Last week’s elegy for Shakespeare reminded me of this other rather neat poem playing on the idea of a famous poet in his tomb. Jean de la Fontaine (1621-1695), now chiefly known for his Fables, was a great admirer of the French dramatist Molière, and with him was a member of a famous literary coterie, whose other members included the playwright Jean Racine and the poet and critic Boileau. Their two tombs may be found close together in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, though there seems to be much doubt as to whether the tombs actually contain their remains.

Terence and Plautus: Roman playwrights famed, like Molière, for their witty comedies. Jean de la Fontaine’s first serious work was a translation of one of Terence’s plays, ‘Eunuchus’.

The translation that follows is my own.

Épitaphe écrite pour la mort de Molière

Sous ce tombeau gisent Plaute et Térence
Et cependant le seul Molière y git.
Leurs trois talents ne formaient qu’un esprit
Dont le bel art réjouissait la France.
Ils sont partis! et j’ay peu d’espérance
De les revoir. Malgré tous nos efforts,
Pour un long temps, selon toute apparence,
Térence, et Plaute, et Molière sont morts.

Jean de la Fontaine

Here in this tomb is Terence found, and Plautus,
Yet only Molière lies here apart.
For their three talents made one genius
Gladdening all France with their fair art.
Now they are gone! And I see little chance
Of such another coming in their stead.
For a long time now, to all appearance,
Terence, Plautus, Molière are dead.