# Franciscae meae laudes · Praises of My Francisca

Les Fleurs du mal · Charles Baudelaire · Spleen and Ideal

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/baudelaire/franciscae-meae-laudes. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/baudelaire/franciscae-meae-laudes.json.

**1** Novis te cantabo chordis,  
I will sing you on new strings,

**2** O novelletum quod ludis  
O young shoot that plays
> «novelletum» — a coined diminutive: «novelletum» is not classical Latin: Baudelaire invents a tender diminutive from «novellus» ('young, new'), roughly 'little new thing / fresh young sprout'. The whole poem is a deliberate pastiche of medieval church Latin, and coinages like this are part of the game — addressing the beloved as something newly budded and small.

**3** In solitudine cordis.  
in the solitude of the heart.


**4** Esto sertis implicata,  
Be entwined with garlands,
> Future imperative «esto»: «esto» is the future imperative of «esse» (to be): 'be / you shall be'. This solemn command form belongs to laws, prayers and oaths, which suits the hymn's liturgical tone — the praises are framed as a rite she is bidden to enter.

**5** Ô femina delicata  
O delicate woman,

**6** Per quam solvuntur peccata!  
through whom sins are absolved!
> Passive «solvuntur»: «solvuntur» is the passive of «solvo» (to loosen, release, absolve): 'are loosed / are absolved'. «peccata» ('sins') is the subject. The phrasing «per quam» ('through whom') casts the woman in the role of a redeemer — sins are forgiven through her, language lifted straight from prayers to the Virgin.


**7** Sicut beneficum Lethe,  
As from kindly Lethe,

**8** Hauriam oscula de te,  
I would drink kisses from you,

**9** Quae imbuta es magnete.  
you who are steeped in magnetism.


**10** Quum vitiorum tempegtas  
When the tempest of vices
> «tempegtas» — spelling preserved: The word is «tempestas» ('storm, tempest'); the printed form «tempegtas» preserves a quirk of the 1857 edition kept here verbatim. «Quum» is an archaic spelling of «cum» ('when'). The line sets up the rescue: when the storm of vices «vitiorum» was throwing every path into confusion, she appeared.

**11** Turbabat omnes semitas,  
was confounding all the paths,

**12** Apparuisti, Deitas,  
you appeared, O Deity,


**13** Velut stella salutaris  
Like a saving star

**14** In naufragiis amaris.....  
amid bitter shipwrecks.....
> «naufragium» — shipwreck: «naufragium» is a shipwreck (from «navis» 'ship' + «frango» 'to break'); the ablative plural «naufragiis amaris» = 'in bitter shipwrecks'. The image fuses with the «stella salutaris» of the line before: she is the saving star that appears to the foundering sailor — once more the Virgin's title «stella maris», 'star of the sea'. The trailing dots are Baudelaire's own.

**15** Suspendam cor tuis aris!  
I will hang my heart on your altars!


**16** Piscina plena virtutis,  
Pool full of power,
> «piscina» — pool / font: «piscina» is a basin or pool, and in church Latin the sacred pool of healing — recalling the Pool of Bethesda whose waters cured the sick. «plena virtutis» = 'full of virtue / power' (the genitive «virtutis» means both moral virtue and curative strength). The stanza begins a litany of metaphors that each name the beloved as a source of grace.

**17** Fons æternæ juventutis  
fountain of eternal youth,

**18** Labris vocem redde mutis!  
give voice back to mute lips!
> Imperative «redde» + dative: «redde» is the imperative of «reddo» (to give back, restore): 'restore!'. It takes a direct object «vocem» ('voice') and a dative of the recipient «labris mutis» ('to mute lips'). The mood shifts from praise to prayer — a string of commands («redde», later «guberna», «adde») asking her grace to act on the poet.


**19** Quod erat spurcum, cremasti;  
What was filthy, you burned away;
> «quod» — 'that which': Each line of this stanza opens with «quod» ('that which, what') as the object of a perfect verb: «quod erat spurcum, cremasti» = 'what was foul, you burned'. The threefold parallel — «cremasti» (you burned), «exaequasti» (you levelled), «confirmasti» (you strengthened) — is a creed-like list of her transforming work, each verb in the syncopated perfect («-asti» for «-avisti»).

**20** Quod rudius, exaequasti;  
what was too rough, you made smooth;

**21** Quod debile, confirmasti.  
what was weak, you made firm.


**22** In fame mea taberna  
In my hunger an inn,

**23** In nocte mea lucerna,  
in my night a lamp,

**24** Recte me semper guberna.  
steer me always aright.
> «gubernare» — to steer: «guberna» is the imperative of «gubernare», to steer a ship (the source of English 'govern'). It picks the nautical thread back up from the shipwreck stanza: having appeared as the saving star, she is now asked to take the helm — «recte … guberna» = 'steer rightly'. Hunger, night, and a wandering course are each answered by her: an inn, a lamp, a hand on the tiller.


**25** Adde nunc vires viribus,  
Add now strength to my strength,

**26** Dulce balneum suavibus  
sweet bath fragrant with

**27** Unguentatum odoribus!  
soft-scented oils!
> «unguentatum» — anointed with oils: «unguentatum» means 'anointed, perfumed with unguents', from «unguentum» (ointment, scented oil). It runs across the line break to describe «balneum» ('bath') from the previous line, steeped in «suavibus odoribus» ('sweet scents'). The cluster of perfumes is pure Baudelaire — the same sensual incense that fills «Correspondances» and «La Chevelure».


**28** Meos circa lumbos mica,  
Glitter about my loins,
> Postponed preposition «circa»: Normal prose order would be «circa meos lumbos» ('around my loins'); Latin verse often slips the preposition between adjective and noun, so «meos circa lumbos» keeps the same sense in a more elevated word order. «mica» is the imperative 'gleam, sparkle' — she is asked to shine girdle-like at his waist.

**29** O castitatis lorica,  
O breastplate of chastity,

**30** Aqua tincta seraphica;  
water touched with the seraphic;


**31** Patera gemmis corusca,  
Libation-bowl flashing with gems,
> «patera» — the offering-bowl: A «patera» is the broad shallow dish used to pour libations to the gods. «gemmis corusca» = 'glittering with gems' (the ablative «gemmis» tells what it flashes with). The final stanza piles up sacramental objects — jewelled bowl, salted bread, divine wine — turning the woman into the very elements of a rite that closes on her name.

**32** Panis salsus, mollis esca,  
salted bread, tender fare,

**33** Divinum vinum, Francisca!  
divine wine, Francisca!

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Source text: public domain (Charles Baudelaire, d. 1867). English translation: © 2026 1732 Studios, LLC — original draft, pending editorial review.