Frederick the Great, discussion post 6

[cahn]

...I think we need another one (seriously, you guys, this is THE BEST) and I'd better make it now before I disappear into the wilds of music performance.

(also, as of this week there are two Frederician fics in the yuletide archive and eeeeeeeeeee)
(huh, only one of them is actually tagged with Frederick the Great even though two with Maria Theresia and Wilhelmine, eeeeeee this is awesome I CAN'T WAIT)

Frederick the Great masterpost

Comments

Re: Voltaire vs. Maupertuis

[cahn]

Holy cow, yeah, academic politics on crack (because, I mean, usually actual political figures don't get involved, or at least not when I was in academia)

I promise His Majesty that for all the time that he has the grace to lodge me in his palace I shall write against no man; not the government of France, against its ministers; or against other sovereigns, or against famous men of letters towards whom I shall render the respect which is due; I shall in no way abuse the letters of His Majesty; and I shall behave in a manner which is suitable for a man of letters who has the honour of being a chamberlain to His Majesty, and who lives among honest men. [mildred's note: I literally choked reading that last phrase.]

So honestly I was kinda choking during that whole thing because, like. Does Fritz really think that Voltaire is going to take this seriously? For more than a second?

Re: Voltaire vs. Maupertuis

[mildred_of_midgard]

Not necessarily? He didn't for a moment think that Heinrich was going to sleep with his wife or have any kind of a marriage other than in name; the important thing was the power play, making Heinrich submit. That might have been what was going on with Voltaire as well: asserting his dominance as king, not expecting the follow-up. Plus, it may be of interest to him that he will have it in writing that Voltaire agreed to do the thing and then did not do the thing.