Invictus

Invictus is a short Victorian poem by William Ernest Henley ( 1849-1903 ).

It was first published in 1875 in a book called Book of Verses, then still untitled. The title ( dt: Invictus ) was given the poem by Arthur Quiller-Couch, as it was included in The Oxford Book of English Verse.

Text

German (closing lines)

Origin

Henley was when he wrote Invictus in a hospital where the doctors wanted him his second ( tuberculous ) amputated foot and he fought against.

Reception

Nelson Mandela quoted from the poem, drew some during the years of his imprisonment strength and comfort. This is in the film Invictus - unconquered taken. U.S. President Barack Obama quoted the last stanza of the poem on the occasion of his speech at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela on 10 December 2013.