
CLIO - BY - ANATOLE FRANCE - FROM THE WORKS OF ANATOLE FRANCE - IN AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION EDITED BY JAMES LEWIS MAY AND BERNARD MIALL« - A TRANSLATION BY WINIFRED STEPHENS - LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD NEW YORK: DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY - MCMXXII
TO - EMILE ZOLA
A weary bard roams the sun‑kissed hills of an ancient coastal realm, his red‑wool fillet and snow‑white beard marking a life spent in song and pilgrimage. The narrative opens with his return to the humble, mud‑crowned house of Kyme, where he pauses before an altar of unhewn stone, offering water to the gods who watch over endless generations of human suffering. Through vivid description of the sacred grove, the oaks scarred with bull skulls, and the fragrant oleander, the story draws the listener into a world where myth and everyday toil intertwine.
The bard’s quiet reverence and his humble rituals hint at deeper questions about memory, mortality and the power of art to bridge ages. As he settles into the modest town, the contrast between his simple dwelling and the nearby seer's elaborate home sets the stage for encounters that will test his wisdom and compassion. The opening invites listeners to linger in the timeless landscape, feeling the weight of the past and the lingering echo of a lyre’s song.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (317K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Marc D'Hooghe (Images generously made available by the Internet Archive.)
Release date
2015-12-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1844–1924
A witty, skeptical voice of French literature, he turned elegance and irony into some of the most admired books of his time. Best known as a novelist, critic, and public intellectual, he won the 1921 Nobel Prize in Literature.
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