Richard III: Act 5, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 2 of Richard III from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Richmond, Oxford, Blunt, Herbert, and others, with Drum and Colors. RICHMOND Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends, Bruised underneath the yoke of tyranny, Thus far into the bowels of the land Have we marched on without impediment, And here receive we from our father Stanley 5 Lines of fair comfort and encouragement. The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar, That spoiled your summer fields and fruitful vines, Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his trough 10 In your embowelled bosoms—this foul swine Is now even in the center of this isle, Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn. From Tamworth thither is but one day’s march. In God’s name, cheerly on, courageous friends, 15 To reap the harvest of perpetual peace By this one bloody trial of sharp war.	Richmond has made camp at Tamworth, only a day's march from where Richard is encamped at Leicester. As Richmond and his men have been marching across England to face Richard, he has been receiving encouraging and informative letters about Richard's placement and army strength from his stepfather Stanley, who is still in Richard's fold. Richmond gives a rousing and beautiful speech to his followers about the damage that Richard has caused to England and to each individual citizen. Richmond hails this battle as the final bloody push to bring a lasting peace to the land.
OXFORD Every man’s conscience is a thousand men To fight against this guilty homicide. HERBERT I doubt not but his friends will turn to us. 20 BLUNT He hath no friends but what are friends for fear, Which in his dearest need will fly from him. RICHMOND All for our vantage. Then, in God’s name, march. True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings; Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings. 25 All exit.	His men believe that conscience is on their side, which makes up for any numbers they might lack. One man fighting for his convictions is as good as a thousand men. Also, Richard's forces are waning in number: those who fight beside him do so out of fear more than love. This can't bode well for Richard on the field, as his men will likely desert as soon as they're given the chance. Richmond, with a final note that his men fight on the side of true hope, inspires his men to march on to battle.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Richmond, Oxford, Blunt, Herbert, and others,
with Drum and Colors.

RICHMOND
Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends,
Bruised underneath the yoke of tyranny,
Thus far into the bowels of the land
Have we marched on without impediment,
And here receive we from our father Stanley 5
Lines of fair comfort and encouragement.
The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar,
That spoiled your summer fields and fruitful vines,
Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his
trough 10
In your embowelled bosoms—this foul swine
Is now even in the center of this isle,
Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn.
From Tamworth thither is but one day’s march.
In God’s name, cheerly on, courageous friends, 15
To reap the harvest of perpetual peace
By this one bloody trial of sharp war.

Richmond has made camp at Tamworth, only a day's march from where Richard is encamped at Leicester.

As Richmond and his men have been marching across England to face Richard, he has been receiving encouraging and informative letters about Richard's placement and army strength from his stepfather Stanley, who is still in Richard's fold.

Richmond gives a rousing and beautiful speech to his followers about the damage that Richard has caused to England and to each individual citizen. Richmond hails this battle as the final bloody push to bring a lasting peace to the land.

OXFORD
Every man’s conscience is a thousand men
To fight against this guilty homicide.

HERBERT
I doubt not but his friends will turn to us. 20

BLUNT
He hath no friends but what are friends for fear,
Which in his dearest need will fly from him.

RICHMOND
All for our vantage. Then, in God’s name, march.
True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings;
Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings. 25

All exit.

His men believe that conscience is on their side, which makes up for any numbers they might lack. One man fighting for his convictions is as good as a thousand men.

Also, Richard's forces are waning in number: those who fight beside him do so out of fear more than love. This can't bode well for Richard on the field, as his men will likely desert as soon as they're given the chance.

Richmond, with a final note that his men fight on the side of true hope, inspires his men to march on to battle.

Richard III: Act 5, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 2 of Richard III from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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