Dissertation

several episodes where lovers of
Natural Philosophy A historical term for the study of nature and the physical universe, the precursor to modern science. will be able to
instruct themselves agreeably: proponents of
morality will find their account there,
as well as Theologians; Astro-
nomers & Geometers will read with
pleasure what concerns them: in a word,
one will find traits of wisdom &
folly spread with profusion. One
cannot deny that there are
also satirical ones.

Jean de Meun made a profession of
slandering Ladies; they grew tired
of being the target of his ill-natured
jokes. President Fauchet Claude Fauchet (1530–1601), a French magistrate and historian known for his pioneering studies of early French poetry and language. has
preserved for us the history of the quarrel that
befell this Poet on account of
these two verses.

original: "Toutes êtes, serez ou fûtes, / De fait ou de volonté Putes." These infamous lines reflect the cynical and often misogynistic tone that Jean de Meun brought to his continuation of the Romance of the Rose, which contrasted sharply with the courtly idealism of the first author, Guillaume de Lorris.

The Ladies, rightfully stung
by such a general judgment, deliberated
on how to take revenge: each armed with a
handful of rods, they were going to
make him expiate the penalty of his insolence,
when the Culprit said to them: "Since
"it is necessary that I undergo today
"the punishment, it must be by the
"hands of the persons I have offended;
"now, I have spoken only of the wick—"
The text breaks off here mid-word at "mé-". Based on historical accounts of this anecdote, he is about to say "wicked women" (méchantes), arguing that only "wicked" women should be offended by his words, thereby tricking the "virtuous" women into letting him go.