home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
-
-
-
- KING LEAR [THE FOLIO TEXT]
-
- Act 2 Scene 2
-
- (Enter the Earl of Kent, disguised, and Oswald the steward, severally)
- l1l Oswald Good dawning to thee, friend. Art of this house?
- l2l Kent Ay.
- l3l Oswald Where may we set our horses?
- l4l Kent IÆ thÆ mire.
- l5l Oswald Prithee, if thou lovÆst me, tell me.
- l6l Kent I love thee not.
- l7l Oswald Why then, I care not for thee.
- l8l Kent If I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold I would make thee
- l9l care for me.
- l10l Oswald Why dost thou use me thus? I know thee not.
- l11l Kent Fellow, I know thee.
- l12l Oswald What dost thou know me for?
- l13l Kent A knave, a rascal, an eater of broken meats, a base,
- l14l proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hundred-pound,
- l15l filthy worsted-stocking knave; a lily-livered, action-
- l16l taking, whoreson, glass-gazing, super-serviceable,
- l17l finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that
- l18l wouldst be a bawd in way of good service, and art
- l19l nothing but the composition of a knave, beggar,
- l20l coward, pander, and the son and heir of a mongrel
- l21l bitch, one whom I will beat into clamorous whining if
- l22l thou deniest the least syllable of thy addition.
- l23l Oswald Why, what a monstrous fellow art thou, thus to
- l24l rail on one that is neither known of thee nor knows
- l25l thee!
- l26l Kent What a brazen-faced varlet art thou, to deny thou
- l27l knowest me! Is it two days since I tripped up thy heels
- l28l and beat thee before the King? Draw, you rogue; for
- l29l though it be night, yet the moon shines.
- (He draws his sword)
- l30l IÆll make a sop oÆ thÆ moonshine of you, you whoreson,
- l31l cullionly barber-monger, draw!
- l32l Oswald Away. I have nothing to do with thee.
- l33l Kent Draw, you rascal. You come with letters against
- l34l the King, and take Vanity the puppetÆs part against the
- l35l royalty of her father. Draw, you rogue, or IÆll so
- l36l carbonado your shanksùdraw, you rascal, come your
- l37l ways!
- l38l Oswald Help, ho, murder, help!
- l39l Kent Strike, you slave! Stand, rogue! Stand, you neat
- l40l slave, strike!
- l41l Oswald Help, ho, murder, murder!
- (Enter Edmond the bastard, then the Duke of Cornwall,
- Regan, the Duke of Gloucester, and servants)
- l42l Edmond How now, whatÆs the matter? Part.
- l43l Kent With you, goodman boy. If you please, come, IÆll
- l44l flesh ye. Come on, young master.
- l45l Gloucester Weapons? Arms? WhatÆs the matter here?
- l46l Cornwall Keep peace, upon your lives. He dies that strikes again.
- l47l What is the matter?
- l48l Regan The messengers from our sister and the King.
- l49l Cornwall (to Kent and Oswald) What is your difference?
- l50l Speak.
- l51l Oswald I am scarce in breath, my lord.
- l52l Kent No marvel, you have so bestirred your valour, you
- l53l cowardly rascal. Nature disclaims in thee; a tailor made
- l54l thee.
- l55l Cornwall Thou art a strange fellowùa tailor make a
- l56l man?
- l57l Kent A tailor, sir. A stone-cutter or a painter could not
- l58l have made him so ill though they had been but two
- l59l years oÆ thÆ trade.
- l60l Cornwall Speak yet; how grew your quarrel?
- l61l Oswald This ancient ruffian, sir, whose life I have spared
- l62l at suit of his grey beardù
- l63l Kent Thou whoreson Z, thou unnecessary letterù (to
- l64l Cornwall) my lord, if youÆll give me leave I will tread
- l65l this unbolted villain into mortar and daub the wall of
- l66l a jakes with him. (To Oswald) Spare my grey beard,
- l67l you wagtail?
- l68l Cornwall Peace, sirrah.
- l69l You beastly knave, know you no reverence?
- l70l Kent Yes, sir, but anger hath a privilege.
- l71l Cornwall Why art thou angry?
- l72l Kent That such a slave as this should wear a sword,
- l73l Who wears no honesty. Such smiling rogues as these,
- l74l Like rats, oft bite the holy cords a-twain
- l75l Which are too intrince tÆ unloose, smooth every passion
- l76l That in the natures of their lords rebel;
- l77l Being oil to fire, snow to the colder moods,
- l78l Renege, affirm, and turn their halcyon beaks
- l79l With every gall and vary of their masters,
- l80l Knowing naught, like dogs, but following.
- l81l (To Oswald) A plague upon your epileptic visage!
- l82l Smile you my speeches as I were a fool?
- l83l Goose, an I had you upon Sarum Plain
- l84l IÆd drive ye cackling home to Camelot.
- l85l Cornwall What, art thou mad, old fellow?
- Gloucester (to Kent) How fell you out? Say that.
- l86l Kent No contraries hold more antipathy
- l87l Than I and such a knave.
- Cornwall Why dost thou call him knave?
- l88l What is his fault?
- Kent His countenance likes me not.
- l89l Cornwall No more perchance does mine, nor his, nor hers.
- l90l Kent Sir, Ætis my occupation to be plain:
- l91l I have seen better faces in my time
- l92l Than stands on any shoulder that I see
- l93l Before me at this instant.
- Cornwall This is some fellow
- l94l Who, having been praised for bluntness, doth affect
- l95l A saucy roughness, and constrains the garb
- l96l Quite from his nature. He cannot flatter, he;
- l97l An honest mind and plain, he must speak truth.
- l98l An they will take Æt, so; if not, heÆs plain.
- l99l These kind of knaves I know, which in this plainness
- l100l Harbour more craft and more corrupter ends
- l101l Than twenty silly-ducking observants
- l102l That stretch their duties nicely.
- l103l Kent Sir, in good faith, in sincere verity,
- l104l Under thÆ allowance of your great aspect,
- l105l Whose influence, like the wreath of radiant fire
- l106l On flickÆring PhoebusÆ frontù
- Cornwall What meanÆst by this?
- l107l Kent To go out of my dialect, which you discommend so
- l108l much. I know, sir, I am no flatterer. He that beguiled
- l109l you in a plain accent was a plain knave, which for my
- l110l part I will not be, though I should win your displeasure
- l111l to entreat me to Æt.
- l112l Cornwall (to Oswald) What was thÆ offence you gave him?
- Oswald I never gave him any.
- l113l It pleased the King his master very late
- l114l To strike at me upon his misconstruction,
- l115l When he, compact, and flattering his displeasure,
- l116l Tripped me behind; being down, insulted, railed,
- l117l And put upon him such a deal of man
- l118l That worthied him, got praises of the King
- l119l For him attempting who was self-subdued,
- l120l And in the fleshment of this dread exploit
- l121l Drew on me here again.
- Kent None of these rogues and cowards
- l122l But Ajax is their fool.
- Cornwall Fetch forth the stocks!
- (Exeunt some servants)
- l123l You stubborn, ancient knave, you reverend braggart,
- l124l WeÆll teach you.
- Kent Sir, I am too old to learn.
- l125l Call not your stocks for me. I serve the King,
- l126l On whose employment I was sent to you.
- l127l You shall do small respect, show too bold malice
- l128l Against the grace and person of my master,
- l129l Stocking his messenger.
- Cornwall (calling) Fetch forth the stocks!ù
- l130l As I have life and honour, there shall he sit till noon.
- l131l Regan Till noon?ùtill night, my lord, and all night too.
- l132l Kent Why, madam, if I were your fatherÆs dog
- l133l You should not use me so.
- Regan Sir, being his knave, I will.
- (Stocks brought out)
- l134l Cornwall This is a fellow of the selfsame colour
- l135l Our sister speaks of.ùCome, bring away the stocks.
- l136l Gloucester Let me beseech your grace not to do so.
- l137l The King his master needs must take it ill
- l138l That he, so slightly valued in his messenger,
- l139l Should have him thus restrained.
- Cornwall IÆll answer that.
- (They put Kent in the stocks)
- l140l Regan My sister may receive it much more worse
- l141l To have her gentlemen abused, assaulted.
- l142l Cornwall Come, my good lord, away!
- (Exeunt all but Gloucester and Kent)
- l143l Gloucester I am sorry for thee, friend. ÆTis the DukeÆs pleasure,
- l144l Whose disposition, all the world well knows,
- l145l Will not be rubbed nor stopped. IÆll entreat for thee.
- l146l Kent Pray do not, sir. I have watched and travelled hard.
- l147l Some time I shall sleep out; the rest IÆll whistle.
- l148l A good manÆs fortune may grow out at heels.
- l149l Give you good morrow.
- l150l Gloucester The DukeÆs to blame in this; Ætwill be ill taken.
- (Exit)
- l151l Kent Good King, that must approve the common say:
- l152l Thou out of heavenÆs benediction comÆst
- l153l To the warm sun.
- (He takes out a letter)
- l154l Approach, thou beacon to this under globe,
- l155l That by thy comfortable beams I may
- l156l Peruse this letter. Nothing almost sees miracles
- l157l But misery. I know Ætis from Cordelia,
- l158l Who hath now fortunately been informed
- l159l Of my obscurΦd course, and shall find time
- l160l For this enormous state, seeking to give
- l161l Losses their remedies. All weary and oÆerwatched,
- l162l Take vantage, heavy eyes, not to behold
- l163l This shameful lodging. Fortune, good night;
- l164l Smile once more; turn thy wheel.
- (He sleeps)
- (Enter Edgar)
- Edgar I heard myself proclaimed,
- l165l And by the happy hollow of a tree
- l166l Escaped the hunt. No port is free, no place
- l167l That guard and most unusual vigilance
- l168l Does not attend my taking. Whiles I may scape
- l169l I will preserve myself, and am bethought
- l170l To take the basest and most poorest shape
- l171l That ever penury in contempt of man
- l172l Brought near to beast. My face IÆll grime with filth,
- l173l Blanket my loins, elf all my hairs in knots,
- l174l And with presented nakedness outface
- l175l The winds and persecutions of the sky.
- l176l The country gives me proof and precedent
- l177l Of Bedlam beggars who with roaring voices
- l178l Strike in their numbed and mortifiΦd arms
- l179l Pins, wooden pricks, nails, sprigs of rosemary,
- l180l And with this horrible object from low farms,
- l181l Poor pelting villages, sheep-cotes and mills
- l182l Sometime with lunatic bans, sometime with prayers
- l183l Enforce their charity. ôPoor Tuelygod, Poor Tom.ö
- l184l ThatÆs something yet. Edgar I nothing am.
- (Exit)
- (Enter King Lear, his Fool, and the First Gentleman)
- l185l Lear ÆTis strange that they should so depart from home
- l186l And not send back my messenger.
- [First] Gentleman As I learned,
- l187l The night before there was no purpose in them
- l188l Of this remove.
- Kent (waking) Hail to thee, noble master.
- l189l Lear Ha! MakÆst thou this shame thy pastime?
- Kent No, my lord.
- l190l Fool Ha, ha, he wears cruel garters! Horses are tied by
- l191l the heads, dogs and bears by thÆ neck, monkeys by thÆ
- l192l loins, and men by thÆ legs. When a manÆs overlusty at
- l193l legs, then he wears wooden nether-stocks.
- l194l Lear (to Kent) WhatÆs he that hath so much thy place mistook
- l195l To set thee here?
- Kent It is both he and she:
- l196l Your son and daughter.
- Lear No.
- Kent Yes.
- Lear No, I say.
- l197l Kent I say yea.
- Lear By Jupiter, I swear no.
- l198l Kent By Juno, I swear ay.
- Lear They durst not do Æt,
- l199l They could not, would not do Æt. ÆTis worse than murder,
- l200l To do upon respect such violent outrage.
- l201l Resolve me with all modest haste which way
- l202l Thou mightst deserve or they impose this usage,
- l203l Coming from us.
- Kent My lord, when at their home
- l204l I did commend your highnessÆ letters to them,
- l205l Ere I was risen from the place that showed
- l206l My duty kneeling, came there a reeking post
- l207l Stewed in his haste, half breathless, painting forth
- l208l From Goneril, his mistress, salutations,
- l209l Delivered letters spite of intermission,
- l210l Which presently they read, on whose contents
- l211l They summoned up their meiny, straight took horse,
- l212l Commanded me to follow and attend
- l213l The leisure of their answer, gave me cold looks;
- l214l And meeting here the other messenger,
- l215l Whose welcome I perceived had poisoned mineù
- l216l Being the very fellow which of late
- l217l Displayed so saucily against your highnessù
- l218l Having more man than wit about me, drew.
- l219l He raised the house with loud and coward cries.
- l220l Your son and daughter found this trespass worth
- l221l The shame which here it suffers.
- l222l Fool WinterÆs not gone yet if the wild geese fly that way.
- l223l (Sings) Fathers that wear rags
- l224l Do make their children blind,
- l225l But fathers that bear bags
- l226l Shall see their children kind.
- l227l Fortune, that arrant whore,
- l228l NeÆer turns the key to thÆ poor.
- l229l But for all this thou shalt have as many dolours for
- l230l thy daughters as thou canst tell in a year.
- l231l Lear O, how this mother swells up toward my heart!
- l232l Histerica passio down, thou climbing sorrow;
- l233l Thy elementÆs below.ùWhere is this daughter?
- l234l Kent With the Earl, sir, here within.
- Lear Follow me not; stay here.
- (Exit)
- [First] Gentleman (to Kent)
- l235l Made you no more offence but what you speak of?
- l236l Kent None.
- l237l How chance the King comes with so small a number?
- l238l Fool An thou hadst been set iÆ thÆ stocks for that question,
- l239l thouÆdst well deserved it.
- l240l Kent Why, Fool?
- l241l Fool WeÆll set thee to school to an ant, to teach thee
- l242l thereÆs no labouring iÆ thÆ winter. All that follow their
- l243l noses are led by their eyes but blind men, and thereÆs
- l244l not a nose among twenty but can smell him thatÆs
- l245l stinking. Let go thy hold when a great wheel runs
- l246l down a hill, lest it break thy neck with following; but
- l247l the great one that goes upward, let him draw thee
- l248l after. When a wise man gives thee better counsel, give
- l249l me mine again. I would have none but knaves follow
- l250l it, since a fool gives it.
- l251l (Sings) That sir which serves and seeks for gain
- l252l And follows but for form,
- l253l Will pack when it begin to rain,
- l254l And leave thee in the storm.
- l255l But I will tarry, the fool will stay,
- l256l And let the wise man fly.
- l257l The knave turns fool that runs away,
- l258l The fool no knave, pardie.
- l259l Kent Where learned you this, Fool?
- l260l Fool Not iÆ thÆ stocks, fool.
- (Enter King Lear and the Duke of Gloucester)
- l261l Lear Deny to speak with me? They are sick, they are weary,
- l262l They have travelled all the night?ùmere fetches,
- l263l The images of revolt and flying off.
- l264l Fetch me a better answer.
- Gloucester My dear lord,
- l265l You know the fiery quality of the Duke,
- l266l How unremovable and fixed he is
- l267l In his own course.
- Lear Vengeance, plague, death, confusion!
- l268l ôFieryö? What ôqualityö? Why, Gloucester, Gloucester,
- l269l IÆd speak with the Duke of Cornwall and his wife.
- l270l Gloucester Well, my good lord, I have informed them so.
- l271l Lear ôInformed themö? Dost thou understand me, man?
- l272l Gloucester Ay, my good lord.
- l273l Lear The King would speak with Cornwall; the dear father
- l274l Would with his daughter speak, commands, tends service.
- l275l Are they ôinformedö of this? My breath and bloodù
- l276l ôFieryö? The ôfieryö Dukeùtell the hot Duke thatù
- l277l No, but not yet. Maybe he is not well.
- l278l Infirmity doth still neglect all office
- l279l Whereto our health is bound. We are not ourselves
- l280l When nature, being oppressed, commands the mind
- l281l To suffer with the body. IÆll forbear,
- l282l And am fallen out with my more headier will,
- l283l To take the indisposed and sickly fit
- l284l For the sound man.ùDeath on my state, wherefore
- l285l Should he sit here? This act persuades me
- l286l That this remotion of the Duke and her
- l287l Is practice only. Give me my servant forth.
- l288l Go tell the Duke and Æs wife IÆd speak with them,
- l289l Now, presently. Bid them come forth and hear me,
- l290l Or at their chamber door IÆll beat the drum
- l291l Till it cry sleep to death.
- Gloucester I would have all well betwixt you.
- (Exit)
- l292l Lear O me, my heart! My rising heart! But down.
- l293l Fool Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the eels
- l294l when she put Æem iÆ thÆ paste alive. She knapped Æem
- l295l oÆ thÆ coxcombs with a stick, and cried ôDown, wantons,
- l296l down!ö ÆTwas her brother that, in pure kindness to his
- l297l horse, buttered his hay.
- (Enter the Duke of Cornwall, Regan, the Duke of
- Gloucester, and servants)
- l298l Lear Good morrow to you both.
- l299l Cornwall Hail to your grace.
- (Kent here set at liberty)
- l300l Regan I am glad to see your highness.
- l301l Lear Regan, I think you are. I know what reason
- l302l I have to think so. If thou shouldst not be glad
- l303l I would divorce me from thy motherÆs shrine,
- l304l Sepulchring an adultress. (To Kent) O, are you free?
- l305l Some other time for that.
- (Exit Kent)
- BelovΦd Regan,
- l306l Thy sisterÆs naught. O, Regan, she hath tied
- l307l Sharp-toothed unkindness like a vulture here.
- l308l I can scarce speak to thee. ThouÆlt not believe
- l309l With how depraved a qualityùO, Regan!
- l310l Regan I pray you, sir, take patience. I have hope
- l311l You less know how to value her desert
- l312l Than she to scant her duty.
- Lear Say, how is that?
- l313l Regan I cannot think my sister in the least
- l314l Would fail her obligation. If, sir, perchance
- l315l She have restrained the riots of your followers,
- l316l ÆTis on such ground and to such wholesome end
- l317l As clears her from all blame.
- l318l Lear My curses on her.
- l319l Regan O sir, you are old.
- l320l Nature in you stands on the very verge
- l321l Of his confine. You should be ruled and led
- l322l By some discretion that discerns your state
- l323l Better than you yourself. Therefore I pray you
- l324l That to our sister you do make return;
- l325l Say you have wronged her.
- Lear Ask her forgiveness?
- l326l Do you but mark how this becomes the house?
- l327l (Kneeling) ôDear daughter, I confess that I am old.
- l328l Age is unnecessary. On my knees I beg
- l329l That youÆll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food.ö
- l330l Regan Good sir, no more. These are unsightly tricks.
- l331l Return you to my sister.
- Lear (rising) Never, Regan.
- l332l She hath abated me of half my train,
- l333l Looked black upon me, struck me with her tongue
- l334l Most serpent-like upon the very heart.
- l335l All the stored vengeances of heaven fall
- l336l On her ingrateful top! Strike her young bones,
- l337l You taking airs, with lameness!
- Cornwall Fie, sir, fie.
- l338l Lear You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames
- l339l Into her scornful eyes. Infect her beauty,
- l340l You fen-sucked fogs drawn by the powÆrful sun
- l341l To fall and blister.
- Regan O, the blest gods!
- l342l So will you wish on me when the rash mood is on.
- l343l Lear No, Regan. Thou shalt never have my curse.
- l344l Thy tender-hafted nature shall not give
- l345l Thee oÆer to harshness. Her eyes are fierce, but thine
- l346l Do comfort and not burn. ÆTis not in thee
- l347l To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train,
- l348l To bandy hasty words, to scant my sizes,
- l349l And, in conclusion, to oppose the bolt
- l350l Against my coming in. Thou better knowÆst
- l351l The offices of nature, bond of childhood,
- l352l Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude.
- l353l Thy half oÆ thÆ kingdom hast thou not forgot,
- l354l Wherein I thee endowed.
- Regan Good sir, to thÆ purpose.
- l355l Lear Who put my man iÆ thÆ stocks?
- (Tucket within)
- Cornwall What trumpetÆs that?
- (Enter Oswald the steward)
- l356l Regan I know Æt, my sisterÆs. This approves her letter
- l357l That she would soon be here.
- (To Oswald) Is your lady come?
- l358l Lear This is a slave whose easy-borrowed pride
- l359l Dwells in the sickly grace of her a follows.
- l360l (To Oswald) Out, varlet, from my sight!
- Cornwall What means your grace?
- (Enter Goneril)
- l361l Lear Who stocked my servant? Regan, I have good hope
- l362l Thou didst not know on Æt. Who comes here? O heavens,
- l363l If you do love old men, if your sweet sway
- l364l Allow obedience, if you yourselves are old,
- l365l Make it your cause! Send down and take my part.
- l366l (To Goneril) Art not ashamed to look upon this beard?
- l367l O Regan, will you take her by the hand?
- l368l Goneril Why not by thÆ hand, sir? How have I offended?
- l369l AllÆs not offence that indiscretion finds
- l370l And dotage terms so.
- Lear O sides, you are too tough!
- l371l Will you yet hold?ùHow came my man iÆ thÆ stocks?
- l372l Cornwall I set him there, sir; but his own disorders
- l373l Deserved much less advancement.
- Lear You? Did you?
- l374l Regan I pray you, father, being weak, seem so.
- l375l If till the expiration of your month
- l376l You will return and sojourn with my sister,
- l377l Dismissing half your train, come then to me.
- l378l I am now from home, and out of that provision
- l379l Which shall be needful for your entertainment.
- l380l Lear Return to her, and fifty men dismissed?
- l381l No, rather I abjure all roofs, and choose
- l382l To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,
- l383l To wage against the enmity oÆ thÆ air
- l384l NecessityÆs sharp pinch. Return with her?
- l385l Why, the hot-blooded France, that dowerless took
- l386l Our youngest bornùI could as well be brought
- l387l To knee his throne and, squire-like, pension beg
- l388l To keep base life afoot. Return with her?
- l389l Persuade me rather to be slave and sumpter
- l390l To this detested groom.
- Goneril At your choice, sir.
- l391l Lear I prithee, daughter, do not make me mad.
- l392l I will not trouble thee, my child. Farewell.
- l393l WeÆll no more meet, no more see one another.
- l394l But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughterù
- l395l Or rather a disease thatÆs in my flesh,
- l396l Which I must needs call mine. Thou art a boil,
- l397l A plague-sore or embossΦd carbuncle
- l398l In my corrupted blood. But IÆll not chide thee.
- l399l Let shame come when it will, I do not call it.
- l400l I do not bid the thunder-bearer shoot,
- l401l Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove.
- l402l Mend when thou canst; be better at thy leisure.
- l403l I can be patient, I can stay with Regan,
- l404l I and my hundred knights.
- Regan Not altogether so.
- l405l I looked not for you yet, nor am provided
- l406l For your fit welcome. Give ear, sir, to my sister;
- l407l For those that mingle reason with your passion
- l408l Must be content to think you old, and soù
- l409l But she knows what she does.
- Lear Is this well spoken?
- l410l Regan I dare avouch it, sir. What, fifty followers?
- l411l Is it not well? What should you need of more,
- l412l Yea, or so many, sith that both charge and danger
- l413l Speak Ægainst so great a number? How in one house
- l414l Should many people under two commands
- l415l Hold amity? ÆTis hard, almost impossible.
- l416l Goneril Why might not you, my lord, receive attendance
- l417l From those that she calls servants, or from mine?
- l418l Regan Why not, my lord? If then they chanced to slack ye,
- l419l We could control them. If you will come to meù
- l420l For now I spy a dangerùI entreat you
- l421l To bring but five-and-twenty; to no more
- l422l Will I give place or notice.
- l423l Lear I gave you all.
- l424l Regan And in good time you gave it.
- l425l Lear Made you my guardians, my depositaries,
- l426l But kept a reservation to be followed
- l427l With such a number. What, must I come to you
- l428l With five-and-twenty? Regan, said you so?
- l429l Regan And speak Æt again, my lord. No more with me.
- l430l Lear Those wicked creatures yet do look well favoured
- l431l When others are more wicked. Not being the worst
- l432l Stands in some rank of praise.
- (To Goneril) IÆll go with thee.
- l433l Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty,
- l434l And thou art twice her love.
- Goneril Hear me, my lord.
- l435l What need you five-and-twenty, ten, or five,
- l436l To follow in a house where twice so many
- l437l Have a command to tend you?
- Regan What need one?
- l438l Lear O, reason not the need! Our basest beggars
- l439l Are in the poorest thing superfluous.
- l440l Allow not nature more than nature needs,
- l441l ManÆs life is cheap as beastÆs. Thou art a lady.
- l442l If only to go warm were gorgeous,
- l443l Why, nature needs not what thou, gorgeous, wearÆst,
- l444l Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But for true needù
- l445l You heavens, give me that patience, patience I need.
- l446l You see me here, you gods, a poor old man,
- l447l As full of grief as age, wretchΦd in both.
- l448l If it be you that stirs these daughtersÆ hearts
- l449l Against their father, fool me not so much
- l450l To bear it tamely. Touch me with noble anger,
- l451l And let not womenÆs weapons, water-drops,
- l452l Stain my manÆs cheeks. No, you unnatural hags,
- l453l I will have such revenges on you both
- l454l That all the world shallùI will do such thingsù
- l455l What they are, yet I know not; but they shall be
- l456l The terrors of the earth. You think IÆll weep.
- l457l No, IÆll not weep. I have full cause of weeping,
- (Storm and tempest)
- l458l But this heart shall break into a hundred thousand flaws
- l459l Or ere IÆll weep.ùO Fool, I shall go mad!
- (Exeunt Lear, Fool, Gentleman, and Gloucester)
- l460l Cornwall Let us withdraw. ÆTwill be a storm.
- l461l Regan This house is little. The old man and Æs people
- l462l Cannot be well bestowed.
- Goneril ÆTis his own blame;
- l463l Hath put himself from rest, and must needs taste his folly.
- l464l Regan For his particular IÆll receive him gladly,
- l465l But not one follower.
- Goneril So am I purposed.
- l466l Where is my lord of Gloucester?
- l467l Cornwall Followed the old man forth.
- (Enter the Duke of Gloucester)
- He is returned.
- l468l Gloucester The King is in high rage.
- Cornwall Whither is he going?
- l469l Gloucester He calls to horse, but will I know not whither.
- l470l Cornwall ÆTis best to give him way. He leads himself.
- l471l Goneril (to Gloucester) My lord, entreat him by no means to stay.
- l472l Gloucester Alack, the night comes on, and the high winds
- l473l Do sorely ruffle. For many miles about
- l474l ThereÆs scarce a bush.
- Regan O sir, to wilful men
- l475l The injuries that they themselves procure
- l476l Must be their schoolmasters. Shut up your doors.
- l477l He is attended with a desperate train,
- l478l And what they may incense him to, being apt
- l479l To have his ear abused, wisdom bids fear.
- l480l Cornwall Shut up your doors, my lord. ÆTis a wild night.
- l481l My Regan counsels well. Come out oÆ thÆ storm.
- (Exeunt)
-