Gedicht op het zwaard waarmee Johan van Oldenbarnevelt in 1619 zou zijn onthoofd Possibly 1744 - 1748

Magdalena de Neve penned this poem in 1744, a lament for Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, ostensibly written on or about the sword that took his life. Above the verse, note the six-pointed star, a symbol laden with meaning. Often associated with Judaism, it is also a powerful emblem of union, balance, and harmony, deeply rooted in alchemy. It's a hexagram, a figure that we see echoed across cultures, from ancient cosmological diagrams to mystical emblems. Consider the symbol of the sword, also referenced in the poem. Beyond its immediate function, the sword represents justice, power, and sacrifice. Think of the Archangel Michael, his sword raised in defiance against chaos. The sword is a recurring symbol in narratives of power, often wielded with great consequence. In its stark presence, the verse recalls the ever-turning wheel of fate, where symbols resurface. They carry the weight of history but are forever reinterpreted through the lens of human experience.