To the King, after the Meunier Assassination Attempt

Poem by Alfred De Musset Collection New PoemsPeriod 19th century

Prince, the assassins consecrate your power.
They force God himself to show us his hand.
By right of election you reigned over France;
The bullet and the dagger give you a divine right.

Of those whose birth chance crowned,
We know several who are sacred in vain.
You, you are so by the people and by Providence;
Smile at the parricide and pursue your way.

But be prudent, Philippe, and think of the fatherland,
Your thought is its good, your body its shield;
Over you, as over it, it is time to watch.

Close an immense abyss and preserve your life.
Let us defend ourselves together, and allow ourselves the time
To grow old, you for us, and we for your children.

Alfred De Musset

Translation generated by Poésies 123 with assistance from the deepseek-chat artificial-intelligence model.

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