FALSTAFF
. . . I am no counterfeit; to die is to be a counterfeit, for he is but the counterfeit of a man, who hath not the life of a man; but to counterfeit dying, when a man thereby liveth, is to be no counterfeit, but the true and perfect image of life indeed. The better part of valour is discretion, in the which better part I have saved my life. . . .

In this passage from Henry IV, Part I, the character of Falstaff offers a humorous yet profound reflection on the nature of bravery and survival. Having faked his own death to avoid actual danger on the battlefield, Falstaff justifies his actions by arguing that true courage involves the wisdom to know when to retreat. By claiming that dying is a "counterfeit" of living, he suggests that preserving one's life is the real triumph. His statement "The better part of valour is discretion" underscores his belief that cautiousness, rather than reckless heroism, is the wiser course. Falstaff's words challenge the traditional notion of valor, emphasizing the practicality of self-preservation over the romanticized ideal of dying nobly in battle.