I've always admired people who can memorize and recite poems and prose. I have a favorite quotation from Shakespeare's Henry V. It happens to be a favorite quotation of many people but that doesn't detract from its beauty and visual images that it evokes. Henry is leading his tired, hungry, soaked countrymen into battle with France at Agincourt. The English are greatly out-
numbered by the French forces. Henry pulls together his physical, spiritual, and royal energies to overcome his army's fatigue and fears:

He who hath no stomach to this fight, let him depart.
His passport shall be made, and crowns for convoy put into his purs.
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us...
He that outlives this day and comes safe home
Will stant a tip-toe when this day is named
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day and see old age
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbors
And say "Tomorrow is Saint Crispin."
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars
And say "These wounds I had on Crispin's Day."
Old men forget, yet all shall be forgot
But he'll remember, with advantages
What feats he did that day...
This story shall the good man teach his son
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by
From this day to the ending of the world
But we in it shall be remembered
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Today shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here
And hold their manhoods cheap
Whilst any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's Day.

And Henry is able to put fire into his bedraggled soldiers by saying that the lowliest man there would be equal to him, King of England, if they fought alongside him. Unheard-of considering the divine right of kings.

Just something to keep in mind when you're feeling defeated; the English won the battle despite the odds against them.

The picture alongside is of Kenneth Branagh who played Henry along with Ian Holm who plays a captain in Henry's army.