La Panhypocrisiade, ou le spectacle infernal du seizième siècle

"La Panhypocrisiade, ou le spectacle infernal du seizième siècle" by Népomucène Lemercier is a French poem in 16 cantos composed mainly during the Consulate but published in 1819. This strange and romantic work portrays scenes from the French Wars of Religion through demons performing on an imaginary theater stage. Characters include Charles IX, François Ier, Luther, Rabelais, and allegorical figures engaging in surreal dialogues. Victor Hugo called it "a sort of literary chimera, a three-headed monster that sings, laughs, and barks."