Who said: "To see Paris and die" - a phrase for all time?

Speaking of Paris, you want to paraphrase a well-known phrase from the film "Forrest Gump": "Paris is the largest box of chocolates, each of which is amazing and unpredictable, because you never know what kind of filling will be inside. It can be viscous, lusciously sweet or, conversely, with citrus bitteress - it does not matter. The main thing is not to stop, go forward along the endless cobblestone streets along the small boutiques, the old-fashioned bistros, the flirty gardens, you need to catch up before ... seeing Paris and dying! "Who said this familiar phrase to all? About this and not only we say further.

History

Who said "To see Paris and die"? Before answering the question that concerns us, let us turn to history. And we will have to go not to somewhere, but to a very remote past - to Ancient Rome. Yes, all roads lead to Rome, but all because it was there that the expression "To see Rome and die!" Was born. But one should not take everything literally: no one ever intended to sink into oblivion after visiting Rome. On the contrary, it is the best estimate of the Eternal City on the seven hills, the recognition that beauty and its spirit can not be compared to anything in this mortal world.

Not so simple

Subsequently, the winged expression left its native banks and set off further - to Naples. And now, on the streets of this amazing southern city, there, here it is heard: "Videre Napoli et Mori". The literal translation is still omitted, because there are two options for understanding. The first, our beloved: "See Naples and die!" The second, more true: "See Naples and Mori!" - all with the same imaginative meaning: "See everything!" Why did this confusion occur? The fact is that the word mori can be interpreted in two ways. In Latin, it also means the name of the village of Mori, which is near Naples, and the verb "die."

The story does not end there - the turn is too bright, expressive and surprisingly accurate: "To see ... and to die!" Not more than two centuries ago, the Italians still created their loud motto: "Vedi Napoli e poi muori" - which means: "To see Naples and die! "And now without any" buts. " In writing, for the first time, it occurs in 1787 in the diary of Johann Goethe, traveling throughout Europe. However, everything flows, everything changes, and the seaside town lost its former glory. She - a windy girlfriend, went in search of new heroes - to Paris ...

1931

Well, here we are in the beautiful French capital, and therefore, in a step from the answer to the question who said "To see Paris and die!".

In the 30 years of the last century in the city on the banks of the Seine lived and worked then still unknown to anyone, a young man named Ilya Ehrenburg. He was a simple emigrant from Kiev, a native of the Jewish family, but a real "Khreshchatyk parisian," as Yevgeny Yevtushenko called him , because he was truly in love with this amazing city. Even in spite of the fact that over time he decided to return to his homeland, to the Soviet Union, he was an ardent supporter of the victory of socialism in the whole world and an indefatigable propagandist of the Soviet system, he continued to admire Paris and repeatedly came there. Proof of this is his book "My Paris", published in 1931.

Book

We continue to talk about who said: "To see Paris and die!" It is in this book that this turn is first encountered, which later becomes common, especially among Soviet people. Probably, this is due not only to some kind of magnetism, the unique beauty of this expression, but also to the then existing "Iron Curtain" that restricts the travel of citizens of the Soviet Union abroad. The forbidden fruit, as you know, is very sweet.

But back to the book by Ilya Ehrenburg - the one who first said: "To see Paris and die!" There are a lot of books devoted to the capital of France - the city of artists and poets, the trendsetter and fine cuisine. On the one hand, they believed him, admired him, and on the other - disdained the poverty and filth of his poor neighborhoods. But the main thing is completely different: everyone, both fans and ill-wishers, amazed his colossal size and feverish pace of life. And yet, it has been said and written many times that Paris has never had an equal. What did the book of Ilya Ehrenburg "My Paris" conquer the world?

Conclusion

He wrote and took photographs of the lives of ordinary citizens, about how they are born, learn, fall in love, work, rest. In fact, their lives do not differ from millions and billions of similar lives, except that the performances of the play called "the life journey" unfold in the background of the Seine, Montmartre, the winding streets of Paris. And all this is relentlessly removed by one person - the author of the work and those who said the phrase: "To see Paris and die!" In the end, it turned out fifteen thousand photographs. The best entered the book - a real photo album. Interesting is the fact that for the first time the shooting was conducted by a hidden camera - a camera with a side viewfinder. This was the idea of Ilya Ehrenburg, who aspired first of all to show the human side of the capital - its essence, because not the palaces and the Eiffel Tower create a unique atmosphere, the city's aura, and its inhabitants. Thus, Ilya Erenburg - translator, poet, writer, publicist, photographer, and another one who said "To see Paris and die!", With his unique work, urged us not only to admire the French capital, but to die in order to live and endlessly love and Its inimitable beauty, and the whole world.