About the Book
Rip-roaring and rib-tickling, François Rabelais's irreverent story of the giant Gargantua, his giant son Pantagruel, and their companion Panurge is a classic of the written word. This complete translation by Donald Frame, helpfully annotated for the nonspecialist, is a masterpiece in its own right, bringing to twentieth-century English all the exuberance and invention of the original sixteenth-century French. A final part containing all the rest of Rabelais's known writings, including his letters, supplements the five books traditionally known as Gargantua and Pantagruel.
This great comic narrative, written in hugely popular installments over more than two decades, was unsparingly satirical of scholarly pomposity and the many abuses of religious, legal, and political power. The books were condemned at various times by the Sorbonne and narrowly escaped being banned. Behind Rabelais's obvious pleasure in lampooning effete erudition and the excesses of society is the humanist's genuine love of knowledge and belief in the basic goodness of human nature. The bawdy wit and uninhibited zest for life that characterize his unlikely trio of travelers have delighted readers and inspired other writers ever since the exploits of Gargantua and Pantagruel first appeared.
Table of Contents:
Abbreviations
Foreword
Translator's Note
Introduction
BOOK 1
The Very Horrific Life of the Great Gargantua,
Father of Pantagruel
To The Readers
Author's Prologue
1. 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's
belly.
4. How Gargamelle, while pregnant with Gargantua, ate a great
abundance 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 the
piot 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 Gargantua
by 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 that
bore him, and how she killed the ox-flies of Beauce.
17. How Gargantua paid his welcome to the Parisians and how he
took the great bells of Notre Dame Church.
18. How Janotus de Bragmardo was sent to recover the great bells
from Gargantua.
19. The harangue of Master Janotus de Bragmardo to Gargantua to
recover the bells.
20. How the sophist took home his cloth and how he had a suit
against the other masters.
21. Gargantua' s mode of study according to the teaching of his
sophist tutors.
22. Gargantua's games.
23. How Gargantua was taught by Ponocrates in such a regimen that
he 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 the
men of Gargantua's country a great dispute from which were
built up great wars.
26. How the inhabitants of Leme, at the command of Picrochole,
their king, made an unexpected attack on Gargantua's
shepherds.
27. How a monk of Seuille saved the abbey close from being sacked
by the enemy.
28. How Picrochole took by storm La Roche Clermauld, and the
regret and difficulty that Grandgousier felt about undertaking
war.
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 him
in the utmost peril.
34. How Gargantua left the city of Paris to succor his country, and
how Gymnaste met the enemy.
35. How Gymnaste killed Captain Tripet and others of Picrochole's
army.
36. How Gargantua demolished the chateau of the Ford of Vede, and
how they crossed the ford.
37. How Gargantua, in combing his hair, made artillery shells fall out
of it.
38. How Gargantua in a salad ate six pilgrims.
39. How the monk was feasted by Gargantua, and his fine talk at
supper.
40. Why monks are shunned by everyone and why some people have
bigger noses than others.
41. How the monk put Gargantua to sleep, and of his hours and
breviary.
42. How the monk encourages his companions and how he hanged
from a tree.
43. How Picrochole's scouting party was met by Gargantua, and how
the monk killed Captain Tiravant [Forward March], and then
was taken prisoner by the enemy.
44. How the monk got rid of his guards, and how Picrochole's
scouting party was defeated.
45. How the monk brought the pilgrims, and the kind words that
Grandgousier spoke to them.
46. How Grandgousier humanely treated his prisoner Blowhard.
47. How Grandgousier sent for his legions, and how Blowhard killed
Hastycalf, then was killed by order of Picrochole.
48. How Gargantua attacked Picrochole in La Roche Clermauld, and
defeated the said Picrochole's army.
49. How Picrochole in flight was surprised by ill fortune, and what
Gargantua 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, were
dressed.
57. How the Thelemites were regulated in their way oflife.
58. A prophetic riddle.
BOOK 2
Pantagruel, King of the Dipsodes, Restored to His
Natural State with His Frightful Deeds and Exploits
Dizain by Master Hugues Salel "To the Author of this Book"
Prologue of the Author
1. 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 French
language.
7. How Pantagruel came to Paris, and of the fair books of the
Library of Saint-Victor.
8. How Pantagruel, while in Paris, received a letter from his father
Gargantua, 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 and
obscure controversy, so justly that his judgment was pronounced
most admirable.
11. How Lords Kissass and Sniffshit pleaded before Pantagruel
without advocates.
12. How Lord Sniffshit pleaded before Pantagruel.
13. How Pantagruel gave his decision on the disagreement between
the two lords.
14. How Panurge relates the way in which he escaped from the
hands of the Turks.
15. How Panurge teaches a very new way of building the walls of
Paris.
16. Of the ways and dispositions of Pan urge.
17. How Panurge got pardons and married off old women, and of the
lawsuits he had in Paris.
18. How a great scholar from England wanted to debate against
Pantagruel, and was vanquished by Panurge.
19. How Panurge made a monkey of the Englishman who argued by
signs.
20. How Thaumaste recounts the virtues and knowledge of
Panurge.
21. How Panurge was smitten by a great lady of Paris.
22. How Panurge played a trick on the Parisian lady that was not at
all to her advantage.
23. How Pantagruel left Paris, hearing news that the Dipsodes were
invading the land of the Amaurots, and the reason why the
leagues are so short in France.
24. A letter that a messenger brought to Pantagruel from a lady of
Paris, and the explanation of a phrase inscribed in a gold
ring.
25. How Panurge, Carpalim, Eusthenes, Epistemon, Pantagruel's
companions, very subtly defeated six hundred and sixty
knights.
26. How Pantagruel and his companions were fed up with eating
salt meat, and how Carpalim went hunting to get some
venison.
27. How Pantagruel set up a trophy in memory of their exploits, and
Pan urge another in memory of the hares. How Pantagruel of his
farts engendered the little men, and of his fizzles the little
women, and how Panurge broke a big stick over two
glasses.
28. How Pantagruel won the victory very strangely over the Dipsodes
and giants.
29. How Pantagruel defeated the three hundred giants armed with
freestone and their captain Werewolf.
30. How Epistemon had his chop headed off, was cleverly cured by
Panurge, and how they got some news of the devils and the
damned.
31. How Pantagruel entered the city of the Amaurots and how
Pan urge married off King Anarche and made him a hawker of
green sauce.
32. How Pantagruel with his tongue covered a whole army, and what
the 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 3
The Third Book of the Heroic Deeds and Sayings
of the Good Pantagruel
Francois Rabelais: "To the Spirit of the Queen of Navarre"
Royal Privilege (of 1545)
Royal Privilege (of 1550)
Prologue of the Author, Master Frans;ois Rabelais
1. How Pantagruel transported a colony of Utopians into
Dipsody.
2. How Panurge was made lord of Salmagundi in Dipsody and ate
his wheat in the blade.
3. How Panurge praises debtors and creditors.
4. Continuation of Panurge's speech in praise of creditors and
debtors.
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 his
magnificent codpiece.
8. How the codpiece is the first piece of harness among
warriors.
9. How Panurge takes counsel ofPantagruel to learn whether he
should marry.
10. How Pantagruel points out to Panurge that advice about marriage
is a difficult thing, and of Homeric and Virgilian lots.
11. How Pantagruel points out that fortune-telling by throwing dice
is unlawful.
12. How Pantagruel explores by Virgilian lots what sort of marriage
Panurge's will be.
13. How Pantagruel advises Panurge to foresee by dreams the fortune
or misfortune of his marriage.
14. Panurge's dream and the interpretation thereof.
15. Pan urge's excuse and exposition of the monastic cabala in the
matter of salt beef.
16. How Pantagruel advises Panurge to consult with a sibyl of
Panzoust.
17. How Pan urge speaks to the sibyl of Panzoust.
18. How Pantagruel and Panurge diversely interpret the verses of the
sibyl 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 named
Raminagrobis.
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 of
cuckoldry.
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 on
the undertaking of marriage.
31. How Rondibilis, the doctor, advises Panurge.
32. How Rondibilis declares that cuckoldry is naturally one of the
attributes 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 of
marriage.
36. Continuation of the replies of Trouillogan, the ephectic and
Pyrrhonian philosopher.
37. How Pantagruel persuades Panurge to take counsel of some
fool.
38. How Triboullet is blazoned by Pantagruel and Panurge.
39. How Pantagruel attends the trial of Judge Bridoye, who decided
lawsuits by the chance of dice.
40. How Bridoye explains the reasons why he examined the lawsuits
that 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 by
the chance of dice.
44. How Epistemon tells a strange story of the perplexities of human
judgment.
45. How Panurge takes counsel of Triboullet.
46. How Pantagruel and Panurge diversely interpret the words of
Triboullet.
4 7. How Pantagruel and Pan urge decide to visit the oracle of the
Divine Bottle.
48. How Gargantua points out that it is not lawful for children to
marry without the knowledge and consent of their fathers and
mothers.
49. How Pantagruel made his preparations to put out to sea and of
the herb named Pantagruelion.
50. How the famous Pantagruelion is to be prepared and put to
use.
51. Why it is called Pantagruelion, and of the admirable virtues
thereof
52. How a certain kind of Pantagruelion cannot be consumed by
fire.
BOOK 4
The Fourth Book of the Heroic Deeds and Sayings
of the Good Pantagmel
Old Prologue
Liminary Epistle (of January 28, 1552) "To the Very Illustrious Prince
and Most Reverend Monseigneur Odet, Cardinal de Chastillon"
Prologue of the Author M. Francois Rabelais
1. How Pantagruel put out to sea to visit the oracle of the divine
Bacbuc.
2. How on the island of Medamothi Pantagruel bought several
beautiful things.
3. How Pantagruel received a letter from his father Gargantua and
of a strange way of getting news very promptly from distant
foreign countries.
4. How Pantagruel writes to his father Gargantua and sends him
several rare and beautiful things.
5. How Pantagruel encountered a ship with travelers returning from
Lanternland.
6. How, with the dispute pacified, Panurge bargains with Dindenault
for one of his sheep.
7. Continuation of the bargaining between Pan urge and
Dindenault.
8. How Panurge had the merchant and the sheep drowned at
sea.
9. How Pantagruel reached the island of Ennasin, and of the strange
relationships of the country.
10. How Pantagruel went ashore on the island of Cheli, which was
rul.!;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 life
among the Shysteroos.
13. How, after the example of Master Franois Villon, the lord of
Basche praises his people.
14. Continuation of the Shysteroos drubbed in the house of
Basche.
15. How by Shysteroos are renewed the ancient wedding
customs.
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 the
strange 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 the
tempest.
21. Continuation of the tempest, and brief discourse on wills made at
sea.
22. End of the tempest.
23. How, with the tempest over, Panurge plays the jolly good
fellow.
24. How by Frere Jean Panurge is declared to have been scared
without reason during the storm.
25. How after the tempest Pantagruel went ashore on the islands of
the Macraeons.
26. How the good Macrobe tells Pantagruel about the abode and
departure of heroes.
27. How Pantagruel discourses on the departure of certain heroic
souls, and of the horrific prodigies that accompanied the demise
of the late lord of Langey.
28. How Pantagruel relates a piteous story concerning the decease of
heroes.
29. How Pantagruel passed the island of Coverup, which was ruled
by 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 Wild
Island.
34. How Pantagruel slew the monstrous physeter.
35. How Pantagruel goes ashore on the Wild Island, ancient abode of
the Chitterlings.
36. How an ambush is laid against Pantagruel by the wild
Chitterlings.
37. How Pantagruel sent for Captains Gobblechitterling and
Chopsausage, with a noteworthy discourse on the proper names
of places and persons.
38. How Chitterlings are not to be despised among humans.
39. How Frere Jean joins forces with the cooks to combat the
Chitterlings.
40. How Frere Jean is set up in the sow and the valiant cooks are
enclosed in it.
41. How Pantagruel snapped the Chitterlings over his knee.
42. How Pantagruel parleys with Niphleseth, queen of the
Chitterlings.
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 from
Popefigland.
47. How the devil was fooled by an old woman of Popefigland.
48. How Pantagruel went ashore on the island of the
Papimaniacs.
49. How Grosbeak, bishop of the Papimaniacs, showed us the
uranopete 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 France
into Rome.
54. How Grosbeak gave Pantagruel some good-Christian pears.
55. How on the high seas Pantagruel heard some unfrozen
words.
56. How among the frozen words Pantagruel found some lusty
jests.
57. How Pantagruel went ashore at the abode of Messere Gaster, first
master of arts in the world.
58. How in the court of the ingenious master, Pantagruel detested the
Engastrimyths and the Gastrolaters.
59. Of the ridiculous statue called Manduce, and how and what the
Gastrolaters sacrificed to their ventripotent god.
60. How, on the interlarded fast-days, the Gastrolaters sacrifice to
their god.
61. How Gaster invented the methods of getting and preserving
grain.
62. How Gaster invented an art and means not to be wounded or
touched by cannon shots.
63. How Pantagruel took a nap near the island of Chaneph, and of
the problems proposed when he waked.
64. How no answer was given by Pantagruel to the problems
proposed.
65. How Pantagruel enjoys his time with his household.
66. How, near the island of Ganabin, at Pantagruel's commandment
the muses were saluted.
67. How Panurge beshat himself in panic fear and thought the great
cat Rodilardus was a devilkin.
Brief Declaration
BOOK 5
The Fifth and Last Book of the Heroic Deeds and
Sayings of the Good Pantagruel
Prologue by M. Francois Rabelais
1. How Pantagruel arrived on the Ringing Island, and of the noise
we heard.
2. How the Ringing Island was inhabited by Siticines, who had
turned 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 the
donkey.
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 of
the 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 Furred
Cats.
16. How we passed Beyond, and how Panurge nearly got killed
there.
17. How we ran aground, and how we were helped by some
travelers from dependencies of the Quint.
18. How we reached the kingdom of Quint Essence, named
Entelechy.
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 the
queen 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 ball
in 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 go
places.
26. How we stopped on the island of Clogs, and of the order of the
Semiquaver [Minimal] Friars.
27. How Panurge, questioning a Semiquaver Friar, got no answer
from him except in monosyllables.
28. How Epistemon dislikes the institution of Lent. 676
29. How we visited the land of Satin.
30. How in the land of Satin we saw Hearsay running a school for
witnesses.
31. How we came in sight ofLanternland.
32. How we disembarked at the port of the Lichnobians and entered
Lanternland.
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 that
Bacchus won against the Indians.
39. How in the mosaic was pictured the clash and assault of good old
Bacchus against the Indians.
40. How the temple was lighted by a marvelous lamp.
41. How the pontiff Bacbuc showed us a fantastic fountain inside the
temple.
42. How the water of the fountain gave a taste of wines to suit the
imagination of those who drank it.
43. How Bacbuc accoutered Pan urge to get the word of the
Bottle.
44. How the pontiff Bacbuc presented Pan urge before the said
Bottle.
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 the
Bottle.
A16. How Pantagruel arrives on the island of the Apedeftes, with their
long fingers and crooked hands, and of the terrible adventures
and monsters he found there.
A32. How the lady lanterns were served at supper.
6
Miscellaneous Writings
1. To Guillaume Bude. March 4, 1521. Letter in Latin, with much
Greek.
2. To Andre Tiraqueau. 1524. Epistle in Greek verse.
3. To Jean Bouchet. September 6, 1524. Epistle in French
verse.
4. TiraqueaufManardi. July 9, 1532. Dedicatory Epistle for
Volume II of the Medical Letters of Manardi.
5. To Geoffroy d'Estissac. July I5, I532. Dedicatory Epistle for R's
edition of the Aphorisms of Hippocrates and some writings by
Galen.
6. To Amaury Bouchard. September 4, I532. Dedicatory Epistle for
R's edition of the Latin 'Will of Cuspidius.
7. To Bernard Salignac. November 30, I532. Missiye letter to
Erasmus.
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 from
Rome.
13. To Geoffroy d'Estissac. January 28, I536. Missive letter from
Rome.
14. To Geoffroy d'Estissac. February I5, I536. Letter from
Rome.
15. To Estienne Dolet. Undated (I538 or before). Latin dizain about
garum.
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 French
prose.
19. The Great New True Prognostication for the Year I544· Late
I543·
20. To Cardinal du Bellay. February 6, I547· Missive letter in French
prose.
21. The Shadow Battle. Between March 4 and December, I549· In
French prose.
22. Sapphic Ode. I549-I551. By the Most Reverend Cardinal Jean du
Bellay.
Notes
Glossary
About the Author :
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.
Review :
"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."
