There seems to be a universal archetype wherein a famous person dies or utters last words befitting the life she lived. The Greeks and Romans were no different, but why are so many of these stories so odd? Aeschylus: terminated by a tortoise; Euripides: devastated by dogs. And Sophocles? graped in the glottis. Is there any truth to these tales or is this just another episode of When Hubris Met Nemesis? As always, pick up lots of practical advice along the way, such as--choose  walnut to avoid getting venus flytrapped by an oak. And if a friend while on his deathbed asks you to burn his literary masterpiece, the answer is always "NO."