Henry V: Act 4, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 4 of Henry V from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Alarum. Excursions. Enter Pistol, French Soldier, and Boy. PISTOL Yield, cur. FRENCH SOLDIER Je pense que vous êtes le gentilhomme de bonne qualité. PISTOL Qualtitie calmie custure me. Art thou a gentleman? What is thy name? Discuss. 5 FRENCH SOLDIER Ô Seigneur Dieu! PISTOL O, Seigneur Dew should be a gentleman. Perpend my words, O Seigneur Dew, and mark: O Seigneur Dew, thou diest on point of fox, except, O Seigneur, thou do give to me egregious ransom. 10 FRENCH SOLDIER Ô, prenez miséricorde! Ayez pitié de moi! PISTOL Moy shall not serve. I will have forty moys, or I will fetch thy rim out at thy throat in drops of crimson blood. 15 FRENCH SOLDIER Est-il impossible d’échapper la force de ton bras? PISTOL Brass, cur? Thou damned and luxurious mountain goat, offer’st me brass? FRENCH SOLDIER Ô, pardonnez-moi! 20 PISTOL Say’st thou me so? Is that a ton of moys?— Come hither, boy. Ask me this slave in French what is his name.	Cut to the battlefield, where Pistol has encountered an unnamed French Soldier, who mistakes Pistol for a gentleman. Pistol takes the soldier prisoner and demands a ransom, which the French soldier agrees to (after begging for his life, of course).
BOY Écoutez. Comment êtes-vous appelé? FRENCH SOLDIER Monsieur le Fer. 25 BOY He says his name is Master Fer. PISTOL Master Fer. I’ll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him. Discuss the same in French unto him. BOY I do not know the French for “fer,” and “ferret,” and “firk.” 30 PISTOL Bid him prepare, for I will cut his throat. FRENCH SOLDIER, to the Boy Que dit-il, monsieur? BOY Il me commande à vous dire que vous faites vous prêt, car ce soldat ici est disposé tout à cette heure de couper votre gorge. 35 PISTOL Owy, cuppele gorge, permafoy, peasant, unless thou give me crowns, brave crowns, or mangled shalt thou be by this my sword. FRENCH SOLDIER Ô, je vous supplie, pour l’amour de Dieu, me pardonner. Je suis le gentilhomme de bonne 40 maison. Gardez ma vie, et je vous donnerai deux cents écus. PISTOL What are his words? BOY He prays you to save his life. He is a gentleman of a good house, and for his ransom he will give you two 45 hundred crowns. PISTOL Tell him my fury shall abate, and I the crowns will take. FRENCH SOLDIER, to the Boy Petit monsieur, que dit-il? BOY Encore qu’il est contre son jurement de pardonner 50 aucun prisonnier; néanmoins, pour les écus que vous lui avez promis, il est content à vous donner la liberté, le franchisement. French soldier kneels. FRENCH SOLDIER Sur mes genoux je vous donne mille remercîments, et je m’estime heureux que j’ai tombé 55 entre les mains d’un chevalier, je pense, le plus brave, vaillant, et très distingué seigneur d’Angleterre. PISTOL Expound unto me, boy. BOY He gives you upon his knees a thousand thanks, and he esteems himself happy that he hath fall’n 60 into the hands of one, as he thinks, the most brave, valorous, and thrice-worthy seigneur of England. PISTOL As I suck blood, I will some mercy show. Follow me. 65	Since Pistol and the French Soldier don't understand each other, the Boy (who used to be Falstaff's page) has to translate everything.
BOY Suivez-vous le grand capitaine. The French Soldier stands up. He and Pistol exit. I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart. But the saying is true: “The empty vessel makes the greatest sound.” Bardolph and Nym had ten times more valor than this roaring devil i’ th’ old 70 play, that everyone may pare his nails with a wooden dagger, and they are both hanged, and so would this be if he durst steal anything adventurously. I must stay with the lackeys with the luggage of our camp. The French might have a good prey of us if he 75 knew of it, for there is none to guard it but boys. He exits.	The Boy complains to us that Pistol is nothing but a loudmouth braggart. He then reveals to us that Nim has been hanged for stealing, just like Bardolph. (Dang. The rowdy Eastcheap characters are dropping like flies. Who's next?) The Boy heads back to the English camp, where the rest of the young pages (boy servants) have to stay behind while the men duke it out on the battlefield. (Get your highlighters out because this will be important later on.)