Briggs: An infinity of chance contingencies caused these events, not Napoleon.
Translation:
III.
The main, substantial fact of the European events beginning the century is the belligerent move of masses of European peoples from west to east and then from east to west. The first instigator of this movement was the move from west to east. So that the peoples of the west could commit that belligerent move to Moscow, which they accomplished, it was necessary: 1) for them to form in a warlike group at such a magnitude, which would be in the condition to carry out a collision with a militant group of the east; 2) for them to renounce from all established legends and habits and 3) so that, making their belligerent move, they had at their head a man, which, for himself and for them, could justify the deceits, looting and killings, having taken place in these movements.
And beginning from the French revolution, destroying the old, not great enough group; destroying old habits and legends; generating, step for step, the group of new dimensions, new habits and legends, preparing that person, which should stand at the head of future movements and carry in himself all the liability of the having taken place.
The person without belief, without habits, without legends, without name, not even French, mostly by, it seems, strange chances, progresses between all exciting French parties and, not sticking to one of them, is taken out to a noticeable place.
The ignorance of associates, weakness and insignificance of opponents, sincerity in lying and the brilliant and self-confident limitation of this man advances him to the head of the army. The brilliant composition of the soldiers of the Italian Army, the unwillingness to fight of the opponents, childish audacity and self-confidence acquired him military glory. A countless number of so-called accidents accompany him everywhere. The disgrace, at which he flows to the rulers of the French, serve in his favor. His attempts to change in his intended way do not succeed: he is not accepted in service in Russia, and he does not succeed in definition in Turkey. In the time of the wars in Italy, he a few times was located on the edge of death and at any time was saved in an unexpected way. The Russian troops, those very ones that may destroy his glory, by different diplomatic considerations, do not enter in Europe while he is there.
Returning from Italy, he finds the government in Paris in the process of decomposition, in which people, falling in this government, inevitably launder and destroy. And for himself now is an exit from this dangerous situation, taking place in the senseless, unreasonable expedition in Africa. Again this same so-called randomness accompanies him. The inaccessible Malta is given up without a shot; the most careless orders are crowned a success. The enemy fleet, which does not omit one boat, skips the whole army. In Africa above almost unarmed inhabitants are committed a whole row of atrocities.
And people, committing these atrocities, and in particular their boss, assure themselves that this is perfect, that this will be thanked, that this is to appear as Caesar and Aleksandr the Macedonian.
That ideal fame and greatness, taking place so that not only nothing can be counted for himself as bad, but to be proud of every one of his crimes, ascribing to them incomprehensible supernatural matters, — this ideal, due to the lead by this man and related with him people, in open space is generated in Africa. In all that he does, he succeeds. The plague does not stick to him. The cruelty of the killings of the captives are not put on his blame. His childishly careless, unreasonable and base departure from Africa, from his friends in trouble, is put to his merit, and again the enemy fleet two times misses him. In that time, as he, now completely intoxicated by his perfectly happy crime, ready for his roles, without every goal comes to Paris, that decomposing republic amazingly, which could ruin him a year to that backwards, had now reached to an extreme extent, and his presence, fresh from human parties, now only could raise him.
He has no plan; he is only afraid; but parties seized for him and required his participation.
He alone, with his worked out in Italy and Egypt ideal fame and greatness, with his insane self-adoration, with his audacity of crime, with his sincerity in lying, — he alone may justify that what has taken place.
He is needed for these places which await him and because, almost whatever from his commitment and despite his hesitation, in absence of a plan, in all the mistakes that he makes, he is drawn into a conspiracy, having the purpose of the mastery of power, and the conspiracy is crowned a success.
He was dragged into the meeting of rulers. Scared, he wants to run, considering himself perished; pretends that he falls in fainting; speaks senseless things that must ruin him. Yet the rulers of France, before sharp-witted and proud, now, feeling that their role is played, confused still more than he, speak not those words that they would need to speak so to hold power and ruin him.
An accident, millions of accidents give him power, and all people, as would by agreement, promote the approval of this authority. The randomness done by the characters of the then rulers of France, subordinate to him; the randomness done by the character of Pavel I, recognizing his power; an accident of a conspiracy done against him not only is not harmful to him, but approves his power. An accident sends in his hand duke Engien and accidentally forces him to kill, by that very thing, stronger than all other means, convinces the crowd that he has the right, as he has the force. An accident is done that he strains all forces in an expedition to England, which obviously would have ruined him, and never carries out these intentions, but accidentally attacks Mack with the Austrians, which are handed over without battle. Accident and genius gives him victory under Austerlitz, and accidentally all people, not only the French, but all of Europe, for the exception of England, which will not accept participation the in having taken place events, all people, despite the former horror and revulsion to his crime, now recognize for him his power, the name, which he gave himself, and his ideal greatness and fame, which seems to all something beautiful and reasonable.
As would be trying on and getting ready the lying ahead movement, the forces of the west a few times in 1805, 6, 7, and the 9th strive to the east, strong and growing. In the 1811th year the group of people, established in France, merges to one huge group with the middle peoples. Together with an increasing group of people farther develops the power of excusing the man, standing at the head of the movements. In the ten year preparation period of time, preceding the big movement, this person comes down with all the crowned faces of Europe. The exposed lords of the world may not compare with the Napoleonic ideal fame and greatness, not having sense and no reasonable ideal. One before another they strive to show him their insignificance. The Prussian king sends his wife to fawn for the mercy of the great human; the Emperor of Austria considers it merciful that this person accepts in his bed the daughter of Caesar; the pope, the guardian of the shrines of peoples, serves his religion in elevation of the great human. Not so much Napoleon himself prepares for the execution of his roles, how much all surrounding prepares him to adopt throughout themselves responsibility for what is committed and has taken place. No act, no atrocity or petty cheating which he would have committed and which immediately again was in the mouth of his surrounding would not be reflected in the form of great deeds. The best celebration, which may be figured out for him by the Germans, was this celebration of Jena and Auershtet. Not only was he great, but great were his forefathers, his brothers, his stepsons, and sons-in-law. All was committed so that to deprive him of his last forces of intelligence and to prepare his scary roles. And when he was prepared, readied and forced.
The invasion strives to the east, reaching the ultimate goal — Moscow. The capital is taken; the Russian army is more destroyed than when were destroyed by the enemy troops in the former wars from Austerlitz to Wagram. Yet suddenly, instead of those accidents and that genius that so consistently led him to still continuous nearby success to the intended goals, is a countless number of reverse accidents from the runny nose at Borodino to frost and sparks, lit in Moscow; and, instead of genius, are stupidity and meanness, not having examples.
The invasion runs, returns backwards, again runs, and all randomness constantly now is not for it, but against it.
Were committed the opposing movement from east to west with wonderful similarities with the previous movement from west to east. Those same attempts of movements from east to west in 1805 — 1807 — 1809 the years of the previous big movements; that same clutch in the group of huge dimensions; that same harassment of middle peoples to the movement; also hesitating in the middle of the way and that same quickness, at least in approximations to the goals.
Paris, — the extreme objective is achieved. The Napoleonic government and army is destroyed. Napoleon himself has no more sense; all his actions are obviously pathetic and nasty; but again is committed an inexplicable accident: the allies hate Napoleon, in which they see as the cause of their disasters; bereft of forces and authorities, accused in atrocities and deceit, he should have presented to them how he presented to them nine years to that backwards, and the year after, — a robber beyond the law. Yet by some strange randomness, no one sees this. His role is still not over. The man, who, nine years to that backwards and the year after, was counted as a robber beyond the law, is sent to an island in two days crossing from France, given back his owning with his guard and millions which were paid to him for something.
Mentioned: the beginning of the present century, 1805, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1811
Locations:
Mentioned: Europe (and European), West, East, Moscow, France (and French), Italy (and Italian), Russian, Turkey, Paris, Africa, Malta, Egypt, England, Austria (and Austrian), Austerlitz, Prussia, German, Jena, Auerstadt, Wagram, Borodino
Pevear and Volokhonsky Notes: The movement started from the west into the Russian east, but Tolstoy finds himself interested in the rise of Napoleon, which happened because of the destruction of the old order in the French Revolution and then "A man without convictions, without customs, without traditions, without a name, not even a Frenchman, seemingly by the strangest chances, moves among all the parties stirring up France"
Tolstoy alludes to many of the big moments of "so-called chances" that surround Napoleon and the fact that Bagration and Suvurov do not fight against him when he is in Italy. Glory and greatness are the key words that Tolstoy combats in this chapter. Much of the chapter contains a very bare-boned and a negative rundown of Napoleon's biggest moments. The eastern campaigns of 1805, 6, 7, and 9 are seen by Tolstoy's as tryouts.
"It is not so much Napoleon himself who prepares for the fulfilling of his role, as everything around him prepares him to take upon himself all responsibility for what is being performed and is to be performed."
Then the armies move from east to west and Paris is reached and "Napoleon himself no longer has any meaning; all his actions are obviously pathetic and vile; but again an inexplicable chance occurs....The Man who ten years earlier and one year later was considered a bandit and outlaw is sent a two-day sail from France, to an island given into his possession, with his guards and several million, which are paid to him for some reason."
Characters (characters who do not appear, but are mentioned are placed in italics. First appearances are in Bold. First mentions are underlined. Final appearance denoted by *):
Napoleon
Paul I
Prince d'Enghien
Mack
The King of Prussia (and his wife)
Emperor of Austria
Napoleon's wife ("daughter of the Kaisers")
The pope
(again European nations as well as Napoleon's associates and the Italian army. Caesar and Alexander of Macedon, that is, the Great, are referenced. Also the prisoners Napoleon kills, as well as the Directory, Germans, and Napoleon's family.)
Abridged Versions: No break in Bell.
Gibian: Line break instead of chapter break.
Fuller: Entire chapter is cut.
Komroff: Entire chapter is cut.
Kropotkin: Entire chapter is cut.
Simmons: Entire chapter is cut.
Additional Notes: Maude: "In August 1795, Napoleon sought a secondment to the service of the Sultan of Turkey so that he might reorganise the Turkish artillery."
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