Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford?
How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow?
1 MESSENGER.
By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.
Where is the messenger who came from brave Oxford? How far from here is your lord, my honest fellow? By this time, he is at Dunsmore, marching in our direction.
Where's the guy from Oxford? How far away is your commander? He's already at Dunsmore, heading our way.
where's oxford's messenger? how far is the commander? already at dunsmore heading here
How far off is our brother Montague?
Where is the post that came from Montague?
2 MESSENGER.
By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.
How far away is our brother Montague? Where is the messenger who came from Montague? By now, he's at Daintry with a powerful troop.
Where's Montague at this point? Where's his messenger? He's already at Daintry with a strong force.
where's montague now? his messenger? at daintry w strong force
Say, Somerville, what says my loving son?
And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?
Tell me, Somerville, what does my son report to me? And by your best guess, how close is Clarence right now?
Somerville, what's my son saying? How close is Clarence, would you say?
what's yr son saying? how close is clarence?
Somerville speaks in precise tactical reports — location, forces, timing — without embellishment. He is the play's most efficient bearer of information.
At Southam I did leave him with his forces
And do expect him here some two hours hence.
I left him at Southam with his forces and I expect him to arrive here in about two hours.
I left him back at Southam with his troops. He should be here in roughly two hours.
left him at southam w troops should b here in ~2 hrs
Then Clarence is at hand; I hear his drum.
Then Clarence must be close; I can hear his drums.
Then Clarence is getting close—I can hear the drums.
clarence is close i can hear drums
It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies.
The drum your honour hears marcheth from Warwick.
It is not his drums, my lord; here Southam lies. The drums you hear are marching from Warwick.
Those aren't his drums, my lord. Southam is still far off. What you're hearing is coming from Warwick.
those aren't his drums they're coming from warwick
Who should that be? Belike, unlooked-for friends.
Who could that be? Probably unexpected allies arriving.
Who could that be? Must be friendly reinforcements.
who's that? probably our allies
They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.
March. Flourish. Enter King Edward, Richard (Duke of Gloucester) and
Soldiers.
They are approaching, and you will soon find out who they are. [Sound of marching and fanfare. King Edward and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, enter with soldiers.]
They're almost here. You'll know soon enough. [Drums sound. King Edward and the Duke of Gloucester arrive with their soldiers.]
they're coming you'll see soon [edward & gloucester arrive w soldiers]
Go, trumpet, to the walls and sound a parle.
Go, trumpet player, to the city walls and sound a parley.
Go blow the trumpet at the walls and call for a talk.
blow trumpet at walls call 4 parley
See how the surly Warwick mans the wall.
Look how the aggressive Warwick mans the defensive wall.
Look at Warwick up there on the wall, looking defensive.
warwick's manning the wall
O, unbid spite! Is sportful Edward come?
Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced,
That we could hear no news of his repair?
Oh, this unexpected outrage! Has Edward come here to mock me? Where were our scouts? How have they been deceived that we heard nothing of his arrival?
This is infuriating! So Edward shows up anyway? Where the hell were our scouts? How did they miss this?
edward's here?? where were our scouts??
Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates,
Speak gentle words and humbly bend thy knee?
Call Edward King and at his hands beg mercy,
And he shall pardon thee these outrages.
Now, Warwick, will you open the city gates, speak gentle words and humbly bend your knee? Call me King Edward and beg mercy from my hands, and I will pardon you these crimes against me.
Warwick, open these gates. Talk nice and get down on your knee. Acknowledge me as King Edward and ask for my forgiveness, and I'll let your past actions slide.
open gates. kneel. call me king. beg 4 mercy i'll forgive u
Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence,
Confess who set thee up and plucked thee down,
Call Warwick patron and be penitent,
And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York.
No, rather, will you withdraw your forces, confess who elevated you and then tore you down, call me Warwick your patron and repent, and you can still keep your Duke of York title.
No way. You pull back your forces instead. Admit who made you and unmade you. Call me your mentor and say you're sorry, and you can keep your position as Duke of York.
pull back yr forces. admit i made u. call me patron. stay as duke of york
I thought, at least, he would have said the King;
Or did he make the jest against his will?
I thought he would have at least called him the King, or did he make this insult against his own will?
I figured he'd at least say 'King.' Or did he throw that in without meaning to?
thought he'd say king lol or did he mean that?
Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift?
Is not a dukedom a fine gift, sir?
A dukedom's a nice gift, don't you think?
nice gift being a duke
Clarence's removal of the red rose from his hat and throwing it at Warwick is the play's most theatrical gesture. The red rose is the symbol of Lancaster, the white rose of York — though in practice soldiers wore actual rose badges (or silk flowers on their hats) rather than anything as neat as the emblems suggest. The gesture is Shakespeare dramatizing what was purely political as physical and visceral. Clarence doesn't just announce he's switching sides; he makes the switch visible, tangible, public. He throws his allegiance at the man who gave it to him. The stage business allows the audience to see a political abstraction — dynastic loyalty — become a physical object that can be hurled in someone's face. This is Shakespeare at his most theatrically intelligent.
Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give;
I’ll do thee service for so good a gift.
Yes, for sure, it's a generous gift from a poor earl. I'll serve you well in return for such a valuable gift.
Yeah, pretty generous for an earl to hand out. I'll owe you for this.
generous of a poor earl lol i'll serve u 4 it
’Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy brother.
I was the one who gave the kingdom to your brother.
I'm the one who put your brother on that throne.
i made yr brother king
Why, then, ’tis mine, if but by Warwick’s gift.
So if it is mine, it's only because Warwick gave it to me.
Then the throne is mine, but only because you gave it to me.
kingdom's mine bc u gave it
Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight;
And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again;
And Henry is my King, Warwick his subject.
You're not strong enough to carry so great a burden, and as a weak man, Warwick takes back his gift. Henry is my King now, and Warwick his loyal subject.
You're not strong enough to handle that kind of power. You're too weak, so I'm taking my gift back. Henry is my King now, and I'm his man.
u can't handle it i'm taking it back henry's my king
But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner;
And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this:
What is the body when the head is off?
But Warwick's King is now Edward's prisoner, and answer me this, gallant Warwick: What good is the body when the head is cut off?
But I've got your King locked up now, so tell me this, Warwick: What's a body worth without its head?
yr king's my prisoner now what's a body without head?
Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast,
But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten,
The king was slily fingered from the deck!
You left poor Henry at the Bishop’s palace,
And ten to one you’ll meet him in the Tower.
It's too bad Warwick didn't see this coming. While he was focused on stealing one card from the deck, the King was secretly pulled out of play! You left poor Henry at the Bishop's palace, and I'd bet money you'll find him now in the Tower.
Warwick didn't see this one coming. While he was busy focusing on one thing, the King got slipped out of the game! You left Henry unguarded at the Bishop's palace, and he'll probably end up in the Tower.
warwick didn't see it coming kept ur eye on one card king got pulled out henry's heading 2 the tower
’Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still.
That's exactly what's happened, and yet you're still Warwick.
That's right, and you're still just Warwick.
yep and you're still just warwick
Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel down.
Nay, when? Strike now, or else the iron cools.
Come on, Warwick, take the moment while it's hot; kneel down, kneel down. No? What are you waiting for? Strike now or else the iron cools.
Come on, Warwick, take your chance. Kneel down! What, you hesitating? Act now or miss your moment.
come on warwick kneel now do it b4 the moment passes
I had rather chop this hand off at a blow
And with the other fling it at thy face,
Than bear so low a sail to strike to thee.
I'd rather chop off this hand at the wrist and throw it at your face with the other, than lower myself to submit to you.
I'd sooner cut my own hand off and throw it in your face than bow down to you.
i'd cut off my own hand b4 i'd kneel 2 u
Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend,
This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair,
Shall, whiles thy head is warm and new cut off,
Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood:
“Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.”
Sail however you can, let wind and tide help you, this hand, tightly wrapped in your coal-black hair, shall, while your head is still warm after I cut it off, write these words in the dust with your blood: "The wind-changing Warwick can change no more."
Sail away if you can, with favorable winds, but I'll grab you by your black hair, and after I cut off your head, still warm, I'll use your blood to write in the dirt: "Warwick, you were always changing sides, now you'll never change again."
sail away if u can i'll write w yr blood warwick's done changing sides
O cheerful colours! See where Oxford comes!
Oh, what a welcome sight! Here comes Oxford!
Perfect! Here comes Oxford!
there's oxford!
Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster!
Oxford, Oxford, for the House of Lancaster!
Let's go! Oxford is here—for Lancaster!
oxford's here 4 lancaster
The gates are open; let us enter too.
The gates are open; let us enter as well.
The gates are open. Let's get in too.
gates r open let's go
So other foes may set upon our backs.
Stand we in good array, for they no doubt
Will issue out again and bid us battle;
If not, the city being but of small defence,
We’ll quietly rouse the traitors in the same.
Other enemies might attack us from behind. Let's form up in good formation, because without doubt they will charge out of the city again and challenge us to fight. If they don't, then since the city's only lightly defended, we can quietly surround the traitors inside.
We need to be careful—enemies could attack from behind. Stay in formation because they'll probably charge back out. If they don't, and the city's weak enough, we can trap the traitors inside without a problem.
watch yr back stay in formation they'll charge if not we trap them inside
O, welcome, Oxford, for we want thy help.
Oh, welcome, Oxford, we need your help badly.
Oxford, thank God! We needed you.
oxford thank god we need u
Montague, Montague, for Lancaster!
Montague, Montague, for the House of Lancaster!
Montague arriving now—he's with Lancaster!
montague coming 4 lancaster
Clarence's speech defending his second betrayal invokes Jephthah — the biblical judge who vowed that if God gave him victory, he would sacrifice the first thing he saw returning home. It was his daughter. He kept the vow. Clarence's point is that keeping some oaths is more impious than breaking them: his oath to Warwick (to fight against his own brother) falls into this category. It's a theologically sophisticated argument — and the fact that Clarence can make it shows that Shakespeare gives even the most morally compromised characters genuine intellectual resources. What the speech doesn't mention is that Clarence's real motive is entirely self-interested. The theology is a frame for opportunism — but that doesn't make the theology wrong.
Thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason
Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear.
You and your brother will both pay dearly for this treason with the most precious blood your bodies have.
You and your brother are both going to pay for this betrayal with blood.
u & ur bro gonna pay in blood
The harder matched, the greater victory.
My mind presageth happy gain and conquest.
The tougher the opponent, the greater our victory will be. My instinct tells me this will turn out well for us.
A stronger enemy means a bigger win for us. I've got a good feeling about this.
tough fight = bigger win i got a good feeling
Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!
Somerset, Somerset, for the House of Lancaster!
Somerset's joined us—Lancaster's side!
somerset 4 lancaster
Two of thy name, both Dukes of Somerset,
Have sold their lives unto the House of York;
And thou shalt be the third if this sword hold.
Two men with your name—both Dukes of Somerset— have already given their lives to the House of York. And you'll be the third, if my sword is as sharp as I hope.
Two Somerset Dukes before you have already died fighting York. You'll be number three if I have anything to say about it.
2 somersets died 4 york u'll b the third
And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along,
Of force enough to bid his brother battle;
With whom an upright zeal to right prevails
More than the nature of a brother’s love.
And look, here comes George of Clarence, moving along with enough force to stand against his own brother. But he brings a strong commitment to fight for justice that outweighs his family loyalty.
And here comes George of Clarence with a real force strong enough to fight his own brother. He's got strong convictions about justice that matter to him more than family ties.
clarence coming w strong force convictions > family
Come, Clarence, come; thou wilt if Warwick call.
Come, Clarence, come; you will if Warwick calls.
Come on, Clarence, you'll do it if Warwick says so.
come on clarence you'll listen to warwick
Father of Warwick, know you what this means?
Father of Warwick, do you understand what I'm saying?
Warwick, do you get what I'm saying?
warwick u get it?
Look here, I throw my infamy at thee.
I will not ruinate my father’s house,
Who gave his blood to lime the stones together,
And set up Lancaster. Why, trowest thou, Warwick,
That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural,
To bend the fatal instruments of war
Against his brother and his lawful King?
Perhaps thou wilt object my holy oath.
To keep that oath were more impiety
Than Jephthah’s when he sacrificed his daughter.
I am so sorry for my trespass made
That, to deserve well at my brother’s hands,
I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe,
With resolution, whereso’er I meet thee—
As I will meet thee if thou stir abroad—
To plague thee for thy foul misleading me.
And so, proud-hearted Warwick, I defy thee,
And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks.
Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends.
And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults,
For I will henceforth be no more unconstant.
Look here, I cast my shame back at you. I will not destroy my father's house, who shed his blood to build up the foundations of Lancaster. Why, Warwick, do you believe that Clarence is so harsh, so crude, so unnatural, as to turn the deadly weapons of war against his brother and his rightful King? Perhaps you will bring up my holy oath. To keep that oath would be more wicked than when Jephthah sacrificed his own daughter. I am so sorry for my betrayal that, to win back my brother's favor, I declare you my sworn enemy, with firm resolve, wherever I meet you—and I will meet you if you venture out—to punish you for your foul influence over me. And so, proud Warwick, I challenge you, and I turn back to my brother with shame on my face. Forgive me, Edward, I will make it right. And Richard, do not frown at my mistakes, for from now on I will be faithful.
Look, I reject what you've made me do. I'm not going to destroy my father's legacy—he bled for Lancaster, and I won't ruin that. Warwick, do you really think Clarence is so brutal and unnatural that he'd turn his weapons against his own brother and rightful king? Maybe you'll say I made a sacred oath. But keeping that oath would be more sinful than what Jephthah did when he killed his daughter. I'm so ashamed of what I've done that to get back in my brother's good graces, I'm declaring myself your enemy. Wherever we meet—and we will meet—I'll make you pay for what you've done to me. So proud Warwick, I defy you. I'm going back to my brother with my head down. Edward, forgive me, I'll make this right. Richard, don't look at me like that—I'm done being disloyal.
i'm casting off this shame i won't destroy my father's legacy warwick you made me betray my king i won't do it anymore i defy you i'm going back to edward forgive me i'll make this right richard don't be mad i'm done being disloyal
Now, welcome more, and ten times more beloved,
Than if thou never hadst deserved our hate.
Now you are even more welcome than before, ten times more loved than if you had remained our enemy.
Now you're more welcome than ever, ten times more loved than you would've been if you'd stayed against us.
u r so welcome now more loved than b4
Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like.
Welcome, good Clarence; this is how brothers should act.
Welcome, Clarence. Now that's how a brother should act.
welcome clarence that's brotherly
O passing traitor, perjured and unjust!
Oh, you utter traitor, oath-breaker, and criminal!
You complete traitor, oath-breaker, you criminal!
traitor oath breaker criminal
What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town and fight?
Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears?
What, Warwick? Will you leave the town and fight? Or should we pound the stones around your ears?
What, Warwick? You coming out to fight? Or do we have to break down these walls?
u coming out warwick? or we breaking walls?
Alas! I am not cooped here for defence!
I will away towards Barnet presently
And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou dar’st.
No! I'm not staying here to defend this town! I'm heading straight to Barnet right now and I challenge you to fight, Edward, if you dare.
Hell, I'm not sitting here waiting to be besieged! I'm heading to Barnet right now and I'm challenging you to fight, Edward.
not staying here! going 2 barnet meet u there edward
Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way.
Lords, to the field! Saint George and victory!
Yes, Warwick, Edward takes the dare and leads the way. Lords, onto the battlefield! Saint George and victory!
You're on, Warwick. I'll lead the charge. Lords, let's go! Saint George and victory!
let's go warwick saint george & victory
The Reckoning
The play's great reversal scene. Oxford, Montague, Somerset all arrive declaring for Lancaster — and Warwick is counting on Clarence. Then Richard and Clarence whisper together, and Clarence tears the red rose from his hat and throws it at Warwick's feet. The theatrical gesture is perfect: a symbol of allegiance, publicly discarded. Warwick's furious 'O passing traitor' is answered by Clarence's speech about not ruining his father's house. The scene ends with Warwick backing down from the walls and retreating to fight another day — which will be his last.
If this happened today…
A boardroom siege: the activist investors are assembled on a conference call, listing their supporters one by one. Each time someone announces they're in, the ousted CEO nods on screen. Then they get to the moment that was supposed to seal it. The vote comes in. It goes the wrong way. A co-founder who was supposed to be the decisive vote just emailed the CEO a copy of his signed loyalty pledge — with a note saying 'I'm with you again.' The activist's face. The silence on the call.