I am a legend

I am a legend. I will forever exist.
Many millennia passed since I last walked the earth.
Though I'm long gone, I'm still loved and adored – even missed
By my descendants, my people and clansmen, for what it is worth.

For generations, my image and name have been used
As an excuse for a number of different things.
I've been a patron of arts, education – a muse,
And a protector, an angel with radiant wings.

Many atrocities have been committed as well:
War crimes and murders and holocausts – all in my name.
Thousands of men waged their wars, fought, and quarreled, and fell
On muddy battlefields, searching for glory and fame.

And through the ages, my story continues to live.
Details are added and dropped. What remains is a gist.
No one remembers – or cares – what I thought or believed…
I am a legend. I will forever exist.