Lefteris Pitarakis/AP Photo
Nelson Mandela's signature can be seen written on this edition of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare, which was circulated South Africa's apartheid-era Robben Island jail in the 1970s.
In honor of Nelson Mandela's 94th birthday: a story about a book, known as the Robben Island Bible.
Prisoners weren't allowed to have reading material — one prisoner was finally allowed one book. The only thing he could think of that would keep him going in prison was Shakespeare's Complete Works. So that's what he got — and he circulated it secretly in the prison. Prisoners signed their favorite passages.
Nelson Mandela chose "Julius Caesar," and signed in front of this line on December 16, 1977, thirteen years after the South African leader went to prison: "Cowards die many times before their deaths."
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Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,(35)
It seems to me most strange that men should fear
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.
Nelson Mandela is a world treasure.
i tell you the truth. life does not end. people get recycled. it also says so in the bible. when people realize they have to come back to the @!$%# they create, things will change. not before then.
its quite bad that the really profound things like this are not emphasized more in the development of our society. this whole entertainment thing is like painting rotten wood. one must wonder how long this will continue before it all falls apart. sounds negative but if we dont start adorning our shelves with reminders of what counts, we will simply get sold down the river. oops, boehner and cantor already did that. looks like they want romney to gather the pawnbrokers to take up the pieces.
perhaps you might look at the history of pawning - quite interesting. i would like to ask a question here if it isnt to presumptuous. DID MORMONS DISAVOW JESUS and the TEN COMMANDMENTS?
Careful there, Elmer... Arguing "Our Jesus can beat up your Jesus" with Mormons is pretty futile.. They claim their Big Guy hopped over the ocean and made a stop on this continent to minister to some mythical Hebrews--who left no DNA traces, either. They used to be the "principal ancestors" of today's Native Americans until a scientist-friend of mine showed up and sent them running for their Etch-a-Sketches.
And you really don't want too much attention focussed on the Resurrection and the Eucharist; historically they can be traced back to the Osiris myth in ancient Egypt, and there are a couple of others of whom it was claimed they were born of virgins.
It's fine to think Jesus said some good things, but none of them can be traced back to the time he is alleged to have lived.