第952章

[39] We can trace in Napoleon's brain and date the formation of this leading idea. At first， it is simply a classic reminiscence， as with his contemporaries； but suddenly it takes a turn and has an environment in his mind which is lacking in theirs， and which prevents the idea from remaining a purely literary phrase. From the beginning he speaks of Rome in the fashion of a Rienzi. (Proclamation of May 20， 1796.) "We are the friends of every people， and especially of the Brutuses， the Scipios， and of the great men whom we have chosen as models. To re-establish the Capitol， to place there with honor the statues of heroes who render it famous， to arouse the Roman people benumbed by centuries of slavery， such will be the fruit of our victories." - Fifteen months afterwards， on becoming master of Italy， his historic meditations turn into positive ambition henceforth， the possession of Italy and of the Mediterranean is to be with him a central and preponderant idea. (Letter to the Directory， Aug. 16， 1797， and correspondence on the subject of Corsica， Sardinia， Naples， and Genoa； letters to the pasha of Scutari， to the Maniotes， etc.)"The islands of Corfu， Zante， and Cephalonia are of more interest to us than all Italy put together. . . . The Turkish empire is daily tottering； the possession of these islands will enable us to support it as long as possible， or to take our portion of it. The time is not remote when we shall feel that， for the real destruction of England， we must get possession of Egypt." Formerly， the Mediterranean was a Roman lake； it must become a French lake. (Cf. "Souvenirs d'un Sexagénaire，" by Arnault， vol. IV.， p.102， on his dream， in 1798， of ****** Paris a colossal Rome.) - At this same date， his conception of the State is fixed and wholly Roman. (Conversations with Miot， June 1797， and letter to Talleyrand， Sep. 19， 1797.) "I do not see but one thing in fifty years well defined， and that is the sovereignty of the people. . . . The organization of the French nation is still only sketched out. . . .The power of the government， with the full latitude I give to it， should be considered as really representing the nation."In this government， "the legislative power， without rank in the republic， deaf and blind to all around it， would not be ambitious and would no longer inundate us with a thousand chance laws， worthless on account of their absurdity." It is evident that he describes in anticipation his future senate and legislative corps. - Repeatedly， the following year， and during the expedition into Egypt， he presents the Romans as an example to his soldiers， and views himself as a successor to Scipio and C？sar. - (Proclamation of June 22， 1798.)： "Be as tolerant to the ceremonies enjoined by the Koran as you are for the religion of Moses and Jesus. The Roman legions protected all religions." - (Proclamation of May 10， 1798.) " The Roman legions that you have often imitated but not yet equaled fought Carthage in turn on this wall and in the vicinity of Zama." - Carthage at this time is England： his hatred of this community of merchants which destroys his fleet at Aboukir， which forces him to raise the siege of Saint-Jean d'Acre， which holds on to Malta， which robs him of his substance， his patrimony， his Mediterranean， is that of a Roman consul against Carthage； it leads him to conquer all western Europe against her and to "resuscitate the empire of the Occident." (Note to Otto， his ambassador at London， Oct.. 23， 1802.) - Emperor of the French， king of Italy， master of Rome， suzerain of the Pope， protector of the confederation of the Rhine， he succeeds the German emperors， the titularies of the Holy Roman Empire which has just ended in 1806； he is accordingly the heir of Charlemagne and， through Charlemagne， the heir of the ancient C？sars. - In fact， he reproduces the work of the ancient C？sars by analogies of imagination， situation and character， but in a different Europe， and where this posthumous reproduction can be only an anachronism.