Famous peoples last words

This is a list of famous peoples last words gathered from Acropolis website. This list was made through my eyes and contain only peoples that i found to be interesting ones. Take a look their website, it's agreat resource.

Nostradamus (Michel de Notre Dame) 1503-1566
"Tomorrow, I shall no longer be here."

Nostradamus was a cryptic prophet whose verse has been credited by some as foretelling future events despite its vague language and lack of any chronological reference. His predictions achieved local recognition after he claimed to have discovered a cure for the plague. Word of one of his prophesies eventually reached Catherine de Medici, the superstitious wife of Henry II, who believed it was about her husband: "The young lion will surpass the old one in national field by a single duel. He will pierce his eyes in a golden cage two blows at once, to die a grievous death." After Henry was killed in 1559 during a tournament when a lance, yielded by a younger opponent, pierced his eye, Nostradamus achieved true fame.

 

Oswald, Lee Harvey
"I will be glad to discuss this proposition with my attorney, and that after I talk with one, we could either discuss it with him or discuss it with my attorney if the attorney thinnks it is a wise thing to do, but at the present time I have nothing more to say to you."

On 22 November 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald shot and killed President Kennedy from a window of the Texas Book Depository in Dallas. Later that afternoon, he shot Officer Trippit of the Dallas Police and was shortly thereafter apprehended inside the Texas Theater. Two days later, he addressed his last words to Inspector Thomas Kelly of the U.S. Secret Service just before he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby.

 

Picasso, Pablo (1881-1973)
"Drink to me!"

Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, and ceramist, who developed Cubism, one of the most influential modern painting styles.

 

Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-1849)
"Lord help my poor soul."

Edgar Allan Poe was a famous American poet and author. He achieved national fame after publishing The Raven in 1845 and wrote many excellent and macabre short stories. His chronically poor health was compounded by alcohol abuse, and he suffered what some considered to be a nervous breakdown after the death of his wife in 1847.
Poe's last word has also been recorded as "Nevermore" in answer to a deathbed question, "Would you like to see your friends?"

 

Pompadour, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, Marquise d'Etoiles (1721-1764)
"Wait a second."

Madame de Pompadour was a lady of the French court and mistress to Louis XV. She was a major influence on French politics of the mid-18th century. As she died, Madame de Pompadour called on God to "Wait a second." When He did, she quickly applied rouge to her cheeks.

 

Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827)
"Friends applaud, the comedy is over."

Ludwig van Beethoven, a German composer, was one of the world's greatest musical geniuses. In 1792, Beethoven moved from the provincial court city of Bonn to Vienna, where he studied with Haydn. His hearing had begun to fail by 1798, but he continued to produce a massive volume of music including numerous masterpieces. Unfortunately, the last thirty years of his life were filled with a series of personal tragedies. In addition to his deafness, he became depressed after ending a relationship with an unnamed--and probably married--lady; he struggled through a series of legal battles to gain custody of his nephew following the death of his brother; he was plagued by financial problems and huge debts, and his health began to rapidly fail after his nephew attempted suicide in 1826.

 

Freud, Sigmund (1856-1939)
"My dear Schur, you remember our first talk. You promised to help me when I could no longer carry on. It is only torture now, and it has no longer any sense."

The founder of psychoanalysis was an inveterate smoker, often consuming 20 cigars each day. He underwent over thirty operations to remove tumors and fit protheses after being diagnosed with cancer of the jaw in 1923. After specialists finally reported that it was useless to operate again, Freud remarked that "It is tragic when a man outlives his body." He was bedridden and in intense pain when he pressured his personal physician for relief and received several large doses of morphine. He slipped into a coma and died the next day.

 

Edison, Thomas A. (1847-1931)
"It's very beautiful over there."

In the Spring of 1929, Thomas Edison traveled from his home and laboratory at Menlo Park, New Jersey, to Dearborn, Michigan, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his invention of the electric light as well as the opening of both the Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. After being introduced by President Hoover, Edison delivered a brief banquet speech and then collapsed. The president's physician quickly rushed to Edison's aid and determined that he was suffering from severe pneumonia. Edison returned to Menlo Park but never fully recovered. He collapsed again in August, 1931, and was bedridden for the last two months of his life. He sank into semi-consciousness, and his second wife, Mina, remained by his side. On Edison's last day, she leaned close and asked, "Are you suffering?" to which he replied, "No, just waiting." Edison then looked out of his bedroom window and softly spoke his last words.

 

Antoinette, Marie, Queen of France (1755-1793)
"Pardonnez-moi, monsieur."

Marie Antoinette was the wife of King Louis XVI. She was convicted of treason following the Revolution and sentenced to death by beheading. As she approached the guillotine, she accidentally stepped on the foot of her executioner.

 

Archimedes of Syracuse (298-212 B.C.)
"Wait 'till I have finished my problem!"

Archimedes was the leading mathematician of the Hellenistic Age. During the Second Punic War after Syracuse sided with Carthage, it was besieged by the Roman army under the command of Marcellus. For two years, between 214 and 212 B.C., the city fought off the Romans using many war engines invented by Archimedes including catapults and flame throwers. Syracuse eventually fell through internal treachery and, during the sack of the city, Archimedes was captured and killed by a Roman soldier.
Archimedes last words have also been recorded as "Don't disturb my circles!" and "Stand away, fellow, from my diagram. . . . Somebody give me one of my engines."

 

Caesar, Julius Gaius (100-44 B.C.)
"You too, Brutus?"

Although Marcus Junius Brutus was a trusted young friend of Caesar's, he was also one of the conspirators who murdered him on the Ides of March in 44 B.C. When Caesar entered the Senate that day, all of the senators stood to show respect. Some of the conspirators snuck behind Caesar's chair while others moved forward as if to greet him. As one grabbed Caesar's robe to signal the beginning of the attack, another struck a glancing blow to his neck. Each of the attackers then bared their knives and closed around Caesar in a tightening circle. Caesar attempted to fight the assassins until he saw his trusted friend, Brutus, approach dagger in hand. In surprised resignation Caesar uttered his famous last words, fell to the floor, and pulled his robe up over his face. Brutus then stabbed Caesar in the groin and all of the attackers joined in. In the frenzy, Caesar was pushed against a statue of his old enemy, Pompey, which soon became drenched in blood. All told, the attackers stabbed Caesar twenty-three times.
Most people know that the Latin translation of "You too, Brutus?" is "Et tu, Brute?" and many will recall that in Shakespeare's play, the bard adds a final English sentence to these Latin words, "Then fall, Caesar!" However, some have suggested that the famous phrase was probably spoken--if it was spoken at all--in the Greek that was commonly used by Roman officials. The Greek version of Caesar's last words is "Kai su, teknon?" or "You too, my son?"

 

Cassanova (de Seingalt), Giacomo (1725-1798)
"I have lived as a philosopher and die as a Christian."

Cassanova was a Venetian clergyman, soldier, musician, and alchemist who was arrested for performing magic in 1750. After escaping the following year, he began a twenty year circuit of European society where--by his own accord--he infamously seduced a prodigious number of women. Eventually tiring of his nomadic life, Cassanova settled in Duchov, bohemia, where he served the Count of Waldstein as librarian until his death in 1798.

 

Chaplin, Charles (1889-1977)
"Why not? After all, it belongs to him."

Charlie Chaplin was a British actor who became a Hollywood star after joining with Max Sennet during a music hall tour of the United States in 1913. He is usually remembered for his silent picture roles as a little man with a mustache wearing a baggy suit and derby. Many consider Chaplin to be cinema's greatest comedian. When the priest, who was attending him on his deathbed, said "May the Lord have mercy on your soul," Chaplin quickly replied, "Why not? After all, it belongs to him."

 

Tolstoy, Leo (Nikolaevich), Count (1828-1910)
"Even in the valley of the shadow of death, two and two do not make six."

Leo Tolstoy was a Russian writer who had served as an officer in the Crimean War. He lived a life based upon pacifism and asceticism and rejected the teachings of the Orthodox Church. Even as he died, Tolstoy rejected friends who attempted to convince him to reconcile with the church.
Tolstoy's last words are also often recounted as "But the peasants, how do they die?"

 

Marx, Karl (1818-1883)
"Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven't said enough!"

Karl Marx was the German economist, philosopher, and revolutionary who, with the aid of Friederich Engles, produced most of the theory of modern socialism and communism. As he lay in bed shortly before his death, his housekeeper foolishly asked if he had any last words.

 

Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria (1717-1780)
"No, but comfortable enough to die."

Maria Theresa was the empress of Austria from 1740 until her death in 1780. She spent the last several days of her life propped up in a chair as she was unable to breath lying down. Her son, Joseph, attempted to comfort her after one especially painful spasm. "Your Majesty cannot be comfortable like that," he said rushing to her side for support. "No," replied the empress, "but comfortable enough to die." Maria Theresa died a few minutes later without any additional suffering.

 

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von (1749-1832)
"Open the second shutter so that more light may come in."

Goethe, a German writer, biologist, and scholar, was a literary leader of the German Sturm and Drang period. Although he produced a large number of novels, poems, and plays, his fame rests primarily on the poetic drama, Faust. His last words were recorded by a disciple, Johann Peter Eckermann, who was present at Goethe's death. Often Goethe's last words are quoted as a spiritualized request--"More Light!"--for understanding. Some have suggested that Goethe's actual last words were addressed to his daughter-in-law, "Come, my little daughter, and give me you little paw."

 

Gordon, George, Lord Byron (1788-1824)
"Good night."

Lord Byron was one of the most widely read and notorious poets of his era, and many believe that some of his works, especially Don Juan, are autobiographical. He was forced to flee England in 1816 to escape his debts and a nasty sex scandal involving his wife's sister. He traveled throughout Europe until he joined the Greek war for independence in 1823. That winter, he became quite ill, perhaps partly due to malnutrition as he had taken to eating almost nothing but meager portions of rice. He had not yet fully recovered when he was caught in a driving, frigid rainstorm. He returned to his room chilled, shivering, and with a high fever. Friends called in physicians and surgeons who bled him with twelve leeches they attached to his temples and induced violent diarrhea with a large dose of castor oil. All concerned were surprised to find this treatment did not work, and Lord Byron lapsed into a deep stupor. He eventually regained consciousness long enough to say "Now I shall go to sleep. Good night." He died within twenty-four hours.

 

Guevara, Ernesto "Che" (1928-1967)
"I know you have come to kill me. Shoot, coward. You are only going to kill a man."

Che Guevara was an Argentinian revolutionary who became a prominent communist player in the Cuban Revolution. Later, he attempted to foment similar revolutions throughout Central and South America with little success. In 1966, he snuck into Boliva and formed a guerilla force in Santa Clara where he was soon was wounded, captured, and executed by the Bolivian Army.

 

Vespasian, Titus Flavius Sabinus, Emperor (9-79)
"Woe is me, I think I am becoming a god."

Vespasian was a Roman emperor who rose from humble origins as a result of his military accomplishments. He was pronounced Emperor to resolve potential conflict following the death of Nero, and he worked hard to improve the life of the common Roman citizen.

 

Cobain, Kurt (1967-1994)
"Frances and Courtney, I'll be at your altar
Please keep going Courtney,
for Frances.
for her life will be so much happier
without me. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU" (from Kurt Cobain's suicide note)

Kurt Cobain was the mentally unstable, heroin-addicted leader of the grunge rock group Nirvana. He shot himself in the head on April 8, 1994. Some Cobain fans believe that he did not commit suicide, but was actually murdered by a killer hired by his wife, Courtney Love.

 

Kafka, Franz (1883-1924)
"Kill me, or else you are a murderer!"

Franz Kafka, born in Prague in 1883, became one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. As Kafka lay dying of tuberculosis, he begged his physician for an overdose of morphine to end his suffering. While alive, Kafka only published a very few selections of his short fiction including "The Metamorphosis," a story about a young man who, symbolically, is transformed into a huge disgusting insect. Following his death, friends published the bulk of Kafka's work, including The Castle and The Trial, despite his final instructions that they destroy the manuscripts, "Dearest Max, my last request: Everything I leave behind me ... in the way of diaries, manuscripts, letters (my own and others'), sketches, and so on, to be burned unread."

 

Genghis, Khan of the Mongols (1155?-1227)
"Let not my end disarm you, and on no account weep or keen for me, let the enemy be warned of my death"

Genghis Khan was the founder of the largest continuous land empire to ever be established, ranging from the Near East to the Yellow Sea. In 1226, at a relatively advance age, he lead his army on a campaign to punish the Tanguts for their refusal to provide him with auxiliary troops during a previous campaign. He fell ill as his forces approached the Tangut capital of Ningxia, perhaps--although accounts disagree--from infections of wounds inflicted on his genitals by a captured woman he had ravished. At any event, when it became clear that he was dying, he summoned his generals and sons to his bedside.
His sons arrived first and found their father deliriously raving that "My descendants will wear gold, they will eat the choicest meats, they will ride the finest horses, they will hold in their arms the most beautiful women, and they will forget to whom they owe it all." Eventually, he regained his composure and told his sons "It is clear to me that I must leave everything and go hence from thee." He then turned to his generals and began to give final guidance for the battle against the Tanguts. Before he concluded his speech, the instructed them "the words of the lad Kublai are well worth attention; see, all of you, that you heed what he says! One day he will sit in my seat and bring you good fortune such as you have had in my day." Following the khan's death, the Mongol army defeated the Tanguts, sacked Ningxia, and massacred all of its inhabitants.

 

Joan of Arc, Saint (1412-1431)
"Hold the cross high so I may see it through the flames!"

Joan was the youngest of five children of Jacques d'Arc, a peasant farmer from Domremy. She began to hear "voices" when she was thirteen that told her she was to serve the Dauphin and save France. Joan was repeatedly rebuffed in her attempts to join the French army until she successfully predicted its defeat at the Battle of Herrings in 1429. Afterwards, a local commander sent her to the Dauphin. When she recognized the disguised Dauphin hiding in a group of courtiers, he sent her to be examined by group of theologians at Poitiers. After three weeks of questioning, they proclaimed that her voices were genuine.
The Dauphin then sent her to serve with the Army as it fought to lift the siege of Orleans. There, clad in a suit of armor, she led her men and saved the city by capturing several English forts. Later that year she led the French army to an even more important victory at Troyes. This allowed the Dauphin to be crowned Charles VII at Reims, and Joan stood at his side during the ceremony. She continued to lead the army until she was captured by Burgundians at Compiegne and turned over to the English. Charles made no effort to save her, and in fact, some have suggested that he helped arrange her capture as part of a secret deal with the Burgundians.
Joan was tried in a religious court for heresy and witchcraft, and although she defended herself well, she was forced or tricked into denying her "voices" and promising never again to wear men's clothes. Later, she once more dressed as a man and was declared a heretic. She was burned at the stake in the Rouen marketplace, and her ashes were thrown into the Seine. Twenty-five years later, her case was reopened by Pope Callistus III, and she was found innocent. Joan was canonized by Pope Benedict XV in 1920.

 

Socrates (469-399 B.C.)
"Crito, I owe a cock to Asclepius. Will you remember to pay the debt?"

Socrates was a Greek philosopher broke with tradition to investigate both ethics and logic. Possessed with an amazing ability to irritate politicians, he was eventually convicted of corrupting the young people of Athens through his teaching and sentenced to death by drinking hemlock.