lightning accompanies.
The full text of "La Pucelle" is available at http://www.voltaire-integral.com/
Here's an english translation of Chant I http://www.jeanne-darc.dk/p_multimedia/literature/0_voltaire/part_1.html. By a human translator, so not as much fun, but much easier to understand.
Zie je blog voor het eerst, mooi werk!