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

by William Shakespeare

  And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live,

  And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh

  At gilded butterflies, 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: and we'll wear out,

  In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones,

  That ebb and flow by the moon.

  No, no, no, no! Come on, let's go to prison:

  we two on our own will sing like caged birds:

  when you ask me for my blessings, I'll kneel down

  and ask you for forgiveness: that's how we'll live,

  we'll pray, and sing, and tell old stories, and laugh

  at vain fops, and hear poor scoundrels

  indulging in court gossip; we'll talk with them too,

  finding out who has lost and who has won; who's in, who's out;

  and we'll undertake to explain the mystery of things

  as if we were spies from God: and we'll outlive,

  in our walled prison, the cliques and parties of the great ones

  that rise and fall with the moon.

  EDMUND

  Take them away.

  Take them away.

  KING LEAR

  Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia,

  The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee?

  He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven,

  And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes;

  The good-years shall devour them, flesh and fell,

  Ere they shall make us weep: we'll see 'em starve

  first. Come.

  Exeunt KING LEAR and CORDELIA, guarded

  My Cordelia, the gods themselves will bless

  sacrifices like this. Do you understand?

  We will never be parted except by someone bringing the fire of heaven

  and smoking us out like foxes. Wipe your eyes;

  time will consume them, flesh and skin,

  before they weep again: until then, no tears.

  Come on.

  EDMUND

  Come hither, captain; hark.

  Take thou this note;

  Giving a paper

  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: to be tender-minded

  Does not become a sword: thy great employment

  Will not bear question; either say thou'lt do 't,

  Or thrive by other means.

  Come here, captain; listen.

  Take this note;

  Go and follow them to prison:

  I have promoted you once; if you do

  as this note orders, you will go on

  to great things: you should know this, that men

  have to act in a way that suits the times: to be softhearted

  does not fit with the sword: this great task

  is not open to debate; you say you'll do it,

  or find some other way to get on.

  Captain

  I'll do 't, my lord.

  I'll do it, my lord.

  EDMUND

  About it; and write happy when thou hast done.

  Mark, I say, instantly; and carry it so

  As I have set it down.

  Get going, and be happy when you have finished.

  Remember, I want it done at once; and make sure you do it

  just as I have instructed.

  Captain

  I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats;

  If it be man's work, I'll do 't.

  Exit

  Flourish. Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, another Captain, and Soldiers

  I cannot pull a cart, or eat dried oats;

  if it's work a man can do, I'll do it.

  ALBANY

  Sir, you have shown to-day your valiant strain,

  And fortune led you well: you have the captives

  That were the opposites of this day's strife:

  We do require them of you, so to use them

  As we shall find their merits and our safety

  May equally determine.

  Sir, you have shown your bravery today,

  and you had good fortune; you have our opponents

  in this day's battle as your prisoners;

  I want them from you, so they can be treated

  in such a way as their merits and our safety

  are suited.

  EDMUND

  Sir, I thought it fit

  To send the old and miserable king

  To some retention and appointed guard;

  Whose age has charms in it, whose title more,

  To pluck the common bosom on his side,

  An turn our impress'd lances in our eyes

  Which do command them. With him I sent the queen;

  My reason all the same; and they are ready

  To-morrow, or at further space, to appear

  Where you shall hold your session. 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:

  The question of Cordelia and her father

  Requires a fitter place.

  Sir, I thought it appropriate

  to send the old and miserable king

  into confinement with a guard watching over him;

  his age has an appeal to it, and his title even more so,

  which could turn the common people to his cause,

  and make our conscripts turn against

  us, their commanders. I sent the Queen with him;

  the same reason applied to her; now they are ready

  to appear before you tomorrow, or at a later time,

  wherever you hold your court. At the moment

  we are sweating and bloody; friends have lost friends,

  and the most justified causes, in the heat of battle, are cursed

  by those that suffer for them;

  the question of Cordelia and her father

  needs peaceful reflection.

  ALBANY

  Sir, by your patience,

  I hold you but a subject of this war,

  Not as a brother.

  Sir, with all due respect,

  you are just a soldier in this war,

  not my equal.

  REGAN

  That's as we list to grace 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.

  That depends how we want to honour him.

  I thought that we should have shown him our favor

  before you said this. He led our armies,

  represented my title and my person;

  as he is my direct representative you might well

  call him your brother.

  GONERIL

  Not so hot:

  In his own grace he doth exalt himself,

  More than in your addition.

  Not so fast:

  he has raised himself on his own merits

  more than through your titles.

  REGAN

  In my rights,

  By me invested, he compeers the best.

  As my representative,

  honoured by me, he equals the highest.

  GONERIL

  That were the most, if he should husband you.

  That would be most true if he should marry you.

  REGAN

  Jesters do oft prove prophets.

  Many a true line said in jest.

  GONERIL

  Holla, holla!r />
  That eye that told you so look'd but a-squint.

  Hello, hello!

  There's jealousy in your eye.

  REGAN

  Lady, I am not well; else I should answer

  From a full-flowing stomach. General,

  Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony;

  Dispose of them, of me; the walls are thine:

  Witness the world, that I create thee here

  My lord and master.

  Lady, I am not well; otherwise I would answer you

  with angry words. General,

  take my soldiers, my prisoners, my inheritance;

  do what you want with them, with me; you have won me:

  may everybody bear witness that I am taking you

  as my lord and master.

  GONERIL

  Mean you to enjoy him?

  Do you mean to enjoy him?

  ALBANY

  The let-alone lies not in your good will.

  You don't have the power to stop me.

  EDMUND

  Nor in thine, lord.

  And neither do you, lord.

  ALBANY

  Half-blooded fellow, yes.

  You bastard, I do.

  REGAN

  [To EDMUND] Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine.

  Order the drum to be sounded, and claim my title for yourself.

  ALBANY

  Stay yet; hear reason. Edmund, I arrest thee

  On capital treason; and, in thine attaint,

  This gilded serpent.

  Pointing to Goneril

  For your claim, fair sister,

  I bar it in the interest of my wife:

  'Tis she is sub-contracted to this lord,

  And I, her husband, contradict your bans.

  If you will marry, make your loves to me,

  My lady is bespoke.

  Wait a moment; listen to wisdom. Edmund, I arrest you

  for the capital crime of treason; and, along with you,

  this gilded serpent.

  As to your claim, fair sister,

  I block it in the interests of my wife;

  she has given herself to this lord,

  and I, her husband, forbid your marriage.

  If you want to marry, you should offer yourself to me,

  my lady is spoken for.

  GONERIL

  An interlude!

  This is like a play!

  ALBANY

  Thou art arm'd, Gloucester: let the trumpet sound:

  If none appear to prove upon thy head

  Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,

  There is my pledge;

  Throwing down a glove

  I'll prove it on thy heart,

  Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less

  Than I have here proclaim'd thee.

  You are armed, Gloucester: sound the trumpet:

  if nobody appears to give evidence against you

  of your wicked, obvious and multiple treason

  then I promise you this;

  I'll prove in a fight,

  before my next meal, that you are absolutely

  what I have said you are.

  REGAN

  Sick, O, sick!

  You are sick, sick!

  GONERIL

  [Aside] If not, I'll ne'er trust medicine.

  If she's not, I'll never trust poison again.

  EDMUND

  There's my exchange:

  Throwing down a glove

  what in the world he is

  That names me traitor, villain-like he lies:

  Call by thy trumpet: he that dares approach,

  On him, on you, who not? I will maintain

  My truth and honour firmly.

  Here's my reply:

  If there's anyone in the world

  who calls me a traitor, he is a lying villain:

  call him with your trumpet: I will strongly

  fight for my truthfulness and honour,

  against anybody who dares to come, against him, against you, against anybody.

  ALBANY

  A herald, ho!

  Herald, here!

  EDMUND

  A herald, ho, a herald!

  A herald, here, a herald!

  ALBANY

  Trust to thy single virtue; for thy soldiers,

  All levied in my name, have in my name

  Took their discharge.

  Put your faith in your own bravery; your soldiers

  were recruited in my name, and in my name

  they have been discharged.

  REGAN

  My sickness grows upon me.

  I am feeling more sick.

  ALBANY

  She is not well; convey her to my tent.

  Exit Regan, led

  Enter a Herald

  Come hither, herald,--Let the trumpet sound,

  And read out this.

  She is not well; take her to my tent.

  Come here, herald – let the trumpet sound,

  and read this out.

  Captain

  Sound, trumpet!

  A trumpet sounds

  Sound the trumpet!

  Herald

  [Reads] 'If any man of quality or degree within

  the lists of the army will maintain upon Edmund,

  supposed Earl of Gloucester, that he is a manifold

  traitor, let him appear by the third sound of the

  trumpet: he is bold in his defence.'

  ‘If any man of quality or rank within

  the army will give evidence that Edmund,

  supposed Earl of Gloucester, is a traitor many times over,

  let him present himself before the third trumpet call:

  he is adamant that he is innocent.’

  EDMUND

  Sound!

  First trumpet

  Blow!

  Herald

  Again!

  Second trumpet

  Again!

  Herald

  Again!

  Third trumpet

  Trumpet answers within

  Enter EDGAR, at the third sound, armed, with a trumpet before him

  Again!

  ALBANY

  Ask him his purposes, why he appears

  Upon this call o' the trumpet.

  Ask him what he means to do, why he appears

  in answer to the trumpet call.

  Herald

  What are you?

  Your name, your quality? and why you answer

  This present summons?

  Who are you?

  What's your name, your rank? And why do you answer

  this summons?

  EDGAR

  Know, my name is lost;

  By treason's tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit:

  Yet am I noble as the adversary

  I come to cope.

  You should know that my name is lost,

  ground down and poisoned by treason:

  yet I am as noble as the enemy

  I have come to take on.

  ALBANY

  Which is that adversary?

  Who is your enemy?

  EDGAR

  What's he that speaks for Edmund Earl of Gloucester?

  Who is representing Edmund Earl of Gloucester?

  EDMUND

  Himself: what say'st thou to him?

  Himself: what do you have to say to him?

  EDGAR

  Draw thy sword,

  That, if my speech offend a noble heart,

  Thy arm may do thee justice: here is mine.

  Behold, it is the privilege of mine honours,

  My oath, and my profession: I protest,

  Maugre thy strength, youth, place, and eminence,

  Despite thy victor sword and fire-new fortune,

  Thy valour and thy heart, thou art a traitor;

  False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father;

  Conspirant 'gainst this high-illustrious prince;

  And,
from the extremest upward of thy head

  To the descent and dust below thy foot,

  A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou 'No,'

  This sword, this arm, and my best spirits, are bent

  To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak,

  Thou liest.

  Draw your sword,

  so that if my speech offends your noble heart

  your arm can get revenge: here is mine.

  Look at it, it is the privilege of my position

  my oath and my knighthood to challenge you:

  I say, in spite of your strength, youth, possessions and position,

  despite your victorious sword and brand-new fortune,

  your heroism and your courage, you are a traitor;

  you are false to your gods, to your brother, and to your father;

  you are a conspirator against this illustrious Prince;

  and from the top of your head

  to the sole of your shoe

  you are stained with treachery. If you say you are not,

  this sword, this arm, and my greatest strength will be devoted

  to proving to your heart, which is what I'm speaking to,

  that you are a liar.

  EDMUND

  In wisdom I should ask thy name;

  But, since thy outside looks so fair and warlike,

  And that thy tongue some say of breeding breathes,

  What safe and nicely I might well delay

  By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn: