Selected Poems from Clément Marot

Marot, Clément (1496–1544), translated by Kline, A. S. (contact-email)

Clément Marot (1496-1544), born in Cahors, and an older contemporary of Maurice Scève and Louise Labé probably studied law in Paris and later created a career for himself at the French court. In 1520 he attended Francis I at the Field of the Cloth of Gold, and accompanied Francis on his ill-fated Italian campaign ending in defeat at Pavia in 1524. Supporting both the humanist and religious reform movements, Marot was subsequently imprisoned for heresy, and was forced to flee Paris in 1534. After time spent in Navarre and Ferrara, he finally abjured his heresy at Lyon, and in 1539 Francois granted him a house there. His translation of the Psalms into French gained him wide fame and helped to promote the Protestant Reformation. The earliest editions of his works appeared at Lyon in 1538 and 1544, and he is rightly claimed as a key writer of the Lyon school of poetry, which employed themes of spiritual love, based on the works of Plato and Petrarch, and the Renaissance conventions of courtly love.

Author Details

Clément Marot, born on 23 November 1496 in Cahors, Quercy, was a central figure in French Renaissance poetry. His father, Jean Marot, was a scribe for Queen Anne of Brittany. Clément, who spent his formative years in France starting from 1506, received his education at the University of Paris, initially studying law.

Marot began his literary career as a “rhétoriqueur”, embracing the era's allegorical and artificial styles in poetry. He became a page to Nicolas de Neufville and later joined the Valois court, known for its literary patronage. His early works included panegyrics and translations, including Virgil's first Eclogue.

His status was enhanced by his association with Marguerite de Navarre, the sister of King Francis I and a patron of the arts. Marot's poetry evolved during this period, moving away from artificiality towards a more natural style. Following growing opposition to the King’s reforms, Marot, known for his imprudence, was arrested on heresy charges in 1526, leading to a brief imprisonment. His release was followed by his appointment as valet de chambre to the King.

Although Marot's works gained popularity, he was again briefly imprisoned in 1531. His subsequent implication in the 1534 Affair of the Placards forced him to flee to Geneva and then to Ferrara due to due to the heightened danger faced by Protestant sympathisers. Under the protection of Renée, Duchess of Ferrara, Marot's work flourished and he contributed significantly to the “Blasons”, a form of descriptive poetry.

Following Pope Paul III’s intervention with Francis I on behalf of Protestants Marot was able to briefly return to Paris, and subsequently renounced his heretical views in Lyon. In 1539, Francis I provided Marot with a residence and land in the outskirts.

Marot's translations of the Psalms had a substantial impact on the Protestant Reformation in France. His later years were marked by literary disputes and a final move to Geneva, then to Piedmont, due to ongoing religious controversies. Marot died in Turin in 1544.

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Kline, A. S.

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