Henry V
Text Circles Dramatis Personae Synopsis All Definitions

Share
All
text
First folio
Modern text
Definitions
Key line
Enter the King, Exeter, Bedford, and Gloucester.Alarum. Enter the King, Exeter, Bedford, Gloucester, H5 III.i.1.1
Alarum: Scaling Ladders at Harflew.other lords, and soldiers, with scaling-ladders H5 III.i.1.2
King.KING HENRY 
Once more vnto the Breach, / Deare friends, once more; Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more, H5 III.i.1
Or close the Wall vp with our English dead: Or close the wall up with our English dead! H5 III.i.2
In Peace, there's nothing so becomes a man, In peace there's nothing so becomes a manbecome (v.)
grace, honour, dignify		H5 III.i.3
As modest stillnesse, and humilitie: As modest stillness and humility:stillness (n.)
restraint, sobriety, quietness of behaviour		H5 III.i.4
But when the blast of Warre blowes in our eares, But when the blast of war blows in our ears, H5 III.i.5
Then imitate the action of the Tyger: Then imitate the action of the tiger;action (n.)
movement, demeanour, gesture		H5 III.i.6
Stiffen the sinewes, commune vp the blood, Stiffen the sinews, conjure up the blood,sinew (n.)

old form: sinewes
nerve		H5 III.i.7
Disguise faire Nature with hard-fauour'd Rage: Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage;hard-favoured (adj.)

old form: hard-fauour'd
ugly, unattractive, unsightly, hideous		H5 III.i.8
Then lend the Eye a terrible aspect: Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;aspect (n.)
gaze, look		H5 III.i.9
Let it pry through the portage of the Head, Let it pry through the portage of the headportage (n.)
portholes, openings		H5 III.i.10
Like the Brasse Cannon: let the Brow o'rewhelme it, Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm itbrow (n.)
eyebrow		H5 III.i.11
As fearefully, as doth a galled Rocke As fearfully as doth a galled rockgalled (adj.)
fretted, chafed, battered		H5 III.i.12
O're-hang and iutty his confounded Base, O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,jutty (v.)

old form: iutty
jut out over, project over		H5 III.i.13
confounded (adj.)
destroyed, ruined, wrecked
Swill'd with the wild and wastfull Ocean. Swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean.swill (v.)

old form: Swill'd
wash, bathe, drench		H5 III.i.14
wasteful (adj.)

old form: wastfull
destructive, devastating, ruinous
Now set the Teeth, and stretch the Nosthrill wide, Now set the teeth, and stretch the nostril wide,stretch (v.)
open wide, extend		H5 III.i.15
Hold hard the Breath, and bend vp euery Spirit Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spiritbend up (v.)

old form: vp
exert, strain, wind up		H5 III.i.16
To his full height. On, on, you Noblish English, To his full height! On, on, you noblest English, H5 III.i.17
Whose blood is fet from Fathers of Warre-proofe: Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof! – fet (v.)
derive, draw		H5 III.i.18
war-proof (n.)

old form: Warre-proofe
valour tested in war
Fathers, that like so many Alexanders, Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,Alexander (n.)
Alexander the Great; Macedonian king in 4th-c BC, known for his extensive empire		H5 III.i.19
Haue in these parts from Morne till Euen fought, Have in these parts from morn till even fought,even (n.)

old form: Euen
evening		H5 III.i.20
morn (n.)

old form: Morne
morning, dawn
And sheath'd their Swords, for lack of argument. And sheathed their swords for lack of argument.argument (n.)
quarrel, dispute, point of contention		H5 III.i.21
Dishonour not your Mothers: now attest, Dishonour not your mothers; now attest H5 III.i.22
That those whom you call'd Fathers, did beget you. That those whom you called fathers did beget you!beget (v.), past form begot
give birth to, father, conceive		H5 III.i.23
Be Coppy now to men of grosser blood, Be copy now to men of grosser blood,gross (adj.)
bad, inferior, poor		H5 III.i.24
copy (n.)

old form: Coppy
example, model, pattern
And teach them how to Warre. And you good Yeomen, And teach them how to war. And you, good yeomen,war (v.)

old form: Warre
make war, fight, do battle		H5 III.i.25
yeoman (n.)
man who owns property but is not a gentleman; land-holding farmer
Whose Lyms were made in England; shew vs here Whose limbs were made in England, show us here H5 III.i.26
The mettell of your Pasture: let vs sweare, The mettle of your pasture; let us swearmettle, mettell (n.)

old form: mettell
spirit, vigour, zest		H5 III.i.27
pasture (n.)
nurture, rearing, upbringing
That you are worth your breeding: which I doubt not: That you are worth your breeding – which I doubt not; H5 III.i.28
For there is none of you so meane and base, For there is none of you so mean and basemean (adj.)

old form: meane
of low rank, inferior in position, less important		H5 III.i.29
base (adj.)
low-born, lowly, plebeian, of lower rank
That hath not Noble luster in your eyes. That hath not noble lustre in your eyes. H5 III.i.30
I see you stand like Grey-hounds in the slips, I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,slip (n.)
leash, lead, tether		H5 III.i.31
Straying vpon the Start. The Game's afoot: Straining upon the start. The game's afoot! H5 III.i.32
Follow your Spirit; and vpon this Charge, Follow your spirit, and upon this charge H5 III.i.33
Cry, God for Harry, England, and S. George. Cry ‘ God for Harry, England, and Saint George!’George, Saint
in Christian tradition, the patron saint of England, 3rd-c		H5 III.i.34
Alarum, and Chambers goe off.Exeunt. Alarum, and chambers go offchamber (n.)
piece of ordnance, cannon, gun		H5 III.i.34.1
 Previous Act III, Scene I Next  
x

Jump directly to