Farewell speech

A farewell speech or farewell address is a speech given by an individual leaving a position or place. They are often used by public figures such as politicians as a to the preceding career, or as statements delivered by persons relating to reasons for their leaving. The term is often used as a euphemism for "retirement speech", though it is broader in that it may include geographical or even biological conclusion. In the Classics, a term for a dignified and poetic farewell speech is apobaterion (ἀποβατήριον), standing opposed to the epibaterion, the corresponding speech made upon arrival.

U.S. presidential farewell addresses

Many U.S. presidential speeches have been given the moniker "farewell address" since George Washington's address in 1796.^[1] Some notable examples:

• George Washington – Washington's Farewell Address where he warned of the dangers of political parties and foreign alliances.

• Dwight D. Eisenhower – Eisenhower's farewell address where he warned of the military–industrial complex.
• Barack Obama – Obama's farewell address made from Chicago, breaking tradition of holding one in the White House.

Other notable farewell speeches

• The speech of Aeneas to Helenus and Andromache, Aeneid, Book III.
• Robert E. Lee – Lee's Farewell Address to the Army of Northern Virginia the day after the end of the Civil War.
• Douglas MacArthur – farewell speeches before Congress and U.S. Military Academy; "old soldiers never die, they only fade away" and "duty, honor, country".

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "^{article name needed}". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (first ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.