Francois Rabelais
Francois Rabelais
François Rabelaiswas a major French Renaissance writer, physician, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He has historically been regarded as a writer of fantasy, satire, the grotesque, bawdy jokes and songs. His best known work is Gargantua and Pantagruel. Because of his literary power and historical importance, Western literary critics considered him one of the great writers of world literature and among the creators of modern European writing. His literary legacy is such that today, the word "Rabelaisian" has been...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionClergyman
CountryFrance
Always open all gates and roads to your enemies, and rather make for them a bridge of silver, to get rid of them. [Fr., Ouvrez toujours a vos ennemis toutes les portes et chemin, et plutot leur faites un pont d'argent, afin de les renvoyer.]
Do not limp before the lame. [Old Fr., Ne clochez pas devant les boyteus.]
What harm in learning and getting knowledge even from a sot, a pot, a fool, a mitten, or a slipper. [Fr., Que nuist savoir tousjours et tousjours apprendre, fust ce D'un sot, d'une pot, d'une que--doufle D'un mouffe, d'un pantoufle.]
Plain as a nose in a man's face.
Hungry bellies have no ears. [Fr., La ventre affame n'point d'oreilles.]
Against fortune the carter cracks his whip in vain. [Fr., Centre fortune, la diverse un chartier rompit nazardes son fouet.]
There are more old drunkards than old physicians. [Fr., Il y a plus de vieux ivrongnes qu'il y a de vieux medecins.]
Row on [whatever happens]. [Lat., Vogue la galere.]
It is the custom on Africa to always produce new and monstrous things. [Fr., Afrique est coustumiere toujours choses produire nouvelles et monstrueuses.]
Debts and lies are generally mixed together. [Fr., Debtes et mensonges sont ordinairement ensemble rallies.]
The dress does not make the monk. [Fr., L'habit ne fait le moine.]
I never sleep in comfort save when I am hearing a sermon or praying to God.
Pantagruel was telling me that he believed the queen had given the symbolic word used among her subjects to denote sovereign good cheer, when she said to her tabachins, A panacea.
A good intention does not mean honor. [Fr., A bon entendeur ne faut qu'un parole.]