Frederick the Great, discussion post 16

[cahn]

We have slowed down a lot, but are still (sporadically) going! And somehow filled up the last post while I wasn't looking!

...I was asked to start a new thread so that STDs could be discussed. Really! :D

Comments

Re: AW readthrough

[mildred_of_midgard]

You did say that, and since Google is telling me that May 31 was a Tuesday, I'm assuming that was the day of his death.

However, I noticed that your translation, from Pleschinski's translation, goes like this:

I arrived on Friday evening in Potsdam, where I found the late King in such a sad state that I knew his ending was near. He gave me a thousand signs of his friendship and talked to me for a good hour about inner and foreighn affairs, and did this in complete clarity of mind, and with the firmest common sense. On Saturday, Sunday and Monday, too, he appeared very calm, did not hope for any improvement regarding himself, and bore his immense suffering with the greatest firmness; on Tuesday morning at 5 am, he put the government into my hands, and tenderly said farewell to my brothers, of all deserving officers, and of myself.

However, Trier has:

J'arrivai, le vendredi au soir, à Potsdam, où je trouvai le Roi dans une si triste situation, que j'augurai bientôt que sa fin était prochaine. Il me témoigna mille amitiés; il me parla plus d'une grande heure sur les affaires, tant internes qu'étrangères, avec toute la justesse d'esprit et le bon sens imaginables. Il me parla de même le samedi et le dimanche; le lundi, paraissant très-tranquille, très-résigné, et soutenant ses souffrances avec beaucoup de fermeté, il résigna la régence entre mes mains. Le mardi matin à cinq heures, il prit tendrement congé de mes frères, de tous les officiers de marque, et de moi.

I arrived on Friday evening in Potsdam, where I found the late King in such a sad state that I knew his ending was near. He gave me a thousand signs of his friendship and talked to me for a good hour about internal and foreign affairs, and did this in complete clarity of mind, and with the firmest common sense. He spoke to me of the same on Saturday and Sunday; on Monday, appearing very calm, not hoping for any improvement regarding himself, and bearing his immense suffering with the greatest firmness, he put the government into my hands. On Tuesday morning at 5 am, he tenderly took leave of my brothers, of all deserving officers, and of myself.

I'm guessing the punctuation in Fritz's original just isn't clearly decipherable. Did FW give over the reins of the government on Monday, or on Tuesday at 5 am?

The good news: if we don't know for sure, I can do what I want! Woohoo! (I mean, I can anyway, but I like to know when I'm departing from history intentionally.)

Re: AW readthrough

[selenak]

Tsk. Alas I can't ask Pleschinski what was up with the punctation! But yes, you can anyway. ;)