LE SAVIEZ-VOUS ?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Quelle est l’origine de l’expression « qui s’y frotte s’y pique » ?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             On peut résumer le sens de cette expression par :  "quand on s’attaque à quelqu’un ou un danger, il convient d’en mesurer les risques".

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    L’expression « Qui s’y frotte s’y pique » date de la fin du 16ème siècle. On l’attribue souvent aux ducs d’Orléans qui les premiers ont adopté le porc-épic comme emblème, mais aussi aux rois de France Louis XI et Louis XII qui l’utilisèrent et dont elle était la devise.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Mais « Qui s’y frotte s’y pique » peut également provenir de la devise historique très proche, de la ville de Nancy, qui est liée à l’image du chardon : "Non inultus premor", ce qui signifie : "Je ne suis pas attaqué sans tirer vengeance". Il s’agissait notamment de la devise de certains chevaliers qui par ces mots prévenaient leurs adversaires de la vigueur de leur riposte en cas d’attaque.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Les armoiries présentaient par ailleurs un chardon.