The most famous last words

Roman legionary menacingly waved a short sword over the head of an old man sitting on the ground. Archimedes, one of the greatest scholars of ancient Greece, do not even bother to look up. Soldiers ordered the old man to get up and follow him. No, - said Archimedes - no, until I decide this problem. After a moment, the sword in the hands of a nameless soldier took the life of one of the greatest thinkers of all time.




Henry Ward Beecher, violent and controversial preacher middle of the XIX century, in the course of his life read sermons to millions of people. He instructed to be ready to meet with oblique bony and painted pictures afterlife. When he was ready Beecher breathed his last, he beckoned to the doctor and whispered hoarsely: "Doctor, now I plunge into the mystery».


Anne Boleyn, the mistress of the king, had to pay with his life for communication with His Majesty. She was calm until the end. Turning to his girlfriend in misfortune, which trembled like a leaf, Anna said, "Take courage. Executioner - a specialist with years of experience ... and I have a very thin neck ».


For the bedroom door of the court of Queen Elizabeth crowd kneeled down, and prayed for her salvation. Queen treated the best doctor of his time, and she fought for her life until recently. But when Pale Rider began to approach her closer and closer, she realized that the end was inevitable. Shaking helplessly clenched fist, the queen exclaimed: "All my condition for the moment of life!»


Cardinal Wolsey, like many other aspiring to greatness, was a victim of political intrigues of his era, and paid for it with his life. And now appeared before the executioner ... "Oh, if I served the Lord with at least half of the zeal with which I serve; my king, He would not leave me in my old age! »


William Porter, known to millions of readers with their delightful stories under the name O. Henry, has long been seriously ill. When the end was near, he clenched his close friend, sitting at the head, and a long moment, breathing heavily, without uttering a sound. Finally, 'the famous writer said, "Charlie, I'm afraid to go home in the dark!»


Sir Thomas More ascended the scaffold with a blindfold. He asked to be taken off the blindfold and saw his executioner: "You Shall I only unharmed to the block, the further I go traveling unaided».


Sense of humor did not leave until the end, and the famous American film and theater actor John Barrymore. He's already a few hours was dying, but suddenly regained consciousness. The last effort he forced a weak sly smile, and turned to his friend Gene Fowler, whispered, "Tell me, Jean, do you really illegitimate son of Buffalo Bill?»


Dr. Samuel Garth, a famous doctor of the Renaissance, made a fortune by providing professional services to members of the royal family. Before his death he wrote a last request to fellow profession, gathered at his bedside: "I ask you, gentlemen, - he said - depart aside and let me die a natural death».

A. Hobbes, the powerful adviser, said before his death: "I am going to his last journey ... leap in the dark».


Countess Rouen famous impeccable manners. And when her life was coming to an end, the room on tiptoe servant came and said that the Countess wants to see a visitor. Polite lady ordered his servants to write a note to this effect: "The Countess Rouen sends best wishes and apologizes. She is preparing for death ».

James Smithson, the founder of the world-famous Smithsonian Institution in Washington, in many ways, was a man of unusual, and its black humor stayed with him until the last minute. The doctors could not diagnose his fatal illness. If you feel that there is very little time, he called the doctors and said, "I want you to death, you did an autopsy and found out from what I still died. I'm dying for the sake of you have defined my illness ».


Last replica of Thomas Edison left puzzled his family. The great inventor is not an atheist, as some have argued. But he never discussed his beliefs - whatever they were - in a circle of close friends. When Edison slowly and painfully dying, his wife sat at the bedside and held his hand. It seemed that he had fallen asleep. The room was quiet, and only hear the dying gasps. Edison suddenly sat up in bed without assistance. He opened his eyes for several seconds, staring straight ahead. Then he turned to Mrs. Edison and said: "It's amazing! As it is beautiful! »


What did he see? Edison said. And no one can say.

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