
A richly textured collection of verses opens with a meditation on the “Saturnian” soul, linking ancient astrological lore to the restless imagination of poets who feel the pull of destiny in every line. The opening stanzas blend melancholy and wit, suggesting that those born under Saturn inherit a blend of misfortune and fierce insight, while questioning the limits of reason against deep‑seated mythic currents.
From there the work expands across continents and ages, weaving together the heroic sagas of Indian princes, Greek legends of Homer and Achilles, and the chivalric chants of Charlemagne’s knights. The poet’s voice moves between reverent celebration of timeless virtues and a stark observation of how modern violence has fractured the old harmony. Listeners will be drawn into a tapestry where celestial influence, ancient sacrifice, and the clash of old and new forces echo through each stanza, inviting reflection on the enduring power of myth in today’s turbulent world.
Full title
Œuvres complètes - Volume 1 Poèmes Saturniens, Fêtes Galantes, Bonne chanson, Romances sans paroles, Sagesse, Jadis et naguère
Language
fr
Duration
~4 hours (266K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Miranda van de Heijning, Renald Levesque and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica)
Release date
2005-02-20
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1844–1896
A leading voice in French Symbolist poetry, his work is known for its musical language, emotional nuance, and haunting sense of beauty. Poems such as those in Romances sans paroles and Fêtes galantes helped shape modern lyric verse far beyond France.
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