“This day is called the feast of Crispian”
Today is Saint Crispin’s Day and the anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years War and immortalized in Shakespeare’s “Henry V” who gave us the “Band of Brothers” speech.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian’:
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy 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,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
–Henry V, Act IV, Scene 3.
Category: Historical
Thank you Jonn. Though I liked “Band Of Brothers”, far more than “Henry V”, I still liked the movie. Amazing that the sentiments expressed by Shakespeare from a battle in 1415 still ring true today. Truer even today in my mind. Combat was not a “pleasant” thing by any definition in my experience of it. But I CANNOT imagine combat with swords, spears and axes. That is very up close and very personal. Not for the faint of heart I would imagine, to say the least.
Always gives me a thrill, or maybe chills.
Seconded. Every October 25th for the last five years, I have woken up and listened to this. It sends chills down my spine every time. No better way to spend a birthday.
This year, I tried something different. I tried to teach my third grade class this speech. I didn’t expect them to memorize it, but I made sure they could read it fluently, and knew the meaning behind it.
Warning – kinda negative: When I listen to it I remember being spit at, etc.
Mixed emotions prompt my reaction.
Kinda “What if?”
CAS6…From your post I gather…it’s your Birthday! A very happy one and many happy returns of the day as well.
And to think half of Henry’s army was down with dysentery, and worse, makes their victory in the face of an overwhelming French force all the more incredible.
Never underestimate the power of a man defending all he has.
Few people, save for historians, would know of Agincourt or even find it remarkable were it not for Shakespeare’s play about a king that died young. Agincourt was a desperate battle fought by a beaten and retreating force. Harry was trying to get to the coast and take his army off the continent when he was intercepted by the french and forced to stand and fight. Agincourt is famous for being a battle where the field itself determined the winner. The ground and the English Longbow conspired to ruin a french army and change the balance of power in Europe. Agincourt was a minor battle in the greater scheme of European warfare, but for Shakespeare’s play it would never have reached the status of legend.
Indeed. All during the Hundred Year’s War, English commanders consistently were able to better read the lay of the land, and find a battlefield that suited best the composition of the force they commanded.
The French were the very definition of bravery, but their notion of class overriding all, of nobility fighting for self-aggrandizement rather than teamwork was their Achilles Heel.
The casualty lists bear that out.
What is probably the most amazing thing to me is that those casualty lists still exist today. Written at the time, complete with the royal and herald’s seals, these rolls give us an accurate count and names of those who perished.
It is one of THOSE things, for me, at least.
When I visit my dad’s grave (KIA Korea) this speech echos loudly. Then I did my bit and got spit at. I don’t mention that when I visit Pop. Got a hunch he would be sorely disappointed?
Which, it’s my birfday, so I’mma borrow Jonn’s post to pimp my own blog.
http://xbradtc.com/2014/10/25/the-battle-of-agincourt-and-the-airland-battle-doctrine-2/
This reminds me of an even more recent event, where a noble leader of men deigned to speak to some yokels who were probably fighting someone somewhere. I think.
Who cares about them, though. Obama is sooooo dreamy, you guys.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/pj-gladnick/2012/05/02/chris-matthews-compares-obama-speech-troops-afghanistan-henry-v