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Foolish love makes beasts of men:
It once caused Solomon to worship idols,
And Samson to lose his eyes.
That man is lucky who has nothing.

— François Villon Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461)

Folles amours font le gens bestes:
Salmon en ydolatria,
Samson en perdit ses lunettes.
Bien est eureux qui riens n'y a!

Original text (French)

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More quotes by François Villon

But whatever may be said about the life of work,
There is no treasure quite like living at one's ease.

Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461)

The breasts all shrivelled up and gone;
The haunches like the paps withdrawn.

But where are the snows of bygone years?

Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461)

Prince, I know all, in short,
I know pink cheeks from wan,
I know Death all-devouring,
I know all, save myself.

"In riding to the hounds, in falconry,
In love or war," as anyone will tell you,
"For one brief joy a hundred woes."

Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461)

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To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead.

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Not for the body, but for the heart; companion and company are needed.

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Love seldom haunts the breast where learning lies,
And Venus sets ere Mercury can rise.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: François Villon (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.