Author: Jean de La Fontaine

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     Three sorts there are, as Malherbe[2] says,
     Which one can never overpraise - 
     The gods, the ladies, and the king;
     And I, for one, endorse the thing.
     The heart, praise tickles and entices;
     Of fair one's smile, it oft the price is.
     See how the gods sometimes repay it.
     Simonides - the ancients say it - 
     Once undertook, in poem lyric,
     To write a wrestler's panegyric;
     Which, ere he had proceeded far in,
     He found his subject somewhat barren.
     No ancestors of great renown;
     His sire of some unnoted town;
     Himself as little known to fame,
     The wrestler's praise was rather tame.
     The poet, having made the most of
     Whate'er his hero had to boast of,
     Digress'd, by choice that was not all luck's,
     To Castor and his brother Pollux;
     Whose bright career was subject ample,
     For wrestlers, sure, a good example.
     Our poet fatten'd on their story,
     Gave every fight its place and glory,
     Till of his panegyric words
     These deities had got two-thirds.
     All done, the poet's fee
     A talent was to be.
     But when he comes his bill to settle,
     The wrestler, with a spice of mettle,
     Pays down a third, and tells the poet,
     'The balance they may pay who owe it.
     The gods than I are rather debtors
     To such a pious man of letters.
     But still I shall be greatly pleased
     To have your presence at my feast,
     Among a knot of guests select,
     My kin, and friends I most respect.'
     More fond of character than coffer,
     Simonides accepts the offer.
     While at the feast the party sit,
     And wine provokes the flow of wit,
     It is announced that at the gate
     Two men, in haste that cannot wait,
     Would see the bard. He leaves the table,
     No loss at all to 'ts noisy gabble.
     The men were Leda's twins, who knew
     What to a poet's praise was due,
     And, thanking, paid him by foretelling
     The downfall of the wrestler's dwelling.
     From which ill-fated pile, indeed,
     No sooner was the poet freed,
     Than, props and pillars failing,
     Which held aloft the ceiling
     So splendid o'er them,
     It downward loudly crash'd,
     The plates and flagons dash'd,
     And men who bore them;
     And, what was worse,
     Full vengeance for the man of verse,
     A timber broke the wrestler's thighs,
     And wounded many otherwise.
     The gossip Fame, of course, took care
     Abroad to publish this affair.
     'A miracle!' the public cried, delighted.
     No more could god-beloved bard be slighted.
     His verse now brought him more than double,
     With neither duns, nor care, nor trouble.
     Whoe'er laid claim to noble birth
     Must buy his ancestors a slice,
     Resolved no nobleman on earth
     Should overgo him in the price.
     From which these serious lessons flow: - 
     Fail not your praises to bestow
     On gods and godlike men. Again,
     To sell the product of her pain
     Is not degrading to the Muse.
     Indeed, her art they do abuse,
     Who think her wares to use,
     And yet a liberal pay refuse.
     Whate'er the great confer upon her,
     They're honour'd by it while they honour.
     Of old, Olympus and Parnassus
     In friendship heaved their sky-crown'd masses.

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Type of Poem: Fable

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This intriguing and narrative-driven poem engages with themes of praise, value, and divine intervention, all while using wit and humor to enhance its storytelling. It opens with a declaration of the three entities that one should never refrain from praising: the gods, the ladies, and the king. This opening sets a tone of reverence mixed with light-heartedness that is carried throughout the piece.

The poem's structure is one of a narrative fable, recounting a tale of the poet Simonides who, after being underpaid by a wrestler for a panegyric, receives a divine warning and escapes a fatal accident. The story underscores the importance of giving due praise (and compensation), especially to those who hold power. The use of this narrative structure helps to engage readers while conveying the poem's themes in a creative and memorable way.

The poem's tone is playful and satirical, often using irony to underline its points. This can be seen, for example, in the way the wrestler underpays Simonides, only to later suffer the consequences of his stinginess. The poem also employs various literary devices to enhance its storytelling, such as allusion (to the gods Castor and Pollux, for instance) and foreshadowing (the twins' warning of the impending disaster).

In the end, the poem suggests that praise and honor, when given appropriately, can yield good fortune, while those who withhold due accolades may face dire consequences. It also asserts the value of the poet's craft, arguing against those who devalue it. In doing so, it offers a defense of the arts and a critique of those who underestimate their worth, adding a layer of social commentary to its entertaining narrative.