Kent. In your own kingdom, sir.
Lear. Do not abusedeg me.
Doctor. Be comforted, good madam: the great rage,deg You see, is killed in him: and yet it is danger
To make him even o'erdeg the time he has lost.
Desire him to go in; trouble him no more
Till further settling.deg
Cordelia. Will 't please your Highness walk?deg
Lear. You must bear with me. Pray you now, forget and forgive. I am old and foolish. Exeunt. Mane[n]tdeg Kent and Gentleman.
Gentleman. Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was so slain?
Kent. Most certain, sir.
Gentleman. Who is conductor of his people?
Kent. As 'tis said, the bastard son of Gloucester. Gentleman. They say Edgar, his banished son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.
Kent. Report is changeable.deg 'Tis time to look about; the powersdeg of the kingdom approach apace.
Gentleman. The arbitrementdeg is like to be bloody. Fare you well, sir. [Exit.]
Kent. My point and period will be throughly wrought,deg Or well or ill, as this day's battle's fought.
Exit.
77 abuse deceive
78 rage frenzy
80 even o'er smooth over by filling in; and hence. "recollect"
82 settling calming
83 walk (perhaps in the sense of "withdraw")
85 s.d. Mane[n]t remain
93 Report is changeable rumors are unreliable
94 powers armies
95 arbitrement deciding encounter
97 My ... wrought the aim and end, the close of my life would be completely worked out
ACT 5
Scene 1. [The British camp near Dover.]
Enter, with drum and colors, Edmund, Regan, Gentlemen, and Soldiers.
Edmund. Knowdeg of the Duke if his last purpose hold,deg Or whether since he is adviseddeg by aught
To change the course: he's full of alteration
And self-reproving: bring his constant pleasure.deg
[To a Gentleman, who goes out.]
Regan. Our sister's man is certainly miscarried.deg
Edmund. 'Tis to be doubted,deg madam.
Regan. Now, sweet lord, You know the goodness I intend upon you:
Tell me, but truly, but then speak the truth,
Do you not love my sister?
Edmund. In honoreddeg love.
Regan. But have you never found my brother's way To the forfendeddeg place?
Edmund. That thought abusesdeg you.
5.1.1 Know learn I last purpose hold most recent intention (to fight) be maintained
2 advised induced
4 constant pleasure fixed (final) decision
5 miscarried come to grief 6 doubted feared
9 honored honorable
11 forfended forbidden
11 abuses (1) deceives (2) demeans, is unworthy of
Regan. I am doubtful that you have been conjunct And bosomed with her, as far as we call hers.deg
Edmund. No, by mine honor, madam.
Regan. I shall never endure her: dear my lord, Be not familiar with her.
Edmund. Feardeg me not.--She and the Duke her husband!
Enter, with drum and colors, Albany, Goneril [and] Soldiers.
Goneril. [Aside] I had rather lose the battle than that sister Should loosendeg him and me.
Albany. Our very loving sister, well be-met.deg Sir, this I heard, the King is come to his daughter,
With others whom the rigor of our statedeg
Forced to cry out. Where I could not be honest,deg
I never yet was valiant: for this business,
It touches us, asdeg France invades our land,
Not bolds the King, with others, whom, I fear,
Most just and heavy causes make oppose.deg
Edmund. Sir, you speak nobly.
Regan. Why is this reasoned?deg
Goneril. Combine together 'gainst the enemy; For these domestic and particular broilsdeg Are not the questiondeg here.
Albany. Let's then determine With th' ancient of wardeg on our proceeding.
Edmund. I shall attend you presently at your tent.
12-13 I ... hers I fear that you have united with her intimately, in the fullest possible way
16 Fear distrust
19 loosen separate
20 be-met met
22 rigor ... state tyranny of our government
23 honest honorable
25 touches us, as concerns me, only in that
26-27 Not ... oppose and not in that France emboldens the King and others, who have been led, by real and serious grievances, to take up arms against us
28 reasoned argued
30 particular broils private quarrels
31 question issue
32 th' ancient of war experienced commanders
Regan. Sister, you'll go with us?deg
Goneril. No.
Regan. 'Tis most convenient;deg pray you, go with us.
Goneril. [Aside] O, ho, I know the riddle.deg--I will go. Exeunt both the Armies. Enter Edgar [disguised].
Edgar. If e'er your Grace had speech with man so poor, Hear me one word.
Albany. [To those going out] I'll overtake you. [To Edgar] Speak.
Exeunt [all but Albany and Edgar].
Edgar. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. If you have victory, let the trumpet sound
Fordeg him that brought it: wretched though I seem,
I can produce a champion that will provedeg
What is avoucheddeg there. If you miscarry,
Your business ofdeg the world hath so an end,
And machinationdeg ceases. Fortune love you.
Albany. Stay till I have read the letter.
Edgar. I was forbid it. When time shall serve, let but the herald cry, And I'll appear again.
Albany. Why, fare thee well: I will o'erlookdeg thy paper. Exit [Edgar].
Enter Edmund.
Edmund. The enemy's in view: draw up your powers. Here is the guessdeg of their true strength and
forces
By diligent discovery;deg but your haste 34 us me (rather than Edmund)
36 convenient fitting, desirable
37 riddle real reason (for Regan's curious request)
41-42 sound/For summon
43 prove i.e., by trial of combat
44 avouched maintained
45 of in
46 machination plotting
50 o'erlook read over
52 guess estimate
53 By diligent discovery obtained by careful reconnoitering
Is now urged on you.
Albany. We will greetdeg the time. Exit.
Edmund. To both these sisters have I sworn my love; Each jealousdeg of the other, as the stung
Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take?
Both? One? Or neither? Neither can be enjoyed,
If both remain alive: to take the widow
Exasperates, makes mad her sister Goneril;
And hardlydeg shall I carry out my side,deg
Her husband being alive. Now then, we'll use
His countenancedeg for the battle; which being done,
Let her who would be rid of him devise
His speedy taking off. As for the mercy
Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia,
The battle done, and they within our power,
Shall never see his pardon; for my state
Stands on me to defend, not to debate.deg Exit.
Scene 2. [A field between the two camps.]
Alarumdeg within. Enter, with drum and colors, Lear, Cordelia, and Soldiers, over the stage; and exeunt.
Enter Edgar and Gloucester.
Edgar. Here, father,deg take the shadow of this tree For your good host; pray that the right may thrive.
If ever I return to you again,
I'll bring you comfort.
Gloucester. Grace go with you, sir. Exit [Ed
gar]. 54 greet i.e., meet the demands of
56 jealous suspicious
61 hardly with difficulty
61 carry ... side (1) satisfy my ambition (2) fulfill my bargain (with Goneril)
63 countenance authority
68-69 for ... debate my position requires me to act, not to reason about right and wrong 5.2. s.d. Alarum a trumpet call to battle I father i.e., venerable old man (Edgar has not yet revealed his identity)
Alarum and retreatdeg within. [Re-]enter Edgar.
Edgar. Away, old man; give me thy hand; away! King Lear hath lost, he and his daughter ta'en:deg Give me thy hand; come on.
Gloucester. No further, sir; a man may rot even here.
Edgar. What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure Their going hence, even as their coming hither:
Ripenessdeg is all. Come on.
Gloucester. And that's true too.
Exeunt.
Scene 3. [The British camp near Dover.]
Enter, in conquest, with drum and colors, Edmund; Lear and Cordelia, as prisoners; Soldiers, Captain.
Edmund. Some officers take them away: good guard,deg Until their greater pleasuresdeg first be known That are to censuredeg them.
Cordelia. We are not the first Who with best meaningdeg have incurred the worst.
For thee, oppressed King, I am cast down;
Myself could else out-frown false fortune's frown.
Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters?
Lear. No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to prison: We two alone will sing like birds i' th' cage:
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down
And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh 4 s.d. retreat (signaled by a trumpet)
6 ta'en captured
11 Ripeness maturity, as of fruit that is ready to fall
5.3.1 good guard let there be good guard
2 their greater pleasures the will of those in command, the great ones
3 censure pass judgment on
4 meaning intentions
At gilded butterflies,deg and hear poor rogues
Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too,
Who loses and who wins, who's in, who's out;
And take upon's the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies:deg and we'll wear out,deg
In a walled prison, packs and sects of great ones
That ebb and flow by th' moon.deg
Edmund. Take them away.
Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, The gods themselves throw incense.deg Have I caught
thee?
He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven,
And fire us hence like foxes.deg Wipe thine eyes;
The good yearsdeg shall devour them,deg flesh and fell,deg
Ere they shall make us weep. We'll see 'em starved
first.
Come. [Exeunt Lear and Cordelia, guarded.]
Edmund. Come hither, captain; hark. Take thou this note: go follow them to prison:
One step I have advanced thee; if thou dost
As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way
To noble fortunes: know thou this, that men
Are as the time is:deg to be tender-minded
Does not become a sword:deg thy great employment
Will not bear question;deg either say thou'lt do 't,
Or thrive by other means.
Captain. I'll do 't, my lord.
13 gilded butterflies i.e., gorgeously attired courtiers, fluttering after nothing
16-17 take ... spies profess to read the riddle of existence, as if endowed with divine omniscience
17 wear out outlast
18-19 packs ... moon intriguing and partisan cliques of those in high station, whose fortunes change every month
20-21 Upon... incense i.e., the gods approve our renunciation of the world
22-23 He... foxes no human agency can separate us, but only divine interposition, as of a heavenly torch parting us like foxes who arc driven from their place of refuge by fire and smoke
24 good years plague and pestilence ("undefined malefic power or agency,". N.E.D.)
24 them i.e., the enemies of Lear and Cordelia
24 fell skin 32 as the time is i.e., absolutely determined by the exigencies of the moment
33 become a sword befit a soldier
34 bear question admit of discussion
Edmund. About it; and write happydeg when th' hast done. Mark; I say, instantly, and carry it sodeg As I have set it down.
Captain. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats; If it be man's work, I'll do 't. Exit Captain.
Flourish. Enter Albany, Goneril, Regan [another
Captain, and] Soldiers.
Albany. Sir, you have showed today your valiant strain,deg And fortune led you well: you have the captives
Who were the opposites ofdeg this day's strife:
I do require them of you, so to use them
As we shall find their meritsdeg and our safety
May equally determine.
Edmund. Sir, I thought it fit To send the old and miserable King
To some retention and appointed guard;deg
Whosedeg age had charms in it, whose title more,
To pluck the common bosom on his side,deg
And turn our impressed lances in our eyesdeg
Which do command them. With him I sent the
Queen:
My reason all the same; and they are ready
Tomorrow, or at further space,deg t' appear
Where you shall hold your session.deg At this time
We sweat and bleed: the friend hath lost his friend;
And the best quarrels, in the heat, are cursed
By those that feel their sharpness.deg
The question of Cordelia and her father 36 write happy style yourself fortunate
37 carry it so manage the affair in exactly that manner (as if Cordelia had taken her own life)
41 strain (1) stock (2) character
43 opposites of opponents in
45 merits deserts 48 retention ... guard confinement under duly appointed guard 49 Whose i.e., Lear's
50 pluck ... side win the sympathy of the people to himself
51 turn... eyes turn our conscripted lancers against us
54 further space a later time
55 session trial
57-58 the ... sharpness the worthiest causes may be judged badly by those who have been affected painfully by them, and whose passion has not yet cooled
Requires a fitter place.
Albany. Sir, by your patience, I hold you but a subject ofdeg this war, Not as a brother.
Regan. That's as we list to gracedeg him. Methinks our pleasure might have been demanded,
Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers,
Bore the commission of my place and person;
The which immediacy may well stand up
And call itself your brother.deg
Goneril. Not so hot: In his own grace he doth exalt himself More than in your addition.deg
Regan. In my rights, By me invested, he compeersdeg the best.
Goneril. That were the most,deg if he should husband you.deg
Regan. Jesters do oft prove prophets.
Goneril. Holla, holla! That eye that told you so looked but a-squint.deg
Regan. Lady, I am not well; else I should answer From a full-flowing stomach.deg General,
Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony;deg
Dispose of them, of me; the walls is thine:deg
Witness the world, that I create thee here
My lord, and master.
Goneril. Mean you to enjoy him?
Albany. The let-alonedeg lies not in your good will.
61 subject of subordinate in
62 list to grace wish to honor
65-67 Bore ... brother was authorized, as my deputy, to take command; his
present status, as my immediate representative, entitles him to be considered your equal
69 your addition honors you have bestowed on him
70 compeers equals
71 most most complete investing in your rights
71 husband you become your husband
73 a-squint cross-eyed
75 From ... stomach angrily
76 patrimony inheritance
77 walls is thine i.e., Regan's person, which Edmund has stormed and won
80 let-alone power to prevent
Edmund. Nor in thine, lord.
Albany. Half-bloodeddeg fellow, yes.
Regan. [To Edmund] Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine.deg
Albany. Stay yet; hear reason. Edmund, I arrest thee On capital treason; and in thy attaintdeg
This gilded serpent [pointing to Coneril]. For
your claim, fair sister,
I bar it in the interest of my wife.
'Tis she is subcontracteddeg to this lord,
And I, her husband, contradict your banes.deg
If you will marry, make your lovesdeg to me;
My Lady is bespoke.deg
Goneril. An interlude!deg
Albany. Thou art armed, Gloucester: let the trumpet sound: If none appear to prove upon thy person
Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,
There is my pledgedeg [throwing down a glove]:
I'll makedeg it on thy heart,
Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less
Than I have here proclaimed thee.
Regan. Sick, O, sick! Goneril. [Aside] If not, I'll ne'er trust medicine.deg
Edmund. [Throwing down a glove] There's my exchange:deg what in the world he is That names me traitor, villain-like he lies:deg
Call by the trumpet:deg he that dares approach, 81 Half blooded bastard, and so only half noble
82 prove ... thine prove by combat your entitlement to my rights
84 in thy attaint as a sharer in the treason for which you are impeached
King Lear (Folger Shakespeare Library) Page 21