First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
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Enter Kent, and Gloucester. | Enter Kent and Gloucester | | KL III.vi.1 | |
Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
Heere is better then the open ayre,t ake it | Here is better than the open air. Take it | | KL III.vi.1 | |
thankfully: I will peece out the comfort with what | thankfully; I will piece out the comfort with what | piece out (v.)augment, increase, supplement | KL III.vi.2 | |
addition I can: I will not be long from you. | addition I can. I will not be long from you. | | KL III.vi.3 | |
Kent. | KENT | | | |
All the powre of his wits, haue giuen way to his impatience: | All the power of his wits have given way to his impatience. | wits, also five witsfaculties of the mind (common wit, imagination, fantasy, estimation, memory) or body (the five senses) | KL III.vi.4 | |
the Gods reward your kindnesse. | The gods reward your kindness! | | KL III.vi.5 | |
Exit | Exit Gloucester | | KL III.vi.5 | |
Enter Lear, Edgar, and Foole. | Enter Lear, Edgar, and the Fool | | KL III.vi.6.1 | |
Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
Fraterretto cals me, and tells me Nero is an Angler | Fraterretto calls me and tells me Nero is an angler | Frateretto, Fraterretto (n.)[pron: frate'retoh] in Christian tradition, the name of a devil | KL III.vi.6 | |
| | Nero (n.)[pron: 'neeroh] Roman emperor, 1st-c, who slew his mother, Agrippina; said to have played on his lute while watching Rome burn; considered a model of cruelty | | |
in the Lake of Darknesse: pray Innocent, and beware the | in the lake of darkness. Pray, innocent, and beware the | | KL III.vi.7 | |
foule Fiend. | foul fiend. | | KL III.vi.8 | |
Foole. | FOOL | | | |
Prythee Nunkle tell me, whether a madman be a | Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether a madman be a | | KL III.vi.9 | |
Gentleman, or a Yeoman. | gentleman or a yeoman. | yeoman (n.)man who owns property but is not a gentleman; land-holding farmer | KL III.vi.10 | |
Lear. | LEAR | | | |
A King, a King. | A king, a king! | | KL III.vi.11 | |
Foole. | FOOL | | | |
No, he's a Yeoman, that ha's a Gentleman to his Sonne: | No! He's a yeoman that has a gentleman to his son; | | KL III.vi.12 | |
for hee's a mad Yeoman that sees his Sonne a Gentleman | for he's a mad yeoman that sees his son a gentleman | | KL III.vi.13 | |
before him. | before him. | | KL III.vi.14 | |
Lear. | LEAR | | | |
To haue a thousand with red burning spits | To have a thousand with red burning spits | | KL III.vi.15 | |
Come hizzing in vpon 'em. | Come hissing in upon 'em! | | KL III.vi.16 | |
| EDGAR | | | |
| The foul fiend bites my back. | | KL III.vi.17 | |
| FOOL | | | |
| He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a | | KL III.vi.18 | |
| horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath. | | KL III.vi.19 | |
| LEAR | | | |
| It shall be done; I will arraign them straight. | straight (adv.)straightaway, immediately, at once | KL III.vi.20 | |
| | arraign (v.)put on trial, indict | | |
| (To Edgar) | | KL III.vi.21.1 | |
| Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer. | justicer (n.)judge | KL III.vi.21 | |
| (To the Fool) | | KL III.vi.22.1 | |
| Thou sapient sir, sit here. No, you she-foxes – | sapient (adj.)wise, learned, erudite | KL III.vi.22 | |
| EDGAR | | | |
| Look where he stands and glares! Want'st thou | want (v.)lack, need, be without | KL III.vi.23 | |
| eyes at trial, madam? | | KL III.vi.24 | |
| (sings) | | KL III.vi.25 | |
| Come o'er the burn, Bessy, to me. | | KL III.vi.25 | |
| FOOL | | | |
| (sings) | | KL III.vi.26 | |
| Her boat hath a leak | | KL III.vi.26 | |
| And she must not speak | | KL III.vi.27 | |
| Why she dares not come over to thee. | | KL III.vi.28 | |
| EDGAR | | | |
| The foul fiend haunts Poor Tom in the voice of a | | KL III.vi.29 | |
| nightingale. Hoppedance cries in Tom's belly for two | | KL III.vi.30 | |
| white herring. Croak not, black angel! I have no food for | white (adj.)fresh, unsmoked | KL III.vi.31 | |
| | croak (v.)rumble, growl | | |
| thee. | | KL III.vi.32 | |
| KENT | | | |
| How do you, sir? Stand you not so amazed. | amazed (adj.)dumbfounded, stunned, thunderstruck, overwhelmed | KL III.vi.33 | |
| Will you lie down and rest upon the cushings? | cushing (n.)cushion | KL III.vi.34 | |
| LEAR | | | |
| I'll see their trial first; bring in their evidence. | evidence (n.)evidence against someone, witnesses for the prosecution | KL III.vi.35 | |
| (To Edgar) | | KL III.vi.36 | |
| Thou robed man of justice, take thy place. | | KL III.vi.36 | |
| (To the Fool) | | KL III.vi.37.1 | |
| And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity, | yoke-fellow (n.)fellow-worker, comrade, partner | KL III.vi.37 | |
| | equity (n.)justice, impartiality, fairness | | |
| Bench by his side. (To Kent) You are o'the commission; | bench (v.)take a seat on the bench | KL III.vi.38 | |
| | commission (n.)formal body comprising justices of the peace | | |
| Sit you too. | | KL III.vi.39 | |
| EDGAR | | | |
| Let us deal justly. | | KL III.vi.40 | |
| Sleepest or wakest thou, jolly shepherd? | | KL III.vi.41 | |
| Thy sheep be in the corn, | | KL III.vi.42 | |
| And for one blast of thy minikin mouth | minikin (adj.)shrill; or: dainty, tiny | KL III.vi.43 | |
| Thy sheep shall take no harm. | | KL III.vi.44 | |
| Pur, the cat is grey. | | KL III.vi.45 | |
| LEAR | | | |
| Arraign her first. 'Tis Gonerill! I here take my oath | arraign (v.)put on trial, indict | KL III.vi.46 | |
| before this honourable assembly she kicked the poor | | KL III.vi.47 | |
| King her father. | | KL III.vi.48 | |
| FOOL | | | |
| Come hither, mistress. Is your name Gonerill? | | KL III.vi.49 | |
| LEAR | | | |
| She cannot deny it. | | KL III.vi.50 | |
| FOOL | | | |
| Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool. | joint-stool, join-stool, joined-stool (n.)well-made stool [by a joiner] [also used in phrases of ridicule] | KL III.vi.51 | |
| LEAR | | | |
| And here's another whose warped looks proclaim | warped (adj.)twisted, distorted | KL III.vi.52 | |
| What store her heart is made on. Stop her there! | make on (v.)make of, compose, form | KL III.vi.53 | |
| | store (n.)abundance, plenty, surplus, quantity | | |
| Arms, arms, sword, fire! Corruption in the place! | | KL III.vi.54 | |
| False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape? | scape, 'scape (v.)escape, avoid | KL III.vi.55 | |
| | justicer (n.)judge | | |
| | false (adj.)treacherous, traitorous, perfidious | | |
Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
Blesse thy fiue wits. | Bless thy five wits! | wits, also five witsfaculties of the mind (common wit, imagination, fantasy, estimation, memory) or body (the five senses) | KL III.vi.56 | |
Kent. | KENT | | | |
O pitty: Sir, where is the patience now | O pity! Sir, where is the patience now | | KL III.vi.57 | |
That you so oft haue boasted to retaine? | That you so oft have boasted to retain? | oft (adv.)often | KL III.vi.58 | |
Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
| (aside) | | KL III.vi.59 | |
My teares begin to take his part so much, | My tears begin to take his part so much | | KL III.vi.59 | |
They marre my counterfetting. | They mar my counterfeiting. | | KL III.vi.60 | |
Lear. | LEAR | | | |
The little dogges, and all; | The little dogs and all – | | KL III.vi.61 | |
Trey, Blanch, and Sweet-heart: see, they barke at me. | Trey, Blanch, and Sweetheart – see, they bark at me. | | KL III.vi.62 | |
Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
Tom, will throw his head at them: Auaunt you | Tom will throw his head at them. Avaunt, you | avaunt (int.)be gone, go away, be off | KL III.vi.63 | |
Curres, | curs! | | KL III.vi.64 | |
be thy mouth or blacke or white: | Be thy mouth or black or white, | | KL III.vi.65 | |
Tooth that poysons if it bite: | Tooth that poisons if it bite, | | KL III.vi.66 | |
Mastiffe, Grey-hound, Mongrill, Grim, | Mastiff, greyhound, mongrel grim, | | KL III.vi.67 | |
Hound or Spaniell, Brache, or Hym: | Hound or spaniel, brach or lym, | lym (n.)[doubtful reading] bloodhound | KL III.vi.68 | |
| | brach (n.)hound [which hunts by scent], bitch | | |
Or Bobtaile tight, or Troudle taile, | Or bobtail tike, or trundle-tail, | tike (n.)cur, mongrel | KL III.vi.69 | |
| | trundle-tail (n.)dog with a trailing tail, curly-tailed dog | | |
| | bobtail (adj.)with a docked tail | | |
Tom will make him weepe and waile, | Tom will make him weep and wail; | | KL III.vi.70 | |
For with throwing thus my head; | For, with throwing thus my head, | | KL III.vi.71 | |
Dogs leapt the hatch, and all are fled. | Dogs leapt the hatch and all are fled. | hatch (n.)lower part of a door, half-door, gate | KL III.vi.72 | |
Do, de, de, de: sese: Come, march to Wakes and Fayres, | Do de, de, de. Sese! Come, march to wakes and fairs | sessa, sesey, sese (int.)[cry of encouragement used in hunting, fencing] be off, off you go | KL III.vi.73 | |
| | wake (n.)festival, revel, fete | | |
And Market Townes: poore Tom thy horne is dry, | and market-towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry. | horn (n.)drinking-horn | KL III.vi.74 | |
Lear. | LEAR | | | |
Then let them Anatomize Regan: See what breeds | Then let them anatomize Regan, see what breeds | anatomize, annothanize (v.)dissect, reveal, lay open | KL III.vi.75 | |
about her heart. Is there any cause in Nature that make | about her heart. Is there any cause in nature that makes | nature (n.)human nature | KL III.vi.76 | |
these hard-hearts. You sir, I entertaine for one of my hundred; | these hard hearts? You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred. | entertain (v.)hire, employ, maintain, take into service | KL III.vi.77 | |
only, I do not like the fashion of your garments. | Only I do not like the fashion of your garments. | | KL III.vi.78 | |
You will say they are Persian; but let them bee chang'd. | You will say they are Persian; but let them be changed. | | KL III.vi.79 | |
Kent. | KENT | | | |
Now good my Lord, lye heere, and rest awhile. | Now, good my lord, lie here and rest awhile. | | KL III.vi.80 | |
Lear. | LEAR | | | |
Make no noise, make no noise, draw the Curtaines: | Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains. | | KL III.vi.81 | |
so, so, wee'l go to Supper i'th'morning. | So, so. We'll to supper i'the morning. | | KL III.vi.82 | |
Foole. | FOOL | | | |
And Ile go to bed at noone. | And I'll go to bed at noon. | | KL III.vi.83 | |
Enter Gloster. | Enter Gloucester | | KL III.vi.84 | |
Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
Come hither Friend: / Where is the King my Master? | Come hither, friend. Where is the King my master? | | KL III.vi.84 | |
Kent. | KENT | | | |
Here Sir, but trouble him not, his wits are gon. | Here, sir; but trouble him not; his wits are gone. | wits, also five witsfaculties of the mind (common wit, imagination, fantasy, estimation, memory) or body (the five senses) | KL III.vi.85 | |
Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
Good friend, I prythee take him in thy armes; | Good friend, I prithee, take him in thy arms; | | KL III.vi.86 | |
I haue ore-heard a plot of death vpon him: | I have o'erheard a plot of death upon him. | | KL III.vi.87 | |
There is a Litter ready, lay him in't, | There is a litter ready; lay him in't | litter (n.)[transportable] bed, couch | KL III.vi.88 | |
And driue toward Douer friend, where thou shalt meete | And drive toward Dover, friend, where thou shalt meet | drive (v.)hasten, fly, move off quickly | KL III.vi.89 | |
Both welcome, and protection. Take vp thy Master, | Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master; | | KL III.vi.90 | |
If thou should'st dally halfe an houre, his life | If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life, | dally (v.)delay, linger, loiter | KL III.vi.91 | |
With thine, and all that offer to defend him, | With thine and all that offer to defend him, | | KL III.vi.92 | |
Stand in assured losse. Take vp, take vp, | Stand in assured loss. Take up, take up, | stand (v.)continue, remain, wait, stay put | KL III.vi.93 | |
| | loss (n.)perdition, destruction | | |
| | assured (adj.)certain, definite, sure | | |
And follow me, that will to some prouision | And follow me, that will to some provision | provision (n.)supply of necessities | KL III.vi.94 | |
Giue thee quicke conduct. Come, come, away. | Give thee quick conduct. | conduct (n.)guidance, direction | KL III.vi.95.1 | |
Exeunt | KENT | | | |
| Oppressed nature sleeps. | | KL III.vi.95.2 | |
| This rest might yet have balmed thy broken sinews | sinew (n.)nerve | KL III.vi.96 | |
| | balm (v.)soothe, relieve, heal | | |
| Which, if convenience will not allow, | convenience (n.)opportunity, occasion, suitable moment | KL III.vi.97 | |
| Stand in hard cure. (To the Fool) Come, help to bear thy master. | stand (v.)continue, remain, wait, stay put | KL III.vi.98 | |
| | hard (adj.)difficult, not easy [to obtain] | | |
| | cure (n.)state of health, condition, soundness | | |
| Thou must not stay behind. | | KL III.vi.99.1 | |
| GLOUCESTER | | | |
| Come, come, away! | | KL III.vi.99.2 | |
| Exeunt Kent, Gloucester, and the Fool, | | KL III.vi.99.1 | |
| bearing off the King | | KL III.vi.99.2 | |
| EDGAR | | | |
| When we our betters see bearing our woes, | | KL III.vi.100 | |
| We scarcely think our miseries our foes. | | KL III.vi.101 | |
| Who alone suffers, suffers most i'the mind, | | KL III.vi.102 | |
| Leaving free things and happy shows behind; | show (n.)spectacle, display, ceremony | KL III.vi.103 | |
| | free (adj.)free of worry, untroubled, carefree | | |
| But then the mind much sufferance doth o'erskip | overskip (v.)pass over without noticing, jump lightly over | KL III.vi.104 | |
| | sufferance (n.)distress, suffering, hardship | | |
| When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship. | mate (n.)companion, associate, comrade | KL III.vi.105 | |
| | bearing (n.)carrying of hardships, enduring of woes | | |
| How light and portable my pain seems now, | portable (adj.)bearable, supportable, endurable | KL III.vi.106 | |
| When that which makes me bend makes the King bow – | | KL III.vi.107 | |
| He childed as I fathered. Tom, away! | child (v.)be dealt with by children | KL III.vi.108 | |
| | father (v.)be dealt with by a father | | |
| Mark the high noises, and thyself bewray | noise (n.)report, rumour, news | KL III.vi.109 | |
| | mark (v.)note, pay attention [to], take notice [of] | | |
| | high (adj.)important, major, special | | |
| | bewray (v.)show, unmask, make known | | |
| When false opinion, whose wrong thoughts defile thee, | opinion (n.)public opinion, popular judgement | KL III.vi.110 | |
| | false (adj.)wrong, mistaken | | |
| In thy just proof repeals and reconciles thee. | proof (n.)making good, showing to be loyal | KL III.vi.111 | |
| | repeal (v.)recall, call back [from exile] | | |
| What will hap more tonight, safe 'scape the King! | scape, 'scape (v.)escape, avoid | KL III.vi.112 | |
| | hap (v.)happen, take place, come to pass | | |
| Lurk, lurk! | lurk (v.)keep hidden, stay out of sight | KL III.vi.113 | |
| Exit | | KL III.vi.113 | |