Shakespeare’s apt words for Memorial Day

Memorial Day evokes combined feelings: satisfaction within the valor of those that gave their lives in the reason for freedom; sorrow that such self-sacrifice ought to have been obligatory. Delight in previous valor could also be finest expressed within the St. Crispin’s Day speech from “Henry V” (Act IV, Scene iii), delivered by the younger king on the eve of the Battle of Agincourt.

St. Crispin’s Day

By William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

    If we’re mark’d to die, we’re enow
    To do our nation loss; and if to stay
    The less males, the better share of honour.
    God’s will! I pray thee, want not one man extra.

    By Jove, I’m not covetous for gold,
    Nor care I who doth feed upon my value;
    It yearns me not if males my clothes put on;
    Such outward issues dwell not in my needs:

    But when it’s a sin to covet honour,
    I’m probably the most offending soul alive.
    No, religion, my coz, want not a person from England:
    God’s peace! I’d not lose so nice an honour

As one man extra, methinks, would share from me
    For the most effective hope I’ve. O, don’t want another!
    Slightly proclaim it, Westmoreland, by my host,
    That he which hath no abdomen to this combat,

    Let him depart; his passport shall be made
    And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
    We’d not die in that man’s firm
    That fears his fellowship to die with us.

    Today is name’d the feast of Crispian:
    He that outlives this present day, and comes protected dwelling,
    Will stand a tip-toe when this present day is known as,
    And rouse him on the identify of Crispian.

    He that shall stay this present day, and see outdated age,
    Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbors,
    And say ‘Tomorrow is Saint Crispian:’
    Then he’ll strip his sleeve and present his scars,

    And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
    Previous males overlook: but all shall be forgot,
    However he’ll bear in mind with benefits
    What feats he did that day: then shall our names

    Acquainted in his mouth as family phrases:
    Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
    Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
    Be of their flowing cups freshly bear in mind’d,

    This story shall the nice man educate his son;
    And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
    From this present day to the ending of the world,
    However we in it shall be remembered;

    We few, we pleased few, we band of brothers;
    For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
    Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
    Today shall mild his situation:

    And gents in England now abed
    Shall assume themselves accursed they weren’t right here,
    And maintain their manhoods low cost whiles any speaks
    That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

The English at Agincourt misplaced about 700 males; the French useless totaled no less than 8,000, together with seven princes of the blood and the flower of French chivalry.