Hamilton: El Musical

Ten Duel Commandments

MEN
One, two, three, four

FULL COMPANY
Five, six, seven, eight, nine…

BURR/HAMILTON/LAURENS/LEE
It’s the Ten Duel Commandments.

FULL COMPANY
It’s the Ten Duel Commandments.
Number one!

LAURENS
The challenge: demand satisfaction.
If they apologize, no need for further action.

COMPANY
Number two!

LAURENS
If they don’t, grab a friend, that’s your second.

HAMILTON
Your lieutenant when there’s reckoning to be reckoned.

COMPANY
Number three!

LEE
Have your seconds meet face to face.

BURR
Negotiate a peace…

HAMILTON
Or negotiate a time and place.

BURR
This is commonplace, ‘specially ‘tween recruits.

COMPANY
Most disputes die, and no one shoots.
Number four!

LAURENS
If they don’t reach a peace, that’s alright.
Time to get some pistols and a doctor on site.

HAMILTON
You pay him in advance, you treat him with civility.

BURR
You have him turn around so he can have deniability.

COMPANY
Five!

LEE
Duel before the sun is in the sky.

COMPANY
Pick a place to die where it’s high and dry,
number six!

HAMILTON
Leave a note for your next of kin.
Tell ‘em where you been. Pray that hell or heaven lets you in.

COMPANY
Seven!

LEE
Confess your sins, ready for the moment of adrenaline when you finally face your opponent.

COMPANY
Number eight!

LAURENS/LEE/HAMILTON/BURR
Your last chance to negotiate.
Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight…

BURR
Alexander.

HAMILTON
Aaron Burr, sir.

BURR
Can we agree that duels are dumb and immature?

HAMILTON
Sure.
But your man has to answer for his words, Burr.

BURR
With his life? We both know that’s absurd, sir.

HAMILTON
Hang on, how many men died because Lee was inexperienced and ruinous?

BURR
Okay, so we’re doin’ this.

COMPANY
Number nine!

HAMILTON
Look ‘em in the eye, aim no higher.
Summon all the courage you require.
Then count

MEN
One two three four

FULL COMPANY
Five six seven eight nine

HAMILTON/BURR
Number

COMPANY
Ten paces!

HAMILTON/BURR
Fire!