Original: What’s he that wishes so?
Modern: Who is it that’s wishing for more men?

Original: My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin:
Modern: Is it you, Westmoreland? No, my good cousin:

Original: If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
Modern: If we’re destined to die, we have enough men

Original: To do our country loss; and if to live,
Modern: To be a loss to our country; and if we’re meant to survive,

Original: The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
Modern: The fewer men we have, the more glory each of us will get.

Original: God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
Modern: By God’s will! I beg you, don’t wish for even one more man.

Original: By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Modern: I swear, I’m not greedy for gold,

Original: Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
Modern: And I don’t care who eats at my expense;

Original: It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Modern: It doesn’t bother me if men wear my clothes;

Original: Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
Modern: These material things are not what I want:

Original: But if it be a sin to covet honour,
Modern: But if it’s a sin to desire glory,

Original: I am the most offending soul alive.
Modern: Then I’m the biggest sinner alive.

Original: No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:
Modern: No, truly, my cousin, don’t wish for a single man from England:

Original: God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
Modern: By God! I wouldn’t give up such great glory

Original: As one man more, methinks, would share from me
Modern: That even one more man, I think, would take away from me

Original: For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Modern: For anything I could hope for. Oh, don’t wish for one more!

Original: Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
Modern: Instead, announce it, Westmoreland, throughout my army,

Original: That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Modern: That any man who has no courage for this fight,

Original: Let him depart; his passport shall be made
Modern: Let him leave; his travel papers will be prepared

Original: And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
Modern: And money for his journey will be put in his wallet:

Original: We would not die in that man’s company
Modern: We don’t want to die alongside any man

Original: That fears his fellowship to die with us.
Modern: Who’s afraid to join us in death.

Original: This day is called the feast of Crispian:
Modern: This day is called the feast of St. Crispian:

Original: He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Modern: Any man who survives this day and makes it safely home

Original: Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
Modern: Will stand tall with pride when this date is mentioned,

Original: And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
Modern: And get excited at the name of Crispian.

Original: He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Modern: Anyone who lives through this day and grows old

Original: Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
Modern: Will every year on the anniversary throw a party for his neighbors,

Original: And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Modern: And say ‘Tomorrow is Saint Crispian’s Day:’

Original: Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
Modern: Then he’ll roll up his sleeve and show his scars.

Original: And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Modern: And say ‘I got these wounds on Crispin’s day.’

Original: Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
Modern: Old men forget things: and everything will be forgotten,

Original: But he’ll remember with advantages
Modern: But he’ll remember—and exaggerate a bit—

Original: What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Modern: What brave deeds he did that day: and then our names—

Original: Familiar in his mouth as household words
Modern: As familiar in his speech as everyday words—

Original: Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Modern: Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,

Original: Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Modern: Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,

Original: Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
Modern: Will be toasted in their overflowing drinks and freshly remembered.

Original: This story shall the good man teach his son;
Modern: This story will be passed down from father to son;

Original: And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
Modern: And St. Crispin’s Day will never pass,

Original: From this day to the ending of the world,
Modern: From today until the end of the world,

Original: But we in it shall be remember’d;
Modern: Without us being remembered in it;

Original: We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
Modern: We few, we lucky few, we brotherhood;

Original: For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Modern: Because anyone today who bleeds alongside me

Original: Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
Modern: Will become my brother; no matter how low-born he is,

Original: This day shall gentle his condition:
Modern: This day will make him a gentleman:

Original: And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Modern: And gentlemen back in England still in bed

Original: Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
Modern: Will think themselves cursed that they weren’t here,

Original: And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
Modern: And feel ashamed of their manhood whenever anyone speaks

Original: That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
Modern: Who fought with us on Saint Crispin’s day.

In Act IV, Scene 3 of “Henry V,” the English forces at Agincourt await the impending battle with the French. The scene opens with the English nobles discussing their dire circumstances—they are vastly outnumbered by the French army. Westmoreland wishes aloud that they had even ten thousand more men from England to bolster their ranks. King Henry overhears this comment and delivers his famous St. Crispin’s Day speech, rejecting Westmoreland’s wish and instead declaring that he would not want a single additional soldier. Henry proclaims that those who survive this day will be honored and remembered, and that the feast of St. Crispin will forever commemorate their brotherhood and valor.

A French herald named Montjoy arrives to offer King Henry one final chance to negotiate a ransom before the battle begins, as the French are confident of their victory given their numerical superiority. Henry responds that his army, though weakened and small, will fight bravely, and he refuses to pay ransom, telling Montjoy that the only ransom the French will receive will be his body if he falls in battle. The King instructs Montjoy to return to the French commanders with this defiant message. After Montjoy departs, Henry rallies his nobles, and York requests the honor of leading the vanguard into battle, which Henry grants. The scene concludes with Henry and his forces preparing to advance against the French army.

Henry V follows the young English king as he transforms from the wayward Prince Hal into a decisive military leader. The play opens with Henry’s court debating his claim to the French throne through his great-great-grandmother’s lineage. When the French Dauphin mockingly sends Henry tennis balls as a gift, suggesting he should stick to games rather than warfare, Henry uses this insult as justification to invade France. He sentences three conspirators - Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey - to death for plotting against his life, then sets sail for France with his army.

The English forces land in France and lay siege to Harfleur, which Henry captures after his famous “Once more unto the breach” speech. However, his army is weakened by disease and casualties. Meanwhile, we follow the tavern companions from Henry’s youth - Pistol, Nym, Bardolph, and Hostess Quickly, who reports the death of Falstaff. The English army, vastly outnumbered, faces the French at Agincourt. On the eve of battle, Henry disguises himself and walks among his soldiers to gauge their morale, engaging in philosophical discussions about kingship and responsibility.

The Battle of Agincourt proves to be a decisive English victory despite overwhelming French numerical superiority. Henry orders the killing of French prisoners when he believes the French are regrouping, and becomes enraged when he discovers French forces have killed the English boys guarding the baggage train. The English suffer minimal casualties while French losses are enormous. The play concludes with Henry’s courtship of Princess Katherine of France, conducted partly in broken French and English. Their marriage seals the Treaty of Troyes, which names Henry as heir to the French throne, though the Chorus epilogue reminds the audience that Henry’s son would later lose these French territories.