Antique virtue and new heroes: The press records Desaix's death and a legendary battle

After the victory of Marengo, the press gave accounts of the tributes paid to Desaix in private institutions, mixing them with official honours and ma rks of gratitude offered by Paris to an army haloed with glory and immortal ity. In a context conducive to victory celebrations and hero-worship, the p ress record amplified the process of universal rallying to the regime, port raying in parallel the philosopher soldier (Desaix) and the peacemaker warr ior (Bonaparte). Be it the art of conjuring up the shades of heroes and sin ging their virtue, or narrating the chorus of good wishes and popular enthu siasm, or acclaiming the victory of Marengo and whipping up patriotic fervo ur on 14 July, everything contributed to the symbolic representation of a c ommunity reconciled around the heroic figure of the General turned Consul.