#The Last Nights of Ventôse

[enlitment]

If you have time and haven't done so already, I highly recommend you read this summary of Przybyszewska's The Last Nights of Ventôse.

It puts it better than I ever could, plus it's written by a native Polish speaker.

I'll just quickly add that to me, there's hardly a better proof of the fact that people have always been into the same things, and quite often, the trends we think magically appeared twenty years ago have been with us for centuries.

(all I need now is for archaeologists to discover stone tablets with someone's Gilgamesh/Enkidu fanfic)

My thoughts on “The Last Nights of Ventôse”

Keep on reading for info about probably the first Saintmoulinspierre fanfic ever.

It’s windy and cold outside. No wonder, it is the last night of Ventôse after all. Tomorrow night, Germinal an CCXXIII starts and I hope it’ll bring better weather. Anyway, I’m not gonna be original - it seems like the perfect time to rant a bit about Stanisława Przybyszewska’s “The Last Nights of Ventôse”.

My edition is probably the only available in Poland, based on Przybyszewska’s manuscript, released many years after her death. Pages: 165 including the preface, chapters: IV, heartbreaks caused: countless, dammit. 

There it is, the ultimate Maxime/Camille fanfic. And probably not what one would expect. It is slashier than some frev tumblr drabbles. We are not interested here in historical accuracy. Just Przybyszewska’s story. An 80-year-old fanfic. And believe me, even if something seems very OOC in Maxime’s or Camille’s behaviour, the story itself is extraordinary and can produce a friggin’ Seine of tears.

Begins with Maxime’s illness - feverish nightmares, anxiety attacks and doubts concerning the inevitabe - Camille’s arrest and execution. There’s also a short conversation between Maxime and Eleanore (Leo). She generally talks about her feelings for him and how he has changed. He, on the other hand, rejects her and regrets that he gave in and used her affection once. A short exchange that always makes me smile: “- Let us sit. - No, Leo. Or if… Then, three paces away from each other.”

Later, Maxime has even worse nightmares and premonitions, so he sends for Camille. Our dear journalist is playing cards with Danton at his own house and he is clearly not in a good mood. “- Camille, you didn’t even notice that you lost. What are you thinking about, boy?! - About you, my love!”

Camille is a little meanie; he can’t really tell why he is angry with Georges but oh he is, and he is almost furious (later it’ll become clear that it’s because of a very serious fault of Danton’s - not being Robespierre). He speaks those words with a mocking, mean tone, yet sweet at the same time, pretending a young damsel. 

In this glorious piece of 80 years old fanfiction, Camille is the cutest, most adorable, sometimes really, really mean and childish trashy-tempered baby ever AND he is wonderful that way. Maxime later calls him all kinds of pet names, such as: child, Cami, little flower, boy, lovely child, genious boy, poor thing, little Camille, little one - but he is cool and composed while Camille loses his temper all the time, but I’ll get to that.

Camille doesn’t want to see Maxime but when he hears of his illness, he goes to him immediately. When he sees him… That fragment is very hard to forget and heart-wrenching. “Camille’s love bursted with thousands of flames from tips of his nerves, hissing with pain. - Desmoulins, first of all, you must forget for a while that our acquaintance is a private one. In other words, you have to look at me as if you were looking at a colleague or at a neighbor, not an object of your… Feelings, you know which. Will you manage? - No - replied the guest, his voice hoarse with excessive strictness.” *the sound of my poor shipper heart exploding into million aching pieces*

Later, there’s a very harsh dispute between them about Camille’s situation and his trust in Danton. I intend to translate the whole story in summer when I’m done with my thesis, so, in short: Maxime is cold and composed while Cami (what a cute nickname!) is in despair. Camille is furious with Maxime as he’d rather stay unaware of his very probable death drawing near, he practically panicks and yells a lot. Maxime in his thoughts admits (cruelly!): 

“It is, after all, a soul fragile and frail as threads of glass; oh, I should have left him in peace, he would suffer only for three days, later, death - well, it’s too late now. Oh, Camille, Camille, poor thing - what a favor I’ve done to you!”. And later: “Their mutual feelings were stronger than frienship - it was simply love on both sides, Camille’s with a strong dose of admiration. Nevertheless, the older’s feelings were probably even stronger, though they didn’t bind his existence totally.” (then, a long description of Maxime’s feelings for Cami - very caring, almost maternal, “filled with nervous anxiety and insatiable tenderness […], hidden carefully”). “For the last six months, Camille inflicted a blow after blow, deliberately, skillfully, aiming perfectly at his weakest point. […] Love of this kind is so bereft of dignity - the more the beloved child teases, the more precious he becomes.”

Then Maxime asks about why he is so stuck on Danton and Cami answers that he is only at Georges’ side because Maxime used to be so cold and composed around him, barely noticed when Camille was not at his side, “forgot about [Camille’s] existence”. The more cold and indifferent Maxime was, the more Camille was drawn to him, but eventually he had enough. Danton was the perfect negative of Maxime and actually appreciated Camille, praised him a lot. Cami missed Maxime anyway.

Maxime asks a lot of questions about them (jealous much, M?). Then: “- Do you even know this man? Are you sure of his sincerity? […] - Well, no - except for when he is drunk. Then, it seems, he likes me with no reservations or calculations. These times, he practically cavorts over me. Draws me close, embraces, kisses, boasts… As if I were a woman. Robespierre suppressed a groan. He wriggled. - Do you like it? […] - Why do you ask? How’s this relevant? - Very relevant, but I’ve already guessed.” Fanfiction much?

Maxime talks to Camille about how Danton is using him and Camille realizes he is right. He is in such shock that he jumps to his feet. “Don’t touch me”, but Maxime does anyway, he holds him by his arms and doesn’t let him go. His touch eventually comforts Camille, but: “- What do you want from me? Let me go at last! - I won’t. Break away if you want to. […] - You are stealing away my life. […] You grasp another’s soul with your claws. How dare you? - By the right of the stonger one - whispered Robespierre”.

Fanfiction MUCH? Just wait until… Right, then Camille is lost in his thoughts for a few pages - his anger with Danton and adoration for Maxime clearly visible. Eventually he drops at Maxime’s feet, emotionally exhausted. He’s so lost in his adoration that he actually kisses Maxime’s foot (fanfiction very f*****g much? Yeah it gets slashier!). 

Maxime of course wriggles out and acts coldly again (but anyway he describes Cami in his thoughts as “a handsome boy, cute, […] absolute beauty” - they should just get a bed and there is an available one, come on!).

Camille is heartbroken. Rejected again. He has to know why Maxime cannot stand his touch. He even says that had Maxime acted differently, it might’ve saved Camille, for he would abandon Danton at once and do everything possible to convince everyone that he changed sides. He would save his life if Maxime had any use for him. Well, he wouldn’t even turn to Danton in the first place, were things different. This part of their conversation is really interesting. I have no time now (unfortunately) to translate Maxime’s rant about male/male love, but I’ll try to do that tomorrow, it’s really interesting. 

Camille’s reaction to it? He is wounded, a blow right in his adoration. He thought before that Maxime doesn’t understand that kind of feelings, but after hearing him out… For Cami that sounds as if Maxime knew these feelings all too well, but Camille was not the one Maxime had those feeling for. Even tough he felt a pang of hope at times listening to it all, but he was quickly disillusioned. 

Maxime is almost certainly speaking about Camille (or is he? *ekhm* Antoinevisitshimlater *ekhm*). Cami is so furious, poor thing. “Why did you tell me all of this? […] Haven’t you done me enough wrong already?”.

Maxime states that as a revolutionary he cannot waste time on personal matters (“I do not have a private life”) and does not like the fact that Camille is willing to offer himself to someone to the point of sacrificing his own freedom. And Maxime is very uneasy about the physical manifestations of Camille’s feelings, they embarass him. 

Camille: “I have to have the right to embrace my friend whenever I want to without feeling his muscles turn into a hostile armour under my touch. I have to have the right to kiss him, for such kiss is what makes two beings one.” Right in the feels, Cami, right in the feels. But you can do better. “All it took was giving up just for a while that what your inhuman pride requires. To bear calmly one innocent kiss, even the pope allows that. To bear the fact that for a one short while you are only a beloved human living in a human body […] I’ll remeber your pudeur virginale even in the another world, if not after falling rightously asleep in Sanson’s two baskets.” I want to hug him and I need a large box of tissues.

Camille tries to leave (not for the first time) but Maxime stops him and even embraces him as tightly as he can. Maxime scolds him for being childish and reckless. He admits he loves him and acted that way because he is ill and everything irks him. He reminds Cami how much he’s done for him even after all Camille did to harm him. He speaks of Camille’s unstability, how he’d run to Danton’s side and that even now Maxime risked so much to save his dear friend.

Sweet, rash Cami of course thinks Maxime is mocking him. “-How does it change anything, that you actually care for my life, since you won’t even let me near you?! - So you have wasted your life, your talent, and now you’re practically pushing yourself on the gallows and all this scrupulous destruction for an embrace rejected? To die of longing for a kiss, what a beautiful death!” Sorry, but were I there, I would stuff Maxime’s mouth with jam tarts so he’d just shut up. “- But there, if it’s the only cause, kiss me all you want, I won’t interrupt you. Kiss me until you get bored, that is, if you won’t get burned.” Oh and there goes all my wrath and all my shipper feels and I practically squeal because of that passage. Then I actually have this sudden urge to hit my head hard with something heavy. Maxime, you... You.

“-How… D-dare you!!! - he whispered, his voice trembling. - So no, then? You won’t take the opportunity to have something to remember in the other world? That’s a pity, I’d actually like to try, you’ve made me curious. Maybe it can actually give pleasure, and I’m curious because until now the sight of two men exchanging caresses seemed amusing to me.” Maxime, please, please take your curiosity elsewhere or stop with all this indifference; boys, cease the angst and heartbreak and make use of the bed. Please. There is one available and the room is cold. Ekhm.

Then Maxime actually scolds him again and starts to talk about politics (not exactly the right moment, huh, M?). In his opinion, Camille is selfish since he concentrates his thoughts on his personal misfortune when the future of the Republic is shaping. He is so concerned for his own unstable future that he eventually asks Camille: “- If it’s me who dies, not you, can you swear to me that you will contact Saint-Just? Camille rose. - Saint-Just… Why him? - He is the only leader except me, he is the only one that understands my thought and wants what I want; he is the only one who can succeed me. - And me… I’d be to serve him? - […] Not him, idiot, but the oppressed people!”.

Poor Cami, you sound like a jealous schoolboy. But whatever. The fragment about contacting Saint-Just is tricky because of a Polish word used here that can mean both “contact” and “reach an agreement” - it is not clear from the context. Oh, they would certainly not reach any, Maxime, come on. You know them.

Maxime again begs Camille to save his own life while he still can. Camille is desperate to do anything to make Maxime feel better since his fever is getting worse, so Camille agrees. He feels helpless and he’s so cutely concerned for his friend… In the end they simply say their goodbyes to each other because they are both gravely tired and Maxime feels worse and worse with every minute.

Maxime spends his next day waiting for any news or rumours about Camille’s decision. We all know what happened next. Camille condemning Maxime again. Maxime’s so shocked that he even contemplates suicide thinking it could save Camille’s life. Eventually he realizes that there’s nothing more that he can do and he accepts the necessity of arresting Camille. 

Then voilà, Saint-Just appears at last. He visits Maxime when it’s already dark and they can’t see each other. But they hold hands. “Their hands found each other without hesitation, as if they were driven by a mutual attraction. They both fell silent in this voiceless yet ardent meeting. The hand of the guest, still cold after a long walk in this humid night, a bit larger, much stronger at the moment, clasped the hot hand of the tribune in a lenghty squeeze. This contact had a soothing effect on the other. It made him feel at peace, reborn.” Ekhm, Maxime? Ekhm? Wasn’t that you who teased Camille with cold indifference not so long ago? Ekhm? But okay, keep holding Antoine’s hand. We shippers are definitely not complaining. Just so you know, Camille reacted to YOUR touch exactly this way.

Maxime reveals to him his ultimate decision about the Dantonists and Camille. Antoine offers to deal with the matter on his own because it’s too personal for Maxime, and also he is concerned for Maxime’s health. In the end, Maxime insists that he is perfectly able of handling it by himself and decides to get up… Only to get dizzy and fall straight into Antoine’s strong arms. Yes. Right. That’s exactly what happens. Antoine even calls him “my dear” as he helps him to come around. 

Then we have a very isteresting description of Saint-Just when he lights the candles and the “impenetrable darkness” is no more. How does Maxime see him? “A while of silence. All the candles were burning. Behind them, lit from underneath, a face of an archangel, his features of  an inhumanly beauty, delicate as a woman’s but of the nobleness typical for men. Big violet eyes, a marble-white face framed by black hair reaching his jawline. His back straight, slender in his tighly fastened suit, Saint-Just awaited in silence.” I do not exactly imagine him that way (violet eyes? Pretty, though) but the description is interesting anyway. Maxime, are you crushing? Are you? Even despite all that happened, Maxime actually has a half-smile on his face when he looks at him. Okaaay. And Saint-Just actually calls him in his thoughts ��beautiful in this deathly paleness, so gaunt, his eyes burning”. 

And then: “He [Saint-Just] said even, breaking the feverish silence: - No one in France has a will like yours. No one’s thought is as vital as yours is. You are - the only One.”

After a while Maxime goddamn faints again, and guess where he ends up again? In Antoine’s arms. Yes, right. He even ends up laughing loudly and it is described as a sincere laughter but to me, it’s still hysterical. As if he tried to get rid of all his anger and gloom that way. “[…] Saint-Just turned towards him and embraced him with his other arm […] they closed each other in a tight, silent, loving embrace.” In the end, they just leave for the Committee meeting.

Yeah. Gosh. Fanfiction much.

But isn’t it entertaining? Most probably the first Saintmoulinspierre fanfiction ever. For me, that’s certainly heart-breaking. Camille is absolutely adorable in his rashness, moving the reader to tears. As for Maxime, I wanted to pinch his side while reading this very, very often, but at the same time it was impossible not to feel sorry for him and relate to each and every of his words. He’s a very mysterious figure here, I tell ya. Antoine has this dangerous yet charming vibe, come on, even Maxime fawns over him. 

I have to add that while Przybyszewska in one of her letters wrote that it’s actually possible that there was something between Maxime and Camille, she does not believe that there could ever be something between Maxime and Antoine, they were more like brothers in arms or soulmates (I don’t really remember well, I need my own copy of her letters and I need it badly). That doesn’t mean she doesn’t ship them, though, as it’s pretty visible in “Last Nights” and her plays. 

Przybyszewska practically admitted (probably in the same letter) that she has a certain kind of a soft spot for homosexuals. Citoyens, that’s the 1930’s term for “hello, I’m a slash/yaoi fangirl”. Oh girl, you made it visible.

I was born and grew up in a city in which she spent some longer period of time, in a place I often visited, so there’s probably a Saintmoulinspierre germ in the air there, even after all of these years. And oh did I get infected.

Thanks for reading my thoughts on a 1930s fanfic by a Polish girl who, as Mantel said, “died on Robespierre”. There are many perks of being Polish and being able to buy a copy of this and reading this is certainly one of them.

It’s almost 2 a.m. here. Ventôse is ending, Germinal soon begins but even after the cold winds cease, there’ll be other things to remind me of certain days from years long gone by. I’ll be still thinking about what that story did to me. I can’t get it out of my head since I’ve read it and finally got to share some of it. Even though it was impossible to contain in this note all that is there. Only a full translation will. 

Thank you again and stay on the Saintmoulinspierre ship for it won’t ever sink. Have a good day/good night and don’t mind the cold winds.

[allerod]

senk you @bugsbutch for tagging me 🙏🙇‍♂️

three ships: surely everyone is doing the “naming swimming vessels” joke here, but shoutout to sts pogoria, forever in my heart. also idk from things rattling around my empty brain right now i would go pierre/camille, witkacy/żeleński, mozart/salieri? this bad boy (me) can fit so much heavily fictionalised media about real people, huh! when i die they all will stab me to death for saying all theses things about them, and i’ll be too surprised by the existence of an afterlife to explain it wasn’t actually about Them them

first ever ship: i mean. i’m sure i was “shipping” other things before, but house/wilson is the one that got me actually reading fics, so. lifechanging

last song: something i heard on the radio in the car, but the last thing i purposely listened to is “filandia” by świetliki. there will never be a summer such as this :’)

last movie: ivan the terrible part II. i’ve seen it before and i must say, it gained in my eyes on a rewatch. or maybe i just grew as a hashtag cinephile

currently reading: microdosing myself on last nights of ventôse, my beloved

currently watching: absolutely overdosing on countess of monsoreau, with planned schedule being four eps a week, and i’m forcing my friends to instead watch ten (10) episodes…. we’re even skipping school for this….

currently consuming: nothing, but i wish i were consuming the cucumber soup i have in my bag

currently craving: some sense in life. a purpose. closure with certain people. to drink pyfko with friends. you know, the usual

tagging: hii, don’t feel obligated or anything etc etc @margalotta @whispering-kavka @micehatecheesecake @przepraszamyremanent @iphisesque @jurajurica

[edgysaintjust]

Since apparenty some of you guys asked me to post the feet fragment, how could i refuse and disappoint you? The scene takes place during Camille's conversation with Robespierre after the later called him to his place to discuss the dantonist mess together and save him. As you can guess, politics quickly turned more emotional and private.

Camille knew he was on his knees, it was so much more comfortable for him. But it was not enough. He bowed his head. He rubbed his cheek against the smooth silk of the other's stockings. As he was bent in half, he pressed his head against the insyep above the other man's shoes, between both his feet; he felt their shape with his face, stroked them from heels to quivering fingers. Nobody disturbed him. The darkness was absolute.

We get to see the scene in actual narrative (above) and then from Camille's pov as he remembers it.

[...] His face rested on his master's feet. It was an indescribably blissful position for him. And what could have happened, what was he thinking about? For a long time, about nothing. Then, about how he found these legs, and how it was enough for him. And then ...Ah, after that he noticed (he had to) that they were unnaturally hot. Finally the feet suprised him at the height of their instep. He covered his entire foot with his hand, he found it. He was delighted by an invisible but tactile shape, the proportions. And he thought involuntarily: what a perfect foot. Even for women such a beautiful one is rare. And then, with pleasure, in admiration for the perfect work of nature, he kissed the back of his leg. He had it right under his lips, it happened almost without him realising it. But was there anything wrong with that?

So that's prettt much it. Take what you asked for.

[filipinawritcr]

What is this, Tumblr?

You tryna tell me something? 🤨

This is what I get for knowing about Last Nights of Ventôse...

[enlitment]

@latetotheparty thanks for the addition! And agreed! I thought his rejection of Camille somehow mirrors that of Éléonore's advances at the beginning? (and at the start of The Danton Case too, poor girl, can't catch a break).

One part is definitely the illness and him putting revolution above everything else, but I also felt like its the overly submissive/feminine (some issues there...) aspect of both É and C that he finds somewhat off-putting. Then with Antoine at the end of Ventôse, it felt more like a relationship between equals.

And I've heard it mentioned before, would be curious to see the letter if you have a link?

Camille Desmoulins and Maximilien Robespierre – doomed by the Revolution?

a second part of the answer to the ask kindly sent by @iron--and--blood - first part can be found here

Okay, so I tried to follow the sources and I ended up missing what is arguably the key question. I think that there is enough evidence that warrants seeing Camille and Maximilien’s relationship as a ‘friendship torn apart but the revolution’, but could it in fact be something more that the chain of events of the mid-1790s ended up destroying?

(aka the good old “were they gay?” question)

It’s probably not surprising to anyone that there is no conclusive evidence that would suggest that either of them was definitely queer or that they were involved in some kind of a relationship. For context, the French Constitutional Assembly did decriminalise homosexuality, since there was simply no mention of private same-sex relationships it in the penal code of 1791.

Of course, there would still be a stigma surrounding queerness, seeing how France was a Catholic country – well, up to that point. On the other hand, it is also important to remember that anyone who received a higher education at that time would be well versed in classical authors (Greek and Roman that is), so they would have a framework for a positively viewed queer attraction/relationship (I'm mostly thinking of a kind of Alcibiades/Socrates vibes here. I think it sort of fits? Well it does in my headcanon anyway...). Camille especially seemed to be really into classics, making references to classical authors, history or mythology in approximately every other sentence.

CAMILLE – VICES HONTEUX AND A POSSIBILE BICON

If we consider Camille, I think it is clear that he was attracted to women. I think that the historical sources show that he genuinely did love his wife - Lucile - although it may also be true he was bit of a cad. There is a whole deal with him and Lucile’s mother with whom he apparently exchanged some flirty letters? I honestly need to look into it more at some point.

That said, attraction to women of course doesn’t exclude attraction to men. The one thing that would suggest Camille might have pursued a same-sex relationships is the reference to “vices honteux“ (shameful vices), which Saint-Just claims were attributed to Camille by Danton. We also learn from Robespierre’s note that this refered to something that was ‘totally unrelated to the revolution’.

So we know it’s something that would be seen as ‘shameful’ behaviour, but nonetheless a private matter. Could it be interest in same-sex relationships? It’s of course hard to say, but the theory is not completely implausible. For a discussion about this, I recommend this article.

MAXIMILIEN – A CONFIRMED BACHELOR?

With Maximilien Robespierre, it gets a little more complicated. He was essentially a confirmed bachelor, living with a family that adored him but that was not his own (and also a dog. He had a dog.) Talk about a found family trope!

Some sources claim that he was engaged to Éléonore Duplay, but Robespierre’s sister for one vehemently denies this. It’s true that he could probably easily have married her – I can’t imagine her family being opposed to it, far from it probably – but the fact is that for one reason or another, he did not.

He also didn’t really seem to capitalise on his massive popularity among the Parisian women. (Though, to be fair, neither did Rousseau and he was… well I guess he was his own version of heterosexual.)

Sure, one can interpret that as Robespierre being a workaholic or putting the revolution above everything else, but I personally think it is very possible that he would be considered to be on the asexual spectrum by today’s standards.

That said, although France was moving away from institutionalised religion at that point, Catholic guilt could certainly play a role, especially in someone who prided himself in his moral conduct and was told to be rigid about the rules. So the possibility of him being closeted as an explanation for his lack of interest in women would also not be completely off the table.

As to Camille and Maximilien being together in some way? I think there is certainly a precedence for this type of relationship in adolescence. Seeing that they have studied together (and shared enthusiasm for classics probably), it is not impossible, though of course, it is highly speculative.

I think it is also fair to say that Robespierre went above and beyond for Camille until the last few months. That is something he probably would have not done for many other people. He actually said as much himself:

“Learn, Camille, that if you were not Camille, one could not have so much indulgence for you.“

Was it because Camille was universally liked by the revolutionaries for all the good he has done? Possibly, but I think one can also read more into it. It certainly suggests that Camille was special in some way, and the fact that Robespierre uses ‚one‘ instead of ‚I‘ does not necessarily mean he is not speaking about himself here.

CAMILLE AND MAXIMILIEN IN THE MEDIA

When it comes to media portrayal, the relationship often comes across as queer-coded - to an extent.

In La Révolution française, this aspect is more prominent between Robespierre and Saint-Just, but with some well-timed smiles and glances, it almost reads as a tragic love triangle between the three. There are some unfortunate implications however, mainly that the hints of Robespierre's queerness in the movie are implicitly associated with his descent to tyrany. Ugh. (And let's face it, a kind of effeminacy linked to villainy as well. Honestly, who thought that kind of portrayal would be a good idea? Kudos for making a historical movie about the French Revolution come across as homophobic I guess.)

Hilary Mantel straight-up makes Camille Desmoulins bisexual (ish?) in A Place of Greater Safety, though there are <a lot of> issues with that portrayal, as discussed here (watch me linking another mutual's great post! Frevblr is truly the best). Not sure how the relationship with Robespierre is presented here since it’s one of the books I’ve been in the middle of for months.

And then there’s Stanisława Przybyszewska of course. She would honestly warrant a separate post, but long story short: in her works, there is no doubt about the fact that she portrays the relationship between them as queer. She invokes the Erastes/eromenos dynamic between them (quite explicitly, referring to Camille as an ephebe at one point) and makes the attraction between the two seem palpable. There is plenty of queer (under)tones to be found in The Danton Case, but in Last Nights of Ventôse , she straight up interprets the fall of the Dantonists as Camille running into Danton’s arms to spite Robespierre for snubbing him and rejecting his devotion (romantic advances?). And it gets quite physical – not in a way that would warrant an E rating, but it would certainly deserve one for the sheer emotional intensity.

[revolutionary-catboy]

"Camille... what have you done?"

[wellntruly]

BRUMAIRE by Ann Wroe

From the 1843 magazine, years ago when it had a different name, and was running a series of writers on their favorite months

Brumaire is the second month of the twelve-month French revolutionary calendar; it runs from mid-October to mid-November. Its heyday lasted long enough to leave one date in history, 18 Brumaire (in Year VIII, roughly 1799), when Napoleon established the consular government that led to his despotism. Otherwise, like its companions—snowy Nivôse and rain-sprinkled Pluviôse, garlanded Floréal and Germinal of the green, growing shoots—it has faded into the fogs of human arrangements past.

It’s not just perversity that made me choose it, but also a sense of dissatisfaction with Western months as they are: a dull march of gods, emperors and numerals, with no flavor or scent of the seasons they are meant to represent. Bengalis know that in Phalgun the dust flies like a harum-scarum boy down village lanes, and in Sraban the loud monsoon soaks the thatch; just as, in revolutionary France, Frimaire brought hoar-frost creaking under the sabots, and Ventôse the blasts of late winter roaring through the oaks.

Brumaire expresses—rather than marks—Keat’s season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. It is the quintessence of autumn, damps as well as brights, in a way neat October or pure November can never ben. Its essence is stillness: the lull before the storm, the lit pipe, the comfort of apples laid up in newspaper and heavy barn doors shut. A quiet cloak of vapor announces the day, gathered in bushes and hanging in the trees. Through the mist colors appear, glowing like separated flames. The same fog enshrouds the sky, which clears slowly to a cold, deep blue before, in mid-afternoon, the air thickens perceptibly, as if filled with smoke from the pinkly burning sun.

Leaves still crowd the boughs, but they are falling fast, the trees shedding and reflecting themselves on the muddy ground. It was in Brumaire, give or take a day or two, that Dorothy Wordsworth saw her favourite birch tree, bright yellow against the dark mountains, swept by a “flying sunshiny shower,” to become a spirit tree. This is the moment the autumn palette spreads the woods. Pale gold, dark crimson, yellow ochre, burnt umber, now join with lingering green, as if the leaves turned over in the minds their memories of the sun. Besides fresh-sloughed fields, stray straws and stubble still glint golden in the sunlight before bonfires consume them and the night mists rise.

This is the month of scarves and boots, when hope of any brief return to summer is finally put away. We batten down, and turn our faces towards the dissolving and vaporising and failing away of things. It is a month of letting go, as the trees do, the lighter leap towards the spring—as if the dead weight of winter did not lie in between.

Ann Wroe is the obituaries editor of The Economist and author of "Orpheus: The Song of Life" | January, 2013

[fuimustroes]

does anyone know of an english translation of pryzbyszewka’s “last nights of ventôse”? i will die if i don’t read it

[microcosme11]

Famous letter from Napoleon to Josephine. Heartrending!!

This is the letter and its translation.

Nice, le 10 germinal

Je n'ai pas passé un jour sans t'aimer ; je n'ai pas passé une nuit sans te serrer dans mes bras ; je n'ai pas pris une tasse de thé sans maudire la gloire et l'ambition qui me tiennent éloigné de l'âme de ma vie. Au milieu des affaires, à la tête des troupes, en parcourant les camps, mon adorable Joséphine est seule dans mon coeur, occupe mon esprit, absorbe ma pensée. Si je m'éloigne de toi avec la vitesse du torrent du Rhône, c'est pour te revoir plus vite. Si, au milieu de la nuit, je me lève pour travailler, c'est que cela peut avancer de quelques jours l'arrivée de ma douce amie, et cependant, dans ta lettre du 23 au 26 ventôse, tu me traites de vous.

Vous toi-même ! Ah ! mauvaise, comment as-tu pu écrire cette lettre ! Qu'elle est froide ! Et puis, du 23 au 26, restent quatre jours ; qu'as-tu fait, puisque tu n'as pas écrit à ton mari ?... Ah ! mon amie, ce vous et ces quatre jours me font regretter mon antique indifférence. Malheur à qui en serait la cause ! Puisse-t-il, pour peine et pour supplice, éprouver ce que la conviction et l'évidence (qui servit ton ami) me feraient éprouver ! L'Enfer n'a pas de supplice ! Ni les Furies, de serpents ! Vous ! Vous ! Ah ! que sera-ce dans quinze jours ?...

Mon âme est triste ; mon coeur est esclave, et mon imagination m'effraie... Tu m'aimes moins ; tu seras consolée. Un jour, tu ne m'aimeras plus ; dis-le-moi ; je saurai au moins mériter le malheur... Adieu, femme, tourment, bonheur, espérance et âme de ma vie, que j'aime, que je crains, qui m'inspire des sentiments tendres qui m'appellent à la Nature, et des mouvements impétueux aussi volcaniques que le tonnerre. Je ne te demande ni amour éternel, ni fidélité, mais seulement... vérité, franchise sans bornes. Le jour où tu dirais «je t'aime moins» sera le dernier de ma vie. Si mon coeur était assez vil pour aimer sans retour, je le hacherais avec les dents.

Joséphine, Joséphine ! Souviens-toi de ce que je t'ai dit quelquefois : la Nature m'a fait l'âme forte et décidée. Elle t'a bâtie de dentelle et de gaze. As-tu cessé de m'aimer ? Pardon, âme de ma vie, mon âme est tendue sur de vastes combinaisons. Mon coeur, entièrement occupé par toi, a des craintes qui me rendent malheureux... Je suis ennuyé de ne pas t'appeler par ton nom. J'attends que tu me l'écrives. Adieu ! Ah ! si tu m'aimes moins, tu ne m'auras jamais aimé. Je serais alors bien à plaindre.

P.-S. - La guerre, cette année, n'est plus reconnaissable. J'ai fait donner de la viande, du pain, des fourrages ; ma cavalerie armée marchera bientôt. Mes soldats me marquent une confiance qui ne s'exprime pas ; toi seule me chagrine ; toi seule, le plaisir et le tourment de ma vie. Un baiser à tes enfants dont tu ne parles pas ! Pardi ! cela allongerait tes lettres de moitié. Les visiteurs, à dix heures du matin, n'auraient pas le plaisir de te voir. Femme !!!

***************Translation from napoleon.org***************

I have not spent a day without loving you; I have not spent a night without clasping you in my arms; I have not drunk a cup of tea without cursing the glory  and ambition which keep me from the heart of my very being. In the midst of my activities, whether at the head of my troops or inspecting the camps, my adorable Josephine stands alone in my heart, she occupies my mind and fills my thoughts. If I depart from you with the speed of the rushing Rhone, it is only so that I may see you again more quickly. If I get up in the middle of the night to work, it is because this may hasten by some days the arrival of my sweet love. Yet in your letter of the 23rd and of the 26th Ventose, you address me as ‘Vous’. 

‘Vous’ yourself! Ah! Wretched woman, how could you have written this letter? It is so cold. And then there are those four days between the 23rd and the 26th; what were you doing? Because you were not writing to your husband. … Ah, my love, that ‘Vous’ and those four days make me long for my former indifference. Woe to the person responsible! May that person, as punishment and suffering, experience what my conviction and the evidence that he is that person’s friend make me experience! Hell has no torments great enough! Nor the Furies serpents! ‘Vous’! ‘Vous’! Ah! What will it be in two weeks?

My spirit is heavy; my heart is in chains and I am appalled by my imaginings…You love me less; but you will recover. One day you will no longer love me; Say it; I shall then know how to be worthy of this misfortune. …Farewell, wife, torment, joy, hope and heart of my being, whom I love and fear, and who inspires in me gentle emotions which draw me close to Nature and violent impulses as volcanic as Etna. I ask of you neither eternal love, nor fidelity, but simply…truth, unlimited honesty. The day when you say “I love you less”, will either be the end of my love or the last day of my life. If my heart were base enough to love without being loved in return I would tear it to pieces with my teeth. 

Josephine! Josephine! Remember what I have sometimes said to you: Nature has made me strong and decisive. She has made you out of lace and gossamer. Do you love me no longer? Forgive me, love of my life, my heart is racked by conflicting forces. Obsessed by you, my heart is full of fears which make me unhappy…I am distressed not to be calling you by name. I shall wait for you to write it. Farewell! Ah! if you love me less you can never have loved me. In that case I shall truly be pitiable.

Bonaparte

P.S. The war is completely changed this year. I have had meat, bread and fodder distributed; my armed cavalry and baggage will soon be on the march. My soldiers are showing inexpressible confidence in me; you alone are a source of chagrin to me; you alone are the joy and torment of my life. I send a kiss to your children, whom you do not mention. By God! If you did, it would make your letters longer, and then the ten o’clock in the morning visitors would not have the pleasure of seeing you. Woman!!!

[enlitment]

Don't worry, as someone who's all over the place, I got you!

30. How many books do you have on your 'currently-reading' list?

Ugh, let's see. This will be helpful for me as well!

There's:

Plato's Symposium (though I'll most likely finish that today or tomorrow)

The Last Nights of Ventôse by Stanisława Przybyszewska (big thank you to @hhorror-vacuii for the English translation!)

Hilary Mantel's A Place of Greater Safety (I'm quite far into it but I've been sort of savouring it? Idk even)

Ruth Scurr's Maximilien Robespierre: Fatal Purity (I've made a commitment that I WILL see it through!)

Also on the list (though I've only leafed through them at this point so I'm not sure if it counts, but they are next in line!)

5. Machiavelli's The Prince 6. Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars (not just for the memes, I promise)

7. Cormac McCarthy Blood Meridian 8. need to get into Colleen Mccullough as well at some point 9. Robert Darnton has published a book about the French Revolution apparently? The Revolutionary Temper: Paris 1748 - 1789. Also need to get my hands on it! 10. Tanith Lee's The Gods Are Thirsty because I require a Camille-centred book in my life.

oh, and I need to read Marat/Sade before I see it on Tuesday. Apparently it's a good idea to do it in order to get what's going on on the stage?

So we're looking at at least four that I'm actually currently reading, and at least seven others that I'm dying to read. Hope this helps OP :'D

@18thcenturythirsttrap would love to hear about yours TBR pile as well!

[edgysaintjust]

Also if anyone is curious I am willing to post more about the relationships of all characters in the universe of Przybyszewska's works (Danton Case, Thermidor, Last Nights of Ventôse). The author made an in-depth analysis and described it in details. A few words on R and Camille can be found here ;)

Reading The Danton Case and I'm so ??? at this scene

[maritimemanual]

Update: Bourbon Mourns Death Of Two Other Crew Members Of Bourbon Rhode

The body of two more crew members of the Bourbon Rhode has been recovered from the sea last night. The bodies have been transferred by the French navy “Ventôse” frigate. BOURBON mourns the loss of its crew members. They stand by the seafarers’ families are and said that they will support them in this terrible time.

The French authorities are carrying out research operation with the support of US authorities as a part of exceptional measure. This has been intensified in the last few days. 10 commercial vessels have been mobilized in the area since the 26th of September whn the operations started. The French Navy performs daily overflights with its Falcon 50. It is also supported by the US Coast Guards’ C130 Hercules aircrafts. The Navy Frigate along with its helicopter ‘Panther’ are the central part of this system coordinating nearly 40 search engine grids.

“On behalf of all BOURBON employees, I would like to pay tribute to the deceased sailors. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones who are grieving over this dramatic event. We stand in full solidarity with them in this ordeal and assure them of our strongest support. Research operations are continuing on this sixth day and the mobilization of the maritime world is unprecedented. I would like to express our gratitude to all the research teams and those who volunteer” BOURBON Corporation CEO Gaël Bodénès declares.

  PR Reference: Bourbon

from WordPress https://www.maritimemanual.com/update-bourbon-mourns-death-two-crew-members-bourbon-rhode/

[edgysaintjust]

Robespierre and Saint-Just in Przybyszewska's novel, a fragment part 2

Their hands had found each other without hesitation, as if guided by a mutual attraction. They both fell silent during their meeting, mute but ardent. The visitor's hand, very cold after a long walk in that damp night, a little larger, much stronger now, took the tribune's hot hand in a longing embrace. This contact had a refreshing effect on the other. It soothed him. He was coming back to life.

[hudsonespie]

Update: Bourbon Mourns Death Of Two Other Crew Members Of Bourbon Rhode

BOURBON mourns the death of two other crew members of the Bourbon Rhode. The bodies of our two mariners were recovered at sea last night and transferred on the French navy “Ventôse” frigate. BOURBON stands by the seafarers’ families and is fully mobilized to support them in this terrible time.

Image Credits: bourbonoffshore.com

The research operations carried out by the French authorities with the support of the US authorities are part of exceptional measures, further intensified in recent days. Since the beginning of the operations on September 26, ten commercial vessels have been mobilized in the area. Daily overflights are performed by a Falcon 50 of the French Navy, supported by a C 130 Hercules aircraft from the US Coast Guards. The Navy frigate, accompanied by its helicopter “Panther”, is at the heart of the system and coordinates the grid of nearly 40 search areas.

“On behalf of all BOURBON employees, I would like to pay tribute to the deceased sailors. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones who are grieving over this dramatic event. We stand in full solidarity with them in this ordeal and assure them of our strongest support. Research operations are continuing on this sixth day and the mobilization of the maritime world is unprecedented. I would like to express our gratitude to all the research teams and those who volunteer ” BOURBON Corporation CEO Gaël Bodénès declares.

Reference: bourbonoffshore.com

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[revolutionary-catboy]

Uhmmm, okay so apparently the person who was translating "The Last Nights of Ventôse" by Przybyszewska has disactivated their account.

*Looks around for anyone speaking Polish*

So uhhhhh, has anyone maybe started translating it by themsleves or do I have to shoulder this burden myself.....?

[angel-with-a-shotgun-bea]

Amusing, innocent and adorable creature - with tiny teeth like the ones of a viper; in fact, no memories of yours are more delightful than those of the scars caused by that sharp pain, the marks that remained after those whiles when he threw himself at you and bit - and he bit hard - in passion of helpless love. Even today it burns under your skull, his cry: "Burn! If burning is your only answer", huh, do you remember?

Maxime Robespierre thinking about his Cami (Camille Desmoulins) in Przybyszewska’s “The Last Nights of Ventôse”