Inspired by French author Prosper Mérimée’s 1837 novella La Vénus d’Ille (The Venus of Ille), this song tells the story of Alphonse, whose wedding day is overshadowed by an ancient and unsettling bronze statue. The Latin inscription on the statue’s pedestal, “Cave amantem”, literally means “Beware of the lover”, but Mérimée gives it a sinister ambiguity: beware of the one who loves you — or beware if Venus herself loves you. As darkness falls, the boundary between superstition and the supernatural grows increasingly uncertain. The English translation follows after the French lyrics. 💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍 [Couplet 1] Près d’Ille, sous un vieil olivier, ils l’ont trouvée, Une Vénus de bronze sous la terre enterrée. Son visage était beau, son sourire inquiétant, Et ses yeux sans chaleur semblaient presque vivants. [Pré-refrain 1] Mais lorsqu’on la dressa, son poids devint fatal, Un ouvrier fut blessé par le lourd métal. Sur son socle, ces mots inspiraient de l’effroi : « Cave amantem » — prends garde à qui t’aime, ou garde à toi. [Refrain] Prends garde à Vénus, à son regard glacé, Elle garde jalousement ce qu’on lui a laissé. Prends garde à son silence, à son bronze inquiétant, Car nul ne sait vraiment ce qui dort là-dedans. [Couplet 2] Alphonse, fils de Peyrehorade, allait se marier, Mais avant la cérémonie, il voulut encore jouer. Son anneau le gênait, il le posa sans peur, Au doigt froid de Vénus — première grave erreur. [Pré-refrain 2] Après avoir gagné, il partit se marier, Oubliant que sa bague à Vénus était liée. À Puygarrig soudain, il comprit son oubli, Mais prit un autre anneau et se maria ainsi. [Refrain] Prends garde à Vénus, à son regard glacé, Elle garde jalousement ce qu’on lui a laissé. Prends garde à son silence, à son bronze inquiétant, Car nul ne sait vraiment ce qui dort là-dedans. [Couplet 3] De retour à Ille, Alphonse voulut reprendre L’anneau que la Vénus refusait de lui rendre. Son doigt s’était courbé, l’anneau restait lié, Comme si la déesse avait voulu l’épouser. [Pré-refrain 3] Quand la fête cessa, tout sombra dans la nuit, La jeune mariée attendait près de son lit. Elle entendit des pas lentement approcher, Puis une lourde présence entra sans lui parler. [Refrain] Prends garde à Vénus, à son regard glacé, Elle garde jalousement ce qu’on lui a laissé. Prends garde à son silence, à son bronze inquiétant, Car nul ne sait vraiment ce qui dort là-dedans. [Couplet 4] Au matin, on trouva le jeune Alphonse sans vie, Le corps meurtri, couché près de sa femme évanouie. Quand enfin elle parla, tremblante de terreur, Elle raconta la nuit et révéla son horreur. [Pré-refrain 4] « J’ai vu Vénus serrer mon époux dans ses bras, Son étreinte de bronze ne le relâchait pas. Puis quand revint le jour, elle s’en est allée. » Mais nul ne sut jamais si tout était vérité. [Refrain] Prends garde à Vénus, à son regard glacé, Elle garde jalousement ce qu’on lui a laissé. Prends garde à son silence, à son bronze inquiétant, Car nul ne sait vraiment ce qui dort là-dedans. [Couplet final] Peyrehorade mourut, sa veuve fit fondre Vénus, Et bientôt de la statue il ne resta rien de plus. Son bronze fut transformé en une cloche pour sonner, Dans l’église d’Ille où elle fut installée. [Pont] Depuis que cette cloche à Ille s’est mise à sonner, Deux fois les vignes d’Ille ont fini par geler. Ce bronze porte-t-il toujours un mauvais sort ? Nul ne peut le savoir — le doute demeure encore. [Refrain final] Prends garde à Vénus, à son regard glacé, Et au sombre mystère à son bronze attaché. Prends garde à cette cloche, à son chant inquiétant, Car nul ne sait quel sort peut sommeiller dedans. ____________________________________________________________ ENGLISH [Verse 1] Near Ille, beneath an old olive tree, they found her, A bronze Venus buried beneath the earth. Her face was beautiful, her smile unsettling, And her eyes, devoid of warmth, seemed almost alive. [Pre-Chorus 1] But when they raised her, her weight proved dangerous, A worker was injured by the heavy bronze. On her pedestal, these words inspired dread: “Cave amantem” — beware of the one who loves you, or be on your guard. [Chorus] Beware of Venus, of her icy gaze, She jealously keeps what has been left with her. Beware of her silence, of her unsettling bronze form, For no one truly knows what sleeps within. [Verse 2] Alphonse, Peyrehorade’s son, was about to marry, But before the ceremony, he wanted to play once more. His ring was in his way, so he placed it without fear On Venus’s cold finger — his first grave mistake. [Pre-Chorus 2] After winning, he left to get married, Forgetting that his ring was bound to Venus. At Puygarrig, he suddenly realised his mistake, But took another ring, and so he married. [Chorus] Beware of Venus, of her icy gaze, She jealously keeps what has been left with her. Beware of her silence, of her unsettling bronze form, For no one truly knows what sleeps within. [Verse 3] Back in Ille, Alphonse wanted to retrieve The ring that Venus refused to return to him. Her finger had bent, the ring remained bound, As though the goddess had wanted to marry him. [Pre-Chorus 3] When the celebration ended, everything sank into the night, The young bride waited beside her bed. She heard footsteps slowly approaching, Then a heavy presence entered without speaking to her. [Chorus] Beware of Venus, of her icy gaze, She jealously keeps what has been left with her. Beware of her silence, of her unsettling bronze form, For no one truly knows what sleeps within. [Verse 4] In the morning, young Alphonse was found lifeless, His body bruised, lying beside his unconscious wife. When at last she spoke, trembling with terror, She told of the night and revealed its horror. [Pre-Chorus 4] “I saw Venus clasp my husband in her arms, Her bronze embrace would not release him. Then, when daylight returned, she went away.” But no one ever knew whether it was all true. [Chorus] Beware of Venus, of her icy gaze, She jealously keeps what has been left with her. Beware of her silence, of her unsettling bronze form, For no one truly knows what sleeps within. [Final Verse] Peyrehorade died, and his widow had Venus melted down, And soon nothing more remained of the statue. Her bronze was transformed into a bell to ring In the church of Ille, where it was installed. [Bridge] Since this bell in Ille began to ring, Twice the vineyards of Ille have frozen. Does this bronze still bear an evil spell? No one can know — the doubt remains. [Final Chorus] Beware of Venus, of her icy gaze, And of the dark mystery bound to her bronze. Beware of this bell, of its unsettling song, For no one knows what spell may slumber within.
