13th warrior prayer..legit or no?

We are human, after all.

YouTube - The Cowboys Revenge on the Miserable Wretch Bruce Dern for Killing the Duke; John Wayne

"Forgive me for the men I've killed in anger and those I'm about to."

Only God can be the Judge. My feeling is that we are responsible for our lives and should not just give in rather than fight to live if put into that box.

I prefer the prayer of Henry II before Agincourt in Shakespere. Don't know how to find a link or post it if I did.

"Ohiophinphan wrote:

I prefer the prayer of Henry II before Agincourt in Shakespere. Don't know how to find a link or post it if I did.

Once more into the breech dear friends, once more,
Or close the wall up with our British 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,
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 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, ye 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 sheath'd 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 yeomen,
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.

Or this one?:

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhood cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Thanks, those are great quotes! Actually though between them, when Henry is out walking amongst his soldiers the night before the "Band of Brothers" speech, he has a prayer which is what I was thinking about.

Might it be this?

O, not to-day, think not upon the fault
My father made in compassing the crown!
I Richard's body have interred new,
And on it have bestowed more contrite tears,
Than from it issued forced drops of blood. (II. 293-97)

"Ohiophinphan wrote:

Thanks, those are great quotes! Actually though between them, when Henry is out walking amongst his soldiers the night before the "Band of Brothers" speech, he has a prayer which is what I was thinking about.

?????

This is the scene where Westmoreland wishes and asks for additional men of England to be sent for, since the French outnumber them 5 to 1.

YouTube - Henry V- Speech
original Shakespeare version:

No, my fair cousin.
If we are marked to die, we are enough
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honor.
God’s will, I pray thee wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honor,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God’s peace, I would not lose so great an honor
As one man more, methinks, would share from me,
For the best hope I have. Oh, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart. His passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse.
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.

Modern Version:

No, my dear cousin. If we are slated to die, the fewer, the better for our country, and if we’re slated to live, the fewer men, the greater the share of honor for each of us. In God’s name, I beg you not to wish for one more man. By God, I am not selfish when it comes to money: I don’t care who eats at my expense. It doesn’t bother me when people borrow my clothing—I don’t care about these concrete things. But if it is a sin to be selfish about honor, I am the most guilty soul alive. No, my cousin, don’t wish that even one man who is now in England were here instead. By God, I wouldn’t lose as much honor as a single man more would cost me, I think—not even if it meant giving up my best hope for victory. Oh, do not wish one more! Instead, make this known throughout the army: whoever has no spirit for this fight, let him depart. He will be given safe conduct and money for his passage home. We would not want to die in the company of a man who fears to die with us.

Other pages and text here: http://nfs.sparknotes.com/henryv/page_184.html

Henry V Act 4 Scene 1 This is the prayer I was thinking of. Ga had the latter portion of it.

O God of battles! steel my soldiers' hearts;
Possess them not with fear; take from them now
The sense of reckoning, if the opposed numbers
Pluck their hearts from them. Not to-day, O Lord,
O, not to-day, think not upon the fault
My father made in compassing the crown!
I Richard's body have interred anew;
And on it have bestow'd more contrite tears
Than from it issued forced drops of blood:
Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay,
Who twice a-day their wither'd hands hold up
Toward heaven, to pardon blood; and I have built
Two chantries, where the sad and solemn priests
Sing still for Richard's soul. More will I do;
Though all that I can do is nothing worth,
Since that my penitence comes after all,
Imploring pardon.

By the way, thanks for the Branaugh "Band of Brothers" speech. It is my favorite speech from all of Shakespere.

modern version:

Oh God of battles, bolster my soldiers' courage. Don’t let them know fear. Rob them of the ability to count before the numbers against them overwhelm their courage. And just for today, Oh, Lord, just today don’t think of the crime my father committed in seizing the crown! I’ve transferred Richard’s body to a new grave and on it poured more tears of remorse than it has shed drops of blood. I’ve hired five hundred almsmen to hold up their withered hands to heaven, praying for my pardon twice a day throughout the year. And I’ve built two chapels where solemn priests sing continually for Richard’s soul. I will do more, though nothing I can do is any good since this remorse comes after the crime, asking for pardon.

:up: