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Internet Modern History Sourcebook
La Marseillaise
La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, was composed in one night during the
French Revolution (April 24, 1792) by Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle, a captain of the
engineers and amateur musician stationed in Strasbourg in 1792. It was played at a
patriotic banquet at Marseilles, and printed copies were given to the revolutionary forces
then marching on Paris. They entered Paris singing this song, and to it they marched to
the Tuileries on August 10th.
Ironically, Rouget de Lisle was himself a royalist and refused to take the oath of
allegiance to the new constitution. He was imprisoned and barely escaped the guillotine..
Originally entitled Chant de guerre de l'armeé du Rhin (War Song of the Army of
the Rhine), the anthem became called La Marseillaise because of its popularity with
volunteer army units from Marseilles.
The Convention accepted it as the French national anthem in a decree passed July 14,
1795. La Marseillaise was banned by Napoleon during the Empire, and by Louis XVIII
on the Second Restoration (1815), because of its revolutionary associations. Authorized
after the July Revolution of 1830, it was again banned by Napoleon III and not reinstated
until 1879.
The text here consists of only the first two verses [out of seven].
Links here to various version on YouTube. Note YouTube links sometimes go bad. If that happens a search at YouTube for the words used should locate other videos.
La Marseillaise 1907 - sychronised film and sound recording from 1907.
La Marseillaise, hymne national français, interprétée par un grand ténor des années 1920-40, Georges Thill (1897-1984)
Mireille Mathieu singing La Marseillaise in 1989 [with Engish subtitles here]
La Marseillaise from Casablanca
Allons enfants de la Patrie
Le jour de gloire est arrivé.
Contre nous, de la tyrannie,
L'étandard sanglant est levé,
l'étandard sanglant est levé,
Entendez-vous, dans la compagnes.
Mugir ces farouches soldats
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras
Egorger vos fils,
vos compagnes. |
Let us go, children of the fatherland
Our day of Glory has arrived.
Against us stands tyranny,
The bloody flag is raised,
The bloody flag is raised.
Do you hear in the countryside
The roar of these savage soldiers
They come right into our arms
To cut the throats of your sons,
your country. |
Aux armes citoyens!
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons.
|
To arms, citizens!
Form up your battalions
Let us march, Let us march!
That their impure blood
Should water our fields
|
Amour sacré de la Patrie,
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs,
Liberté, liberté cherie,
Combats avec tes defénseurs;
Combats avec tes défenseurs.
Sous drapeaux, que la victoire
Acoure à tes mâles accents;
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire! |
Sacred love of the fatherland
Guide and support our vengeful arms.
Liberty, beloved liberty,
Fight with your defenders;
Fight with your defenders.
Under our flags, so that victory
Will rush to your manly strains;
That your dying enemies
Should see your triumph and glory |
Aux armes citoyens!
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons.
|
To arms, citizens!
Form up your battalions
Let us march, Let us march!
That their impure blood
Should water our fields
|
Here is an alternate English Translation, perhaps more singable!
Ye sons of France, awake to glory!
Hark! Hark! the people bid you rise!
Your children, wives, and grandsires hoary
Behold their tears and hear their cries!
Behold their tears and hear their cries!
Shall hateful tyrants, mischief breeding,
With hireling hosts a ruffian band
Affright and desolate the land
While peace and liberty lie bleeding?
To arms, to arms, ye brave!
Th'avenging sword unsheathe!
March on, march on, all hearts resolved
On liberty or death.
Oh liberty can man resign thee,
Once having felt thy gen'rous flame?
Can dungeons, bolts, and bar confine the?
Or whips thy noble spirit tame?
Or whips thy noble spirit tame?
Too long the world has wept bewailing
That falsehood's dagger tyrants wield;
But freedom is our sword and shield
And all their arts are unavailing.
To arms, to arms, ye brave!
Th'avenging sword unsheathe!
March on, march on, all hearts resolved
On liberty or death.
This text is part of the Internet
Modern History Sourcebook. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and
copy-permitted texts for introductory level classes in modern European and World history.
Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright.
Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational
purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No
permission is granted for commercial use of the Sourcebook.
© Paul Halsall Aug 1997
The Internet History Sourcebooks Project is located at the History Department of Fordham University, New York. The Internet
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© Site Concept and Design: Paul Halsall created 26 Jan 1996: latest revision 15 November 2024 [CV]
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