Today is the aniversary of the storming of the Bastille.
Off with their heads

A sad day indeed.

Poor France...I can't think of another country who's biggest victory was against itself. Who cannot forget their frightful battle cry "We shall not stop stop until we see the white of their flags!". During the first three hours of the battle over 3,000 French men surrendered to each other then a drunk guy thinking there was a wine festival going on inside staggered in past the gate at which time a terrified group of guards surrendered to the confused wino and thus began the French Revolution a period of time people actually thought other people liked being beheaded. No kidding...wasn't until some 16 year old girl flipped out at her execution who people actually liked that they realized that it wasn't a good time for everyone.

It marked the beginning of the French revolution.
"Let them Eat Cake"

I wonder if when I said 'thus began the French Revolution' that I meant it was the beginning of the French Revolution....hmmmmm

Daily beheadings at the Plaza Da La Concorde, it was a festive time.
"Off With Their Heads"

Such an expert on history.

Yes Danny
I did read "A Tale of Two Cities", and Madame Defarge was an unforgettable character.
"Off With Their Heads"

I thought 'Off with their heads' was from Alice in Wonderland?

Santa
I don't remember the actual words of Madame Defarge in the book. My God I read that book when I was in high school.

The Queen of hearts said it too, perhaps the Queen of Hearts stole it from Madame Defarge. HA HA

"let them eat cake"

'Let them eat cake' were the famous quote attributed to Marie Antionette (not sure if she actually said it) so I doubt that statement was in the book either unless a reference to the Queen. Perhaps "Joe! There is a mystery here!" is from A Tale of Two Cities.

I know who said "let them eat cake", and at no time did I imply, or infer that it was in the book "A tale of two cities", but if you know anything about French history you will know that Marie deserves honorable mention in the French revolution, in fact she lost her head over the revolution, and after all the storming of the Bastille was the start of the French revolution.

I love this it is just like a tenth grade history class.

Well, there is a first time for everything....

From Wikipedia, which does cite detailed sources for the following:

"Let them eat cake" is the traditional translation of the French phrase "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche", supposedly said by a French princess upon learning that the peasants had no bread. As brioche is a luxury bread enriched with eggs and butter, it would reflect the princess's obliviousness to the nature of a famine.

Although commonly attributed to Queen Marie Antoinette,[1] there is no record of these words ever having been uttered by her; they first appear in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Confessions, his putative autobiographical work (completed in 1769, when Marie Antoinette was 13), where he wrote the following in Book 6:

Enfin je me rappelai le pis-aller d’une grande princesse à qui l’on disait que les paysans n’avaient pas de pain, et qui répondit : Qu’ils mangent de la brioche.

Finally I recalled the last resort of a great princess who was told that the peasants had no bread, and who responded: "Let them eat brioche."

Rousseau does not name the "great princess" and there is speculation that he invented the anecdote, which has no other sources.[2]

In Chinese culture, there is a variation of this story that involves rice and meat, instead of bread and cake.[3]

Ah, the heroes with pen knives. Color changing knives invented today?

Al, if you like the French Revolution I highly recommend the Thomas Hardy. Its a fascinating read.

Thus not so "unforgetable" huh? You are indeed funny Al.

My understanding is that most history buffs have to read books after they leave high school, and some even read actual history books. That is just crazy enough to work.

If not, perhaps the event helped to poularize the magical head chopper.

Danny
Madame Defarge was unforgettable, not her every word, and I am not a history buff I just love a good story. You and Santa often times misinterpert what I say, but I will continue to try to help you dissect my words.

I was totally shocked, when I went to visit the Bastille a few years back. It is a traffic circle now, and no building at all, but man was it small.