Imagine: You lay there, on your deathbed, surrounded by loved ones and right before you exhale your last breath you utter your last words, memorializing you forever to your children, and your children's children. This is of course if you have the good fortune of dying a slow, well thought out death. *snicker* But if you happen to get hit by a bus or fall out of a window, and die instantly...well then, your last words (or yelp rather) will not be that memorable.
In any case, here is a fun list of some famous last words that I found quite entertaining and interesting -- some are funny, others tragic and terribly romantic.
"This is absurd. This is absurd".
~Sigmund Freud (last words)
"Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something."
~last words of Pancho Villa (1877-1923)
"Now, now my good man, this is no time for making enemies."
~Voltaire (1694-1778) on his deathbed in response to a priest asking that he renounce Satan.
"Either the wallpaper goes or I do."
~Oscar Wilde, last words (1854-1900)
"Get out of here and leave me alone. Last words are for fools who haven't said enough already."
~Karl Marx, last words, 1883
"Get my swan costume ready."
~Anna Pavlova, ballerina, 1881-1931
"All right, then, I'll say it: Dante makes me sick."
~Lope Félix de Vega Carpio (1562-1635), Spanish dramatist and poet. On being informed he was about to die.
"Josephine..."
~Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821).
"Call the office and tell them I won't be in on Monday."
~Betty Allen, who worked until her death at 93.
"Friends applaud, the comedy is over."
~Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827)
"You too, Brutus?"
~Caesar, Julius Gaius (100-44 B.C.)
"Nothing, but death."
~Jane Austen, writer, d. July 18, 1817 When asked by her sister, Cassandra, if there was anything she wanted.
"I love you Sarah. For all eternity, I love you."
~James K. Polk, US President, d. 1849 Spoken to his wife.
"La tristesse durera toujours." ("The sadness shall last forever")
~Vincent van Gogh
"Drink to me."
~Pablo Picasso
"Am I dying or is this my birthday?""
~Lady Nancy Astor, d. 1964 When she woke briefly during her last illness and found all her family around her bedside.
"Damme cafe, vou escrever!" (Give me coffee, I am going to write)
~Olavo Bilac, Brazilian poet
I've always been a big fan of quotes. Mostly because I like how a simple sentence can sum up such profound moments in life. Quotes can be comforting, inspiring, moving or they can just make you laugh-- they can say the right thing when nobody you know can. Just like a song or a great novel, one little quote can speak volumes and stay with you as a pillar forever.
What would YOUR last words be? (As if dying weren't pressure enough!)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I don't know my last words, but I like Che Guevara's last.
"Shoot coward! You're only going to kill a man."
two of my favorits: "So long as little children are allowed to suffer, there is no true love in this world." by Isadora Duncan and
"It's surprising how much of memory is built around things unnoticed at the time." Still trying to find out who wrote that one. If anyone knows, do tell.
re: "It's surprising how much of memory is built around things unnoticed at the time."
--Barbara Kingsolver
you'd probably like her work there, Roomie. "the poisonwood bible" and "the bean trees". Social injustice is a big theme in her writing.
Post a Comment