In 1785, Napoleon's father, Carlo Bonaparte, died in Montpellier at the age of thirty-eight. In 1799, Napoleon staged a coup and became First Consul of France. Soon afterwards, the notables of Montpellier solicited his permission to erect a monument to the memory of his father.
Napoleon thanked them for their good intentions, but declined acceding to their solicitations. "Let us not disturb the repose of the dead," said he, "let their ashes remain in peace. I have also lost my grandfather and great grandfather; why not erect monuments to them? It is going too far back. Had my father died yesterday, it would be proper and natural that my grief should be accompanied by some signal mark of respect. But his death took place twenty years ago: it is an event of no public interest, and it is useless to revive the recollection of it."
一七八五年，拿破崙父親卡洛．龐那巴特三十八歲，死於蒙彼利埃市。一七九九年，拿破崙發動政變，成為法國第一執政官。不久，蒙彼利埃市的名門望族就請求拿破崙批准，為他父親修建紀念碑。
拿破崙多謝他們的好意，卻婉拒他們的請求，說道：「死者應該安息，棺裏寒灰不應打擾。我的祖父、曾祖父也都死了，難道也要為他們立碑紀念？過去已久的事，不必再提了。要是家父昨天去世，我哀傷之餘，另有作為，以示尊崇，就很應該，也很自然。但他去世二十年了，對民眾來說，這事無關痛癢，不宜再提起。」