The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

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.