Catherine Volpilhac-Auger – författare

Moraliste sévère, historien exemplaire, dénonciateur de la tyrannie des Césars et chantre des libertés germaniques, Tacite devient au cours de la première moitié du XVIIIe siècle un véritable maître à penser. Redécouvert par Montesquieu, il est le héros des Philosophes avant d’apparaître sous la Révolution, l’Empire et la Restauration comme le témoin, profondément humain et sensible, de tous les temps de troubles. L’énergie et la concision qui caractérisent son style sont dorénavant à l’honneur. Cet ouvrage offre un panorama des éditions et traductions de Tacite avant d’aborder la manière dont il est défini comme l’historien idéal; il est constamment utilisé par les historiens modernes les plus sérieux. Vient ensuite l’aspect plus proprement politique, à partir de la Germanie, qui sert de texte de référence à tous ceux qui prétendent tirer des mœurs des Germains des leçons applicables aux fondements de la monarchie française, pour en contester ou en renforcer la légitimité, jusqu’aux Martyrs où le Germain devient une figure mythique. Avec l’Empire romain s’ouvre l’espace du despotisme, de l’héroïsme ou de la résignation. A travers Agricola, le héros par excellence, est instruit le procès d’une tyrannie qui prend les traits de l’inquiétant Tibère, principal instigateur de la loi de lèse-majesté, ou du fascinant Néron, le monstre parfait. La Révolution, avec Desmoulins et Marat, en fournit une illustration convaincante, mais Diderot, qui trouve dans le défenseur de Sénèque un autre lui-même, et Chateaubriand, qui se laisse insensiblement enchanter par celui qu’il réprouve, révèlent encore mieux la fécondité d’une figure particulièrement vivante. La passion que le XVIIIe siècle a éprouvée pour Tacite a contribué à donner vie aux aspirations d’une époque où l’Antiquité reste un des fondements les plus sûrs de la réflexion.

Since the last biography of Montesquieu in English (Shackleton, Oxford, 1961) Montesquieu scholarship has been entirely renewed, culminating in a critical edition of his complete works in twenty-two volumes that is nearing completion. Since 1998, this new edition of the complete works has considerably modified what was known about Montesquieu and his procedures, eliciting new translations and further studies. Additionally, several thousand manuscript pages were made public in 1994 and continue to generate further scholarly inquiry. The author of this compact biography, originally published by Gallimard 2017, is the director of the critical edition of the works and the most qualified scholar of Montesquieu. At once an introduction to Montesquieu's thought and a synthesis of current knowledge about his life and work, this book is full of insights and revised judgements about Montesquieu and how his political philosophy helped thrust Enlightenment onto the European agenda.

Since the last biography of Montesquieu in English (Shackleton, Oxford, 1961) Montesquieu scholarship has been entirely renewed, culminating in a critical edition of his complete works in twenty-two volumes that is nearing completion. Since 1998, this new edition of the complete works has considerably modified what was known about Montesquieu and his procedures, eliciting new translations and further studies. Additionally, several thousand manuscript pages were made public in 1994 and continue to generate further scholarly inquiry. The author of this compact biography, originally published by Gallimard 2017, is the director of the critical edition of the works and the most qualified scholar of Montesquieu. At once an introduction to Montesquieu's thought and a synthesis of current knowledge about his life and work, this book is full of insights and revised judgements about Montesquieu and how his political philosophy helped thrust Enlightenment onto the European agenda.

Since the last biography of Montesquieu in English (Shackleton, Oxford, 1961) Montesquieu scholarship has been entirely renewed, culminating in a critical edition of his complete works in twenty-two volumes that is nearing completion. Since 1998, this new edition of the complete works has considerably modified what was known about Montesquieu and his procedures, eliciting new translations and further studies. Additionally, several thousand manuscript pages were made public in 1994 and continue to generate further scholarly inquiry. The author of this compact biography, originally published by Gallimard 2017, is the director of the critical edition of the works and the most qualified scholar of Montesquieu. At once an introduction to Montesquieu''s thought and a synthesis of current knowledge about his life and work, this book is full of insights and revised judgements about Montesquieu and how his political philosophy helped thrust Enlightenment onto the European agenda.