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Act 4, Scene 6
Henry VI, Part 1 Translation Act 4, Scene 7
Alarum: excursions. Enter TALBOT led by a Servant
TALBOT
Where is my other life? mine own is gone; O, where's young Talbot? where is valiant John? Triumphant death, smear'd with captivity, Young Talbot's valour makes me smile at thee: When he perceived me shrink and on my knee, His bloody sword he brandish'd over me, And, like a hungry lion, did commence Rough deeds of rage and stern impatience; But when my angry guardant stood alone, Tendering my ruin and assail'd of none, Dizzy-eyed fury and great rage of heart Suddenly made him from my side to start Into the clustering battle of the French; And in that sea of blood my boy did drench His over-mounting spirit, and there died, My Icarus, my blossom, in his pride.
TALBOT
Where is my other life? I have lost my own. Oh, where is young Talbot? Where is brave John? Victorious death, that has me in its grasp, the courage of young John makes me smile at you. When he saw me fall down on my knees, he waved his bloody sword over me and like a hungry lion he started moving with violent, angry acts of rage and cruel fury. But when my angry protector stood alone, taking care of me when I fell, he attacked nobody. With dazzled eyes and a great anger of his heart he suddenly moved from me and went into the crowded French battle. And my son drowned his over-ambitious spirit in that sea of blood and in his pride died, my Icarus and my blooming flower.
SERVANT
O, my dear lord, lo, where your son is borne!
SERVANT
Oh, my dear lord, look, your son is being carried here!
Enter Soldiers, with the body of JOHN TALBOT
TALBOT
Thou antic death, which laugh'st us here to scorn, Anon, from thy insulting tyranny, Coupled in bonds of perpetuity, Two Talbots, winged through the lither sky, In thy despite shall 'scape mortality. O, thou, whose wounds become hard-favour'd death, Speak to thy father ere thou yield thy breath! Brave death by speaking, whether he will or no; Imagine him a Frenchman and thy foe. Poor boy! he smiles, methinks, as who should say, Had death been French, then death had died to-day. Come, come and lay him in his father's arms: My spirit can no longer bear these harms. Soldiers, adieu! I have what I would have, Now my old arms are young John Talbot's grave.
TALBOT
It is grinning death, which laughs at us and mocks us here. Soon, because of your insulting tyranny two Talbots will fly through the sky, joined together forever, escaping death. Oh you, whose wounds are mortal, speak to your father before you stop breathing! Win over death by speaking, whether he wants you to or not; imagine that death is only a Frenchman and your enemy. Poor boy! I think he smiles, as if he agreed with what I said—if death had been French then death would have died today. Come, come and put him in his father's arms. My spirit can't stand this pain any longer. Goodbye, soldiers! I have what I wanted. Now my old arms serve as a grave for young John Talbot.
Dies
Enter CHARLES, ALENCON, BURGUNDY, BASTARD OF ORLEANS, JOAN LA PUCELLE, and forces
CHARLES
Had York and Somerset brought rescue in,We should have found a bloody day of this.
CHARLES
If York and Somerset brought help, this would have been a bloody day.
BASTARD OF ORLEANS
How the young whelp of Talbot's, raging-wood,Did flesh his puny sword in Frenchmen's blood!
BASTARD OF ORLEANS
Did you see Talbot's young puppy? He was furious when he dug his inexperienced sword in Frenchmen's blood!
JOAN LA PUCELLE
Once I encounter'd him, and thus I said: 'Thou maiden youth, be vanquish'd by a maid:' But, with a proud majestical high scorn, He answer'd thus: 'Young Talbot was not born To be the pillage of a giglot wench:' So, rushing in the bowels of the French, He left me proudly, as unworthy fight.
JOAN LA PUCELLE
I met him once and I said to him: "You are a virginal young boy, so be killed by a virgin." But he answered with a proud noble sneer: "Young Talbot wasn't born to be some whore's prey." And then he hurried into the depths of the French, leaving me proudly as if I wasn't worth his fight.
BURGUNDY
Doubtless he would have made a noble knight;See, where he lies inhearsed in the armsOf the most bloody nurser of his harms!
BURGUNDY
He would have made a good knight, for sure. Look where he lies, laid as in a coffin, in the arms of the bloodthirsty person who caused his injuries.
BASTARD OF ORLEANS
Hew them to pieces, hack their bones asunderWhose life was England's glory, Gallia's wonder.
BASTARD OF ORLEANS
Cut them down to pieces, break their bones apart. Their life was the glory of England and now it's the source of wonder in France.
CHARLES
O, no, forbear! for that which we have fledDuring the life, let us not wrong it dead.
CHARLES
Oh, no, let it go! Let us not harm the dead, since we ran away from him when he was alive.
Enter Sir William LUCY, attended; Herald of the French preceding
LUCY
Herald, conduct me to the Dauphin's tent,To know who hath obtained the glory of the day.
LUCY
Messenger, take me to the Dauphin's tent, so I can find out who won today.
CHARLES
On what submissive message art thou sent?
CHARLES
What message of surrender do you bring?
LUCY
Submission, Dauphin! 'tis a mere French word; We English warriors wot not what it means. I come to know what prisoners thou hast ta'en And to survey the bodies of the dead.
LUCY
Surrender, Dauphin! That's exclusively a French word. English warriors don't know what it means. I came to find out what prisoners you've taken and to examine the bodies of the dead.
CHARLES
For prisoners ask'st thou? hell our prison is.But tell me whom thou seek'st.
CHARLES
You're asking for prisoners? Our prison is hell. But tell me who you're looking for.
LUCY
But where's the great Alcides of the field, Valiant Lord Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, Created, for his rare success in arms, Great Earl of Washford, Waterford and Valence; Lord Talbot of Goodrig and Urchinfield, Lord Strange of Blackmere, Lord Verdun of Alton, Lord Cromwell of Wingfield, Lord Furnival of Sheffield, The thrice-victorious Lord of Falconbridge; Knight of the noble order of Saint George, Worthy Saint Michael and the Golden Fleece; Great marshal to Henry the Sixth Of all his wars within the realm of France?
LUCY
Where is the great Alcides of the battle, the brave Lord Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, for he was made an earl for his extraordinary success in battle, Great Earl of Washford, Waterford and Valence, Lord Talbot of Goodrig and Urchinfield, Lord Strange of Blackmere, Lord Verdun of Alton, Lord Cromwell of Wingfield, Lord Furnival of Sheffield, Lord of Falconbridge who won three times, the knight of the noble order of Saint George, worthy of Saint Michael and the Golden Fleece, the great marshal to Henry the Sixth and all his wars in France?
JOAN LA PUCELLE
Here is a silly stately style indeed! The Turk, that two and fifty kingdoms hath, Writes not so tedious a style as this. Him that thou magnifiest with all these titles Stinking and fly-blown lies here at our feet.
JOAN LA PUCELLE
This is a silly stately list of titles! The Turk who had fifty two kingdoms did not write in a style as dull as this. The one that you describe so elaborately with all these titles is lying at your feet, stinking and rotting.
LUCY
Is Talbot slain, the Frenchmen's only scourge, Your kingdom's terror and black Nemesis? O, were mine eyeballs into bullets turn'd, That I in rage might shoot them at your faces! O, that I could but call these dead to life! It were enough to fright the realm of France: Were but his picture left amongst you here, It would amaze the proudest of you all. Give me their bodies, that I may bear them hence And give them burial as beseems their worth.
LUCY
Has Talbot been killed? He was the only weapon we had against the French, he was your country's terror and black Nemesis. Oh, if only my eyeballs were turned into bullets, so I could shoot them in anger at your faces! Oh, if only I had the power to bring the dead back to life! It would be enough to scare France to have only his picture left here, it would terrify the proudest of you. Give me their bodies, so that I may take them from here and give them the burial they deserve.
JOAN LA PUCELLE
I think this upstart is old Talbot's ghost, He speaks with such a proud commanding spirit. For God's sake let him have 'em; to keep them here, They would but stink, and putrefy the air.
JOAN LA PUCELLE
I think this arrogant person is old Talbot's ghost. He speaks in such a proud and controlling way. For God's sake, let him have the bodies. They would smell and infect the air if we kept them here.
CHARLES
Go, take their bodies hence.
CHARLES
Go and take their bodies away.
LUCY
I'll bear them hence; but from their ashes shall be rear'dA phoenix that shall make all France afeard.
LUCY
I'll take them from here, but from their ashes will rise like a phoenix that will scare the whole of France.
CHARLES
So we be rid of them, do with 'em what thou wilt.And now to Paris, in this conquering vein:All will be ours, now bloody Talbot's slain.
CHARLES
Now that we're rid of them, do what you want with them. And now, let's go to Paris, in this victorious fashion. Everything will be ours, now that Talbot is killed!
Exeunt
