en icest siecle nen at parfite amour
la vide est fraile, n’i at durable onour
“In this world-age there is no perfect love
Life is frail, there is no lasting honour”
Chanson d’Alexis (Song of Saint Alexius), 11th century, Old French – courtesy of Erich Auerbach, Mimesis, ch. 5.
D. L. Dusenbury 