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: Da Ponte

[selenak]

Definitely an edge, yes. Mind you, Da Ponte, had a lot to be edge about, not least, like I sad, that he lived in an antisemetic society and was Jewish. But also: he'd lost all his teeth due to a rival in a love affair throwing acid at him. Yes, really. And he must have had enough personal charm to win over women after that anyway, including Nancy.

But his thing with Casanova is really noteworthy, and makes for a very vivid passage in his memoirs, because for once he's describing someone without every second sentence being a compliment to himself.

One night I dreamed in Vienna that I saw a man in a ditch who narrowed his eyes at me, and when he recognized me, sank into my arms. It seemed to me, by the way, as if Salieri was with us as a third party. I told my brother about this dream.
Salieri used to visit me every morning back then; on the day of the dream, he came at the usual hour, and we strolled through the public gardens. When I came close to the ditch I noticed an old man sitting on a bench who narrowed his eyes at me. And while I still was searching my memory for who it could be, he rose and approached me with vivid gesticulation. It was him! It was Casanova, who called: "Dear Da Ponte, what a pleasure to see you again!" These were the words I had heard in my dream.

He was in Vienna then for a while, and neither I nor anyone else could tell you what he was doing there. I often saw him; my house and my purse were open to him, and even if I disapproved of his (lack of ) principles and his behavior, which made me avoid introducing him to my beloved, I could have avoided many miseries and troubles if I had listened to some of his advice.

(Casanova while strolling with Da Ponte comes across the servant who ran off with all the money they'd made while conning the old French aristocrat. The servant says he was just practicing what Casanova taught him, and:)

Casanova smiled and whispered in my ear: "The scoundrel is right!" Thereafter he approached the coffee house again, signalled to Costa - the former servant - to come to him; this occured, and now the two of them strolled arm in arm and chatted as harmlessly as if nothing had happened between them. A while later, they separated and repeatedly shook hands, as if they were two old, good friends. When Casanova returned to me, I noticed a ring on his finger, a ring with a cut stone which I had not noticed him wearing before; and through a strange coincidence, the cut stone showed Hermes. (I.e. the god of thieves.) This scene adequately renders the character of the man; I surely need not comment any further.

Re: Da Ponte

[cahn]

Holy cow. Yeah, that's... something. I guess I can't blame him for having an edge, at that!

And oh, that's a really neat story! Lol, you can comment way further if you want, da Ponte!
Da Ponte: *facepalm*