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 memoirs II

[mildred_of_midgard]

Especially considering that Alcina as far as I recall is supposed to be the ultimate seductress, no man can resist her, etc.

"Who might resist a Monarch, a Hero, a Poet, a Musician, a Philosopher, who pretended too to love me, and whom I thought I also loved...My Frederic-Alcina"

I wonder why Voltaire didn't go directly for the Circe/Odysseus comparison?

Good question. Reading Passionate Minds, I kept finding myself thinking, "This guy is Odysseus!"

Voltaire complaining about Doris Ritter's looks will never cease to amaze me in its, well, Voltaire-ness. I mean, it's besides the point in any case - the point being that she's a victim of royal injustice however she looks

A woman is not worth anything unless she's good looking. CLEARLY.

Mutual handkissing is probably as physical as these two ever got, and somehow sums it up.

Most emotionally charged hand-kissing ever.

Oh, speaking of which, I forgot to report this line from Voltaire: "The King, his son, who loved handsome men, and not gigantic..."

Granted that he never knew FW and thus this might be accidental, but the direct parallel suggesting repressed homoeroticism is just--wow.

Re: Voltaire memoirs II

[cahn]

omg, Frederic-Alcina. CRACKFIC! Also, omg Voltaire, poor Doris Ritter.