“True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings: Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.”
- Source
- Richard III
- Date
- c. 1592–1594
- Local voice
- Fictional character · Henry, Earl of Richmond
Meaning of “True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's…”
Richmond pictures hope as something that moves faster than fear and gives people the courage to act. His comparison of kings with gods is a dramatic assertion of what confidence can do to status and resolve, not a literal transformation.
Where does it come from?
Richard III, Act V, Scene 2: Henry, Earl of Richmond, speaking to his allies immediately before marching toward Richard’s army. The passage follows his hope for peace after battle. Wording and punctuation follow the MIT public-domain play text; Folger’s modern-edition punctuation differs. This is a military-political exhortation from a character, not a guarantee of success.
Why the local voice matters
Richard III, Act V, Scene 2; Richmond urges his allies into battle and casts swift hope as political/military encouragement, not a neutral promise of victory.
