Venus and Adonis strophes 46-50

Vénus et Adonis Jusepe de Ribera (1591- 1652)

His ears up-prick'd; his braided hanging mane

Upon his compass'd crest now stand on end;

His nostrils drink the air, and forth again,

As from a furnace, vapours doth he send:

His eye, which scornfully glisters like fire,

Shows his hot courage and his high desire.

Sometime he trots, as if he told the steps,

With gentle majesty and modest pride;

Anon he rears upright, curvets and leaps,

As who should say, 'Lo! thus my strength is tried;

And this I do to captivate the eye

Of the fair breeder that is standing by.'

What recketh he his rider's angry stir,

His flattering 'Holla', or his 'Stand, I say'?

What cares he now for curb or pricking spur?

For rich caparisons or trapping gay?

He sees his love, and nothing else he sees,

Nor nothing else with his proud sight agrees.

Look, when a painter would surpass the life,

In limning out a well-proportion'd steed,

His art with nature's workmanship at strife,

As if the dead the living should exceed;

So did this horse excel a common one,

In shape, in courage, colour, pace and bone.

Round-hoof'd, short-jointed, fetlocks shag and long,

Broad breast, full eye, small head, and nostril wide,

High crest, short ears, straight legs and passing strong,

Thin mane, thick tail, broad buttock, tender hide:

Look, what a horse should have he did not lack,

Save a proud rider on so proud a back.

Sometimes he scuds far off, and there he stares;

Anon he starts at stirring of a feather;

To bid the wind a base he now prepares,

And whe'r he run or fly they know not whether;

For through his mane and tail the high wind sings,

Fanning the hairs, who wave like feather'd wings.

Oreilles dressées, sa crinière tressée

qui retombe sur son cou qu‘elle recouvrait;

ses narines aspirent l’air, et envoient des

vapeurs comme une fournaise le ferait:

son œil, brille, dédaigneux, comme du feu,

il montre son cran et son désir fougueux.

Parfois, comme comptant ses pas, il trotte,

majesté sereine et modeste fierté;

puis il se cabre, fait des courbettes et saute,

comme pour dire, ‘ voyez ma solidité;

je fais cela pour capter le regard

de la belle jument ici par hasard.

Qu’importe la colère de son cavalier, 

son ’Holà’ enjôleur, son ’viens ici’

qu’importent les rênes, l’éperon acéré,

comme le riche harnachement, si joli;

il voit l’amour rien ne peut être mieux,

rien d’autre ne plait à son œil orgueilleux.

Vois, quand un peintre veut surpasser la vie, …

en peignant un coursier munificent,

son art avec la nature est en conflit,

comme si le mort surpassait le vivant;

il l’emportait sur un cheval ordinaire,

en formes, courage, couleur, vigueur, air.

Large poitrail, court-jointé, nez large, sabot rond 

œil étoffé, solide naseau, tête étroite, 

col haut, petites oreilles, fine crinière, fanons longs,

queue fournie, belle croupe, jambes fortes et droites

Il a tout ce qu’un cheval devrait posséder,

sauf sur un dos si fier un fier cavalier.

à suivre