DiotimosReading Desk

Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition

Joseph Joubert

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II

Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.

Explore the Lexicon
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume IIAccording to Plato · Entry 6769

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

English Page · Branch 2988 of 4529

According to Plato · Entry 6769

Book Mode

French

p. 5975

16 octobre.

Homère a peint la vie humaine. Chaque village a son Nestor, son Agamemnon, son Ulysse. Chaque paroisse a son Achille, son Diomède, son Ajax. Chaque siècle a son Priam, son Andromaque et son Hector.

5975

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: According to Plato

p. 5976

October 16.

Homer painted human life. Every village has its Nestor, its Agamemnon, its Ulysses. Every parish has its Achilles, its Diomedes, its Ajax. Every age has its Priam, its Andromache and its Hector.

5976

About This Reading Edition

Joubert’s notebooks return to the work of thinking and writing, the demands of friendship, and questions of faith, beauty and conduct. This edition pairs the French with a new English translation, preserving the order of the chosen source and the unfinished character of its fragments. Dates and source references allow readers to follow a thought through time or return to its printed context.

Historical Text and Translation

The French text follows André Beaunier’s 1938 edition of Les Carnets de Joseph Joubert, published by Gallimard from Joubert’s autograph manuscripts. Volume II continues the notebooks and includes seventy undated pieces. French and English are aligned paragraph by paragraph, retaining the source order, printed dates and page references so readers can return to the facsimile.

About Diotimos Editions

Diotimos Editions prepared this new English translation directly from the French, preserving Joubert’s distinctions, recurring images, ambiguities and unfinished thoughts. Translator’s notes clarify wording, references and uncertain readings: Essential keeps notes that help explain a passage, while All includes technical detail. Annotations from the 1938 source edition remain distinct from the new translator’s notes.

Rights

The linked facsimile records identify the French source as public domain in the United States. The new English translation and editorial notes are © 2026 Diotimos, with source annotations and new editorial contributions credited separately. This edition pairs the complete French notebooks with an independent English translation, preserving the distinction between Joubert’s text and its accompanying notes.