PROLOGUE The Life of King Henry the Fifth  Shakespeare homepage  |  Henry V  | Act 1, Prologue 

 Next scene  PROLOGUE 

 Enter Chorus  Chorus  O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend 

 The brightest heaven of invention, 

 A kingdom for a stage, princes to act 

 And monarchs to behold the swelling scene! 

 Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, 

 Assume the port of Mars; and at his heels, 

 Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire 

 Crouch for employment. But pardon, and gentles all, 

 The flat unraised spirits that have dared 

 On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth 

 So great an object: can this cockpit hold 

 The vasty fields of France? or may we cram 

 Within this wooden O the very casques 

 That did affright the air at Agincourt? 

 O, pardon! since a crooked figure may 

 Attest in little place a million; 

 And let us, ciphers to this great accompt, 

 On your imaginary forces work. 

 Suppose within the girdle of these walls 

 Are now confined two mighty monarchies, 

 Whose high upreared and abutting fronts 

 The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder: 

 Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts; 

 Into a thousand parts divide on man, 

 And make imaginary puissance; 

 Think when we talk of horses, that you see them 

 Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving earth; 

 For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings, 

 Carry them here and there; jumping o'er times, 

 Turning the accomplishment of many years 

 Into an hour-glass: for the which supply, 

 Admit me Chorus to this history; 

 Who prologue-like your humble patience pray, 

 Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play. 



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