Works : Poésies, first published by H. de Latouche, 1819; later editions are by Becq de Fouquières, 1862 and 1872; G. de Chénier, with new material, 3 vols., 1874; by Louis Moland, 2 vols., 1878-79.
For reference: Sainte-Beuve, Portraits littéraires, vol. i; Portraits contemporains, vols, ii and v; Causeries du lundi, vol. iv; Nouveaux lundis, vol. iii; E. Faguet, le Dix- huitième siècle, 1890; E. Caro, la Fin du dix-huitième siècle, vol. ii, 1882; J. Haraszti, la Poésie d'André Chénier, 1892.
32. LA JEUNE CAPTIVE. This, as well as the Iambes following, was written in the Saint-Lazare prison shortly before Chénier was sent to the guillotine. The young captive was Mlle. Aimée de Coigny; she escaped the guillotine and afterwards married M. de Montrond; she died in 1820.
33. 18. PHILOMÈLE; Philomela was daughter of Pandion, king of Athens. Pursued by Tereus, king of Thrace, she was changed into a nightingale. The name is frequently employed in poetry for the nightingale.
34. 16. PALÈS, a Roman divinity of flocks and shepherds.
35. IAMBES. 23. BAVUS, a conventional name; it is not clear who was in the poet's mind.
MARIE-JOSEPH CHENIER.
1764-1811.
A younger brother of André Chénier, enjoyed a great reputation as a dramatic poet and critic. Aside from the Chant du départ, which had a reputation approaching that of the Marseillaise, he is hardly to be considered as a lyric poet.
Works: Oeuvres complètes, 8 vols., 1823-1826; Poésies, 1844.