Original: Give me another horse: bind up my wounds.
Modern: Get me another horse! Bandage my injuries!

Original: Have mercy, Jesu!—Soft! I did but dream.
Modern: Jesus, have mercy on me! Wait—I was only dreaming.

Original: O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!
Modern: Oh, my guilty conscience, how you torture me!

Original: The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight.
Modern: The candles are burning with a blue flame. It’s the middle of the night.

Original: Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
Modern: Cold sweat covers my shaking body.

Original: What do I fear? myself? there’s none else by:
Modern: What am I afraid of? Myself? There’s no one else here.

Original: Richard loves Richard; that is, I am I.
Modern: Richard loves Richard—meaning, I am who I am.

Original: Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am:
Modern: Is there a murderer here? No. Wait, yes—I am one.

Original: Then fly. What, from myself? Great reason why:
Modern: Then run away. What, from myself? And here’s a good reason why:

Original: Lest I revenge. What, myself upon myself?
Modern: So I don’t take revenge. What, me taking revenge on myself?

Original: Alack. I love myself. Wherefore? for any good
Modern: Oh no. I love myself. But why? For any good thing

Original: That I myself have done unto myself?
Modern: That I have actually done for myself?

Original: O, no! alas, I rather hate myself
Modern: Oh no! Actually, I hate myself instead

Original: For hateful deeds committed by myself!
Modern: For the terrible things I’ve done!

Original: I am a villain: yet I lie. I am not.
Modern: I’m a villain—but that’s a lie. I’m not one.

Original: Fool, of thyself speak well: fool, do not flatter.
Modern: You fool, say good things about yourself—no, fool, don’t lie to yourself.

Original: My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,
Modern: My conscience has a thousand different voices,

Original: And every tongue brings in a several tale,
Modern: And each voice tells a different story,

Original: And every tale condemns me for a villain.
Modern: And every story accuses me of being a villain.

Original: Perjury, perjury, in the high’st degree
Modern: Lying under oath, extreme lying under oath,

Original: Murder, stem murder, in the direst degree;
Modern: Murder, brutal murder, in the worst possible way;

Original: All several sins, all used in each degree,
Modern: All kinds of sins, committed to every extreme degree,

Original: Throng to the bar, crying all, Guilty! guilty!
Modern: Crowd into the courtroom, all shouting, “Guilty! Guilty!”

Original: I shall despair. There is no creature loves me;
Modern: I’m going to give up hope. No one loves me;

Original: And if I die, no soul shall pity me:
Modern: And if I die, no one will feel sorry for me.

Original: Nay, wherefore should they, since that I myself
Modern: Really, why should they, since I myself

Original: Find in myself no pity to myself?
Modern: Can’t find any pity for myself?

Original: Methought the souls of all that I had murder’d
Modern: I dreamed that the spirits of everyone I had killed

Original: Came to my tent; and every one did threat
Modern: Came to my tent, and each one threatened

Original: To-morrow’s vengeance on the head of Richard.
Modern: To get revenge on Richard tomorrow.

In Act V, Scene 3 of Richard III, the scene opens on the night before the Battle of Bosworth Field with both Richard and Richmond’s armies encamped near each other. Richard enters his tent and calls for his armor to be set out, displaying confidence about the coming battle while dismissing concerns about the enemy’s numbers. He orders ink and paper to be brought so he can review his battle plans, then settles down to sleep. Meanwhile, Richmond enters his own tent in the opposing camp, kneeling in prayer and asking for God’s assistance in the righteous cause against the tyrant Richard before he too retires for the night.

As both leaders sleep, the ghosts of Richard’s victims appear in succession between the two tents - Prince Edward, Henry VI, Clarence, Rivers, Grey, Vaughan, Hastings, the two young princes, Anne, and Buckingham. Each ghost speaks first to Richard, cursing him and prophesying his defeat and death at Bosworth, then turns to Richmond with blessings and encouragement for victory. Richard awakens in terror from these supernatural visitations, crying out and momentarily consumed with guilt and self-doubt about his crimes. Richmond also wakes but feels strengthened and confident, interpreting his dreams as good omens. The scene concludes with both leaders preparing for dawn and the decisive battle, Richard rallying his forces while Richmond inspires his men with a speech about fighting against tyranny.

Richard III opens with Richard, Duke of Gloucester, revealing his villainous intentions to claim the throne of England. Despite his physical deformities, he is determined to remove all obstacles to his coronation. He begins by manipulating his brother Clarence into imprisonment and death, convincing King Edward IV that Clarence poses a threat. Richard also courts Lady Anne, widow of Prince Edward (whom Richard killed), successfully wooing her despite having murdered both her husband and father-in-law. When King Edward IV dies, Richard is named Lord Protector for the young Prince Edward, heir to the throne.

Richard systematically eliminates his rivals and supporters of the rightful heirs. He has Lord Hastings executed for opposing his claim to the throne, and convinces the Duke of Buckingham to help him secure power. Richard and Buckingham spread rumors about the legitimacy of Edward IV’s children, claiming they are bastards. They stage a public scene where Richard reluctantly accepts the crown after appearing to refuse it. Once crowned King Richard III, he orders the murder of the two young princes (Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York) in the Tower of London, though their deaths occur offstage.

Richard’s reign becomes increasingly tyrannical and unstable. The Duke of Buckingham eventually rebels against him and is captured and executed. Richard attempts to consolidate power by proposing to marry Elizabeth of York, his niece, but faces growing opposition. Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, lands in England with an army to claim the throne. The play culminates in the Battle of Bosworth Field, where Richard is haunted by the ghosts of all those he has murdered. Richmond defeats and kills Richard in battle, then marries Elizabeth of York to unite the warring houses of Lancaster and York, establishing the Tudor dynasty and bringing peace to England.