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Famous Quotations from Henry V
O! for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention!
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene. (Chorus.1)
Can this cockpit hold
The vasty fields of France? or may we cram
Within this wooden O the very casques
That did affright the air at Agincourt? (Chorus.11)
Consideration, like an angel, came
And whipped the offending Adam out of him. (1.1.28)
Turn him to any cause of policy,
The Gordian knot of it he will unloose,
Familiar as his garter: that when he speaks,
The air, a chartered libertine, is still. (1.1.47)
O noble English! that could entertain
With half their forces the full pride of France,
And let another half stand laughing by,
All out of work, and cold for action. (1.2.111)
For so work the honey-bees,
Creatures that by a rule in nature teach
The act of order to a peopled kingdom.
They have a king and officers of sorts;
Where some, like magistrates, correct at home,
Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad,
Others, like soldiers, armèd in their stings,
Make boot upon the summer's velvet buds;
Which pillage they with merry march bring home
To the tent-royal of their emperor. (1.2.186)
Would I were with him, wheresome'er he is, either in heaven or in hell. (2.3.7)
Even at the turning o' the tide. (2.3.13)
His nose was as sharp as a pen, and a' babbled of green fields. (2.3.17)
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead!
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect. (3.1.1)
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument. (3.1.22)
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry! England and Saint George!' (3.1.31)
Would I were in an alehouse in London! I would give all my fame for a pot of ale, and safety. (3.2.13)
Men of few words are the best men. (3.2.41)
Give them great meals of beef and iron and steel, they will eat like wolves and fight like devils.
I thought upon one pair of English legs
Did march three Frenchmen. (3.7.166)
You may as well say, that 's a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion. (3.7.130)
The hum of either army stilly sounds,
That the fixed sentinels almost receive
The secret whispers of each other's watch;
Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames
Each battle sees the other's umbered face;
Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs
Piercing the night's dull ear, and from the tents
The armourers, accomplishing the knights,
With busy hammers closing rivets up,
Give dreadful note of preparation. (4.Chorus.6)
There is some soul of goodness in things evil,
Would men observingly distil it out. (4.1.59)
Every subject's duty is the king's; but every subject's soul is his own. (4.1.231)
I think the king is but a man, as I am: the violet smells to him as it doth to me. (4.1.106)
Winding up days with toil and nights with sleep. (4.1.330)
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive. (4.3.31)
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say, 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say, 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words,
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England, now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. (4.3.43)
There is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things. (5.1.50)
All hell shall stir for this. (5.1.111)
God, the best maker of all marriages,
Combine your hearts in one. (5.2.388)
If he be not fellow with the best king, thou shalt find the best king of good fellows. (5.2.410)
Thus far, with rough and all-unable pen,
Our bending author hath pursued the story,
In little room confining mighty men,
Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.
Small time, but in that small most greatly lived
This star of England. Fortune made his sword,
By which the world's best garden he achieved,
And of it made his son imperial lord. (Epilogue)
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