Act 2, Scene 4

Original Text

*France. The King's palace. Flourish. Enter the French King, the Dauphin, the Dukes of Berry and Brittany, the Constable and others.* FRENCH KING. Thus comes the English with full power upon us, And more than carefully it us concerns To answer royally in our defences. Therefore the Dukes of Berry and of Brittany, Of Brabant and of Orleans, shall make forth, And you, Prince Dauphin, with all swift dispatch, To line and new repair our towns of war With men of courage and with means defendant; For England his approaches makes as fierce As waters to the sucking of a gulf.

Modern English

*France. The King's palace. Trumpets sound. The French King enters with the Dauphin, the Dukes of Berry and Brittany, the Constable, and others.* FRENCH KING. The English are coming at us with full force, and it is critically important that we mount a royal defense. Therefore the Dukes of Berry, Brittany, Brabant, and Orleans shall march out, and you, Prince Dauphin, with all possible speed, must reinforce and repair our fortified towns with brave men and military supplies. England's advance is as fierce and relentless as water rushing into a whirlpool.

Original Text

DAUPHIN. My most redoubted father, It is most meet we arm us 'gainst the foe; For peace itself should not so dull a kingdom, Though war nor no known quarrel were in question, But that defences, musters, preparations, Should be maintain'd, assembled, and collected, As were a war in expectation. Therefore, I say, 'tis meet we all go forth To view the sick and feeble parts of France. And let us do it with no show of fear; No, with no more than if we heard that England Were busied with a Whitsun morris-dance; For, my good liege, she is so idly king'd, Her sceptre so fantastically borne By a vain, giddy, shallow, humorous youth, That fear attends her not.

Modern English

DAUPHIN. My most feared and respected father, it is certainly right that we arm against the enemy. Even in peacetime, a kingdom should not grow so complacent -- even with no war or quarrel in sight -- that its defenses, musters, and preparations are not maintained and kept ready, as if a war were expected. So I agree: we should all go out to inspect the weak and vulnerable parts of France. And let us do it without any show of fear -- no more concern than if we heard England was busy with a country dance. Because, my good lord, their country is so lazily governed, its scepter held so carelessly by a vain, dizzy, shallow, foolish young man, that there is nothing to be afraid of.

Original Text

CONSTABLE. O peace, Prince Dauphin! You are too much mistaken in this king. Question your Grace the late ambassadors With what great state he heard their embassy, How well supplied with noble counsellors, How modest in exception, and withal How terrible in constant resolution, And you shall find his vanities forespent Were but the outside of the Roman Brutus, Covering discretion with a coat of folly; As gardeners do with ordure hide those roots That shall first spring and be most delicate.

Modern English

CONSTABLE. Enough, Prince Dauphin! You are badly mistaken about this king. Ask the ambassadors who recently returned about the impressive dignity with which he received them, how well surrounded he was by wise counselors, how measured in his objections, and yet how terrifying in his unwavering determination. You will find that his former wildness was merely an outer disguise, like the Roman Brutus, hiding sharp judgment beneath a cloak of foolishness -- the way gardeners cover delicate roots with manure so they will be the first to bloom and the most beautiful.

Original Text

*Enter Exeter.* FRENCH KING. From our brother of England? EXETER. From him; and thus he greets your Majesty: He wills you, in the name of God Almighty, That you divest yourself, and lay apart The borrowed glories that by gift of heaven, By law of nature and of nations, 'longs To him and to his heirs; namely, the crown And all wide-stretched honours that pertain By custom and the ordinance of times Unto the crown of France.

Modern English

*Exeter enters.* FRENCH KING. You come from our brother the King of England? EXETER. I do, and this is his greeting to your Majesty: He commands you, in the name of God Almighty, to strip yourself of the borrowed glory that by divine right, by the law of nature and of nations, belongs to him and his heirs -- namely the crown and all the vast honors that belong, by longstanding custom and ancient tradition, to the throne of France.

Original Text

FRENCH KING. Or else what follows? EXETER. Bloody constraint; for if you hide the crown Even in your hearts, there will he rake for it. Therefore in fierce tempest is he coming, In thunder and in earthquake, like a Jove, That, if requiring fail, he will compel; And bids you, in the bowels of the Lord, Deliver up the crown, and to take mercy On the poor souls for whom this hungry war Opens his vasty jaws. This is his claim, his threat'ning, and my message. FRENCH KING. For us, we will consider of this further. Tomorrow shall you bear our full intent Back to our brother of England. *Flourish. Exeunt.*

Modern English

FRENCH KING. And if we refuse? EXETER. Bloody compulsion. Even if you hide the crown inside your very hearts, he will tear it out. He is coming like a fierce storm, with thunder and earthquake, like the god Jupiter himself. If asking fails, he will take it by force. And he begs you, in God's name, to surrender the crown and show mercy to the poor souls for whom this hungry war opens its enormous jaws. That is his claim, his threat, and my message. FRENCH KING. We will consider this further. Tomorrow you shall carry our full response back to our brother the King of England. *Trumpets sound. They exit.*

Henry V

Act 2, Scene 4

Act 2, Scene 4