Ce qui fait du bien dans le malheur, c'est un coeur plein de courage. -- Plautus
What does one well in moments of tragedy is a heart full of courage.
Well-weathered shutters with one of the most common of decorative cut-outs are a reminder that the geometric heart-shape has a long history from first simply depicting foliage, to eventually being associated with the human heart and courage, to later being used as a symbol for romantic love.
The above citation, translated into French, is from the ancient Roman dramatist, Plautus, who evolved from working as a theatre stagehand to being one of antique Rome's favorite playwrights.
Photo taken in Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme
Vocabulary
le malheur: adversity, misfortune, tragedy
un volet: a shutter
©2015 P.B. Lecron
