No Fear Shakespeare: Henry V: Act 3 Prologue

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Original Text	Modern Text
Enter CHORUS	Enter CHORUS
CHORUS Thus with imagined wing our swift scene flies In motion of no less celerity Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen The well-appointed king at Hampton pier 5 Embark his royalty, and his brave fleet With silken streamers the young Phoebus fanning. Play with your fancies and in them behold, Upon the hempen tackle, shipboys climbing. Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give 10 To sounds confused. Behold the threaden sails, Borne with th' invisible and creeping wind, Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowed sea, Breasting the lofty surge. Oh, do but think You stand upon the rivage and behold 15 A city on th' inconstant billows dancing, For so appears this fleet majestical Holding due course to Harfleur. Follow, follow! Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy And leave your England, as dead midnight still, 20 Guarded with grandsires, babies, and old women, Either past or not arrived to pith and puissance, For who is he whose chin is but enriched With one appearing hair that will not follow These culled and choice-drawn cavaliers to France? 25 Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege. Behold the ordnance on their carriages, With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur. Suppose th' Ambassador from the French comes back, Tells Harry that the king doth offer him	CHORUS Thus with imagined wing our swift scene flies In motion of no less celerity Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen The well-appointed king at Hampton pier Embark his royalty, and his brave fleet With silken streamers the young Phoebus fanning. Play with your fancies and in them behold, Upon the hempen tackle, shipboys climbing. Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give To sounds confused. Behold the threaden sails, Borne with th' invisible and creeping wind, Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowed sea, Breasting the lofty surge. Oh, do but think You stand upon the rivage and behold A city on th' inconstant billows dancing, For so appears this fleet majestical Holding due course to Harfleur. Follow, follow! Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy And leave your England, as dead midnight still, Guarded with grandsires, babies, and old women, Either past or not arrived to pith and puissance, For who is he whose chin is but enriched With one appearing hair that will not follow These culled and choice-drawn cavaliers to France? Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege. Behold the ordnance on their carriages, With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur. Suppose th' Ambassador from the French comes back, Tells Harry that the king doth offer him
30 Katherine his daughter and with her, to dowry, Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms. The offer likes not, and the nimble gunner With linstock now the devilish cannon touches,	Katherine his daughter and with her, to dowry, Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms. The offer likes not, and the nimble gunner With linstock now the devilish cannon touches,
Alarum, and chambers go off	Alarum, and chambers go off
And down goes all before them. Still be kind 35 And eke out our performance with your mind.	And down goes all before them. Still be kind And eke out our performance with your mind.
Exit	Exit

Original Text	Modern Text
Enter CHORUS	Enter CHORUS
CHORUS Thus with imagined wing our swift scene flies In motion of no less celerity Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen The well-appointed king at Hampton pier 5 Embark his royalty, and his brave fleet With silken streamers the young Phoebus fanning. Play with your fancies and in them behold, Upon the hempen tackle, shipboys climbing. Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give 10 To sounds confused. Behold the threaden sails, Borne with th' invisible and creeping wind, Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowed sea, Breasting the lofty surge. Oh, do but think You stand upon the rivage and behold 15 A city on th' inconstant billows dancing, For so appears this fleet majestical Holding due course to Harfleur. Follow, follow! Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy And leave your England, as dead midnight still, 20 Guarded with grandsires, babies, and old women, Either past or not arrived to pith and puissance, For who is he whose chin is but enriched With one appearing hair that will not follow These culled and choice-drawn cavaliers to France? 25 Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege. Behold the ordnance on their carriages, With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur. Suppose th' Ambassador from the French comes back, Tells Harry that the king doth offer him	CHORUS Thus with imagined wing our swift scene flies In motion of no less celerity Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen The well-appointed king at Hampton pier Embark his royalty, and his brave fleet With silken streamers the young Phoebus fanning. Play with your fancies and in them behold, Upon the hempen tackle, shipboys climbing. Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give To sounds confused. Behold the threaden sails, Borne with th' invisible and creeping wind, Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowed sea, Breasting the lofty surge. Oh, do but think You stand upon the rivage and behold A city on th' inconstant billows dancing, For so appears this fleet majestical Holding due course to Harfleur. Follow, follow! Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy And leave your England, as dead midnight still, Guarded with grandsires, babies, and old women, Either past or not arrived to pith and puissance, For who is he whose chin is but enriched With one appearing hair that will not follow These culled and choice-drawn cavaliers to France? Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege. Behold the ordnance on their carriages, With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur. Suppose th' Ambassador from the French comes back, Tells Harry that the king doth offer him
30 Katherine his daughter and with her, to dowry, Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms. The offer likes not, and the nimble gunner With linstock now the devilish cannon touches,	Katherine his daughter and with her, to dowry, Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms. The offer likes not, and the nimble gunner With linstock now the devilish cannon touches,
Alarum, and chambers go off	Alarum, and chambers go off
And down goes all before them. Still be kind 35 And eke out our performance with your mind.	And down goes all before them. Still be kind And eke out our performance with your mind.
Exit	Exit