First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
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| Enter Prologue. | Flourish. Enter Chorus | Muse (n.) one of the nine goddesses in Greek mythology, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who gave artistic inspiration; also called the Helicons, as they lived on Mt Helicon | H5 I.chorus.1 | |
| CHORUS | | | |
| O For a Muse of Fire, that would ascend | O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend | | H5 I.chorus.1 | |
| The brightest Heauen of Inuention: | The brightest heaven of invention, | invention (n.)inventiveness, imagination, creative faculty | H5 I.chorus.2 | |
| A Kingdome for a Stage, Princes to Act, | A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, | | H5 I.chorus.3 | |
| And Monarchs to behold the swelling Scene. | And monarchs to behold the swelling scene! | swelling (adj.)magnificent, grand, resplendent | H5 I.chorus.4 | |
| Then should the Warlike Harry, like himselfe, | Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, | | H5 I.chorus.5 | |
| Assume the Port of Mars, and at his heeles | Assume the port of Mars, and at his heels, | port (n.)bearing, demeanour, carriage | H5 I.chorus.6 | |
| | Mars (n.)Roman god of war | | |
| (Leasht in, like Hounds) should Famine, Sword, and Fire | Leashed in like hounds, should famine, sword, and fire | | H5 I.chorus.7 | |
| Crouch for employment. But pardon, Gentles all: | Crouch for employment. But pardon, gentles all, | gentle (n.)(plural) ladies and gentlemen, gentlefolk | H5 I.chorus.8 | |
| The flat vnraysed Spirits, that hath dar'd, | The flat unraised spirits that have dared | flat (adj.)feeble, dull, deficient | H5 I.chorus.9 | |
| | unraised (adj.)ordinary, humdrum, unimaginative | | |
| On this vnworthy Scaffold, to bring forth | On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth | scaffold (n.)stage, platform [in a theatre] | H5 I.chorus.10 | |
| So great an Obiect. Can this Cock-Pit hold | So great an object. Can this cockpit hold | cockpit (n.)theatre pit, theatrical arena | H5 I.chorus.11 | |
| The vastie fields of France? Or may we cramme | The vasty fields of France? Or may we cram | vasty (adj.)vast, immense, spacious | H5 I.chorus.12 | |
| Within this Woodden O, the very Caskes | Within this wooden O the very casques | casque, caske (n.)helmet | H5 I.chorus.13 | |
| That did affright the Ayre at Agincourt? | That did affright the air at Agincourt? | affright (v.)frighten, terrify, scare | H5 I.chorus.14 | |
| O pardon: since a crooked Figure may | O, pardon! since a crooked figure may | crooked (adj.)rounded, curved | H5 I.chorus.15 | |
| Attest in little place a Million, | Attest in little place a million, | attest (v.)vouch for, be evidence of, testify to | H5 I.chorus.16 | |
| And let vs, Cyphers to this great Accompt, | And let us, ciphers to this great account, | cipher (n.)figure nought, nonentity, mere nothing | H5 I.chorus.17 | |
| | account, accompt (n.)reckoning, judgement [especially by God] | | |
| On your imaginarie Forces worke. | On your imaginary forces work. | imaginary (adj.)imaginative, creative, of the imagination | H5 I.chorus.18 | |
| Suppose within the Girdle of these Walls | Suppose within the girdle of these walls | | H5 I.chorus.19 | |
| Are now confin'd two mightie Monarchies, | Are now confined two mighty monarchies, | | H5 I.chorus.20 | |
| Whose high, vp-reared, and abutting Fronts, | Whose high upreared and abutting fronts | | H5 I.chorus.21 | |
| The perillous narrow Ocean parts asunder. | The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder. | | H5 I.chorus.22 | |
| Peece out our imperfections with your thoughts: | Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts: | | H5 I.chorus.23 | |
| Into a thousand parts diuide one Man, | Into a thousand parts divide one man, | | H5 I.chorus.24 | |
| And make imaginarie Puissance. | And make imaginary puissance. | puissance (n.)power, might, force | H5 I.chorus.25 | |
| Thinke when we talke of Horses, that you see them | Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them | | H5 I.chorus.26 | |
| Printing their prowd Hoofes i'th' receiuing Earth: | Printing their proud hoofs i'th' receiving earth; | proud (adj.)high-spirited, high-mettled | H5 I.chorus.27 | |
| For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our Kings, | For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings, | deck (v.)cover, adorn, decorate | H5 I.chorus.28 | |
| Carry them here and there: Iumping o're Times; | Carry them here and there, jumping o'er times, | | H5 I.chorus.29 | |
| Turning th' accomplishment of many yeeres | Turning th' accomplishment of many years | | H5 I.chorus.30 | |
| Into an Howre-glasse: for the which supplie, | Into an hour-glass: for the which supply, | | H5 I.chorus.31 | |
| Admit me Chorus to this Historie; | Admit me Chorus to this history, | chorus (n.)character in a play who speaks the prologue and comments on the course of events | H5 I.chorus.32 | |
| Who Prologue-like, your humble patience pray, | Who Prologue-like your humble patience pray, | | H5 I.chorus.33 | |
| Gently to heare, kindly to iudge our Play. | Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play. | | H5 I.chorus.34 | |
| Exit. | Exit | | H5 I.chorus.34 | |