Today in History: October 25 St. (Saint Crispin's Day)

Spero News ^ | 10/25/09 | Martin Barillas

[Kid Shelleen]

October 25 is fraught with anniversaries. It marks a turning point in European history that was to later provide one of the greatest speeches ever to emerge from the English language and that has inspired millions for over 400 years.

We are speaking here, of course, of the Battle of Agincourt that was fought on the feast of St. Crispin's Day in 1415 when young King Henry V and his army defeated the French army under the command of Constable d’Albret and his 100,000 men

[Intolerant in NJ]

Branagh by far - helped by Patrick Doyle’s music - where’s my sword......

[JimSEA]

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

[Reaganesque]

Kenneth Brannagh's version of the "Band of Brothers" monologue.

Fantastic movie. Fantastic actor. And one more...

Brannagh's "To The Breach" Speech.

Brannagh makes Shakespeare understandable and far more real than any other Shakespearean actor I've ever seen. His "Hamlet" is also one of the best interpretations of Shakespeare out there, film or stage.

[MotorCityBuck]

There are many great movies out there, but Brannaugh’s Henry the V is easily in my top ten. Just Awesome ! Shakespeare rocks.