Famous last words of 17 famous people

'Stand away, fellow, from my diagram!'

Archimedes was killed during the Second Punic War. According to the historian Plutarch, a soldier came up to the mathematician and told him to go with him to Marcellus.

Archimedes, however, refused to do so until he finished the problem he was working on. Enraged, the soldier killed him.

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Saturday, October 20, 2018

Last words have always fascinated people.

Perhaps they hold an echo of wisdom or a biting witticism — or at least a hint about who’s getting what in the will.

And so, Business Insider put together a list of the reported last words of 17 famous historical figures.

Wikimedia Commons

Archimedes painted by Domenico Fetti.

'Stand away, fellow, from my diagram!'

Archimedes was killed during the Second Punic War. According to the historian Plutarch, a soldier came up to the mathematician and told him to go with him to Marcellus.

Archimedes, however, refused to do so until he finished the problem he was working on. Enraged, the soldier killed him.

Sources: 'The Parallel Lives' by Plutarch, 'Famous Last Words' by Laura Ward

Wikimedia

Virgil reading the Aeneid to Augustus and Octavia, by Jean-Joseph Taillasson, painted in 1787.

'I found Rome of clay; I leave it to you of marble.'

-- what he reportedly said to his subjects.

'Have I played the part well? Then applaud me as I exit.'

-- what he reportedly said to his friends who were with him throughout his reign.

Source: History

Leonardo da Vinci's design for a flying machine, c. 1488.

'I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.'

Source: Huffington Post

Napoleon, painted by Jacques-Louis David.

'France, the army, the head of the army, Joséphine.'

Source: The Guardian

Wikimedia/Trailer screenshot

Humphrey Bogart in 'Casablanca.'

'I should never have switched from scotch to martinis.'

Source: International Business Times

Charles Darwin's 1837 diagram of an evolutionary tree.

'I am not the least afraid to die.'

Source: 'Famous Last Words' by Laura Ward

Marie Antoinette at the Temple Tower, circa 1792-93.

'Pardon me. I didn't do it on purpose.'

She reportedly said this after accidentally stepping on her executioner's foot as she climbed the scaffold to the guillotine.

Source: 'Famous Last Words' by Alan Bisbort

Wikimedia Commons

Official Presidential portrait of John Adams, circa 1792-93.

'Thomas Jefferson survives.'

Adams and Thomas Jefferson started out as rivals, but they became friends later in life. As Adams lay on his deathbed, on July 4, he reportedly noted that his former nemesis was still alive.

However, Jefferson had actually died some hours earlier -- also on July 4.

Source: History

Wikimedia

James Brown performing in 1973.

'I'm going away tonight.'

Source: The Guardian

A photograph of Henry Ford, Thomas Alva Edison, and Harvey Samuel Firestone, 1929.

'It is very beautiful out there.'

Right before his death, Edison came out of a coma, opened his eyes, and reportedly said the above quote to his wife. He was likely referring to the view outside his window.

Sources: The Wall Street Journal, 'Famous Last Words' by Laura Ward

Public domain

There are a variety of reports regarding Beethoven's last words. Some say the composer, who was deaf by the end of his life, said:

'I will hear in heaven'

while others suggest he said:

'Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est' (Applaud, friends, the comedy is finished)

But still others say that after a publisher brought the composer 12 bottles of wine, his final words were:

'Pity, pity, too late!'

Sources: 'The Creative Circle' by Michael Fitzgerald, 'Beethoven: The Man Revealed' by John Suchet, Classic FM

Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures

Leonard Nimoy and wife Susan Bay.

'A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP.'

Technically, this was Leonard Nimoy's last tweet, so they may not be his actual last words.

LLAP is short for 'Live long and prosper,' a saying made famous by Nimoy's 'Star Trek' character Mr. Spock.

Source: Twitter

Russian President Vladimir Putin as a young child in Russia in the 1950s.

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'Stand away, fellow, from my diagram!'

'I found Rome of clay; I leave it to you of marble.'

'Have I played the part well? Then applaud me as I exit.'

'I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.'

'France, the army, the head of the army, Joséphine.'

'I should never have switched from scotch to martinis.'

'I am not the least afraid to die.'

'Pardon me. I didn't do it on purpose.'

'Thomas Jefferson survives.'

'I'm going away tonight.'

'It is very beautiful out there.'

'I will hear in heaven'

'Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est' (Applaud, friends, the comedy is finished)

'Pity, pity, too late!'

'A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP.'

NOW WATCH: Ideas videos

Famous last words of 17 famous people

'Stand away, fellow, from my diagram!'

'I found Rome of clay; I leave it to you of marble.'

'Have I played the part well? Then applaud me as I exit.'

'I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.'

'France, the army, the head of the army, Joséphine.'

'I should never have switched from scotch to martinis.'

'I am not the least afraid to die.'

'Pardon me. I didn't do it on purpose.'

'Thomas Jefferson survives.'

'I'm going away tonight.'

'It is very beautiful out there.'

'I will hear in heaven'

'Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est' (Applaud, friends, the comedy is finished)

'Pity, pity, too late!'

'A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP.'

NOW WATCH: Ideas videos

0 Comment for "Famous last words of 17 famous people"

'Stand away, fellow, from my diagram!'

'I found Rome of clay; I leave it to you of marble.'

'Have I played the part well? Then applaud me as I exit.'

'I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.'

'France, the army, the head of the army, Joséphine.'

'I should never have switched from scotch to martinis.'

'I am not the least afraid to die.'

'Pardon me. I didn't do it on purpose.'

'Thomas Jefferson survives.'

'I'm going away tonight.'

'It is very beautiful out there.'

'I will hear in heaven'

'Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est' (Applaud, friends, the comedy is finished)

'Pity, pity, too late!'

'A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP.'

NOW WATCH: Ideas videos

Business Insider Emails & Alerts

Famous last words of 17 famous people

'Stand away, fellow, from my diagram!'

'I found Rome of clay; I leave it to you of marble.'

'Have I played the part well? Then applaud me as I exit.'

'I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.'

'France, the army, the head of the army, Joséphine.'

'I should never have switched from scotch to martinis.'

'I am not the least afraid to die.'

'Pardon me. I didn't do it on purpose.'

'Thomas Jefferson survives.'

'I'm going away tonight.'

'It is very beautiful out there.'

'I will hear in heaven'

'Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est' (Applaud, friends, the comedy is finished)

'Pity, pity, too late!'

'A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP.'

NOW WATCH: Ideas videos

Business Insider Emails & Alerts

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0 Comment for "Famous last words of 17 famous people"