No Fear Shakespeare

Henry V

William Shakespeare

Get this No Fear to go!

Act 2, Scene 1

Original Text

Modern Text

Enter Corporal NYM and Lieutenant BARDOLPH
Corporal NYM and Lieutenant BARDOLPH enter.

BARDOLPH
Well met, Corporal Nym.
BARDOLPH
Good to see you, Corporal Nym.

NYM
Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph.
NYM
Good day, Lieutenant Bardolph.

BARDOLPH
What, are Ancient Pistol and you friends yet?
BARDOLPH
Tell me, are you and Ensign Pistol friends again yet?

NYM
For my part, I care not. I say little, but when time shall serve, there shall be smiles; but that shall be as it may. I dare not fight, but I will wink and hold out mine iron. It is a simple one, but what though? It will toast cheese, and it will endure cold as another man’s sword will, and there’s an end.
NYM
For my part, I really don’t care. I don’t say much, but when the time comes, we’ll smile at each other. But that’s as it may be. I won’t fight, but I can close my eyes and take a swipe with my sword—just a simple sword, but so what? It’s good enough to toast cheese, and it will survive cold as well as another man’s sword. And that’s that.

BARDOLPH
I will bestow a breakfast to make you friends; and we’ll be all three sworn brothers to France. Let ’t be so, good Corporal Nym.
BARDOLPH
I’ll buy you both breakfast if it will make you two friends. Then we can all three be comrades on our way to France. How about it, Corporal Nym?

NYM
Faith, I will live so long as I may, that’s the certain of it. And when I cannot live any longer, I will do as I may. That is my rest; that is the rendezvous of it.
NYM
Well, I will live until I die, that’s for sure, and when I can’t live anymore, I’ll deal with it. That’s it. That’s really all I can say.

15
BARDOLPH
It is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nell Quickly, and certainly she did you wrong, for you were troth-plight to her.
BARDOLPH
It’s true, corporal, that he is married to Nell Quickly. And it’s true that she did you wrong, since you were engaged to her.

NYM
I cannot tell. Things must be as they may. Men may sleep, and they may have their throats about them at that time, and some say knives have edges. It must be as it may. Though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. There must be conclusions. Well, I cannot tell.
NYM
It’s not for me to say. Things are what they are. Men may sleep, and when they do they may have their throats with them, and some people say knives have blades. What must be must be, and though my patience is worn out, it will last a little longer. There must be some resolution. Well, it’s not for me to say.

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