That stripp'd her from his benediction, turn'd her
To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights
To his dog-hearted daughters, these things sting
His mind so venomously, that burning shame
Detains him from Cordelia.
He is overcome with shame: his own unkindness,
that stripped her of his blessing, made her take
her chances abroad, gave her proper inheritance
to his dog hearted daughters, these things prick
his conscience so badly that a burning shame
keeps him from Cordelia.
Gentleman
Alack, poor gentleman!
Alas, poor gentleman!
KENT
Of Albany's and Cornwall's powers you heard not?
Did you hear anything about Albany and Cornwall's armies?
Gentleman
'Tis so, they are afoot.
Yes, they are on the march.
KENT
Well, sir, I'll bring you to our master Lear,
And leave you to attend him: some dear cause
Will in concealment wrap me up awhile;
When I am known aright, you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you, go
Along with me.
Exeunt
Well, sir, I will take you to our master Lear,
and leave you to look after him: I have an important purpose
which means I must remain disguised for a while;
when my identity is revealed, you will not regret
your friendship to me. Please, come
along with me.
Enter, with drum and colours, CORDELIA, Doctor, and Soldiers
CORDELIA
Alack, 'tis he: why, he was met even now
As mad as the vex'd sea; singing aloud;
Crown'd with rank fumiter and furrow-weeds,
With bur-docks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,
Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow
In our sustaining corn. A century send forth;
Search every acre in the high-grown field,
And bring him to our eye.
Exit an Officer
What can man's wisdom
In the restoring his bereaved sense?
He that helps him take all my outward worth.
Alas, it is him: why, he has been seen just now
raging like the sea; singing aloud;
wearing a crown of stinking plants and weeds,
with burdock, hemlock, nettles, cowslip,
rye, and all the useless weeds that grow
in the useful corn. Send out a platoon;
search every acre of the tall cornfields
and bring him to see me.
What science is there
that can bring him back to his senses?
Anyone who can help can have all my possessions.
Doctor
There is means, madam:
Our foster-nurse of nature is repose,
The which he lacks; that to provoke in him,
Are many simples operative, whose power
Will close the eye of anguish.
There is a way, madam:
the great healer of nature is rest,
which he is lacking; to give him that
there are many herbs, whose power
will ease his pain.
CORDELIA
All blest secrets,
All you unpublish'd virtues of the earth,
Spring with my tears! be aidant and remediate
In the good man's distress! Seek, seek for him;
Lest his ungovern'd rage dissolve the life
That wants the means to lead it.
Enter a Messenger
May all the blessed secrets,
all the unknown powers of the earth,
grow up, watered with my tears! Be healing
for this good man's illness! Look, look for him;
in case his wild frenzy takes away the life
that doesn't have the sanity to look after it.
Messenger
News, madam;
The British powers are marching hitherward.
I have news, madam;
the British powers are marching this way.
CORDELIA
'Tis known before; our preparation stands
In expectation of them. O dear father,
It is thy business that I go about;
Therefore great France
My mourning and important tears hath pitied.
No blown ambition doth our arms incite,
But love, dear love, and our aged father's right:
Soon may I hear and see him!
Exeunt
I knew that already; our forces
are ready for them. Oh dear father,
I am doing this on your behalf;
that is why great France
took pity on my sorrow and begging tears.
No arrogant ambition drives me on,
but love, dear love and my aged father's rights:
I hope I may soon hear and see him!
Enter REGAN and OSWALD
REGAN
But are my brother's powers set forth?
But have my brother's forces set out?
OSWALD
Ay, madam.
Yes madam.
REGAN
Himself in person there?
And is he there in person?
OSWALD
Madam, with much ado:
Your sister is the better soldier.
Yes madam, after a great fuss:
your sister is the better soldier.
REGAN
Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home?
Did Lord Edmund not speak to your lord at home?
OSWALD
No, madam.
No, madam.
REGAN
What might import my sister's letter to him?
What was the meaning of my sister's letter to him?
OSWALD
I know not, lady.
I do not know, lady.
REGAN
'Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter.
It was great ignorance, Gloucester's eyes being out,
To let him live: where he arrives he moves
All hearts against us: Edmund, I think, is gone,
In pity of his misery, to dispatch
His nighted life: moreover, to descry
The strength o' the enemy.
By God, he is coming here on serious business.
It was very stupid to let Gloucester live
after blinding him: wherever he goes he turns
everyone's hearts against us: Edmund, I think,
has gone to do him the kindness of ending
his blind life: and also to spy out
the enemy's strength.
OSWALD
I must needs after him, madam, with my letter.
I must follow him, madam, with my letter.
REGAN
Our troops set forth to-morrow: stay with us;
The ways are dangerous.
Our troops are setting out tomorrow: stay with me;
the roads are dangerous.
OSWALD
I may not, madam:
My lady charged my duty in this business.
I can't, madam:
my lady ordered me to do this.
REGAN
Why should she write to Edmund? Might not you
Transport her purposes by word? Belike,
Something--I know not what: I'll love thee much,
Let me unseal the letter.
Why would she write to Edmund? Couldn't you
just take a verbal message? I think,
something–I don't know what: I'll be very pleased with you,
let me read the letter.
OSWALD
Madam, I had rather--
Madam, I would rather–
REGAN
I
know your lady does not love her husband;
I am sure of that: and at her late being here
She gave strange oeillades and most speaking looks
To noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosom.
I know your lady does not love her husband;
I'm sure of that: and when she was here recently
she was giving meaningful winks and amorous glances
to noble Edmund. I know you are in her confidence.
OSWALD
I, madam?
I, madam?
REGAN
I speak in understanding; you are; I know't:
Therefore I do advise you, take this note:
My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talk'd;
And more convenient is he for my hand
Than for your lady's: you may gather more.
If you do find him, pray you, give him this;
And when your mistress hears thus much from you,
I pray, desire her call her wisdom to her.
So, fare you well.
If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor,
Preferment falls on him that cuts him off.
I know what I'm talking about; you are, I know it:
so I advise you to think about this:
my Lord is dead; Edmund and I have talked;
and he prefers my hand to that
of your lady's: you may find out more.
If you do find him, please give him this;
and when your mistress hears of this from you,
please ask to come to her senses.
So, farewell.
If you do happen to find that blind traitor,
there will be promotion for the one who kills him.
OSWALD
Would I could meet him, madam! I should show
What party I do follow.
I wish I could meet him, madam! Then I would show
where my loyalties lie.
REGAN
Fare thee well.
Exeunt
Farewell.
Enter GLOUCESTER, and EDGAR dressed like a peasant
GLOUCESTER
When shall we come to the top of that same hill?
When will we get to the top of the hill we want?
EDGAR
You do climb up it now: look, how we labour.
You are climbing up it now: look what hard work it is.
GLOUCESTER
Methinks the ground is even.
I think the ground is flat.
EDGAR
Horrible steep.
Hark, do you hear the sea?
It's terribly steep.
Listen, can you hear the sea?
GLOUCESTER
No, truly.
Definitely not.
EDGAR
Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect
By your eyes' anguish.
Well, your other senses must've been damaged
by the pain in your eyes.
GLOUCESTER
So may it be, indeed:
Methinks thy voice is alter'd; and thou speak'st
In better phrase and matter than thou didst.
That may well be the case:
I think your voice has changed, you speak
more sense, and more articulately, and you did.
EDGAR
You're much deceived: in nothing am I changed
But in my garments.
You're much mistaken: I have changed nothing
but my clothes.
GLOUCESTER
Methinks you're better spoken.
I think you're better spoken.
EDGAR
Come on, sir; here's the place: stand still. How fearful
And dizzy 'tis, to cast one's eyes so low!
The crows and choughs that wing the midway air
Show scarce so gross as beetles: half way down
Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!
Methinks he seems no bigger than his head:
The fishermen, that walk upon the beach,
Appear like mice; and yond tall anchoring bark,
Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy
Almost too small for sight: the murmuring surge,
That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high. I'll look no more;
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
Topple down headlong.
Come on, sir; here's the place: stand still. How terrifying
and dizzying it is, to look down so far!
The crows and jackdaws that fly through the air in between
hardly look as big as beetles: halfway down
one of the samphire gatherers is hanging, what a dreadful job!
I think he looks no bigger than his head:
the fishermen walking on the beach
look like mice; that great ship at anchor has shrunk
to the size of a rowing boat, her rowing boat looks like a buoy
almost too small to be seen: the rumble of the waves
that crash on the numberless barren pebbles
cannot be heard up here. I won't look any more,
in case it makes me dizzy and my sight fails,
making me fall headfirst.
GLOUCESTER
Set me where you stand.
Put me where you are standing.
EDGAR
Give me your hand: you are now within a foot
Of the extreme verge: for all beneath the moon
Would I not leap upright.
Give me your hand: you are now within a foot
of the edge: I wouldn't stand up here
for everything on earth.
GLOUCESTER
Let go my hand.
Here, friend, 's another purse; in it a jewel
Well worth a poor man's taking: fairies and gods
Prosper it with thee! Go thou farther off;
Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going.
Let go of my hand.
Here, friend, is another purse; there's a jewel in it
that's well worth having for a poor man: may the fairies and gods
make it profitable for you! Go further away;
say goodbye, and let me hear you going.
EDGAR
Now fare you well, good sir.
Now take care of yourself, good sir.
GLOUCESTER
With all my heart.
I fully intend to.
EDGAR
Why I do trifle thus with his despair
Is done to cure it.
I am only messing about with his despair
so that it can be cured.
GLOUCESTER
[Kneeling] O you mighty gods!
This world I do renounce, and, in your sights,
Shake patiently my great affliction off:
If I could bear it longer, and not fall
To quarrel with your great opposeless wills,
My snuff and loathed part of nature should
Burn itself out. If Edgar live, O, bless him!
Now, fellow, fare thee well.
He falls forward
Oh you mighty gods!
I am giving up the world, and in your sight
I am throwing off my great affliction:
if I could bear it any longer, without
rebelling against your almighty orders,
the almost consumed wick of my candle of life
would burn itself out. If Edgar is alive, bless him!
Now, my friend, goodbye.
EDGAR
Gone, sir: farewell.
And yet I know not how conceit may rob
The treasury of life, when life itself
Yields to the theft: had he been where he thought,
By this, had thought been past. Alive or dead?
Ho, you sir! friend! Hear you, sir! speak!
Thus might he pass indeed: yet he revives.
What are you, sir
?
I am gone sir, goodbye.
And yet I don't know whether imagination can
steal away life, when life gives in
to its theft: might he die
just because he thinks he has? Is he alive or dead?
Hey, you sir! Friend! Listen, sir! Speak!
He might actually be dead: but he's coming round.
How are you sir?
GLOUCESTER
Away, and let me die.
Go away, and let me die.
EDGAR
Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air,
So many fathom down precipitating,
Thou'dst shiver'd like an egg: but thou dost breathe;
Hast heavy substance; bleed'st not; speak'st; art sound.
Ten masts at each make not the altitude
Which thou hast perpendicularly fell:
Thy life's a miracle. Speak yet again.
If you had been nothing but gossamer, feathers and air,
falling down so many fathoms
you would have smashed like an egg: but you breathe;
you are all in one piece; you don't bleed; you speak; you're all right.
Ten masts one on top of the other would not reach the height
which you have just fallen straight down:
it's a miracle you're alive. Speak again.
GLOUCESTER
But have I fall'n, or no?
But have I fallen or not?
EDGAR
From the dread summit of this chalky bourn.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 567
