Elegies and Camille

by André Chénier

English, French

134 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

André Marie Chénier (30 October 1762 – 25 July 1794) was a French poet, associated with the events of the French Revolution of which he was a victim. His sensual, emotive poetry marks him as one of the precursors of the Romantic movement. His career was brought to an abrupt end when he was guillotined for alleged "crimes against the state", just three days before the end of the Reign of Terror. Chénier's life has been the subject of Umberto Giordano's opera Andrea Chénier and other works of art.

Reviews

[Samuel Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spím, však mé srdce bdí...

Spím, však mé srdce bdí a patří tobě jen.
V tom ke mně přináší ťe zlatokřídlý sen.
Tvé srdce buší s mým, pod laskající dlaní
chví se a dme tvá pleť v rozkošném podléhání.
Rozruch, jenž klidu a spánku je nepřítel,
mě náhle probudil a prudce rozechvěl.
Jsem sám a vidím, že místo na žhavou tvář
tiskl můj vroucí ret polibky na polštář
a paže, které ťe laskaly v blahém snu,
sníce, že tisknou tě, svíraly peřinu.

[Eric Willeforde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite beautiful, really pulls you along. One of Nabokov's favorite for a good reason.

[Georgia Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only English translation of Chenier that I could fine. Nabokov was right: elegant, sharp, sophisticated, stately, witty, classical. A real shame he is not more widely read.