Flight, but for how long?

The final consisted of one essay question, a take home, for which the intemperate professor had allotted 72 hours. It read:

assume a crow and an eagle have each lived a long, full avian life. Each will die today. Is it better for the crow to die in mid flight so it it rebounds, lifeless, off the ground, or to die with its feet on the ground and wings folded in? How about the eagle - which form of death would be better? How would Parfit answer? How would Diogenes? How would Cavell? How do you?

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The intrepid readiness, the terrible eyes.

 The wild God of the world is sometimes merciful to those

That ask mercy, not often to the arrogant.