Complete Works of Francois Rabelais

Francois Rabelais is known through his work more than through the details of his life, which are scanty. Born in the late fifteenth century, he first chose the monastic life, then left to become a lay priest and make a career as a physician, teacher, and writer. Donald M. Frame, (1911-1991) was Professor of French at Columbia University, and a renowned translator of, and expert on, Montaigne and Moliere as well as Rabelais. Raymond C. La Charite is Professor of French at the University of Kentucky and editor of French Forum and French Forum Monographs.

"What Rabelais rubs our noses in is not dirt but the remarkable fact that man is a kind of sewer with a holy spirit hovering over it. [His work] stands, along with Montaigne, Machiavelli, Hamlet, Don Quixote and perhaps Goethe's Faust, as a signpost of the European culture to which we are all to give allegiance. . . . Frame's translation is worth having."

• AbbreviationsForewordTranslator's NoteIntroductionBOOK 1The Very Horrific Life of the Great Gargantua,Father of PantagruelTo The ReadersAuthor's Prologue1. Of the genealogy and antiquity of Gargantua.2. The antidoted Frigglefraggles, found in an ancient monument.3. How Gargantua was carried eleven months in his mother'sbelly.4. How Gargamelle, while pregnant with Gargantua, ate a greatabundance of tripes.5. The palaver of the potted.6. How Gargantua was born in a very strange fashion.7. How the name was given to Gargantua, and how he inhaled thepiot wine.8. How they dressed Gargantua.9. Of the colors and livery of Gargantua.10. Of what is signified by the colors white and blue.11. Of the childhood of Gargantua.12. Of Gargantua's hobbyhorses.13. How Grandgousier recognized the marvelous mind of Gargantuaby the invention of an ass-wipe.14. How Gargantua was instructed by a sophist in Latin letters.15. How Gargantua was put under other teachers.16. How Gargantua was sent to Paris, and of the enormous mare thatbore him, and how she killed the ox-flies of Beauce.17. How Gargantua paid his welcome to the Parisians and how hetook the great bells of Notre Dame Church.18. How Janotus de Bragmardo was sent to recover the great bellsfrom Gargantua.19. The harangue of Master Janotus de Bragmardo to Gargantua torecover the bells.20. How the sophist took home his cloth and how he had a suitagainst the other masters.21. Gargantua' s mode of study according to the teaching of hissophist tutors.22. Gargantua's games.23. How Gargantua was taught by Ponocrates in such a regimen thathe did not waste an hour of the day.24. How Gargantua used his time when the air was rainy.25. How there was aroused between the fouaciers of Lerne and themen of Gargantua's country a great dispute from which werebuilt up great wars.26. How the inhabitants of Leme, at the command of Picrochole,their king, made an unexpected attack on Gargantua'sshepherds.27. How a monk of Seuille saved the abbey close from being sackedby the enemy.28. How Picrochole took by storm La Roche Clermauld, and theregret and difficulty that Grandgousier felt about undertakingwar.29. The tenor of the letter that Grandgousier wrote to Gargantua.30. How Ulrich Gallet was sent to Picrochole.31. The speech made by Ulrich Gallet to Picrochole.32. How Grandgousier, to buy peace, had the fouaces returned.33. How certain counselors of Picrochole, by rash advice, placed himin the utmost peril.34. How Gargantua left the city of Paris to succor his country, andhow Gymnaste met the enemy.35. How Gymnaste killed Captain Tripet and others of Picrochole'sarmy.36. How Gargantua demolished the chateau of the Ford of Vede, andhow they crossed the ford.37. How Gargantua, in combing his hair, made artillery shells fall outof it.38. How Gargantua in a salad ate six pilgrims.39. How the monk was feasted by Gargantua, and his fine talk atsupper.40. Why monks are shunned by everyone and why some people havebigger noses than others.41. How the monk put Gargantua to sleep, and of his hours andbreviary.42. How the monk encourages his companions and how he hangedfrom a tree.43. How Picrochole's scouting party was met by Gargantua, and howthe monk killed Captain Tiravant [Forward March], and thenwas taken prisoner by the enemy.44. How the monk got rid of his guards, and how Picrochole'sscouting party was defeated.45. How the monk brought the pilgrims, and the kind words thatGrandgousier spoke to them.46. How Grandgousier humanely treated his prisoner Blowhard.47. How Grandgousier sent for his legions, and how Blowhard killedHastycalf, then was killed by order of Picrochole.48. How Gargantua attacked Picrochole in La Roche Clermauld, anddefeated the said Picrochole's army.49. How Picrochole in flight was surprised by ill fortune, and whatGargantua did after the battle.50. The speech that Gargantua made to the vanquished.51. How the Gargantuist victors were rewarded after the battle.52. How Gargantua built for the monk the abbey of Theleme.53. How the abbey of the Thelemites was built and endowed.54. Inscription placed over the great gate of Theleme.55. How the manor of the Thelemites ran.56. How the religious of Theleme, men and women, weredressed.57. How the Thelemites were regulated in their way oflife.58. A prophetic riddle.BOOK 2Pantagruel, King of the Dipsodes, Restored to HisNatural State with His Frightful Deeds and ExploitsDizain by Master Hugues Salel "To the Author of this Book"Prologue of the Author1. Of the origin and antiquity of the great Pantagruel.2. Of the nativity of the highly redoubtable Pantagruel.3. How Gargantua mourned for the death of his wife Badebec.4. Of Pantagruel's childhood.5. Of the deeds of the noble Pantagruel in his youth.6. How Pantagruel met a Limousin who counterfeited the Frenchlanguage.7. How Pantagruel came to Paris, and of the fair books of theLibrary of Saint-Victor.8. How Pantagruel, while in Paris, received a letter from his fatherGargantua, and a copy of the same.9. How Pantagruel found Panurge, whom he loved all his life.10. How Pantagruel equitably judged a marvelously difficult andobscure controversy, so justly that his judgment was pronouncedmost admirable.11. How Lords Kissass and Sniffshit pleaded before Pantagruelwithout advocates.12. How Lord Sniffshit pleaded before Pantagruel.13. How Pantagruel gave his decision on the disagreement betweenthe two lords.14. How Panurge relates the way in which he escaped from thehands of the Turks.15. How Panurge teaches a very new way of building the walls ofParis.16. Of the ways and dispositions of Pan urge.17. How Panurge got pardons and married off old women, and of thelawsuits he had in Paris.18. How a great scholar from England wanted to debate againstPantagruel, and was vanquished by Panurge.19. How Panurge made a monkey of the Englishman who argued bysigns.20. How Thaumaste recounts the virtues and knowledge ofPanurge.21. How Panurge was smitten by a great lady of Paris.22. How Panurge played a trick on the Parisian lady that was not atall to her advantage.23. How Pantagruel left Paris, hearing news that the Dipsodes wereinvading the land of the Amaurots, and the reason why theleagues are so short in France.24. A letter that a messenger brought to Pantagruel from a lady ofParis, and the explanation of a phrase inscribed in a goldring.25. How Panurge, Carpalim, Eusthenes, Epistemon, Pantagruel'scompanions, very subtly defeated six hundred and sixtyknights.26. How Pantagruel and his companions were fed up with eatingsalt meat, and how Carpalim went hunting to get somevenison.27. How Pantagruel set up a trophy in memory of their exploits, andPan urge another in memory of the hares. How Pantagruel of hisfarts engendered the little men, and of his fizzles the littlewomen, and how Panurge broke a big stick over twoglasses.28. How Pantagruel won the victory very strangely over the Dipsodesand giants.29. How Pantagruel defeated the three hundred giants armed withfreestone and their captain Werewolf.30. How Epistemon had his chop headed off, was cleverly cured byPanurge, and how they got some news of the devils and thedamned.31. How Pantagruel entered the city of the Amaurots and howPan urge married off King Anarche and made him a hawker ofgreen sauce.32. How Pantagruel with his tongue covered a whole army, and whatthe author saw inside his mouth.33. How Pantagruel was sick, and the way in which he got well.34. The conclusion of the present book, and the author's excuse.BOOK 3The Third Book of the Heroic Deeds and Sayingsof the Good PantagruelFrancois Rabelais: "To the Spirit of the Queen of Navarre"Royal Privilege (of 1545)Royal Privilege (of 1550)Prologue of the Author, Master Frans;ois Rabelais1. How Pantagruel transported a colony of Utopians intoDipsody.2. How Panurge was made lord of Salmagundi in Dipsody and atehis wheat in the blade.3. How Panurge praises debtors and creditors.4. Continuation of Panurge's speech in praise of creditors anddebtors.5. How Pantagruel detests debtors and creditors.6. Why newlyweds were exempt from going to war.7. How Pan urge had a flea in his ear, and left off wearing hismagnificent codpiece.8. How the codpiece is the first piece of harness amongwarriors.9. How Panurge takes counsel ofPantagruel to learn whether heshould marry.10. How Pantagruel points out to Panurge that advice about marriageis a difficult thing, and of Homeric and Virgilian lots.11. How Pantagruel points out that fortune-telling by throwing diceis unlawful.12. How Pantagruel explores by Virgilian lots what sort of marriagePanurge's will be.13. How Pantagruel advises Panurge to foresee by dreams the fortuneor misfortune of his marriage.14. Panurge's dream and the interpretation thereof.15. Pan urge's excuse and exposition of the monastic cabala in thematter of salt beef.16. How Pantagruel advises Panurge to consult with a sibyl ofPanzoust.17. How Pan urge speaks to the sibyl of Panzoust.18. How Pantagruel and Panurge diversely interpret the verses of thesibyl of Panzoust.19. How Pantagruel praises the counsel of mutes.20. How Goatsnose replies to Panurge in signs.21. How Panurge takes counsel of an old French poet namedRaminagrobis.22. How Panurge champions the order of the mendicant friars.23. How Panurge makes a speech for returning to Raminagrobis.24. How Panurge takes counsel of Epistemon.25. How Panurge takes counsel of Her Trippa.26. How Panurge takes counsel of Frere Jean des Entommeures.27. How Frere Jean joyously advises Panurge.28. How Frere Jean comforts Panurge about his fear ofcuckoldry.29. How Pantagruel calls a meeting of a theologian, a doctor, a jurist,and a philosopher to help Panurge's perplexity.30. How Hippothadee, the theologian, gives advice to Panurge onthe undertaking of marriage.31. How Rondibilis, the doctor, advises Panurge.32. How Rondibilis declares that cuckoldry is naturally one of theattributes of marriage.33. How Rondibilis, the doctor, gives a remedy for cuckoldry.34. How women ordinarily covet forbidden things.35. How Trouillogan, the philosopher, treats the difficulty ofmarriage.36. Continuation of the replies of Trouillogan, the ephectic andPyrrhonian philosopher.37. How Pantagruel persuades Panurge to take counsel of somefool.38. How Triboullet is blazoned by Pantagruel and Panurge.39. How Pantagruel attends the trial of Judge Bridoye, who decidedlawsuits by the chance of dice.40. How Bridoye explains the reasons why he examined the lawsuitsthat he decided by the chance of dice.41. How Bridoye tells the story of the settler of lawsuits.42. How lawsuits are born, and how they come to perfection.43. How Pantagruel excuses Bridoye about the verdicts rendered bythe chance of dice.44. How Epistemon tells a strange story of the perplexities of humanjudgment.45. How Panurge takes counsel of Triboullet.46. How Pantagruel and Panurge diversely interpret the words ofTriboullet.4 7. How Pantagruel and Pan urge decide to visit the oracle of theDivine Bottle.48. How Gargantua points out that it is not lawful for children tomarry without the knowledge and consent of their fathers andmothers.49. How Pantagruel made his preparations to put out to sea and ofthe herb named Pantagruelion.50. How the famous Pantagruelion is to be prepared and put touse.51. Why it is called Pantagruelion, and of the admirable virtuesthereof52. How a certain kind of Pantagruelion cannot be consumed byfire.BOOK 4The Fourth Book of the Heroic Deeds and Sayingsof the Good PantagmelOld PrologueLiminary Epistle (of January 28, 1552) "To the Very Illustrious Princeand Most Reverend Monseigneur Odet, Cardinal de Chastillon"Prologue of the Author M. Francois Rabelais1. How Pantagruel put out to sea to visit the oracle of the divineBacbuc.2. How on the island of Medamothi Pantagruel bought severalbeautiful things.3. How Pantagruel received a letter from his father Gargantua andof a strange way of getting news very promptly from distantforeign countries.4. How Pantagruel writes to his father Gargantua and sends himseveral rare and beautiful things.5. How Pantagruel encountered a ship with travelers returning fromLanternland.6. How, with the dispute pacified, Panurge bargains with Dindenaultfor one of his sheep.7. Continuation of the bargaining between Pan urge andDindenault.8. How Panurge had the merchant and the sheep drowned atsea.9. How Pantagruel reached the island of Ennasin, and of the strangerelationships of the country.10. How Pantagruel went ashore on the island of Cheli, which wasrul.!;d by King Saint Panigon.11. Why monks like to be in the kitchen.12. How Pantagruel passed Procuration, and of the strange way of lifeamong the Shysteroos.13. How, after the example of Master Franois Villon, the lord ofBasche praises his people.14. Continuation of the Shysteroos drubbed in the house ofBasche.15. How by Shysteroos are renewed the ancient weddingcustoms.16. How Fn!re Jean makes trial of the nature of the Shysteroos.17. How Pantagruel passed the islands of Tohu and Bohu, and of thestrange death ofBringuenarilles, the windmill-swallower.18. How Pantagruel came safely through a mighty tempest at sea.19. How Panurge and Frere Jean behaved during the tempest.20. How quartermasters abandon ship at the height of thetempest.21. Continuation of the tempest, and brief discourse on wills made atsea.22. End of the tempest.23. How, with the tempest over, Panurge plays the jolly goodfellow.24. How by Frere Jean Panurge is declared to have been scaredwithout reason during the storm.25. How after the tempest Pantagruel went ashore on the islands ofthe Macraeons.26. How the good Macrobe tells Pantagruel about the abode anddeparture of heroes.27. How Pantagruel discourses on the departure of certain heroicsouls, and of the horrific prodigies that accompanied the demiseof the late lord of Langey.28. How Pantagruel relates a piteous story concerning the decease ofheroes.29. How Pantagruel passed the island of Coverup, which was ruledby Fastilent.30. How Fastilent is anatomized and described by Xenomanes.31. Anatomy of Fastilent as regards the outward parts.32. Continuation of Fastilent's physical features.33. How Pantagruel sighted a monstrous physeter near the WildIsland.34. How Pantagruel slew the monstrous physeter.35. How Pantagruel goes ashore on the Wild Island, ancient abode ofthe Chitterlings.36. How an ambush is laid against Pantagruel by the wildChitterlings.37. How Pantagruel sent for Captains Gobblechitterling andChopsausage, with a noteworthy discourse on the proper namesof places and persons.38. How Chitterlings are not to be despised among humans.39. How Frere Jean joins forces with the cooks to combat theChitterlings.40. How Frere Jean is set up in the sow and the valiant cooks areenclosed in it.41. How Pantagruel snapped the Chitterlings over his knee.42. How Pantagruel parleys with Niphleseth, queen of theChitterlings.43. How Pantagruel went ashore on the island of Ruach.44. How little rains beat down great winds.45. How Pantagruel went ashore on the island of the Popefigs.46. How the little devil was fooled by a farmer fromPopefigland.47. How the devil was fooled by an old woman of Popefigland.48. How Pantagruel went ashore on the island of thePapimaniacs.49. How Grosbeak, bishop of the Papimaniacs, showed us theuranopete Decretals.50. How by Grosbeak we were shown the archetype of a pope.51. Small talk during dinner in praise of the Decretals.52. Continuation of the miracles occasioned by the Decretals.53. How by virtue of the Decretals gold is subtly drawn from Franceinto Rome.54. How Grosbeak gave Pantagruel some good-Christian pears.55. How on the high seas Pantagruel heard some unfrozenwords.56. How among the frozen words Pantagruel found some lustyjests.57. How Pantagruel went ashore at the abode of Messere Gaster, firstmaster of arts in the world.58. How in the court of the ingenious master, Pantagruel detested theEngastrimyths and the Gastrolaters.59. Of the ridiculous statue called Manduce, and how and what theGastrolaters sacrificed to their ventripotent god.60. How, on the interlarded fast-days, the Gastrolaters sacrifice totheir god.61. How Gaster invented the methods of getting and preservinggrain.62. How Gaster invented an art and means not to be wounded ortouched by cannon shots.63. How Pantagruel took a nap near the island of Chaneph, and ofthe problems proposed when he waked.64. How no answer was given by Pantagruel to the problemsproposed.65. How Pantagruel enjoys his time with his household.66. How, near the island of Ganabin, at Pantagruel's commandmentthe muses were saluted.67. How Panurge beshat himself in panic fear and thought the greatcat Rodilardus was a devilkin.Brief DeclarationBOOK 5The Fifth and Last Book of the Heroic Deeds andSayings of the Good PantagruelPrologue by M. Francois Rabelais1. How Pantagruel arrived on the Ringing Island, and of the noisewe heard.2. How the Ringing Island was inhabited by Siticines, who hadturned into birds.3. How on the Ringing Island there is only one Popehawk.4. How the birds of the Ringing Island are all birds of passage.5. How the Gourmander birds are mute on the Ringing Island.6. How the birds of the Ringing Island are fed.7. How Pan urge tells Aeditus the fable of the charger and thedonkey.8. How Popehawk was shown us with great difficulty.9. How we went ashore on the island of Ironware.10. How Pantagruel arrived on Sharpers' Island.11. How we passed the Wicket, abode of Clutchpuss, archduke ofthe Furred Cats.12. How a riddle is propounded by Clutchpuss.13. How Panurge explains Clutchpuss's riddle.14. How the Furred Cats live on corruption.15. How Frere Jean des Entommeures determines to sack the FurredCats.16. How we passed Beyond, and how Panurge nearly got killedthere.17. How we ran aground, and how we were helped by sometravelers from dependencies of the Quint.18. How we reached the kingdom of Quint Essence, namedEntelechy.19. How the Quint Essence cured the sick by songs.20. How the queen spent her time after dinner.21. How the officers of the Quint operate diversely, and how thequeen kept us on in the estate of Abstractors.22. How the queen was served at supper, and how she ate.23. How, in the presence of the Quint, was performed a joyous ballin the form of a tourney.24. How the thirty-two persons in the ball fight.25. How we went ashore on the island of Odes, where the roads goplaces.26. How we stopped on the island of Clogs, and of the order of theSemiquaver [Minimal] Friars.27. How Panurge, questioning a Semiquaver Friar, got no answerfrom him except in monosyllables.28. How Epistemon dislikes the institution of Lent. 67629. How we visited the land of Satin.30. How in the land of Satin we saw Hearsay running a school forwitnesses.31. How we came in sight ofLanternland.32. How we disembarked at the port of the Lichnobians and enteredLanternland.33. How we reached the oracle of the Bottle.34. How we went underground to enter the temple of the Bottle,and how Chinon is the first city in the world.35. How we went down the tetradic steps, and of Panurge's fear.36. How the doors of the temple opened of themselves.37. How the temple was paved with an admirable mosaic.38. How in the temple's mosaic work was represented the battle thatBacchus won against the Indians.39. How in the mosaic was pictured the clash and assault of good oldBacchus against the Indians.40. How the temple was lighted by a marvelous lamp.41. How the pontiff Bacbuc showed us a fantastic fountain inside thetemple.42. How the water of the fountain gave a taste of wines to suit theimagination of those who drank it.43. How Bacbuc accoutered Pan urge to get the word of theBottle.44. How the pontiff Bacbuc presented Pan urge before the saidBottle.45. How Bacbuc interprets the word of the Bottle.46. How Panurge and the others rhyme in poetic frenzy.47. How, after taking leave ofBacbuc, they leave the oracle of theBottle.A16. How Pantagruel arrives on the island of the Apedeftes, with theirlong fingers and crooked hands, and of the terrible adventuresand monsters he found there.A32. How the lady lanterns were served at supper.6Miscellaneous Writings1. To Guillaume Bude. March 4, 1521. Letter in Latin, with muchGreek.2. To Andre Tiraqueau. 1524. Epistle in Greek verse.3. To Jean Bouchet. September 6, 1524. Epistle in Frenchverse.4. TiraqueaufManardi. July 9, 1532. Dedicatory Epistle forVolume II of the Medical Letters of Manardi.5. To Geoffroy d'Estissac. July I5, I532. Dedicatory Epistle for R'sedition of the Aphorisms of Hippocrates and some writings byGalen.6. To Amaury Bouchard. September 4, I532. Dedicatory Epistle forR's edition of the Latin 'Will of Cuspidius.7. To Bernard Salignac. November 30, I532. Missiye letter toErasmus.8. Pantagrueline Prognostication. Late I532.9. Almanac for I533· Late I532.10. To Jean du Bellay. August 3I, I534· Dedicatory Epistle.11. Almanac for I535· Late I534·12. To Geoffroy d'Estissac. December 30, I535· Missive letter fromRome.13. To Geoffroy d'Estissac. January 28, I536. Missive letter fromRome.14. To Geoffroy d'Estissac. February I5, I536. Letter fromRome.15. To Estienne Dolet. Undated (I538 or before). Latin dizain aboutgarum.16. To Briand Vallee. Undated. Jest by Francois Rabelais.17. Almanac for the Year I54I. Late I540.18. To Antoine Hullot. March 1, 1542. Missive letter in Frenchprose.19. The Great New True Prognostication for the Year I544· LateI543·20. To Cardinal du Bellay. February 6, I547· Missive letter in Frenchprose.21. The Shadow Battle. Between March 4 and December, I549· InFrench prose.22. Sapphic Ode. I549-I551. By the Most Reverend Cardinal Jean duBellay.NotesGlossary