Tether-worthy?

[Methariel]

Good evening, everybody,

while reading about the Napoleonic Wars era I stumbled upon Michel Ney, one of Napoleon's marshals. Napoleon called him: "The bravest of the brave" and he apparently was a very courageous soldier, maybe even a daredevil one, and an apt commander.

When it became apparent that Napoleon would lose his throne, he urged him to abdicate and continued service under the new Bourbon ruler Louis XVIII. When the emperor returned, at first he was determined to stay loyal to the French king, but went over to Napoleon after meeting him.

For that, he was tried and sentenced to death after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo.

Until now, his life seems interesting, exciting, but there's no single event - except maybe his deeds in the Russia-campaign of Napoleon - that seems Tether-worthy.

But then came the day of his execution; he should be shot near the Jardin du Luxembourg on December 7th, 1815. He refused to wear a blindfold - and asked for the right to give the order to fire!

Legend records his last words as being:

"Soldiers, when I give the command to fire, fire straight at my heart. Wait for the order. It will be my last to you. I protest against my condemnation. I have fought a hundred battles for France, and not one against her ... Soldiers, Fire!"

(This version is the one given in the English and German Wikipedia article. The French one gives less romantic, but still remarkable last words. But let's keep the "braver" one for our thought exercise.)

So we have a very successful general who apparently always did what he thought was best for France. When faced with death he had the b*lls not only to look straight at the guns armed at him, but was cold-blooded enough to speak memorable last words and then give the command for his own death.

So, do you think this event made the place a (minor) Tether? And to whom? Or did Michel Ney find in these last moments of his life "just" his Destiny - or did he meet his Fate?

If I'd made it a Tether, the following Words come to mind, with a short point, why I'd give it to them:

Hell:

Fate - so prideful to think to always have acted right and then having to command even his own shooting...

the War - a successful general, but too individualistic: he defected twice, so he had to be punished, regardless of his achievements for France

Heaven:

War - so courageous to fight his whole life through for what he believed was right, and even stay victorious in apparent defeat by being brave enough to command his "own" firing squad

the Sword - fulfilling your duty your whole life through, always for the higher cause ("France", not your immediate commander), fighting vigorously, and even, although remonstrative, even accepting the ultimate personal loss while keeping your dignity

Personally, I'd give it to the Sword.

And you?

M.

[Phoenix42]

I second the motion in favour of the sword. Also, in general, I think that Michael would generally favour the French in the Napoleonic wars. For a nation (especially France) to fight off practically all of Europe is very much Sword-esque...

[Matthias Wasser]

Realistically, I think it would be very difficult to live as full a life as Mssr Ney's without meeting Fate and Destiny both. That's not a guy who shirks from great deeds, whether good or ill, should they be presented to him.

That said, I assume that Baal has a set of human retainers within whom Ney would fit right in.

Jardin de Luxembourg has witnessed a lot more than this execution; I'd say it's clearly a Tether of some sort regardless.