Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·Henry V, Act IV.iii ·King Henry V
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers."
Not quite the line.
How it's usually quoted
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers."
What Shakespeare actually wrote
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; / For he to-day that sheds his blood with me / Shall be my brother." King Henry V — Henry V, Act IV.iii
Why it matters
The St Crispin's Day speech peaks with the three-beat opening. Quoting it alone makes "band of brothers" sound like a title; Shakespeare wrote it as the start of a longer promise.
More from the canon.
Browse the rest of the shelf, or try a cold reading.