Après nous le déluge

"Après nous le déluge" ("After us, the deluge") is a French expression, attributed to Madame de Pompadour, the lover of King Louis XV of France. An alternative form, attributed to Louis himself, is "Après moi le déluge" ("After me, comes the flood"). The saying came after the Battle of Rossbach in 1757, which was disastrous for the French. The expression has two possible meanings: 'After me, the deluge will come,' asserting that if the revolution ended his reign, the nation would be plunged into chaos; or 'After me, let the deluge come,' implying "I don't care what happens after I'm gone."

Après nous le déluge

"Après nous le déluge" ("After us, the deluge") is a French expression, attributed to Madame de Pompadour, the lover of King Louis XV of France. An alternative form, attributed to Louis himself, is "Après moi le déluge" ("After me, comes the flood"). The saying came after the Battle of Rossbach in 1757, which was disastrous for the French. The expression has two possible meanings: 'After me, the deluge will come,' asserting that if the revolution ended his reign, the nation would be plunged into chaos; or 'After me, let the deluge come,' implying "I don't care what happens after I'm gone."