Henry V: Epilogue Translation

A side-by-side translation of Epilogue of Henry V from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Chorus as Epilogue. CHORUS Thus far with rough and all-unable pen Our bending author hath pursued the story, In little room confining mighty men, Mangling by starts the full course of their glory. Small time, but in that small most greatly lived 5 This star of England. Fortune made his sword, By which the world’s best garden he achieved And of it left his son imperial lord. Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crowned King Of France and England, did this king succeed, 10 Whose state so many had the managing That they lost France and made his England bleed, Which oft our stage hath shown. And for their sake, In your fair minds let this acceptance take. He exits.	The Chorus troops out on stage one last time to deliver the Epilogue. We're told that after Henry's victorious exploits in France, he and Catherine had a son (who became Henry VI). Unfortunately, Henry VI lost France and led England into bloody war. The Chorus reminds us that Shakespeare has already portrayed these events in the plays Henry VI Part 1 and Henry VI Part 2. (What? Sometimes Shakespeare likes to give himself a shout-out.)

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Chorus as Epilogue.

CHORUS
Thus far with rough and all-unable pen
Our bending author hath pursued the story,
In little room confining mighty men,
Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.
Small time, but in that small most greatly lived 5
This star of England. Fortune made his sword,
By which the world’s best garden he achieved
And of it left his son imperial lord.
Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crowned King
Of France and England, did this king succeed, 10
Whose state so many had the managing
That they lost France and made his England bleed,
Which oft our stage hath shown. And for their sake,
In your fair minds let this acceptance take.

He exits.

The Chorus troops out on stage one last time to deliver the Epilogue.

We're told that after Henry's victorious exploits in France, he and Catherine had a son (who became Henry VI). Unfortunately, Henry VI lost France and led England into bloody war.

The Chorus reminds us that Shakespeare has already portrayed these events in the plays Henry VI Part 1 and Henry VI Part 2. (What? Sometimes Shakespeare likes to give himself a shout-out.)

Henry V: Epilogue Translation

A side-by-side translation of Epilogue of Henry V from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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