It has been thought that the subject of this poem was suggested to Victor Hugo by a passage in Les tragiques, a satirical poem in seven books, depicting the misfortunes and vices of France, written by Théodore Agrippa D'Aubigné (1551-1630), whom Sainte-Beuve calls the Juvenal of the sixteenth century. The passage relating to Cain occurs in the sixth book, called Les Vengeances. The following extracts indicate the spirit in which the author dealt with his theme.
Il avoit peur de tout, et il avoit peur de lui
. . . . . . .
La mort ne put avoir de mort pour récompense:
L'Enfer n'eut point de morts à punir cette offense;
Mais autant de jours il sentit de trespas:
Vif, il ne vescut point; mort, il ne mourut pas.
Il fuit d'effroi transi, troublé, tremblant et blesme,
Il fuit de tout le monde, il s'enfuit de soy-mesme
. . . . . . .