Citations:estre

Middle French citations of estre

Verb

François Rabelais (1532) Pantagruel: “Et pourtant demanda à leur prisonnier. Mon amy, dys nous icy la verité & ne nous mens en riens, si tu ne veulz estre escorché tout vif: car c'est moy qui mange les petitz enfans.”

And however, he asked their prisoner: "my friend, tell us now the truth and do not lie, if you don't want to be burned alive, for it is I that eat small children.

author unknown (1544) L'Arcadie-Trad-Massin: “[T]ous ensemble nous en allasmes au temple. Auquel estant montez par un petit nombre de marches.”

Together we went to the temple. To get there, we climbed up a couple of steps.

Étienne Pasquier (1564) Ordonnances générales d’amour:

Ce neantmoins, sur les difficultez qui se sont presentées en ce premier establissement de police, les aucuns des confrères disans que, pour le contentement d’un chacun, il falloit que toutes choses fussent communes, et les autres, au contraire, approuvans seulement le mien et le tien, Nous, pour satisfaire aux uns et aux autres, et suyvre une moyenne voye, n’ostons en tout et par tout la communauté, aussi ne la permettons de tout poinct, mais y etablissons entre deux la compassion, qui sera une reigle à chacun pour sçavoir ce qui luy doit estre propre ou commun.

This however, upon the difficulties which presented themselves upon first establishing the police some of us said that to keep everyone happy, every thing should be shared, communal, and the others on the contrary, approving only what is mine and what is yours, to satisfy all, and follow a middle road. Let us not take all away from the community, nor to let her have her will, but let us establish a rule between the two to let each one know what is owned by him.

Noun

1595, Michel de Montaigne, Essais, book II, chapter 3:

Car en fin c'est nostre estre

Because, at the end of the day, it's our being

Old French citations of estre

Marie de France (c. 1200) Le Fraisne:

En Bretiagne jadis maneien
dui chevalier ; veisin esteient.
Riche hum furent e manant,
e chevalier pruz e chevalier vaillant.

Once upon a time in Bretagne

two knights were neighbors.

They were rich men,

and also brave, valiant knights.

Jean Bodel (c. 1200) Du vilain de Bailluel:

Se fabliaus puet veritez estre,
Dont avint il, ce dist mon mestre

If fabliaux can be truthful,

this is what happened, according to my master.

author unknown (c. 1200) Baillet:

Quand elle pensa
Qu'il fust eslongiez,
Le prestre manda
Qui vint forment liez.

When she thought

that he (her husband) was asleep,

she summoned the priest

to come and lie with her.