Letter 049 — XLIX
Original French
Austerlitz, le 4 décembre 1805.
J’ai conclu une trêve. Les Russes s’en vont. La bataille d’Austerlitz est la plus belle de toutes celles que j’ai données: 45 drapeaux, plus de 150 pièces de canon, les étendards de la garde de Russie, 20 généraux, plus de 20 000 tués; spectacle horrible! L’empereur Alexandre est au désespoir, et s’en va en Russie. J’ai vu hier à mon bivouac l’empereur d’Allemagne; nous causâmes deux heures; nous sommes convenus de faire vite la paix. Le temps n’est pas encore très mauvais. Voilà enfin le repos rendu au continent; il faut espérer qu’il va l’être au monde, les Anglais ne sauraient nous faire front. Je verrai avec bien du plaisir le moment qui me rapprochera de toi. Il court un petit mal d’yeux qui dure deux jours; je n’ai pas encore été atteint. Adieu, ma bonne amie, je me porte assez bien et suis fort désireux de t’embrasser.
Musean translation
Machine-assisted Musean English translated from the French of the 172 Napoleon letters selected from Tancrède Martel, ed., Œuvres littéraires de Napoléon Bonaparte, tome 1 (Albert Savine, Paris, 1888). French Wikisource contributors supplied the scan-backed transcription: https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Livre:Bonaparte_-_Œuvres_littéraires,_tome_1,_1888.djvu (page histories credit contributors). The transcription is CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/; this adapted text and translations are shared under the same license. Extraction removes markup and editorial notes; selected transcription repairs were checked against print images.
Austerlitz, December 4, 1805.
I have concluded a truce. The Russians are leaving. The battle of Austerlitz is the finest of all those I have fought: 45 flags, more than 150 cannon, the standards of the Russian Guard, 20 generals, more than 20,000 killed; a horrible sight! Emperor Alexander is in despair and is leaving for Russia. Yesterday I saw the Emperor of Germany at my bivouac; we talked for two hours and agreed to make peace quickly. The weather is not yet very bad. At last peace has been restored to the continent; we must hope it will be restored to the world, for the English cannot stand against us. I shall look forward with great pleasure to the moment that brings me nearer to you. A slight eye complaint is going around, lasting two days; I have not yet caught it. Goodbye, my good friend, I am fairly well and long to embrace you.
Plain English translation
Independent machine-assisted Plain English translation from the 1888 Martel French edition, not a historical English translation. French Wikisource contributors supplied the scan-backed transcription: https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Livre:Bonaparte_-_Œuvres_littéraires,_tome_1,_1888.djvu (page histories credit contributors). The adapted transcription and translation are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. Extraction removes markup and editorial notes and makes documented transcription repairs. French-source model review is not human specialist certification or a complete scan collation.
Austerlitz, December 4, 1805.
I have arranged a truce, and the Russians are leaving. Of all the battles I have fought, Austerlitz was the finest: 45 flags, over 150 guns, the Russian Guard's standards, 20 generals, and more than 20,000 killed; what a horrible spectacle! The Emperor Alexander is in despair and is going back to Russia. The Emperor of Germany visited me at my bivouac yesterday; we spoke for two hours and agreed to conclude peace quickly. The weather is not very bad yet. At last peace has been restored to the continent; let us hope it will soon be restored to the world, for the English cannot confront us. I shall welcome the moment that brings me closer to you. A minor eye ailment is going around; it lasts two days, and I have not caught it yet. Goodbye, my dear friend. I am in fairly good health and greatly wish to embrace you.
About this section
Letter 049 — XLIX is part of Letters to Josephine by Napoléon Bonaparte. This page sets the French original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is part 49 of 172 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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