# Duels and dead men's eyes

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duels-and-dead-mens-eyes/491723
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 2, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duels-and-dead-mens-eyes/491723 "2009-04-02T16:30:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duels-and-dead-mens-eyes/491723/1 "2009-04-02T16:30:44Z")

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Didn’t want to clutter the board, so I’m making a single thread with two unrelated questions. If it’s a big no-no, mods, feel free to split it.

Question number 1 : When did the last honor duel happen in the West ? And are there places in the world where such duels are still not only legal but happening ?

I’m talking about your honest to Og formalized affair, at an appointed time, with witnesses, rules and so on ? Let’s only focus on duels to the death of one (or both) participants, because frankly, first blood is for wusses. Note also that while I started the thread thinking about sword duels, pistol duels are OK too. But no dueling banjos !

Question number 2 : whenever someone dies on TV, another character will get all weepy, then when The Emotional Moment has passed and it’s time to move on, will slowly pass a hand on the dead person’s face to close his/her eyes.  
Does this really happen in reality ? Why ? Does it have anything to do with the Ancient Greek tradition of putting coins for the Ferryman on the eyes of the dead ?