#Pointe de Saint-Pierre
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
nesiacha · 6 months ago
Text
Tumblr media
Robespierre mené au supplice by Pierre-Antoine Demachy , 1794.
For those saddened by the deaths of the Robespierre brothers, Philippe Le Bas, Couthon, Saint-Just, Hanriot ( I have to confess i'm so sad for Hanriot one of my top 10 of the frev), etc., remember that at least they died before witnessing the social aspects of the revolution being betrayed (or at least completely betrayed), unlike Goujon, Charles-Gilbert Romme, Gracchus Babeuf, etc. Or worse yet, seeing Napoleon put an end to the revolution (I think without a doubt that Augustin would have taken it very badly) with all the consequences that entails and a greater regression. You know, there is a quote that says happy are the revolutionaries who died before seeing all their ideals betrayed (remember the despair of Pierre- Germain Gateau, a friend of Saint-Just, who died in 1815 after seeing Louis XVIII return, surely the despair of the Jacobins under Napoleon who died in deportation signed by his order without any trial). When the executed of the 10th Thermidor died, they knew that France had been saved from foreign power and that it was necessary to remain vigilant to ensure that there was no military dictator or the return of the Bourbons. Revolutionaries like Prieur de la Marne saw both happen at the same time (imagine for him months, even years, of hard work with so many others, the efforts of a people ending up in such a situation). I’m not even talking about devoted revolutionaries like Louis Delgrès who learned that despite their devotion to the revolution and to France, they had no choice but to fight to regain their freedom ,dignity or die because of the reinstatement of slavery, or other black people who saw their rights taken away.
Another point that may comfort (or sadden) you is that despite their being outlawed, look at how many people came to their aid despite all the risks of helping them and ending up on the guillotine (which will happen, the number of guillotined will be frightening the day after the 10th Thermidor). This proves that loyalty cannot be bought and must be earned (I have already said this in one of my posts). Despite all their faults, it is clear that those condemned to death know how to inspire true loyalty. Moreover, they had scruples to the end concerning the legality of their actions. Compare this attitude to the deplorable attitude of the 18th Brumaire. After his lamentable behavior in Egypt to the point that Kleber had to clean up the fiasco of Bonaparte himself, Napoleon decided to take power for himself and conspired against the deputies of the Five Hundred with the complicity of some rather dubious characters. After being caught red-handed and deservedly outlawed (if you want my opinion), he immediately unleashed the army on the deputies who were expelled, and some were even arrested. Ultimately, when Bonaparte was really in trouble, not many people came to his aid. The difference in attitude between the Robespierre brothers, Philippe Le Bas, Couthon, Saint-Just (despite all their faults and things they have to reproach themselves for) and Bonaparte regarding the reason for being outlawed and how they reacted to it speaks volumes to me (even if some will say it is unfair that the first group mentioned went to the scaffold while Napoleon and Talleyrand, in particular, came to power).
These were just the reflections of an ordinary citizeness :)
47 notes · View notes
elbiotipo · 7 months ago
Note
What if the vatican had its own space colonies tho. Los Espacios Pontificos
The Papal Space...
Well, let's remember that the Vatican has an astronomical observatory and an official "Vatican Astronomer" position, in fact, they have talked in one way or the another about the possibility of alien life in several occassions:
I'm sure that there will be Catholic churches and dioceses and more in space eventually as people start actually living there. In my writing I often mention space saints (Nuestra Señora de Ganímedes, San Carlos de los Cosmonautas, etc.), after all, there's a patron saint for everything (the current patron saint of astronauts is Joseph of Cupertino, the guy who jumped out a window and could fly thanks to God)
Oh, and also, there's the fun fact that the Big Bang Theory was discovered by a Catholic priest (Georges Lemaître), and based on that, another one (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin) also had this esoteric idea of the Omega Point Theory, that eventually the universe will compress again into its original point, i.e. God. Of course, most scientists have discarded this theory that the universe will stop expanding and compress again, but some have said that the rate of the expansion of the universe might be slowing down, so watch out.
All I'm saying is that if you want to write about Catholicism and space you got plenty of material to work with
22 notes · View notes
sgiandubh · 1 year ago
Text
La passante de la Place des Vosges/ The Passerby of the Place des Vosges: in praise of Caitríona Balfe
I have recently discussed, in as much detail as possible without becoming completely boring, S's memoir Waypoints. It is, no doubt, an interesting strategic step, aiming to buy much needed time and respite from unwanted fan attention.
But if there is a memoir I would probably read in a very different, almost sentimental way, that would be hers, not his.
We have an enticing idea of the way she writes, with this lesser known essay published by the totemic NYT just a day shy of her birthday, in 2017: The First Time I Left Home (and Fell in Love), which you can read online right here - https://shorturl.at/uTX12. It is a short, dense piece with a deeply personal, even sentimental, view of Paris in autumn and spring. Something very unusual for the feisty, secretive, almost paranoid C we all know and love (admit it, you do: fair's fair). It immediately grabbed both my attention and highlighter.
Writing about Paris, especially from an Anglo-Saxon/American perspective, is a very tricky affair. So much has been said and done, from Janet Flanner's priceless Letters from Paris and Paris Journal, to Anais Nin, to Edmund White, to Hemingway, to Orwell - just to name the ones that immediately come to mind. In this particular case, we'd be dealing with a nice PR fine tuning detail, with a relatively short lifespan, aiming perhaps to reach a more sophisticated demographic than Twitter banter or a three minutes long Q&A about the current season's antics. But a wonderful detail, nevertheless.
The year is 1998. A young 19-year old Irish model wannabe just landed in the chaotic brouhaha of Roissy Airport and the first contact is brutal, language being a considerable barrier. But before that, we are treated to a masterful bistrot snapshot, with a cheeky, self-deprecating sense of humor. I mean how perfect is this?
Tumblr media
Quite a contrast to the dream version back home:
Tumblr media
Touché. All the moody young Frenchmen are named Pierre, C. All. Of. Them. As for watching far too many French films, there's always been something very Nouvelle Vague about you, Jeanne Moreau and Jules et Jim & all that, and I have to say this is what I found immediately endearing. I am not talking about Claire Fraser: it is you, emphatically you. The kind of impeccably dressed woman one can find pretending to read Le Monde at Le Café de Flore's terrace in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The kind of self-evident, celestial creature whose high heels are never heard on any pavement (what is your secret?). Late Jane Birkin didn't even come close, C., mark me. However, red lipstick stains look way better on the rim of a nervously half drunk cup of noisette coffee: but then, that is me.
It was not at all like that, of course, but then something happened just across the street from the Saint-Eustache church, at Quigley's Point, a long gone Irish pub I vaguely remember. Circa 1998, our own boisterous squad used to play darts and get plastered on cheap draft beer and that undignified, syrupy manzana Basque liqueur (idiots, I am telling you, but it was very cheap) at The Bombardier, on the Place du Panthéon, just across the Seine:
Tumblr media
Thick brogue, a quick laugh, kind eyes and blonde hair. An interesting combo, for sure. No further comment except well, this is very personal, isn't it? You've said it yourself: sometimes (fun fact: always) the really important people have nothing to do with fantasies. But we know, C, we know.
And then, suddenly, it all falls into place: Stendhal would talk about a crystallization moment. It is that split-second when everything becomes very clear. A pact of sorts occurs and all barriers are lifted. For C, it happened in one of the perfect places of this planet, spare perhaps the Piazza del Campo, in Siena:
Tumblr media
No doubt, by tomorrow evening at the latest, I will be crucified by Mordor, but this made me think of that - different setting and context, same type of seminal moment. Draw your own conclusions:
Tumblr media
(SRH, Waypoints, Day Four: The Hard Road)
Important things happen, too, Place du Panthéon and this moved me to bits, even if this was not a happy ending. So shamelessly glad it wasn't, by the way:
Tumblr media
For (and forgive me for ineptly tinkering with your words) "It’s true, you never forget your first love". And for that man on that random pavement in LA, that will always be you, passerby of the Place des Vosges. The wonder you are, despite anything else: it is perfectly irrelevant.
Jacques Brel says it best, in what is almost a prayer:
youtube
94 notes · View notes
coolvieilledentelle · 1 year ago
Text
Tumblr media
La petite île de Saint-Cado sur la commune de Belz, Bretagne - France
Ravissant hameau relié à la terre par un pont en pierre , très prisée des peintres et des photographes. Elle offre un superbe point de vue sur la ria d'Etel.
69 notes · View notes
anotherhumaninthisworld · 1 year ago
Note
Is there a list of frev figures who claimed to be at the storming of the Bastille? The people I know who said they at least witnessed it is pretty eclectic like Herault, Léon and Saint-Just.
I found all the (official?) ”vainqueurs de la Bastille” listed in alfabethical order here (1889). However, according to Michael J. Sydenham’s Léonard Bourdon: The Career of a Revolutionary, 1754-1807, who’s subject of study claimed to belong to this group, simply holding this title was not a guarantee that you had actually taken part in the storming itself:
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
The only people found on the list that I myself recognized were those of the dantonist Louis Legendre, the girondin Claude Fauchet and the general Antoine Joseph Santerre. I therefore don’t know if the people claiming to have participated in the storming here below are just lying (saying you played a role in it after all being something that would easily better your patriotic reputation) or if their participation just wasn’t recorded (which doesn’t sound particulary hard to be true either):
Stanislas Fréron claims in a letter to Lucile Desmoulins dated October 18 1793, that both he, Barras and La Poype ”besieged” the Bastille.
Pierre Nicolas Berryer wrote in his memoirs that the Convention deputy Bourdon d’Oise participated in the storming of the Bastille, and still kept the blood stained coat he had worn during it five years later:
At the same time, and as if he felt the need to convince me even more of the strength of his mind, [Bourdon] took out from under his bed an oblong casket, in which was tucked the coat he had worn on the day of the storming of the Bastille… […] He took great care to point out to me that his coat was still covered with stains from the blood he had spilled at the Bastille. 
Albert Mathiez summarized in the article La vie de Héron racontée par lui-même (1925) a memoir the Committee of General Security spy François Héron wrote while imprisoned after thermidor. In it, he would have claimed to have participated in the storming of the Bastille, as well as the women’s march on Versailles, the demonstration of June 20 and the Insurrection of August 10.
According to Dictionnaire des parlementaires français (…) de 1789 à 1889, Jacques-Alexis Thuriot took part in the storming.
Regarding some more well known guys and their Bastille activities, Desmoulins, in a letter written to his father written July 16, leaves a rather detailed description of the storming. Through the following part, he does however indicate that he himself missed it:
Then, the cannon of the French Guards made a breach. Bourgeois, soldiers, everyone rushes forward. An engraver climbs up first, they throw him down and break his legs. A luckier French guard followed him, seized a gunner, defended himself, and the place was stormed in half an hour. I started running at the first cannon shot, but the Bastille was already taken, in two and a half hours, a miracle that is.
Camille also adds that, on July 15, he was among the people who scaled the ruins of the stormed Bastille:
However, I felt even more joy the day before, when I climbed into the breach (montai sur la brèche) of the surrendered Bastille, and the flag of the Guards and the bourgeois militias was raised there. The most zealous patriots were there. We embraced each other, we kissed the hands of the French guards, crying with joy and intoxication.
On July 23 1789, Robespierre wrote a letter to Antoine Buissart telling him he had gotten to see the ”liberated” Bastille, but he had of course not participated in the storming himself:
I’ve seen the Bastille, I was taken there by a detachment of the brave bourgeois militia that had taken it; because after leaving town hall, on the day of the king's trip, the armed citizens took pleasure in escorting out of honor the deputies they met, and they could only march among acclamations from the people. What a delightful abode the Bastille has been since it came into the power of the people, its dungeons are empty and a multitude of workers work tirelessly to demolish this odious monument to tyranny! I could not tear myself away from this place, the sight of which only gives sensations of pleasure and ideas of liberty to all good citizens.
According to Danton: le mythe et l’histoire (2016), Danton did not take part in the actual storming of the Bastille, however, the following day he went to the abandoned prison and took the provisional governor hostage:
Absent from the storming of the Bastille, it was on the night of July 15 to 16 that Danton took action. At the head of a patrol of the bourgeois guard of his district, of which he proclaimed himself captain, he claimed, we do not know in what capacity, to enter the "castle of the Bastille,” placed under the control of the elector Soulès, as provisional governor. Without worrying about his powers, Danton has him kidnapped and taken to City Hall, surrounded by a threatening crowd. But Soulès was released the next day upon the intervention of La Fayette; Danton's initiative was openly disavowed and blamed by the assembly of electors.
According to Clifford D. Connor, Marat wrote the following about his activities on July 14 1789 in number 36 of l’Ami du peuple (12 November 1789):
Tumblr media
26 notes · View notes
josefavomjaaga · 1 year ago
Text
Suchet and Soult, 1813
That Napoleon’s marshals in Spain most of the time were busy being at odds with each other is well-known. Marshals Soult and Suchet were no exception. Suchet in particular seems to have rather disliked Soult, if it is true that as early as 1805 he specifically wanted to leave Soult’s army corps and had himself be transferred to Lannes’ instead. Their relations probably did not get much better in Spain, considering the animosity between Joseph and Soult, and Suchet’s close family relations with Joseph.
Suchet seems to have had a bit of a reputation for being the jealous kind. In any case, if this scene from 1813 is to be believed, he was not ready to be under the command of Soult under any circumstances, not even for the sake of France. It’s from the "Mémoires anecdotiques" by general Armand Alexandre Hippolyte Marquis de Bonneval, whose author had become Soult’s aide de camp quite against his will, but apparently, by the time they reached Spain, despite himself was already fully included in his military family.
Context: After an insuccessful attempt to save Pamplona, Soult, rather belatedly charged by Napoleon to take full command in Spain in summer 1813, when Joseph had lost the battle of Vitoria, wanted to unite what was left of Joseph’s forces with those still under the command of Marshal Suchet, in order to defend France’s borders from Wellington’s approaching army. He thus needed to contact Suchet in Catalonia. Bonneval writes:
I was entrusted with this mission and went via Perpignan to Barcelona, where Marshall Suchet was. He listened to me with complacency; then, after having discussed at length the arrangements to be made to effect this junction, he declared it necessary to make a movement in the direction of Valencia to sweep away the Spanish armies and thus ensure the safety of the portion of his army he would leave in Catalonia. So we set off, and having achieved the goal Marshal Suchet had in mind, we returned to Barcelona.
And it was on the journey back that Soult’s idea was discussed once more.
While riding side by side with me, Marshal Suchet asked me: "What will my position be with regard to Marshal Soult, Monsieur de Bonneval?" - "But," I replied, "Monsieur le maréchal, it can only be, in any case, that of a marshal of the Empire; however, if Your Excellency asks me if Marshal Soult will be willing to give up his position of seniority and lieutenant of the Emperor, my mission does not go as far as that." The marshal turned very cold and stopped talking to me.
As a matter of fact, according to Bonneval, Suchet at this point had decided that Soult’s plan was "untimely and inconvenient". Bonneval tried to talk him out of that, but in vain.
He persisted; and I saw that there was nothing to do but to take leave of him and return to Marshal Soult. On arriving at Saint-Jean de Luz, at about 2 o'clock in the morning, I found my comrades at table over champagne and oysters. They all stood up and invited me to join in the feast.
Because apparently, even without the original line-up of Saint-Chamans, Lameth, Soult’s brother Pierre etc., the tradition of all-night parties was still kept alive.
"I shall return to you shortly," I told them, "but first I must go and make the Marshal swallow the biggest of all oysters." When I arrived at his place, Marshal Soult was awake; in fact, he never slept with more than one eye closed. "Ah! it's you, my dear Bonneval," he said to me. "Is Marshal Suchet on his way?"- "He is still in Barcelona, Monsieur le Maréchal, certainly sleeping better than you." And I gave him all the details of my failure. He then burst into a holy rage against the foolish pride and ineptitude of the Duke of Albufera, throwing his cap at the ceiling and hurling the foulest words in his vocabulary. Then, calmer again: "Go and rest, my dear friend," he said. I went straight to the oysters and champagne.
That last sentence is just 😂. Obviously, everybody had their priorities straight.
Interestingly enough, Bonneval later, like Saint-Chamans, would become a staunch royalist and have a fall-out with Soult for political reasons. Yet he apparently always held Soult in high esteem personally, and claims to always have hoped Soult would "see reason" and "return to the path of honour", i.e., to the cause of the older branch of Bourbons.
23 notes · View notes
aurevoirmonty · 7 months ago
Text
Tumblr media
Lettre ouverte à la rédaction et aux lecteurs du magazine «Le Point» suite à l’article de Patrick Besson «Pourquoi il faut doter l’Ukraine de l’arme nucléaire» paru dans le numéro du 28 juin 2024   C’est avec une grande consternation que nous avons pris connaissance de l’article de Patrick Besson dans lequel il énonce une idée outrancière de fournir une bombe atomique au régime de Kiev pour frapper Moscou et Saint-Pétersbourg. Ainsi, sur les pages de l’hebdomadaire considéré réputé, le journaliste, consciemment ou pas, appelle au déclenchement d’une guerre nucléaire pour, comme il le croit, faire la paix. Pourtant, il faut retenir bien que dans cette guerre il n’y aurait jamais de vainqueurs car l’existence même de l’humanité serait mise en question.
D’ailleurs, avant de projeter maladroitement sur le présent des références douteuses et impertinentes au passé de la Russie des XVIII, XIX et XX siècles, M.Besson ferait mieux de se tourner vers l’histoire de l’Europe occidentale, y compris celle de la France, riche en évènements d’une extrême violence qui dépassent largement des clichés actuelles.
En ce qui concerne la présentation superficielle et partielle de Saint-Pétersbourg comme une nouvelle capitale russe «élevée par Pierre Ier au prix de milliers de travailleurs immigrés morts» il est à rappeler que cette ville a été construite grâce à l’enthousiasme de son fondateur Pierre le Grand et à l’abnégation des milliers de russes. Il est à rappeler que parmi les soi-disant «immigrés», qui ont eu le privilège d’investir leur talent et expérience dans ce projet pharaonique, figuraient de nombreux architectes français et italiens avec les noms immortels dont Auguste de Montferrand, Jean-François Thomas de Thomon, Domenico Trezzini, Carlo Rossi, Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli.
La liberté de parole va de pair avec la responsabilité pour leur sens.
5 notes · View notes
Text
Ils parlent de la mode
Tumblr media
Yves Saint-Laurent par Jeanloup Sieff, 1971
1. « La mode passe, le style reste » - Yves Saint-Laurent
2. « Etre un pas en avance sur la tendance de la mode n’est pas si important pour moi. Ce qui compte, c’est toujours aller de l’avant » - Sonia Rykiel
3. « Si tu ne peux pas être mieux que la concurrence, il suffit de t’habiller mieux » - Anna Wintour
4. « Ce n’est pas la robe que vous portez qui compte, mais la vie que vous menez en la portant » - Diana Vreelan
5. « La plus grande élégance, c’est la vérité » - Thierry Mugler
Tumblr media
Giorgio Armani
6. « L’élégance ce n’est pas se démarquer, mais être mémorable » - Giorgio Armani
7. « Les femmes nulles suivent la mode, les prétentieuses l’exagèrent, mais les femmes de goût pactisent agréablement avec elle » - Marquise du Châtelet
8. « Les vêtements que je préfère sont ceux que j’invente pour une vie qui n’existe pas encore, le monde de demain » - Pierre Cardin
9. « Vaines bagatelles qu’ils semblent être, les vêtements ont, disent-ils, un destin plus important que de nous tenir chaud. Ils changent notre vision du monde et le point de vue du monde sur nous » - Virginia Woolf
10. « La mode me dépasse. Mon imaginaire dépasse les limites normales et m’entraîne où je ne voudrais pas aller » - Yves Saint-Laurent
Tumblr media
Jane Birkin
11. « Mon style est comme un cocktail. Je ne suis pas aussi apprêtée qu’une française mais je m’en fiche comme une anglaise » - Jane Birkin
12. « La mode est avant tout un art du changement » - John Galliano
13. « La chose la plus difficile dans la mode n’est pas d’être connu pour un logo, mais d’être connu pour une silhouette » - Giambattista Valli
14. « Donne à une fille les bonnes chaussures et elle peut conquérir le monde » - Marylin Monroe
15. « Pour être irremplaçable, il faut être différente » - Coco Chanel
Tumblr media
Coco Chanel
16. « On est jamais trop, ni pas assez habillé avec une Petite Robe Noire» - Karl Lagerfeld
17. « La mode n’est pas quelque chose qui existe uniquement dans les vêtements. La mode est dans l’air, portée par le vent. On la devine. La mode est dans le ciel, dans la rue. » - Coco Chanel
18. « L’élégance est la seule beauté qui ne se fane jamais » - Audrey Hepburn
19. « J’aime être une femme, même dans un monde d’hommes. Après tout, les hommes ne peuvent pas porter de robes, mais nous pouvons porter des pantalons » - Whitney Houston
20. « J’aime mon argent quand il est là où je peux le voir : sur des cintres, dans mon armoire » - Carrie Bradshaw
Tumblr media
Carrie Bradshaw dans Sex & The City
21. « La femme à la mode porte le vêtement. Ce n’est pas le vêtement qui la porte » - Mary Quant
22. « Les femmes s'habillent pour elles-mêmes. Si elles s'habillaient pour les hommes, elles seraient tout le temps nues » - Betsey Johnson
23. « La mode est ce que vous offrent les créateurs quatre fois par an. Le style est ce que vous choisissez » - Lauren Hutton
24. « La différence entre le style et la mode est la qualité » - Giorgio Armani
25. « Ne soyez pas dans les tendances. Ne laissez pas la mode s’emparer de vous, mais décidez de ce que vous êtes, de ce que voulez exprimer par ce que vous portez et de la façon dont vous vivez » - Gianni Versace
Tumblr media
Gianni et Donatella Versace
26. « La mode doit être une forme d’échappatoire, et non une forme d’emprisonnement » - Alexander McQueen
27. « La moitié de mes créations sont de la fantaisie contrôlée, 15 % de la folie pure, et le reste du terre-à-terre » - Manolo Blahnik
Tumblr media
28. « La seule vraie élégance est dans l’esprit; si vous avez ça, le reste vient vraiment de ça » -Diana Vreeland
29. « Je ne crée par des vêtements, je crée des rêves » - Ralph Lauren
30. « Au fil des années j’ai appris que ce qui est important dans une robe, c’est la femme qui la porte » - Yves Saint Laurent
31. « Les hommes me disent que j’ai sauvé leur mariage. Cela leur coûte une fortune en chaussures, mais moins cher qu’un divorce » - Manolo Blahnik
32. « Les vêtements ne vont pas changer le monde, les femmes qui les portent, si » - Anne Klein
33. « Quand vous doutez, portez du rouge » - Bill Blass
34. « La mode est un langage de l’instant » - Miuccia Prada
35. « J’adore et j’admire tous ceux qui sont différents. J’aime ça. Le jet set est banal. Le bon goût est banal. L’excentricité est chic. Le bon goût paralyse. Mais la mode du punk ou de la rue ou un corps couvert de tatouage c’est intéressant pour moi et j’adore » - Jean-Paul Gaultier
Tumblr media
36. « Ne jamais dire jamais �� dans la mode et dans la vie » -  Ashley Olsen
37. « La seule raison pour laquelle je suis dans la mode est de détruire le mot conformité » - Vivienne Westwood
38. « Il n’y a pas de mode si elle ne descend pas dans la rue » - Coco Chanel
39. «L’élégance est une question de personnalité plus que de vêtements » - Jean-Paul Gaultier
40. «Une belle robe, c’est une comédienne qui parle juste » - Sonia Rykiel
Tumblr media
41. « La mode se démode, l’allure est intemporelle » - Coco Chanel
42. « Les gens de la mode n’aiment que ce qu’ils ne comprennent pas. Alors il suffit de faire un truc incompréhensible et ils t’adorent » - Loïc Prigent
43. « La mode est ce que l'on porte. Ce qui est démodé, c'est ce que portent les autres » - Oscar Wilde
44. « Le style est une manière de dire qui vous êtes sans parler » - Rachel Zoe
45. « Le style sait qui vous êtes, ce que vous voulez dire, et ce dont vous vous fichez » - Orson Wells
46. « Effacez le négatif, accentuez le positif. » - Donna Karan
47. « C’est l’attitude qui fait tout. » - Diane von Furstenberg
Tumblr media
48. « Une femme doit être deux choses : classe et fabuleuse. » - Coco Chanel
49. « La mode est ce que vous offrent les créateurs quatre fois par an. Le style est ce que vous choisissez. » - Lauren Hutton
50. « La simplicité est l’ultime sophistication » - Léonard de Vinci
11 notes · View notes
ascendingaeons · 11 months ago
Text
Bright Awakenings and Dark Nights
Tumblr media
“When water gets caught in habitual whirlpools, dig a way out through the bottom to the ocean. There is a secret medicine given only to those who hurt so hard they can’t hope. The hopers would feel slighted if they knew.”
- Jalaluddin Rumi (tr. Coleman Barks), “My Worst Habit”
Have you ever felt as though something you've always known was suddenly foreign? That you no longer knew who you were, what you were doing, or perhaps even what you believed? More times than not, I would say one feels this way for a simple reason: they are evolving. There eventually comes a time when one's old values, beliefs, and way of doing things grow too stagnant and must be discarded. But the process of laying such things to rest can be terribly frightening and often painful. Society is rooted in tradition, and suddenly changing course is not always looked upon favorably. But I will tell you a secret from my own experience: doing so was the most liberating thing I have ever done.
It is not uncommon for a person who has walked the same path for so long to become disillusioned. I've found that such disillusionment grows at a steady drip, but we never really notice it until we're drowning in an ocean of it, with no sense of direction or end in sight. It becomes more and more apparent that the only way out of this inner desolation is just so—within the depths of ourselves. But to reach that sacred core we must begin tearing away at all the excess we've gathered, discarding every shred of the past that has started to fester and consume us. For some of these things, doing so may feel like a significant loss or even betrayal, so we take great care in releasing them with gratitude and tenderness. However, this is not always the case. This is perhaps one of the rarest moments in your life where you are utterly alone with yourself. It is very fitting that this experience has been coined the Dark Night of the Soul.
The phrase "Dark Night of the Soul" is attributed to Saint John of the Cross, a Carmelite priest and mystic of the sixteenth century. It originally referred to a spiritual crisis experienced by the devout on their path to union with God. That expression does do it justice, as a Dark Night feels as though one's link to the numinous is entirely severed, nearly to the point of abandonment. In magickal terminology, the experience is akin to Crossing the Abyss. Human beings are creatures of both light and shadow, order and chaos, so it falls to reason that one cannot experience a continuum of enlightenment or bliss without the mediation of ignorance and despair. However, I find that one does not have to be religious or spiritual to experience a Dark Night of the Soul.
A Dark Night of the Soul manifests as a period of psychological and spiritual stagnation that touches the very core of one's being. It is not a trial or punishment but rather a rite of passage, an ordeal to bring about psychocentric cohesion and evolution. In the pall of a Dark Night one experiences a profound sense of doubt surrounding the most significant aspects of their religious or spiritual practice and values. Every experience, connection, and victory find themselves prone to scrutiny. Where once stood great passion and intrigue, only dryness and insufficiency will reign.
"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience." That is a quote that I've seen more often on metaphysical blogs and websites. Its source is disputed but is commonly attributed to Pierre Teilhard de Chardin in his book "The Joy of Kindness." The source of this quote is not the subject of this essay, but its nature—insofar as I understand it—is.
A Dark Night of the Soul is not an entirely spiritual phenomenon. Anyone can experience it under the right conditions. The seasoned author that can no longer bear to jot down a single passage, despite it being the only career that's ever ignited their passions. The sole survivor of a car crash, now faced with a life without their loved ones. The cloistered nun confronting the depth and breadth of eternity. The magician who, after years of education and prowess, is forced to face himself and his peerless degrees of contradictions.
Dark Nights are the culmination of a process often long-overdue. While they can be triggered by a profound experience or change in one's life, the necessary elements were already present; the significant trauma or conclusions drawn are merely the catalyst sufficient to dismantle one's outlook on life. While not always the product of severe trauma, the Dark Night of the Soul shares some of its symptoms. It should not be considered a case of cognitive dissonance but rather the instance of one's existential outlook being rendered inadequate or obsolete. The Dark Night of the Soul is an existential crisis derived from the singular act of being forced to face one's Shadow.
The Shadow is the aspect of the psyche associated with uncertainty and negativity. All that one would deny, ignore or repress is personified in the Shadow. What we do not appreciate within our Shadow we tend to project onto others; what we dislike about others, we dislike about ourselves. The process of integrating the Shadow in this way mirrors what some attribute to "ego-death" or, to be more precise, the dissolution of the former or transitory aspects of one's being into the sum composite of the Self. This occurs through what I can describe as forceful submergence into one's Shadow, the horrible aspects of the unconscious made strenuously conscious. The experience is comparable to the tribulation of Pandora, for once unleashed so thoroughly, these demons cannot be suppressed.
“Upon the dark road you are traveling, do not seek out the light, the illusion, the fallacy and incessant need for all things external. Have no fear, take the darkness as your comfort because you are the light shining in the dark. You just need to find the spark.”
- L.J. Vanier, Ether: Into the Nemesis
The Dark Night of the Soul can be an utterly egregious and painful experience; during my first and second ventures, I made several considerations at taking my own life. The Abyss can either herald great awakenings or consume the aspirant entirely. I do not find that human beings are inherently flawed or born with sin. We are each an unfoldment into the expanse of completion. Just as Michelangelo sought to bring forth his angels from within the marble, so too is the human being a nexus in the process of becoming.
Central to the Dark Night of the Soul is a period of stumbling through overgrown paths. I would argue that some of the primary purposes of life are growth and learning, for human beings have always been compelled to seek out the truth underlying the forbidden, uncover the mysteries of the universe, and wander in the dark in search of themselves.
A Dark Night of the Soul is a uniquely transformative yet traumatic experience. Severe trauma and loss leave a shock to one's system. In their wake, one is often left with two choices. First, they can become bitter and resentful, clouding their perception with the view that the world is a terrible, unjust place and that humanity is an irredeemably cruel species. In this mindset, nothing can be improved, and any attempts at closure are washed away with the incoming tide. However, it is possible to channel feelings of grief or misfortune into something more productive, such as helping others or improving oneself. These negative attributes can be welcomed into our conscious self in doing so.
If I could go back in time and give one word of advice to my younger self as he was drowning in that murky ocean, I would tell him to be kinder to himself. The process of a Dark Night is often what I would consider a purge. Not only did I find myself disavowing old beliefs and values, but I also began sorting through my possessions and re-evaluating relationships. One learns a great deal about themselves and the sphere of their life in such disconnect and isolation.
I was once told a fitting parable given to a friend by a female shaman. Every year on the cusp of winter, the bear retreats to the solitude of a cave. Surrounding himself in mulch and soft earth, he begins to hibernate until such time that the sun returns and the earth awakens from her slumber. As the bear emerges from the murky depths of his cave, he finds himself in a world altogether different from the one he left behind. In such times of utter uncertainty and despair, sometimes the best thing we can do is become as the bear in the cave. In changing ourselves, we change our relation to the world.
There is an almost supernatural wisdom to be found in those who live closer to the heart of the cosmos. Medicine men and women, cunning folk, and healers are only part and parcel of a greater current of understanding. Is it any wonder that we gaze upon our grandparents as children in awe and wonder? They are immersed in the same sacred waters that we have only just emerged from, but, even more, they have lived! They have traversed such plateaus of light and darkness that our young minds can barely just fathom, and their stories, wisdom, and jokes fill us with joy and excitement for another tomorrow. Such, I have found, is life—regardless of age, there are always times to learn, dream, and retreat to the depths of inner space. There is always Work to be done.
In the Dark Night of the Soul, as in all aspects of life, gratitude is everything. A wise person once taught me that we should express nothing short of love for the parts of ourselves trying to kill us. I struggled with this initially. It is better to treat negativity with acceptance and rationality instead of revulsion, considering that these manifestations could be masking a greater truth. Just as people lash out when they are hurt or afraid, so too does the conscious mind react violently to the subversiveness of the Shadow. But if one were to approach these uncertainties—all of which are innate, mind you—with love and openness, the path to recovery can begin at a much smoother pace. That shift in awareness has helped me overcome one of the most challenging times in my life.
Embrace the rejected through gratitude. Viktor Frankl put this into his own words in his book Man's Search for Meaning, laying the foundation for logotherapy upon the principle of finding meaning in suffering. This powerful message illustrates that even the ugliest traumas have value, that we have value despite our worst experiences. No lesson or trauma is permanent; if you can learn something, you can without a doubt unlearn it and replace it with something else. It is when certitudes persist past their efficacy that we find ourselves suffering.
There is always a degree of meaning to be found in suffering or misfortune, though I would not go as far as to say that every pitfall must be regarded as a sign. Suffering is, by design, not intended to be permanent. It is a reaction to extenuating pressure or imbalance, whether of the body or mind; such reactions are intended to be broken.
Apprehension of the Dark Night of the Soul is derivative of religion and secularism. An apt representation in scripture is found in 1 Corinthians 13:12, which says, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then I shall know even as also I am known." While I am not myself Christian, I understand that this passage states that all things are possible through the divine. I view it as a vivid illustration of the process of Crossing the Abyss and coming face-to-face with one's inmost Self, an experience from which there is no turning back.
The Abyss is an impartial maelstrom that rips away the disingenuous and superfluous, leaving only the authentic and essential in its wake, and at the heart of this storm is a looking glass into our immaculate entirety. One's emergence from the Dark Night of the Soul is very much a rebirth, one that can occur several times in a lifetime. It is an experience that leaves one feeling altogether lighter and bearing newfound confidence, serving as a reminder that our inner demons, such as they are, are not to be purged but instead confronted.
Imagine if your life up to the point of the Dark Night was a colorful painting, all of the hues and shades perfectly representing who you had become through hard work and investment. You believed that this was the real "you," the most authentic version that has existed thus far. Then the canvas gets coated with egregious black ink, almost like the beginning of a very long, arduous wake-up call. After so long, you only have the memory of that colorful painting representing your once upon a time. You become detached from reality; how far this spirals will be proportionate to how deeply you were invested in your canvas.
Eventually, you start to notice shapes and colors in the inky darkness. The murk in your mind begins to clear as some unseen alchemy begins to bring definition to your inner chaos. The cold becomes more bearable, and the psychic torment starts to wane. You will start to feel lighter, more genuine. You had previously thought that you were less than who you once were, and while this was practically true, you've been looking at it all wrong. It wasn't that you used to be more, but that you once had far greater excess.
Suddenly, slowly the colors start to become noticeable again until the plethora upon your canvas is before you once again. The colors are different from what you remember, seemingly so long ago. They are no longer merely qualitative or expressive strokes upon your canvas. As you pay close enough attention, you reach into the depths of their nature, and it is almost as if you can hear them. This seems remarkable to you, as though you see your life with fresh eyes, and for a time, you experience a state of genuine bliss.
Comparing the venture through the Dark Night of the Soul to a storm is not inaccurate. By their very nature, storms are created due to imbalance and will continue until their energy and momentum are redistributed. In this case, a Dark Night will continue until a particular lesson is internalized. I have noticed through my own experiences that the wisdom attained has been diametrically opposed to my overall experience.
I have had three significant spiritual awakenings to date, each one preceded by a Dark Night of the Soul. These awakenings have greatly improved my quality of life, changed how I interact with the world, and redefined my spiritual practice. Simply put, they are:
1. Be true to your inmost Self.
A recurring theme in Aleister Crowley's Book of the Law is the correspondence between the True Will of the inner cosmos and the momentum of the outer cosmos. When you exist in harmony with your true nature—that which has always shone within you and perseveres beyond the breath of the ego—the universe will rearrange itself to accommodate your Will. When you suppress your true nature, you will suffer. Put another way, if you approach a task with enthusiasm, others will notice this and resonate in kind. If you walk into a room assuming the worst, it's likely the worst will come to pass. Energy is fundamental to life, and we are life made aware of itself.
2. Death is not something to be feared.
It's entirely possible that after experiencing two of the worst years of my life, my psyche became flooded with the idea of death, thus desensitizing me to the notion. However, I began communicating with one of my spirit guides during this time. I discovered that rather than torment or shame, traumatized souls are met with healing and compassion regardless if their death was self-inflicted—a sentiment that is heavily shunned in the western world, serving only to contribute to a culture rooted in preserving shame. Since then, I have read over a dozen books on the subject. My appreciation for the gift of life has only grown. Try to imagine for just a moment the sensation of a lifetime of weight being lifted from one's shoulders or the first genuine breath taken in what felt like decades, not from an act of aggression but one of compassion. It is only when one releases their hold on something that they can begin to grasp its value. It was the next lesson that would teach me the gravity and importance of a life.
3. You are loved.
At the time, I assumed I had replaced one benighted existence for another. And yet, it turned out to be a gift beyond measure. Circumstances had forced me to let go of a great many certitudes as I found myself caring for my dying father. The last of my self-constructed walls began to strip down, leaving only my Self in the wake of undoing. I was faced with the most humbling of truths, that regardless of how I had been treated or how I learned to speak to myself, I was still capable of giving love—and receiving it. I learned with absolute certainty that all things under the sun are wont to perish, save for the iridescence of love. Love isn't merely something waiting to awaken, but rather something resonating throughout each moment. The strength and degree of its resonance at any given moment depends entirely upon us. It was here that I found myself truly understanding what Viktor Frankl meant when he committed these words to paper:
"Man can preserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of independence of mind, even in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical stress... Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."
"Love goes very far beyond the physical person of the beloved. It finds its deepest meaning in his spiritual being, his inner self. Whether or not he is actually present, whether or not he is still alive at all, ceases to be of importance."
Every choice and reaction are, knowingly or not, weighed against the fulcrum of Love and Fear. These are not scales by which we are condemned to a lake of fire but rather the lens through which we find ourselves. Love yourself, and you shall find the capacity to love others uninhibited. Forgive yourself, for the most egregious burdens are those shouldered from within.
While sounding somewhat clichéd, these simple truths were strenuous for me to truly apprehend after a lifetime of trauma. These realizations were reinforced by twenty years of study and spiritual practice. I did so much research during these periods, desperately trying to understand what these experiences were wont to tell me. I desperately sought answers during these times, as I know others likely will be. I am writing this in the hope that my experiences can help others.
No matter how dark things seem, don't give up. There is always a light above your dark ocean, always a sun outside your cave. You'll find that your thoughts and actions carry more weight than your negative thoughts might allow you to witness. Each of us is unique, irreplaceable, and beyond value. Find meaning in your sorrow, embrace your scars with pride, for they have served to create a stronger, more perceptive person. Many individuals who enter healing professions do so because they have suffered themselves. It is the greatest act of love to help another suffering through the same ordeal that you once did. Believe in yourself, and all else will follow.
“So through endless twilights I dreamed and waited, though I knew not what I waited for. Then in the shadowy solitude my longing for light grew so frantic that I could rest no more, and I lifted entreating hands to the single black ruined tower that reached above the forest into the unknown outer sky. And at last I resolved to scale that tower, fall though I might; since it were better to glimpse the sky and perish, than to live without ever beholding day.”
- Howard Phillips Lovecraft, The Outsider
7 notes · View notes
leblogdemarinaetjm · 4 months ago
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
MARDI 17 SEPTEMBRE 2024 (Billet 1 / 3)
Nous allons sûrement retourner à Grégolimano (Grèce – Île d’Eubée) l’année prochaine et ce pour de nombreuses raisons. Mais la principale, c’est le logement que nous choisissons. En effet dans ce Village du Club Med on nous a dit qu’il y en avait 17 sortes différentes. Le Village est très étendu (heureusement car il peut accueillir un peu plus de 1000 personnes en pleine saison), comprenant un hôtel qui lui-même est divisé en 3 parties, à côté duquel, à droite et gauche, sont disséminés des petits bâtiments dans la pinède, abritant plusieurs chambres, au rez de chaussée et à l’étage.
Quand on tourne dos à la mer, sur la gauche, le long de la plage, il y a 17 bungalows. C’est dans l’un d’entre eux, le même, que cette année nous avons été logés pour la 3e fois. L’immense privilège de ces bungalows, c’est qu’ils sont quasiment les pieds dans l’eau.
Sur la première photo, la petite flèche rouge indique la situation du nôtre et la seconde, son entrée principale, côté pelouse.
Ces quelques lignes servent d’introduction à un compte-rendu de lecture d’un livre que JM a dévoré avec délice sur la plage. Un peu de patience, nous y venons…
Ci-dessous, pardon, la photo a été prise au petit matin et le lit n’a pas encore été fait. Mais, juste derrière la baie vitrée il y a une petite terrasse avec 2 transats et quelques marches sur la droite pour descendre sur la plage. A 2 pas, les 3 transats que nous réservions pour la journée… et 2 pas plus loin, LA MER !!!
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
En dehors de nos baignades, notre principale activité sur la plage a été de tourner les pages des livres que nous avions emportés. Marina a d’abord terminé le livre de Pierre Bailly « Le roman de Jim » qu’elle a beaucoup aimé (et préféré au film qui en a été tiré, même si ce dernier ne l’a pas laissée indifférente), puis s’est plongée dans le dernier ouvrage de Melissa Da Costa « Rester debout » qu’elle a fini à Paris. Une histoire très dure mais qui l’a passionnée. Elle devrait écrire un petit Billet prochainement à son sujet.
JM, quant à lui, a terminé le gros livre de Siri Hustvedt, la femme de Paul Auster, « Tout ce que j’aimais ». Marina l’avait bien aimé, JM, même s’il a trouvé l’histoire intéressante, n’a pas été tout à fait emballé tout en reconnaissant le talent de l’auteure.
Et nous arrivons au thème de ce Billet : vous dire LE PLUS GRAND BIEN du livre qu’il a lu ensuite, « MES NUITS SANS BARDOT » de Simonetta Greggio (écrit en français – Albin Michel – 320 p.)
LA 4e DE COUVERTURE :
« On a cru me connaître parce qu'on m'a vue nue. Mais personne ne sait qui je suis vraiment. » Une femme s'installe à Saint-Tropez, tout près de La Madrague, afin de percer les mystères qui entourent la star flamboyante et secrète. Leurs voix, leurs histoires se répondent, mettant en lumière les multiples facettes de Bardot - de la fillette disgracieuse à l'amoureuse passionnée en passant par l'adolescente perdue et la militante de la cause animale -, et font ressurgir du passé de grandes figures artistiques : Colette, Vadim, Brando, Trintignant, Yourcenar et Gainsbourg... À travers un troublant jeu de miroirs, se recrée sous nos yeux le mythe BB, un être d'une stupéfiante modernité.
L’AVIS D’UN LECTEUR (trouvé sur le site Babelio et en parfaite adéquation avec ce que JM en a pensé) :
Enfin un roman captivant que je n'ai pas lâché durant 3 jours !!! Ça faisait longtemps que je n'avais pas été passionné à ce point par un bouquin ! Je dois dire que celui-ci est une vraie pépite ! J'ai été addict à l'écriture de l'autrice et au déroulement de l'histoire, qui n'est pas une biographie, mais où l'on apprend tout de même beaucoup de choses sur BB. C'est truffé d'anecdotes croustillantes de la star internationale, depuis ses débuts dans « Et Dieu... créa la femme » en passant par des navets dans lesquels elle a joué, tout en parcourant ses histoires d'amours sulfureuses avec Roger Vadim, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jacques Charrier, Samy Frey, Serge Gainsbourg, Gunther Sachs et tant d'autres... pour arriver jusqu'à son parcours de militante pour la cause animale. L'auteure a planté le décor en imaginant une femme qui vient séjourner à Saint-Tropez, tout près de la Madrague où vit Brigitte Bardot, afin de percer les mystères autour de la star. Cette femme, visiblement fan de BB, garde malgré tout quelques réserves sur certains sujets non gratifiants de l'actrice. Elle va commencer un dialogue épistolaire à sens unique, en laissant des petits mots et des lettres sous un caillou à l'entrée de la Madrague, afin que Brigitte Bardot puisse les lire et lui répondre. Elle sera dans l'attente de réponse de la part de BB durant des jours et des nuits entières, d'où le titre du roman. Je ne veux pas en dévoiler plus, car il y a tant de choses à dire, mais j'ai réellement aimé ce roman, qui je le rappelle encore une fois, n'est pas une biographie mais bien une fiction. Cependant, certains passages sont extraits des deux autobiographies de BB, ainsi que d'archives et de différents documentaires. Comme Marylin Monroe, Brigitte Bardot fascine, intrigue, dérange parfois... D'ailleurs, quelque part, c'est un peu la Marylin française (il y a un passage de leur rencontre à toutes les deux à Buckingam chez la Reine d'Angleterre qui vaut le détour). Jamais quelqu'un n'aura déchaîné autant de passion, d'adoration, de haine. « Mes nuits sans Bardot » de Simonetta Greggio, plein d'humour et d'affection, fort bien documenté, très bien écrit (un peu façon « Sagan première époque »), est très agréable à lire, je vous en conseille vivement la lecture !
Le Prix :
Les jurés du Prix du Livre de Plage des Sables-d’Olonne, présidé par Jean-Christophe Rufin de l'Académie française, ont choisi pour sa 4e édition de récompenser la romancière italienne écrivant en français, qui imagine la vie recluse de l’actrice du « Mépris ».
Tumblr media
Et après les plaisirs de la lecture (« La lecture, ce vice impuni », une citation de Stéphane Olry), de longs moments passés dans l’eau puis la « communion » avec le soleil (mais point trop n'en faut, juste le temps de sécher les maillots…).
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
4 notes · View notes
scotianostra · 2 years ago
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
June 12th 1429 saw an army led by Joan of Arc defeat the English at the Battle of Jargeau.
I've posted about Joan of Arc and indeed the 100 year war before, the Scots were heavily involved with both the Maid of Orléans and the long conflict between France and England.
Joan had helped lift the Siege of Orléans the previous month, where Scots are known to have been present, Jargeau was a small town on the southern bank of the Loire river in central France, about ten miles east of Orléans., this was Joan's first offensive action during her short life.
While I can find no evidence that there were Scots at the battle, I would be surprised that there would have been none, they would however have been ordinary foot soldiers , certainly there were no Knights.
So what's the point of the post? Well just another wee connection with Scotland had with Jeanne d’Arc, as she is known in her native France, the banner she carried into battle was painted by a Scot called Hamish Power or Hauves Poulvoir as the French knew him. Joan asked Hamish to paint her her standard and pennon, to her designs, Power has been described as a displaced Scot, living in Tours.
The standard was 3 feet wide and 12 feet long. The image was a field of golden lilies with an image of "the King of Heaven seated upon a rainbow, and holding in one hand the world in the form of a globe, the other being raised in a gesture of benediction. Before Him, to right and to left, were the kneeling figures of Michael and Gabriel, each presenting to Him a fleur-de-lys. Joan's motto "Jhesus-Maria was written in letters of gold on this rough material. " on the reverse was " an escutcheon: a field of azure charged with a silver dove holding in its beak a streamer with the words "De par le Roy di Ciel." The standard was the "fluttering sign" to which her army could rally when dispersed in confusion of battle.
The Pennon depicted the Annunciation, the Virgin Mary receiving from the Archangel Gabriel a double lily, which was the twofold symbol of France and of chastity. It was carried by one of her squires to mark her position in the field.
Joan spoke about the banners at her trial, testifying that it had been created by the command of God and that she was given instructions about the design by Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret who told her to take it and bear it boldly.
When Joan and the dauphin rode to the Reims Cathedral for the coronation on July 17, 1429, she rode with a Scots Guard of 60 men.
She later stated that she preferred to carry her banner into battle so that she would not have to kill anyone. "I loved my banner forty times better than my sword. And when I went against my enemy, I carried my banner myself, lest I kill any. I have never killed anyone."
Joan carried her banner at the coronation of Charles VII in the Cathedral of Reims and was later questioned at her trial about having it there to which she responded: "It had borne the burden; it was quite right that it receive the honour."
You can find more about the remarkable lady that Joan of Arc was at this great site below, the klink takes you to part of her testimony when she was found guilty of witchcraft and heresy by pro-English bishop Pierre Cauchon, who sentenced her to be burnt at the stake. She died on 30th May 1431 aged just 19.
23 notes · View notes
nesiacha · 1 month ago
Text
Why was Carnot so vehement in repressing the Babouvists while protecting or even wanting to collaborate with some (theories)?
We have seen here that Carnot was one of the main figures behind the repression of the Babouvists, as seen here: https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/767944757763883008/babeuf-et-la-r%C3%A9publique-pers%C3%A9e?source=share, wanting to expand arrests to the maximum while protecting some of the Babouvists like Felix Le Peletier (a very close friend of Gracchus Babeuf and protector of Babeuf's family after his death), who had an ambiguous political relationship with Carnot to the point where Carnot protected him and sometimes wanted them to work together https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/770487228804759553/f%C3%A9lix-lepeletier-de-saint-fargeau-un-personnage?source=share. If you want to know more about Gracchus Babeuf, including some of my theories, please consult here https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/768437156389715968/in-honor-of-gracchus-babeufs-recent-anniversary?source=share, and feel free to correct me, I’m not infallible.
First theory.
At first glance, this seems implausible. And it is indeed a mystery. However, I believe there are some theories that might explain why Carnot was truly after Gracchus Babeuf. Babeuf was one of those who wanted a certain redistribution of property, especially in the agrarian sense (though this is still unclear, and we can’t really talk about communism because Babeuf seemed unaware of the rise of capitalist societies). However, he is one of the rare revolutionaries who began to advocate for the redistribution of property rights.
One of the major revolutionaries who also started theorizing the right to redistribute property was Momoro. Momoro, along with Ronsin, was one of the leaders of the Hébertists. In fact, Momoro had issues with this in Normandy. Here is an excerpt: “On August 30, the Directory of the Department of Paris sent him, accompanied by a certain Jean-Michel Dufour, representing the Commune, to supervise mass levies in Normandy. They arrived in Bernay on September 7, where Momoro immediately made a vehement speech to the assembly of the Department of Eure. On this occasion, they distributed copies of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, with two additional articles of their own, sowing doubt about the inviolability of private property, which, according to them, was ‘guaranteed until the nation has established laws on the matter.’ This, of course, sparked a fierce reaction from the rural population, very attached to land ownership! The next day, they were ‘booed, insulted, disarmed,’ and treated as ‘incendiaries and seditious.’ They owed their safety only to the authority of the president of the Department’s assembly, the Girondin deputy François Buzot, who was eager to restore peace to his district. Freed, they were escorted to Lisieux. The incident made waves in the department and had some repercussions in Paris, especially under Buzot’s influence, who was determined to make Momoro pay for the disorder caused in his district. In the October 12 session of the newly established National Convention, he personally attacked ‘the man I saved from the fury of the people, to whom this wretched man preached the division of land.’ Momoro and Dufour were recalled to Paris, and on September 23, the department’s public prosecutor thanked the Minister of the Interior, Jean-Marie Roland, as these individuals ‘had conducted themselves in a manner more likely to incite trouble than to propagate respect for property and personal safety.’” (Excerpt from Jean-Pierre Duquesne, confirmed by Grace Phelan since Jean Pierre Duquesne is not reliable at times but Grace Phelan does more correct work ).
In fact, those who proposed any significant challenge to property rights were often put in the minority, even within the Enragés or Hébertists, who focused more on economic issues like the maximum price law. There was a real fear of any attack on property rights, a fear heavily played upon by the Directory, including by Sieyès. One pretext was the closure of the neo-Jacobin club, which gathered figures like Prieur de la Marne, Xavier Audouin, Topino-Lebrun, Felix Le Peletier, Victor Bach, Antonelle, Jean Baptiste Drouet, René Vatar, and adjudant Jorry, among others. Following Victor Bach’s speech and the resurgence of the left in 1799, Poultier in his journal L’Ami des lois accused Victor Bach of advocating for an agrarian law. According to Bernard Gainot’s investigation into Victor Bach’s mysterious death, this led to a "Jacobine conspiracy" being staged by Sieyès and Lucien Bonaparte. The speech of Bach, as interpreted by his critics (presenting a “project for a constitution” which proposed a social program close to Babeuf’s system), was a true provocation. It provided conservatives with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate to the majority of deputies (who held police powers over the Tuileries buildings, including the Manège hall) that the neo-Jacobins, contrary to their legalistic demonstrations, only sought the overthrow of the Constitution of Year III and the abolition of private property (or more precisely, a "leveling" of wealth). By wielding the "red peril" scare, this provided an opportunity to close the Manège Hall and ruin the democratic strategy gathered around the Journal des Hommes libres, which aimed to unite militant networks from Paris and the provinces to form a majority in the Councils capable of gradually amending the Constitution of Year III into a "representative democracy."
What is the link to Carnot? Simply that Carnot was maybe likely part of this larger political class, more numerous than we once thought (without excusing Carnot, of course, and avoiding the false excuse of "it was his time"), which feared the agrarian law. Gracchus Babeuf had promoted this law a few years earlier, while Felix Le Peletier was more vague about it, perhaps intentionally, to better rally people, whether on property rights or progressive taxation, even though reform demands were there. (Felix Le Peletier later used the same tactic in the Manège club, where Victor Bach was more precise in his demands, showing Felix Le Peletier to be more prudent or strategic in gathering support.) Therefore, for Carnot, Felix Le Peletier, by his attitude, was less "suspicious" than Gracchus Babeuf.
Second theory.
The second theory I find plausible: Babeuf’s proximity to the Hébertists (Gracchus Babeuf had connections with many left-wing figures, including Albertine Marat, Robert Lindet, Jean-Paul Marat, the Robespierrists such as the Duplays, and even the widow of Chaumette, Pierre-Gaspard Chaumette, Jean-Nicolas Pache, former mayor of Paris, and even people like Vadier). Among these Hébertists, some had problems with the Committee of Public Safety, the General Security Committee, or the Convention. Two names that came up are Clémence and Marchand, who were imprisoned and later released in Year II. Joseph Bodson, one of Babeuf’s most important “lieutenants,” was a fervent Hébertist who resented members of the CPS, including Robespierre, for having executed Chaumette and Hébert (while Gracchus Babeuf became a Robespierrist at the end of his life). Rossignol, one of Ronsin's friends, was also involved in the Conspiracy of Equals. At this time, Carnot was part of the Committee of Public Safety. When he saw the names of these individuals again during his time as Director of the Directory, perhaps this raised a "red flag" for him. Here was Gracchus Babeuf, who had once been close to the Hébertists, surrounded by elements that had had conflicts with the government where Carnot held important positions. We know that Carnot was not close to the Hébertists, and vice versa. This likely didn’t help Carnot view Babeuf favorably, as he was surrounded by individuals Carnot mistrusted (it’s not a simple "good Hébertists vs. bad Carnot and CPS members," or good Carnot and CPS members vs Hebertists—it’s more complex).
@aedesluminis mentioned a letter Carnot wrote to Garrau, a very loyal Jacobin who remained a friend of Carnot during the Directory. Garrau warned him about a potential royalist threat, but Carnot replied, dismissing it as no threat and stating he was more concerned about the danger of extremists from the left—the Babeuf faction in this case. We know that Carnot made significant political errors, and one of them was overestimating the danger from the left while underestimating the royalists.
According to historian Claude Mazauric, Carnot was the most fervent advocate of Babouvist repression, wanting to extend many arrests, though it seems he paradoxically protected Felix Le Peletier and other figures. Barras had reservations about this (one of the rare good actions from Barras in this case). However, according to Fouché’s memoirs, Barras might have been more responsible for the repression of the Babouvists than Claude Mazauric suggests. Fouché reportedly convinced Barras that Gracchus Babeuf (who had long since broken with Fouché) was a threat. This is plausible, especially when we realize how much harm Fouché did to the Babeuf family once he became Minister of Police. He listed Gracchus Babeuf’s widow, Marie-Anne Babeuf, in the list of Jacobins to be arrested in 1801, at a time when Jacobins were despised and victims of violence following the royalist-provoked Saint-Nicaise Street bombing. And in 1808, during the Malet Conspiracy, Fouché, now Minister of Police, ordered the arrest of Emile Babeuf, who only escaped because he was abroad due to work, while Marie-Anne Babeuf underwent a harsh interrogation (though she was known for her strong character and probably wasn't intimidated, given that she had survived worse trials, notably under the Directory). It’s chilling to think that, during a time when Gracchus Babeuf mistakenly thought of Fouché as a friend, he once wrote that he trusted Fouché with his children, as you can see in this post here: https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/770322937812336640/one-of-the-creepiest-things-among-the-many?source=share.
However, there’s a big "but." For now, I have only the version from historian Claude Mazauric and Fouché’s memoirs, which are sometimes unreliable (understatement). So, while I have no affection for Barras, I’m more inclined to believe Mazauric unless other elements come to corroborate it. Although when Fouché speaks of the agrarian law to scare people, it seems very plausible. Knowing Fouché, who showed no mercy to those who became his enemies (and after all, Gracchus Babeuf publicly denounced him in his journal), this could be true.
Why was Gracchus Babeuf executed along with Darthé?
Gracchus Babeuf, in my view, put forward a defense of rupture, at least initially, as you can see here: https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/764082552563761152/three-brave-defenses-by-revolutionaries-tried?source=share. For those who don't want to visit the link, here’s what Babeuf did: He showed remarkable courage, taking full responsibility for the "Society of Democrats," acknowledging all attacks against the Directory, stating, "The decision of the jurors will solve this problem...: will France remain a Republic, or will it return to a monarchy?" Babeuf fought, refused to answer, and contested many points. He was sentenced to death with Darthé (who remained stoic and mute, refusing to answer questions). Some say Charles Germain almost got the death sentence, but he was finally sentenced to deportation .
Gracchus may have been condemned to death as the leader of the Conjuration of Equals. His defense saved many of his colleagues, but it wasn’t the only reason why other co-defendants avoided execution. Babeuf's trial is well-known thanks to Pierre-Nicolas Hésine, a revolutionary who sheltered the Babeuf family during the trial and published Le Journal de la Haute-Cour or L’Echo des Hommes Sensibles et Vrais throughout the trial. The terrible journey in the iron cage from Paris to Vendôme, where the trial took place, moved public opinion. Teresa Poggi, Philippe Buonarroti’s partner, and Marie-Anne Babeuf, who was pregnant, made the journey on foot under arduous conditions for support the two mans.
Antonelle wasn’t idle in trying to save his co-defendants, although he distanced himself from Gracchus Babeuf due to Babeuf’s irresponsible attitude and their differences on certain issues. Gracchus made foolish moves, like leaving a list of people associated with him in his room, which Pierre Serna suggests was child's play for the police to find. According to Laura Mason, the police found hundreds of documents in an apartment near the center of Paris, including underground pamphlets, insurrection decrees, and instructions to confederates to incite rebellion. Gracchus was irresponsible in this regard, which greatly frustrated his more sensible comrade Antonelle. Antonelle distanced himself, particularly on how to achieve the revolution. I simplify, but for this noble revolutionary, the revolution should be saved through the ballot box and by fighting the system from within, though history would prove him wrong. Here's what Antonelle wrote: "The act of insurrection is the dream of a sick man… The more I think about this too frivolous subject, the more I remain convinced that this great conspiracy was reduced to the petty annoyances of a few disgruntled minds, the pastimes of some idle people who shared their thoughts." The problem was also that Gracchus didn’t take the necessary measures for a clandestine operation, inadvertently putting many involved—whether directly or indirectly—in danger.
But Antonelle, in his journal, also fought to save as many of the co-defendants as possible.
Here is an excerpt from Pierre Serna: "He participated in the Vendôme trial against Babeuf’s accomplices and played a key role in saving almost all of the defendants ».
Réal was also active, just like Vatar and Lebois, in defending the co-defendants (Vatar and Lebois had, a few years earlier, campaigned for the release of Marie-Anne Babeuf, who had been arrested for handling the subscriptions of her husband’s journal. Her arrest lasted only two days thanks to them, according to what I understand).
Moreover, among the co-defendants was an important figure who couldn’t possibly be dead, as he played a symbolic and crucial role in being one of the men who arrested Louis XVI: Jean-Baptiste Drouet. Even some reactionaries panicked when they saw his name among the list of co-defendants in the Babeuf trial, even though others supported the accusation.
Here are some excerpts about Jean-Baptiste Drouet: 'The submission of J.-B. Drouet's case to the Legislative Body in the summer of 1796 crystallized the anger of the democrats. From the moment the Council of Five Hundred began debating the inviolability of the deputy, the press entirely lost interest in other aspects of the case. On the day of Drouet’s arrest, the Directory declared that the police had apprehended him in the act of conspiracy. The democrats now demanded evidence that could justify the imprisonment and trial of a sitting deputy. Drouet claimed he had been arrested while meeting political allies to discuss an official letter he was drafting. The police report, his defenders pointed out, confirmed his statement, as it only mentioned the letter from Drouet and commercial documents belonging to the host of the meeting. 'Thus, in the eyes of the commissioner and his assistants, there were no actions, words, or writings that externally indicated any kind of conspiracy; therefore, there was no flagrant crime.' If Drouet had not been arrested in the act of conspiracy, the Directory had violated his inviolability, thus violating the constitution. If the Legislative Body repeated this act by allowing a trial, it would likewise violate the constitution. 'If the constitution is violated by its main guardians, all is lost; for, how can you punish a man who has conspired against the constitution if you are the first violators?' Didn’t the Terror originate from such violations?’
None of the arguments from Lamarque, nor from the other defenders of Drouet, managed to influence the Legislative Body. The Council of Five Hundred allowed the case to go to the Council of Ancients, which voted for a trial and set up a high court authorized to judge a representative of the people. Insulted but not defeated, the democratic press continued to defend Drouet by publishing speeches, letters, and satires. Méhée even offered to defend Drouet, fearing that more qualified men, faced with the threat of royalist violence, would hesitate to offer their services.
While the democrats focused on the trial, news spread that Drouet had escaped and disappeared. Drouet was able to flee because his case had become too embarrassing for the Directory. The Directory, which had arrested the conspirators denounced by Grisel, had assumed that the case would be widely approved, without considering the obstacle presented by the reputation of the man who had arrested the king at Varennes. Despite irrefutable evidence, despite Grisel’s denunciation, and especially despite the fact that the two chambers of the Legislative Body, by a large majority, had approved the trial, the charges against Drouet continued to provoke the anger of the democrats. Perhaps the Directors hoped that by letting Drouet escape, they would shift attention back to Babeuf, a less credible figure, and thus achieve the glory they expected from his prosecution.
However, the escape came too late. Fearing that the prosecutions against Drouet and the harassment of other democrats signaled a new reaction, and convinced that the Directors had violated the constitution, the democrats were determined to follow the trial of Babeuf closely. This trial, which involved a total of sixty-three other defendants, lasted three months, from the winter of 1796 to the spring of 1797, and became a fierce battle between the Directors and their democratic opponents. During longer and more radically covered proceedings than any other trial during the French Revolution, each side accused the other of betraying the promises of the Revolution, presenting its members as the heralds of the only true Republic.' (Excerpt from the article by Laura Mason, "After the Conspiracy: the Directory, the Press, and the Affair of the Equals")
So here we see that the press, the impact of the democrats, and certain prisoners influenced the judgment, in addition to Gracchus’s defense. I think we can now understand why only Gracchus and Darthé were executed. Between Gracchus’s defense, where he fought fiercely to at least save as many of his colleagues as possible, and Darthé, who was stoic and did not respond (Gracchus and Darthé knew they were going to die, as they spent their time sharpening a blade to attempt suicide), the fact that Gracchus was among those revolutionaries advocating for the infringement of property rights through agrarian reforms (a small group of revolutionaries who scared many political factions, whether in 1789, 1792, or even more so under the Directory) likely worked against him.
As for Carnot, the fact that Gracchus was part of this group of revolutionaries who surrounded themselves with people who had had problems with the Committee of Public Safety in 1794, as we saw, must have made his case even more difficult in Carnot’s eyes. Nevertheless, even in his repression of the Babouvists, Carnot did try to save some revolutionaries, as we saw in the case of Félix Le Peletier, which is to his credit.
What I found admirable in Gracchus, however, is that while he had every right to be angry with Carnot, especially regarding the terrible ordeal of the iron cage in Paris during the Vendôme trial, Babeuf refused to lump Carnot together with Barras and others. Gracchus only made a few moderate criticisms of him, even though he had every right to be furious. I feel that Gracchus, though unable to forgive, could understand someone who committed condemnable acts, provided that person was devoted to the Republic, which was the case with Carnot, whereas Gracchus never forgave people like Tallien, Barras, or Fouché and denounced them rightly and loudly.
After the repression of the Babouvists, according to Mazauric, Carnot, though conservative on many issues, slowed down the repressive zeal of Merlin. I think Carnot realized he had made a grave mistake. But we cannot know for sure unless we contact a good medium.
At the bottom is the screenshot that @aedesluminis found from Fouché’s memoirs about Babeuf and Barras
Tumblr media
P.S:Feel free to contradict me or add theories again because it's interesting to add evidence or discuss it.
8 notes · View notes
jogallice · 7 months ago
Text
Tumblr media
Aujourd’hui, dimanche 30/06/24, Journée mondiale des astéroïdes ☄️ Au niveau de vos déplacements, privilégiez vélo, trottinette, marche à pied, etc. 🌬️ Évitez absolument votre fusée personnelle 🚀
Cinq € la séance : démarrage ce dimanche de la Fête du cinéma, opération promotionnelle de la Fédération Nationale des Cinémas Français (FNCF), l'occasion d'aller voir en salles à moindre coût les derniers films dont on parle… Jusqu'au mercredi 03/07/24 dans toute la France 📽
Dernier jour du Triathlon international du lac d’Annecy. L'un des triathlons les plus spectaculaires d’Europe, attirant des athlètes du monde entier. Nager dans l’un des lacs les plus purs d’Europe, rouler au au sein du Parc Naturel Régional des Bauges, courir en plein cœur d’Annecy 😍
Qualité de l’air (indices ATMO) : les concentrations devraient diminuer grâce au passage de précipitations dans la nuit. L’ozone, polluant majoritaire en cette saison, pourrait persister dans le quart sud-est et donner un indice dégradé. Ailleurs, l’indice devrait être moyen 💨
L’indice de risque pollinique à Annecy reste élevé, au niveau 3 en ce qui concerne les graminées (indice communal valable du 22 juin au vendredi 05/07/2024 inclus) 🤧 Personnes allergiques : lavez-vous régulièrement le nez avec du sérum physiologique pour éliminer les pollens 😷
Quatre dictons du jour pour le prix de trois : « En fin juin vent du soir, pour le blé bon espoir. » 🍃 « À la saint Martial, point de charcuterie à l’ail. » 🧄 « À saint Martial, pour le blé, bon espoir. » 🌾 « Pour la saint Martial, la faux est au travail. » 👨‍🌾
Pour celles et ceux qui aiment la pluie : « Lorsqu'en juin on voit sa fin, saint Martial souvent lave le chemin. », « Quand saint Pierre laisse de la pluie à saint Martial. » et « Quand saint Pierre ne lave pas le chemin, saint Martial le fait comme il faut. » 🌧
Pour celles et ceux qui aiment les abeilles (comment ne pas les aimer❓) : « La nuit de la saint Martial, l’abeille prend son bien ou son mal. » 🍯 « Quand saint Pierre laisse de la pluie à saint Martial, ce dernier donne des essaims autant qu'il en faut. » 🐝
Pour celles et ceux qui croient en Dieu : « Saint Martial, priez Dieu qu'il garde nos raves, nos châtaignes et nos femmes. » 🌰
Bon septième et dernier jour de la semaine, mais également du mois, à tous et à toutes 🌴
Bonne fête aux aux Martial et demain aux Thierry 😘 
📷 JamesO PhotO à Annecy le samedi 29/06/24 📸
5 notes · View notes
cellythefloshie · 2 years ago
Note
If you were on the bachelorette what hockey boys would you want to be able to date and choose from? And who do you give your final rose to?
Hey Nonnie! This question has to be the most fun question I have ever received in my ask box. I have put too much thought into my list and the reasons why certain players would not be the recipient of my rose from night one to the final rose. So buckle up dashboard, you’re about to watch an entire season of my Bachelorette season in one post. Disclosure: I have not watched the Bachelor/Bachelorette in a very very long time. This is based on faded memories and quick google searches. 
Meet the Contestants 
Ross Colton - of Robinsville, NJ. Currently bottom six forward of the Tampa Bay Lightning. 
Anthony Cirelli - of Etobicoke, Ontario. Currently top six forward of the Tampa Bay Lightning. 
Brayden Point - of Calgary, Alberta. Currently top six forward of the Tampa Bay Lightning. 
Andrei Svechnikov - of Barnaul, Russia. Currently tops six forward of the Carolina Hurricanes. 
Vince Dunn - Lindsay, Ontario. Currently one half of the top defensive pair of the Seattle Kraken. 
Adam Lowry - of Calgary, Alberta (I know he was born in St Louis but he was raised in Calgary, Okay?). Currently Botton six forward of the Winnipeg Jets (and hopefully the future captain). 
Timo Meir - of Herisau, Switzerland. Currently top six forward of the New Jersey Devils. 
Matt Martin - of Winsdor, Ontario. Currently bottom six forward of the New York Islanders. 
Anthony Beauvillier - of Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. Currently top six forward of the Vancouver Canucks. 
Mat Barzal - of Coquitlam, British Columbia. Currently top six forward of the New York Islanders. 
Tom Wilson - of Toronto, Ontario. Currently top six forward of the Washington Capitals. 
Matthew Tkachuk - of Scottsdale, Arizona (this man has lived in so many cities because of his dad). Currently top six forward of the Florida Panthers. 
Jeremy Swayman - of Anchorage, Alaska. Currently the backup goaltender of the Boston Bruins. 
Pierre Luc Dubois - of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec. Currently, desperately, trying to get traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the Montreal Canadiens. 
Nico Hischier - of Naters, Switzerland. Currently top six forward, and Captain of the New Jersey Devils. 
Brady Skjei - of Lakeville Minnesota. Currently a defenceman of the Carolina Hurricanes. 
Pat Maroon - of St Louis, Missouri. Currently bottom six forward of the Tampa Bay Lightning. 
Chris Kreider - of Boxford, Massachussetts. Currently top six forward of the New York Rangers. 
Pytor Kotchetkov - of Penza, Russia. Currently the goaltender of the Chicago Wolves (AHL) and a backup goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes. 
William Nylander - of Calgary, Alberta. Currently top six forward of the Toronto Maple Leafs. 
Leon Draisaitl - of Cologne, Germany. Currently top six forward of the Edmonton Oilers. 
Luke Schenn - of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Currently one half of the top defensive pair of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Josh Anderson - of Burlington, Ontario. Currently top six forward for the Montreal Canadiens. 
Auston Matthews - of Scottsdale, Arizona. Currently top six forward of the Toronto Maple Leafs. 
Brendan Lemieux - of Denver, Colorado. Currently button six forward of the Philadelphia Flyers. 
The First Night
At the end of the first night, the 25 contestants would become 15, with 10 NHL hotties failing to receive my affection in the form of a rose: 
Timo Meir - we know his reputation. This man is a womanizer, and it’s clear when he tried to go in for a kiss during our first conversation. But we’re here for love. For commitment. So he had to go. 
Pierre-Luc Dubois - speaking of commitment. This man doesn’t know the definition of that. He can’t commit to a team, he can’t commit to me. Au revoir.
Leon Draisaitl - this man is so intimidating to me. I wouldn’t have the confidence to pursue anything of any nature.  
Pat Maroon - his energy would be too much for me. Confident, successful, and ready to party. I wouldn’t be able to keep up. 
Luke Scheen - is a sweet guy, but wouldn’t do much to set himself apart from the rest. 
Josh Anderson - would have flashed his abs at least once during the night - and I would have noticed but it wouldn't be enough to set him apart from the rest of the guys who go the extra mile to set themselves apart. 
Nico Hischier - a sweet guy. Very gentlemanly. But he’s a little young for me so he doesn’t receive a rose. 
Auston Matthews - Auston would come in so confident he would come off as cocky. Would brag about his friendship with Justin Beiber and would come dressed in an expensive sweatsuit instead of a suit like the other contestant. Would not be a vibe. 
Brendan Lemieux - during the first night. Brendan Lemieux and Matthew Tkachuk got into a physical altercation regarding the biting incident with Brady Tkachuk. Production wanted to kick them both off the show, but instead, they were allowed to stay until the end of the night where Tkachuk was the only one of the two to receive the rose. 
Pytor Kochetkov - my sweet sweet Pytor. He would have needed Svechnikov to translate for him all night. So kind and sweet, but the language barrier was strong and Svechnikov would have needed to be a constant third wheel to make it work - plus he’s kind I can’t decide if he is baby brother vibes or not. He would not receive the final rose of the evening. 
Season Highlights
Andrei Svechnikov secured the first kiss on the first night with his charm, maturity and his kindness in helping Pytor through the night when he could have been selfish 
Andrei also received the first rose of the season before the first rose ceremony was held
Vince Dunn would be a quick fan favorite but not without controversy - there would be a call to action from fans that wanted him to be sent home but he would remain on the show after making a public apology at the rose ceremony
Anthony Beauvillier and Mat Barzal would go on a 2 on 1 date with me, some kind of outdoorsy thing with paddleboarding and it would have been a great time BUT they would both go home that same night after Beauvillier refuses the rose on the date. Their friendship ultimately gets in the way of their pursuit of love
Ross Colton would fail to receive a rose after a group date that involved an extensive hike in the wilderness
Tkachuk would continue to be an instigator for the season starting conflicts and pushing the buttons of other contenders. It would lead to Tom Wilson and Matt Martin not receiving roses but he would be the one not to receive a rose when a conflict with Lowry would arise. Lowry would receive the final rose that night, sending Tkachuk home. 
Chris Kreider would try to propose midseason and his eagerness and willingness to commit so early would be a red flag, he would not receive a rose at the following ceremony
After regret and complications, Ross Colton would be welcomed back onto the show as I would feel like failing to give him a rose was a mistake
With the welcoming back of Ross to the show, William Nylander would be sent home as a result
On a 1 on 1 date with Brady Skeji things would look to become more intimate than it actually was and viewers would be shocked when he would not receive a rose later than night
During what would be the rose ceremony that would bring it down to the final 4 it is revealed that it would be a final 5 with only 7 contenders remaining: Ross Colton, Anthony Cirelli, Adam Lowry, Andrei Svechnikov, Brayden Point, Jeremy Swayman and Vince Dunn
Viewers would be shocked when Anthony Cirelli would receive the final rose before the final four over Brayden Point who had been a front-runner for your heart since night one
The Final Five
Usually the final four, but would be changed last minute as I struggled to make the decision, it would be time to travel and meet the families of the final 5 contestants. 
Ross Colton - the trip would take me to New Jersey where I would meet his parents and his brother Rob. They would be welcoming, and kind, but it would be very clear how many worlds apart we are and it would plant some insecurities of just how well I would be able to fit into their lifestyle and expectations. 
Anthony Cirelli - back in Canada, I would meet his family, and very importantly Grandma Cirelli who is known for her tomato sauce. We would cook a meal together in their family kitchen - and she would approve of my cooking. 
Vince Dunn - A mere hour away from where we visited Tony’s family, I would meet Dunn’s. It’s a smaller city and feels familiar to what I’ve grown up in BUT everyone seems to know him there. It’s weird being there with a local celebrity because there is no just blending into a big city here. His family would be as kind and welcoming as the others, and I’d get to see more of his emotional side that we would have seen glimmer off throughout the season.
Adam Lowry - in Calgary we would meet his family, a very strong hockey family, with his dad having played and coached and his brother having played as well. It’s their lives, and will always be a part of it. We would see just how good he is with his nieces and nephews and go to see the mountains in Banff. 
Andrei Svechnikov - the final trip would take me to Russia where I would meet his parents, his brother and his brother’s family. It would be a breathtaking trip, one like any other seen on the show but it would be conflicting as his mother would show her concerns. I would not be what his mother imagined for her sweet boy, and her approval is very important to him. And the larger age gap would be revisited. 
After the trips, it would come to the rose ceremony that would bring the final 5 down to the final two. That night, Andrei would fail to receive a rose, the age gap and the pressure of his mother being too much. Ross, while an obvious favourite for the majority of the season would not receive a rose, the high maintenance feel of his family too much and too intimidating to commit to at that moment - and the goodbye is one not without tears. The viewers would be shocked again when Tony would receive the final rose, sending Lowry back to the off-season. His familiar pressure of their legacy all too much even though seeing him with his nephews would given me absolute baby fever. 
Then only two remained: Anthony Cirelli and Vince Dunn. 
The Final Rose
The final rose would be one of great controversy with lots of viewers seeming to think I was making a mistake moving forward with my final two. That I had greater chemistry with other players that I had sent walking and that whoever I chose would be a decision made in regret. But I was left to make the choice between the two final contenders. Anthony Cirelli. The sweet, respectable boy from Vaughn. Who maybe wasn’t as traditionally handsome as the other contestants - but I’m a sucker for those curls. Who loves Kygo and partying in Miami but will always value his family and their traditions above all else. 
And then there was Vince. The mildly problematic, handsome man - who also has those oh-so-dangerous curls and those bright eyes. He can be wild, but also sweet - and always so intense with emotions that you can see so clearly written across his face. A man who can enjoy the outdoors as much as a night at the club. 
And while Tony and Ross both very clearly have a piece of my heart I need a man who is going to be able to go out there and enjoy nature with me. Someone who won’t care that I don’t spend an hour in front of the mirror to do my hair and my makeup every day. Someone who will love my cooking, and isn’t afraid of his emotions or to have tough conversations. 
And for those reasons, I would have to give my final rose to… Vince. 
18 notes · View notes
atthedas · 9 months ago
Text
Découvrir Thédas
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Crédits images : Places (BioWare, Dragon Age Inquistion) - The Bloody Chamber (Amanda Sartor) - Trevelyan Mage (BioWare, Dragon Age Inquisition)
Un peu d'histoire...
« Ferdinand Genitivi. Frère ordonné par feu sa Très Sainte Faustine II. Quatre-vingt-huit ans après le début de l’Ère des Bontés. À tous ceux qui la présente chronologie liront, salut – puisse-t-elle vous enrichir des humbles informations compilées par un simple disciple du Créateur un peu trop amateur de livres moisis et de poussières antiques. En conclusion de ses sermons, Sœur Gisèle répétait toujours : « savoir d’où l’on vient, c’est comprendre où l’on va ; la lumière du Créateur ne se révèle qu’à celui qui a les yeux bien ouverts ». Mise à part sa plume très simpliste, je dois lui reconnaître une sagesse populaire, de celles qui dictent des phrases évidentes mais que l’on ne récite jamais assez : preuve en est puisqu’aucun érudit n’a eu l’idée de compiler une véritable chronologie de l’histoire de notre continent en un seul volume, accessible à tous Ses plus fidèles sujets – ou simplement ceux en désir de connaissances. Alors, avant que je ne commence mes pérégrinations et mes voyages à la découverte du monde, je prends le temps de pallier cette erreur – comme ça, si je venais à m’éteindre au fond d’une crevasse sans que personne ne le remarque, je ne resterais pas totalement oublié. »
... à Starkhaven.
Lorsque j’ai présenté mes premiers brouillons à Val-Royeaux, ayant rassemblé dans un texte clair, fondé sur des sources solides, une chronique des événements des débuts de la Cinquième Ère ; alors que j’étais fier de mes écrits, une question ne cessait de franchir les lèvres des universitaires : pourquoi cette emphase sur Starkhaven ? Mais pour quelle raison ces érudits sédentaires et empâtés se sentent toujours le devoir de débattre des détails, ignorant totalement l’essentiel et la démonstration ! Je vais leur dire, moi, pourquoi Starkhaven ! Je me demande si les Planacènes ont longtemps hésité sur pourquoi Starkhaven, tiens, le jour où ils ont découvert la haute colline au confluent de l’Aguera et de la Minantre, si riche de ses bancs de poissons mais aussi de ses champs rendus fertiles par les alluvions ! Ou encore les Tévintides, lorsqu’ils y érigèrent leur forteresse pour se protéger des invasions et des Enclins. Ou enfin le Roi Fyruss, à la tête d’une cité grandissante et prospère, qui tenta de constituer son propre empire et s’en trouva trahi par l’Impérium : il se cassa les dents à l’est et s’en trouva ridiculisé pour l’Histoire. A tel point qu’au cours de la Cinquième Ère, si je me permettais de blasphémer à l’égard des Marches Libres, je comparerais Starkhaven à leur capitale. Je me demande si, au fil des constructions et de ses élargissements, les Princes se sont abaissés à se demander pourquoi Starkhaven, tiens ! Car la cité aux deux anneaux s’impose, ainsi enclavée dans les falaises avec ses murailles hautes et solides, ses larges douves à l’eau tumultueuse, son long pont de pierre, unique accès : on a voulu rendre Starkhaven impossible à conquérir. Continuez à vous poser cette question, tiens, quand vous découvrez sa petite ville annexe, nommée Cairnayr, avec son port actif et son industrie foisonnante, avec ce thaig sécurisé et bien moins vide qu’on ne l’aurait souhaité… à moins que vous ne préfériez cette forêt giboyeuse, repos du héros Corin, accueillant alors l’intrigant clan dalatien Tanassavir ? Parce que vraiment, je me demande si ses habitants ont perdu leur temps à se demander pourquoi Starkhaven, tiens ! Alors que certains profitaient d’être à un carrefour des cultures pour établir des contacts qu’on s’imaginait définitivement coupés, d’autres jouaient dans les ombres pour échanger des services exotiques et recherchés… Mais la plupart, effectivement, ne vivaient là que parce qu’ils y étaient nés, ou parce que leurs pas leur avaient permis d’y trouver refuge et prospérité ! En ce début de la Cinquième Ère, il y avait tant à fêter dans la cité : la disparition des sociétés criminelles, l’achèvement de la belle Cathédrale ou, même, l’organisation du Grand Tournoi ! Car ils furent sans conteste le point de départ des événements excitants que je vous rapporterai. Alors, permettez-moi de vous retourner la question : à votre avis, pourquoi Starkhaven ?
Pour découvrir la suite de notre codex...
Perdu.e ? N'hésitez pas à consulter notre guide !
2 notes · View notes
josefavomjaaga · 1 year ago
Note
When writing Soult I’d like to mention and write his aides as well, but I don’t think I have a very good grasp on their personalities rather than treating them as a collective excitable drunk blob - if you had to describe each of them in a few words/traits, what would that be?
That's a harder question than I thought because "collective excitable drunk blob" is precisely how I see them, too, most of the time. 😁
So, looking at them a little more closely:
Saint-Chamans: not exactly the brightest one, stubborn, feeling rather entitled, more adventurer than soldier, childlike to the point of childishness
Petiet: similar sense of entitledness, but whinier and somewhat insecure, often feels like he's left out, the "silent kid" (?), loves getting presents, extremely proud when he feels Soult is pleased with him
Lameth: outspoken, rather clever, ambitious and courageous, great sense of humour, also the least scared of his imposing marshal/dragon, dares to contradict him on occasion
Brun: the "good kid" who feels he needs to clean up after his unruly siblings and occasionally even his marshal/dragon, good education, silent, independent thinker, hard worker
That's the main four during the imperial period, I guess, of the others I do not have a very clear picture myself. Little Anthoine de Saint-Joseph seems to have been the Benjamin of the military family, the little one everybody felt they needed to protect a little (and who probably was very proud when the "big brothers" included him in their shenanigans). You could also include Bory de Saint-Vincent as the guy who is always off doing stuff that has nothing to do with the campaign, like collecting plants or drawing landscapes. Not sure what you would do with Pierre Soult and Coco Lefebvre - in your AU, they would need to be dragons, I guess?
Then there's of course Franceschi who started out as Soult's aide but had moved on to become a cavalry general and aide-de-camp to Joseph Bonaparte. He seems to have been very brave personally, but also a very affable, accomodating character, often trying to mediate (between Soult and Saint-Chamans but also Soult and Joseph). As a painter and close friend of Dragon!Soult, maybe Soult would put him in charge of the painting collection?
(And now I have an image in my head of the ADCs clumsily hanging up Soult's treasured hoard of human artwork in whatever place Soult dozes in, with Soult barking orders because the paintings are not placed correctly, are crooked, Louise trying to calm him down and Franceschi finally taking over and arranging the collection as it should be.)
16 notes · View notes