Beethoven s Third Symphony was written as Beethoven was struggling with his advancing deafness. Meant as a celebration of Napoleon s victories, the four movements reflected Bonaparte s courage and heroism. Soon after Beethoven completed the work, he discovered Napolean s treachery in declaring himself Emperor of France, and the composer considered destroying the composition. Instead, "The Bonaparte Symphony" was later renamed the "Eroica," or "Heroic Symphony.""