La Légende des Siècles

by Victor Hugo

"La Légende des Siècles" by Victor Hugo is a collection of poems written intermittently between 1855 and 1876. Conceived as an epic depiction of human history and evolution, the work traces humanity's journey from biblical times through the distant future. Published in three series while Hugo lived in exile, the poems span civilizations and centuries—from Eve to Christ, through Rome's decline and the age of knights, to visions of the twentieth century and beyond. Often considered a modern French epic, it presents Hugo's sweeping vision of mankind's struggles and progress.