Finished: Henry V (Shakespeare) "But we in it shall be remembered---We few, we happy, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother." King Henry V speaking to his much outnumbered army as he encourages them to face the mighty French army in yet another great Shakespeare play. I had no idea that the Band of Brothers term came from Shakespeare, but why am I surprised? :-) I mostly enjoyed this play during all the scenes where Henry, the grownup Harry/Hal from Henry IV, was spurring his army on to have courage...and when he wandered among his men in disguise to see what their true feelings were. In this play, King Henry continues the battle with France, which he thinks he's the rightful heir to. The French King is incredulous that Henry feels like he'll have success against his huge forces, and constantly sends a messenger to Henry asking him for concession terms. However, Henry always sends back the same message, that he will die rather than concede. With greatly diminished troops, Henry does win...overwhelmingly in fact, and it is then King Charles of France who is asking for terms when all is said and done...including offering his daughter, Catherine, to be Henry's wife and unite the two countries in peace. Truly another joy to read! One of my favorite scenes was earlier in the battle when King Henry was first rallying his troops in spirit and courage:

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-favor'd rage.
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let it pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon. Let the brow o'erwhelm
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!....

I could keep going, but I think that is the gist of it. :-) Onward to Henry VI, Part I!