There are some lives that we rush to turn into stories, perhaps because we ascribe certain virtues to fiction alone, and assume that the real world tends to quench flames and demand compromises, and fear to admit that we know we are wrong.
There are lives that become legends before they are done bleeding out at our hands; because it is safe, familiar, because when we see angels silently staring at us from old icons, we can be sure that they will not start asking questions of us, that they will not tell us to look into a mirror.
And we feel assured in our actions, because we are only too aware that often what we call history is nothing more than a story that happened to be written down.
And then - and then, fiction can be more true than history too, sometimes, and go beyond the words that have remained.
La Terreur et La Vertu. One of my favorite scenes, ever (and what it personally has meant to me is another story). The ideals of the Republic worth more than life - worth more than victory.
ROBESPIERRE. Why didn’t you help us with your advice, your support?
SAINT-JUST. We had 17 companies of cannoneers and 32 guns. The Convention, only one company. At 7pm, we needed to lead two companies at the main entrance of the Convention. At the eastern gate, one company. At the western gate, two companies. At 7:30pm, we needed to invade the committee and arrest all members on the spot. At 7:45pm, we had to invade the Convention, proclaim the constitution of 1793, outlaw Tallien, Freron, Barras and other rascals. We had to send to the École de Mars one company to rally officer cadets and the forces there. At 8pm, we had to announce in Paris the triumph of the Commune, and the insurrection of the half-hearted would have crowned the insurrection of the bold.
ROBESPIERRE. And you did nothing.
SAINT-JUST. Would I have done it…Would you have approved?
SAINT-JUST. The people of 10 August had the right to invade the Tuileries. The people of 31 May and 5 September had the right to invade the Convention. Not armed forces. Today we were left with the dictatorship of the armed forces. The military dictatorship. We would be… Suspended in the void. Robespierre, consul of the Republic. Saint-Just, consul of the Republic.
ROBESPIERRE. What Republic?
Happy birthday, Saint-Just.
2087
dededos
annaxmalina
baratheonpilled
turnnoffyourmind
ellievsbear
