Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
|
Enter Kent in disguise, and Gloucester. GLOUCESTER Here is better than the open air. Take it
thankfully. I will piece out the comfort with what
addition I can. I will not be long from you. KENT All the power of his wits have given way to his
impatience. The gods reward your kindness! 5 Gloucester exits. Enter Lear, Edgar in disguise, and Fool. EDGAR Frateretto calls me and tells me Nero is an
angler in the lake of darkness. Pray, innocent, and
beware the foul fiend. FOOL Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether a madman be a
gentleman or a yeoman. 10 LEAR A king, a king! FOOL No, he’s a yeoman that has a gentleman to his
son, for he’s a mad yeoman that sees his son a
gentleman before him. LEAR
To have a thousand with red burning spits 15
Come hissing in upon ’em! EDGAR The foul fiend bites my back. FOOL He’s mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a
horse’s health, a boy’s love, or a whore’s oath. | We're back with that rebel Gloucester, who's led Lear, the disguised Kent, the disguised Edgar, and the Fool to a little building outside of his castle to get them all out of the storm. |
LEAR
It shall be done. I will arraign them straight. 20
To Edgar. Come, sit thou here, most learnèd
justice.
To Fool. Thou sapient sir, sit here. Now, you
she-foxes— EDGAR Look where he stands and glares!—Want’st 25
thou eyes at trial, madam?
Sings. "Come o’er the burn, Bessy, to me—" FOOL sings
"Her boat hath a leak,
And she must not speak
Why she dares not come over to thee." 30 EDGAR The foul fiend haunts Poor Tom in the voice of
a nightingale. Hoppedance cries in Tom’s belly for
two white herring.—Croak not, black angel. I have
no food for thee. | Lear asks the philosophizing Edgar—who is still pretending to be the mad Poor Tom—a bunch of questions. The Fool interjects occasionally, revealing that things must be really bad when the only person who makes sense in the conversation is the guy whose profession (as a licensed fool) dictates that his speech doesn't make any sense at all. |
KENT, to Lear
How do you, sir? Stand you not so amazed. 35
Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions? LEAR
I’ll see their trial first. Bring in their evidence.
To Edgar. Thou robèd man of justice, take thy
place,
To Fool. And thou, his yokefellow of equity, 40
Bench by his side. To Kent. You are o’ th’
commission;
Sit you, too. EDGAR Let us deal justly.
Sings. "Sleepest or wakest, thou jolly shepherd? 45
Thy sheep be in the corn.
And for one blast of thy minikin mouth,
Thy sheep shall take no harm."
Purr the cat is gray. LEAR Arraign her first; ’tis Goneril. I here take my oath 50
before this honorable assembly, kicked the poor
king her father. FOOL Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril? LEAR She cannot deny it. FOOL Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint stool. 55 LEAR
And here’s another whose warped looks proclaim
What store her heart is made on. Stop her there!
Arms, arms, sword, fire! Corruption in the place!
False justicer, why hast thou let her ’scape?
EDGAR Bless thy five wits! 60 KENT, to Lear
O pity! Sir, where is the patience now
That you so oft have boasted to retain? | Kent tries to get Lear to lie down, but Lear says he has to see his daughters' trial first. Yep, his sanity continues to spiral downward. He imagines his daughters are in the room, and he demands that "Poor Tom" (a.k.a., Edgar), Kent, and the Fool act as judges in a mock trial where he can charge his daughters with their crimes. |
EDGAR, aside
My tears begin to take his part so much
They mar my counterfeiting. LEAR The little dogs and all, 65
Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart, see, they bark at me. EDGAR Tom will throw his head at them.—Avaunt, you
curs!
Be thy mouth or black or white,
Tooth that poisons if it bite, 70
Mastiff, greyhound, mongrel grim,
Hound or spaniel, brach, or lym,
Bobtail tike, or trundle-tail,
Tom will make him weep and wail;
For, with throwing thus my head, 75
Dogs leapt the hatch, and all are fled.
Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes
and fairs and market towns. Poor Tom, thy horn
is dry. LEAR Then let them anatomize Regan; see what breeds 80
about her heart. Is there any cause in nature that
make these hard hearts? To Edgar. You, sir, I
entertain for one of my hundred; only I do not like
the fashion of your garments. You will say they are
Persian, but let them be changed. 85 | In the middle of this crazy mock trial, Edgar reveals that he isn't actually crazy. In fact, he feels so bad for Lear that he says it makes it difficult for him to keep pretending to be a madman. But he manages. |
KENT
Now, good my lord, lie here and rest awhile. LEAR, lying down Make no noise, make no noise.
Draw the curtains. So, so, we’ll go to supper i’ th’
morning. FOOL And I’ll go to bed at noon. 90 Enter Gloucester. GLOUCESTER, to Kent
Come hither, friend. Where is the King my master? KENT
Here, sir, but trouble him not; his wits are gone. GLOUCESTER
Good friend, I prithee, take him in thy arms.
I have o’erheard a plot of death upon him.
There is a litter ready; lay him in ’t, 95
And drive toward Dover, friend, where thou shalt
meet
Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master.
If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life,
With thine and all that offer to defend him, 100
Stand in assurèd loss. Take up, take up,
And follow me, that will to some provision
Give thee quick conduct. | Kent finally convinces Lear to lie down and get some sleep when Gloucester comes back again with bad news. There's definitely a plot against Lear's life, though Gloucester notably doesn't mention who's plotting. He wants Kent (who he still thinks is Caius) to take Lear to Dover to keep him safe. |
KENT Oppressèd nature sleeps.
This rest might yet have balmed thy broken sinews, 105
Which, if convenience will not allow,
Stand in hard cure. To the Fool. Come, help to
bear thy master.
Thou must not stay behind. GLOUCESTER Come, come away. 110 All but Edgar exit, carrying Lear. | Kent has to get Lear into a cart fast—there's no time to waste, because if the plotters find Lear, his life and the life of anyone who helps him will be in danger. He the Fool, and Gloucester all exit with Lear, hoping to get their King to safety...if not sanity. |
EDGAR
When we our betters see bearing our woes,
We scarcely think our miseries our foes.
Who alone suffers suffers most i’ th’ mind,
Leaving free things and happy shows behind.
But then the mind much sufferance doth o’erskip 115
When grief hath mates and bearing fellowship.
How light and portable my pain seems now
When that which makes me bend makes the King
bow!
He childed as I fathered. Tom, away. 120
Mark the high noises, and thyself bewray
When false opinion, whose wrong thoughts defile
thee,
In thy just proof repeals and reconciles thee.
What will hap more tonight, safe ’scape the King! 125
Lurk, lurk. He exits. | Edgar leaves after them, filled with pity for Lear, whose pathetic situation makes Edgar feel better about his own. Edgar admits that there's no greater suffering than mental illness. Edgar also knows that his life will be okay just as soon as the truth comes out that he's been plotted against and wrongfully condemned. |