Chant du Depart

After the Marseillaise, the most celebrated song of the first French Revolution. It was written by M. J. Chénier for a public festival, held June 11th, 1794, to commemorate the taking of the Bastille. The music is by Méhul. A mother, an old man, a child, a wife, a girl, and three warriors sing a verse in turn, and the sentiment of each is, “We give up our claims on the men of France for the good of the Republic.” (See page 217, col. 1, Carmagnole.)

“La republique nous appelle,

Sachons vaincre ou sachons perir

Un Français doit vivre pour elle,

Pour elle un Francais doit mourir.”

M. J. Chenier.

The Republic invites,

Let us conquer or fall;

For her Frenchmen live,

And die at her call.

E. C. B.

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.