The final words of another are a reminder of our own mortality. These last moments show us how our dying words, just like our lives, cannot be perfect or planned. It is not about making the final moments perfect, but about making the moments that lead up to it count.
Disclaimer: As these are the dying words of historical figures, it is hard to judge how accurate the reporting of these words are.
Karl Marx (1818-1883), Philosopher and Father of Communism
“Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough.”
The cause of Marx's'death was bronchitis.
August Caesar (100-44 BC), First Roman Emperor
The last words his subjects heard from him were, “I found Rome of clay; I leave it to you of marble.”
The final words he delivered to his close friends were, “Have I played the part well? Then applaud me as I exit.”
Caesar was assassinated by a group of Roman senators who stabbed him to death next to Pompey’s theatre. It was reported that during his assassination he was shocked to see his friend, Brutus, as one of his assassinators so remarked, “et tu , Brute? (even you, Brutus?)”.
Marie Antoinette (1755-1793), Queen of France
Antoinette was convicted of treason, theft and a (false) charge of sexual abuse against her own son. She accidentally stepped on her executioner’s foot on her to the guillotine, thus her dying words were allegedly, “Pardonnez-moi, monsier. Je ne l’ai pas fait exprès (“Pardon me. I didn’t do it on purpose)".
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), A Founding Father of the United States
Franklin died from a pleuritic attack whilst at home. After his daughter told him to reposition himself in bed to breathe easier he said, “A dying man can do nothing easy.”
Winston Churchill (1974-1965), British Prime Minister
Churchill had a stroke and slowly slipped into a deep sleep for 15 days until his death; his last words were “I’m bored with it all.”
Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), World Champion Boxer
Ali lost the ability to speak five days before his death, thus he had no dying words. However, there are reports that some of his last words heard were “I’m in no pain. No pain. Don’t cry for me, Rahaman. I’m going to be with Allah. I made peace with God, I’m OK. Rahaman, how do I look?”
The cause of Ali’s death was a septic shock.
Ernesto “Che” Guevara (1928-1967), Revolutionary
Guevara was captured by the US-military-backed Bolivian forces and told them “shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man.”
Pancho Villa (1878-1923), Mexican Revolutionary General
Seven riflemen shot over 40 bullets into the car Villa was driving home in; 9 hit Villa, 4 hit his head and he died immediately (along with the 3 others in his car). One of Villa's friends, Ramon Contreras, escaped and claimed Villa's final words were “Don’t let it end like this. Tell them I said something.”
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), A Founding Father of the United States and the Third US President
Jefferson died from pneumonia which was further complicated by uremia on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. His last words were, “Is it the Fourth?”
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), 35th US President
After being told that the city of Dallas loved him, Kennedy stated “that’s very obvious” and seconds later was shot.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969), 34th US President
Eisenhower died of a heart failure at 78 years of age. "I've always loved my wife; I've always loved my children; I've always loved my grandchildren; I've always loved my country. I want to go; God take me."
Josef Stalin (1878-1953), Russian Dictator
Stalin had purged the doctors in Moscow (during the Doctor’s Plot) prior to his death, therefore, finding a highly-skilled doctor to treat him in his final hours was difficult. On the night of his death, Stalin requested his guards not disturb him during the night. His final words were “I am going to bed, I will not be calling you anymore. You can go to bed, too.” However, Stalin suffered a stroke and lay on the floor covered in his own urine.
Louis XIV (1638-1715), King of France from 1643
As the longest reigning European monarch of the time (having reigned for 72 years), Louis suffered from gangrene and his final words were, “Why do you weep? Do you think I should live for ever? I thought dying had been harder.”
Vespasian (9-74), Roman Emperor
Roman Emperors were deified upon their death, therefore, Vespasian showed some wit and said “Woe is me. I think I’m turning into a God.”
Chief Sitting Bull (1831-1890), A Hunkpapa Lakota Leader
Bull remained defiant against the US government who had attempted to have him arrested in fear that he would join the Ghost Dance movement; his final defiant words stated “I am not going. Do with me what you like. I am not going. Come on! Come on! Take action! Let’s go!”
Franz Ferdinand (1863-1914), Archduke of Austria
When Ferdinand and his wife were shot by a Serbian assassin in Sarajevo, he told her “Sophie! Sophie! Don’t die! Live for our children…it is nothing…it is nothing”.
John Jacob Astor IV (1864-1912), Businessman
John Jacob Astor IV was the richest man on the RMS Titanic to die and was separated from his wife who was seated on lifeboats after the Titanic had hit an iceberg and had begun to sink; his last words to her were, “the ladies have to go first. Goodbye, dearie. I’ll see you later.”
Malcolm X (1925-1965), Human Rights Activist
After leaving the Nation of Islam for Islam, members of the nation were incredibly angry with him hence why two members were sent to shoot him during his speech at a rally in New York City; the two men shot at him 21 times. Malcolm said to his assassins, “Hold it! Hold it! Let’s cool it! Let’s be cool, brothers!”
Gaius Caligula (12-41), Roman Emperor
Caligula was assassinated but his final words were “I am still alive”.
References:
Holodny, E. (2017). Famous last words of 19 Famous people, Independent
Higgins, C. (2016). 64 People and Their Famous Last Words, Mental Floss
The Famous Last Words of 41 Historical Greats, (2015). All That’s Interesting
Bender, J. (2013). The Last Words Of 17 Historical Figures, BuzzFeed
Tikunova, P. The Last Words Spoken By Famous People, Bored Panda
Dying Words: Last Words Spoken By Famous People At Death, Ranker
Liwanag, R. 20 Last Words From History’s Most Famous People, Reader’s Digest
White, A. (2017). The Death of Stalin: what really happened on the night that forever changed Soviet history?, The Telegraph