C\u00e9sar, empereur magnanime,
\nLe monde, \u00e0 te plaire unanime,
\n\u00c0 tes f\u00eates doit concourir !
\n\u00c9ternel h\u00e9ritier d\u2019Auguste,
\nSalut ! prince immortel et juste,
\nC\u00e9sar ! sois salu\u00e9 par ceux qui vont mourir !<\/p>\n
Seul entre tous les rois, C\u00e9sar aux dieux de Rome
\nPeut en libations offrir le sang de l\u2019homme.
\n\u00c0 nos solennit\u00e9s nous invitons la Mort.
\nDe monstres pour nos jeux nous d\u00e9peuplons le monde ;
\nNous m\u00ealons dans le cirque, o\u00f9 fume un sang immonde,
\nLes tigres d\u2019Hyrcanie aux barbares du Nord.<\/p>\n
Des colosses d\u2019airain, des vases de porphyre,
\nDes ancres, des drapeaux que gonfle le z\u00e9phire,
\nParent du champ fatal les murs \u00e9blouissants ;
\nLes parfums chargent l\u2019air d\u2019un odorant nuage,
\nCar le peuple romain aime que le carnage
\nExhale ses vapeurs parmi des flots d\u2019encens.<\/p>\n
Des portes tout \u00e0 coup les gonds d\u2019acier g\u00e9missent.
\nLa foule entre en froissant les grilles qui fr\u00e9missent ;
\nLes panth\u00e8res dans l\u2019ombre ont tressailli d\u2019effroi,
\nEt, poussant mille cris qu\u2019un long bruit accompagne,
\nComme un fleuve \u00e9pandu de montagne en montagne,
\nDe degr\u00e9s en degr\u00e9s roule le peuple-roi.<\/p>\n
Les deux chaises d\u2019ivoire ont re\u00e7u les \u00e9diles.
\nL\u2019hippopotame informe et les noirs crocodiles
\nNagent autour du cirque en un large canal ;
\nDans leurs cages de fer les cinq cents lions grondent ;
\nLes vestales en ch\u0153ur, dont les chants se r\u00e9pondent,
\nApportent l\u2019autel chaste et le feu virginal.<\/p>\n
L\u2019\u0153il ardent, le sein nu, l\u2019impure courtisane
\nPr\u00e8s du foyer sacr\u00e9 pose un tr\u00e9pied profane.
\nOn voile de cypr\u00e8s l\u2019autel des suppliants.
\n\u00c0 travers leur cort\u00e8ge et de rois et d\u2019esclaves,
\nLes s\u00e9nateurs, v\u00eatus d\u2019augustes laticlaves,
\nDans la foule, de loin, comptent tous leurs clients.<\/p>\n
Chaque vierge est assise aupr\u00e8s d\u2019une matrone.
\n\u00c0 la voix des tribuns, on voit autour du tr\u00f4ne
\nLes soldats du pr\u00e9toire en cercle se ranger ;
\nLes pr\u00eatres de Cyb\u00e8le entonnent la louange ;
\nEt, sur de vils tr\u00e9teaux, les histrions du Gange
\nChantent, en attendant ceux qui vont s\u2019\u00e9gorger.<\/p>\n
Les voil\u00e0 !\u2026 \u2014 Tout le peuple applaudit et menace
\nCes captifs, que C\u00e9sar d\u2019un bras puissant ramasse
\nDes temples de Man\u00e8s aux antres d\u2019Irmensul.
\nIls entrent tour \u00e0 tour, et le licteur les nomme ;
\nVil troupeau, que la mort garde aux plaisirs de Rome,
\nEt que d\u2019un fer br\u00fblant a marqu\u00e9 le consul !<\/p>\n
On d\u00e9couvre en leurs rangs, \u00e0 leur t\u00eate pench\u00e9e,
\nDes juifs, tra\u00eenant partout une honte cach\u00e9e ;
\nPlus loin, d\u2019altiers gaulois que nul p\u00e9ril n\u2019abat ;
\nEt d\u2019inf\u00e2mes chr\u00e9tiens, qui, d\u00e9pouill\u00e9s d\u2019armures,
\nRefusant aux bourreaux leurs chants ou leurs murmures,
\nVont souffrir sans orgueil et mourir sans combat.<\/p>\n
Bient\u00f4t, quand rugiront les b\u00eates \u00e9chapp\u00e9es,
\nLes murs, tout h\u00e9riss\u00e9s de piques et d\u2019\u00e9p\u00e9es,
\nLivreront cette proie enti\u00e8re \u00e0 leur fureur. \u2014
\nDu tr\u00f4ne de C\u00e9sar la pourpre orne le fa\u00eete,
\nAfin qu\u2019un jour plus doux, durant l\u2019ardente f\u00eate,
\nFlatte les yeux divins du cl\u00e9ment empereur.<\/p>\n
C\u00e9sar, empereur magnanime,
\nLe monde, \u00e0 te plaire unanime,
\n\u00c0 tes f\u00eates doit concourir !
\n\u00c9ternel h\u00e9ritier d\u2019Auguste,
\nSalut ! prince immortel et juste,
\nC\u00e9sar ! sois salu\u00e9 par ceux qui vont mourir !<\/p>\n
Janvier 1824.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"annee":[310],"poems-book":[309],"poemes-theme":[],"poete":[206],"class_list":["post-4279","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-310","poems-book-odes-et-ballades","poete-victor-hugo"],"yoast_head":"\n