Un Philosophe aust\u00e8re, et n\u00e9 dans la Scythie,
\nSe proposant de suivre une plus douce vie,
\nVoyagea chez les Grecs, et vit en certains lieux
\nUn Sage assez semblable au vieillard de Virgile,
\nHomme \u00e9galant les Rois, homme approchant des Dieux,
\nEt, comme ces derniers satisfait et tranquille.
\nSon bonheur consistait aux beaut\u00e9s d\u2019un jardin.
\nLe Scythe l\u2019y trouva qui, la serpe \u00e0 la main,
\nDe ses arbres \u00e0 fruit retranchait l\u2019inutile,
\n\u00c9branchait, \u00e9mondait, \u00f4tait ceci, cela,
\n\tCorrigeant partout la Nature,
\nExcessive \u00e0 payer ses soins avec usure.
\n\tLe Scythe alors lui demanda :
\nPourquoi cette ruine. \u00c9tait-il d\u2019homme sage
\nDe mutiler ainsi ces pauvres habitants ?
\n\u00ab Quittez-moi votre serpe, instrument de dommage ;
\n\tLaissez agir la faux du Temps :
\nIls iront assez t\u00f4t border le noir rivage.
\n\u2013 J\u2019\u00f4te le superflu, dit l\u2019autre ; et l\u2019abattant,
\n\tLe reste en profite d\u2019autant. \u00bb
\nLe Scythe, retourn\u00e9 dans sa triste demeure,
\nPrend la serpe \u00e0 son tour, coupe et taille \u00e0 toute heure ;
\nConseille \u00e0 ses voisins, prescrit \u00e0 ses amis
\n\tUn universel abatis.
\nIl \u00f4te de chez lui les branches les plus belles,
\nIl tronque son verger contre toute raison,
\n\tSans observer temps ni saison,
\n\tLunes ni vieilles ni nouvelles.
\nTout languit et tout meurt. Ce Scythe exprime bien
\n\tUn indiscret sto\u00efcien :
\n\tCelui-ci retranche de l\u2019\u00e2me
\nD\u00e9sirs et passions, le bon et le mauvais,
\n\tJusqu\u2019aux plus innocents souhaits.
\nContre de telles gens, quant \u00e0 moi, je r\u00e9clame.
\nIls \u00f4tent \u00e0 nos c\u0153urs le principal ressort ;
\nIls font cesser de vivre avant que l\u2019on soit mort.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"annee":[167],"poems-book":[142],"poemes-theme":[],"poete":[151],"class_list":["post-1367","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-167","poems-book-fables","poete-jean-de-la-fontaine"],"yoast_head":"\n