First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
| |
| Enter Edgar. | Enter Edgar | | KL IV.i.1.1 | |
| Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
| Yet better thus, and knowne to be contemn'd, | Yet better thus, and known to be contemned, | contemned (adj.) despised, contemptible, despicable | KL IV.i.1 | |
| Then still contemn'd and flatter'd, to be worst: | Than still contemned and flattered. To be worst, | still (adv.)constantly, always, continually | KL IV.i.2 | |
| The lowest, and most deiected thing of Fortune, | The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune, | dejected (adj.)cast down, abased, humbled | KL IV.i.3 | |
| Stands still in esperance, liues not in feare: | Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear. | esperance (n.)hope, expectation, optimism | KL IV.i.4 | |
| The lamentable change is from the best, | The lamentable change is from the best; | | KL IV.i.5 | |
| The worst returnes to laughter. Welcome then, | The worst returns to laughter. Welcome, then, | | KL IV.i.6 | |
| Thou vnsubstantiall ayre that I embrace: | Thou unsubstantial air that I embrace! | unsubstantial (adj.)lacking in material substance, intangible | KL IV.i.7 | |
| The Wretch that thou hast blowne vnto the worst, | The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst | | KL IV.i.8 | |
| Owes nothing to thy blasts. | Owes nothing to thy blasts. | | KL IV.i.9.1 | |
| Enter Glouster, and an Old man. | Enter Gloucester, led by an Old Man | | KL IV.i.9 | |
| But who comes heere? | But who comes here? | | KL IV.i.9.2 | |
| My Father poorely led? / World, World, O world! | My father, parti-eyed! World, world, O world! | parti-eyed (adj.)[unclear meaning] with eyes of mixed colours; bleeding | KL IV.i.10 | |
| But that thy strange mutations make vs hate thee, | But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee | | KL IV.i.11 | |
| Life would not yeelde to age. | Life would not yield to age. | | KL IV.i.12.1 | |
| Oldm. | OLD MAN | | | |
| O my good Lord, | O my good lord, | | KL IV.i.12.2 | |
| I haue bene your Tenant, / And your Fathers Tenant, | I have been your tenant, and your father's tenant | | KL IV.i.13 | |
| these fourescore yeares. | These fourscore years! | | KL IV.i.14 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| Away, get thee away: good Friend be gone, | Away! Get thee away! Good friend, be gone. | | KL IV.i.15 | |
| Thy comforts can do me no good at all, | Thy comforts can do me no good at all; | comfort (n.)encouragement, support, hope | KL IV.i.16 | |
| Thee, they may hurt. | Thee they may hurt. | | KL IV.i.17.1 | |
| Oldm. | OLD MAN | | | |
| You cannot see your way. | You cannot see your way. | | KL IV.i.17.2 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| I haue no way, and therefore want no eyes: | I have no way and therefore want no eyes; | want (v.)require, demand, need | KL IV.i.18 | |
| I stumbled when I saw. Full oft 'tis seene, | I stumbled when I saw. Full oft 'tis seen | oft (adv.)often | KL IV.i.19 | |
| Our meanes secure vs, and our meere defects | Our means secure us, and our mere defects | mean (n.)(plural) resources, wherewithal, wealth | KL IV.i.20 | |
| | mere (adj.)sole, personal, particular | | |
| | secure (v.)make over-confident, keep unsuspecting | | |
| Proue our Commodities. Oh deere Sonne Edgar, | Prove our commodities. O dear son Edgar, | commodity (n.)asset, advantage, benefit | KL IV.i.21 | |
| The food of thy abused Fathers wrath: | The food of thy abused father's wrath! | abused (adj.)deceived, misled, fooled, cheated | KL IV.i.22 | |
| Might I but liue to see thee in my touch, | Might I but live to see thee in my touch | | KL IV.i.23 | |
| I'ld say I had eyes againe. | I'd say I had eyes again. | | KL IV.i.24.1 | |
| Oldm. | OLD MAN | | | |
| How now? who's there? | How now? Who's there? | | KL IV.i.24.2 | |
| Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
| (aside) | | KL IV.i.25 | |
| O Gods! Who is't can say I am at the worst? | O gods! Who is't can say ‘ I am at the worst ’? | | KL IV.i.25 | |
| I am worse then ere I was. | I am worse than e'er I was. | | KL IV.i.26.1 | |
| Old. | OLD MAN | | | |
| 'Tis poore mad Tom. | 'Tis poor mad Tom. | | KL IV.i.26.2 | |
| Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
| (aside) | | KL IV.i.27 | |
| And worse I may be yet: the worst is not, | And worse I may be yet. The worst is not, | | KL IV.i.27 | |
| So long as we can say this is the worst. | So long as we can say ‘ This is the worst.’ | | KL IV.i.28 | |
| Oldm. | OLD MAN | | | |
| Fellow, where goest? | Fellow, where goest? | | KL IV.i.29.1 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| Is it a Beggar-man? | Is it a beggar-man? | | KL IV.i.29.2 | |
| Oldm. | OLD MAN | | | |
| Madman, and beggar too. | Madman and beggar too. | | KL IV.i.30 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| He has some reason, else he could not beg. | He has some reason, else he could not beg. | | KL IV.i.31 | |
| I'th'last nights storme, I such a fellow saw; | I'the last night's storm I such a fellow saw | | KL IV.i.32 | |
| Which made me thinke a Man, a Worme. My Sonne | Which made me think a man a worm. My son | | KL IV.i.33 | |
| Came then into my minde, and yet my minde | Came then into my mind, and yet my mind | | KL IV.i.34 | |
| Was then scarse Friends with him. / I haue heard more since: | Was then scarce friends with him. I have heard more since. | | KL IV.i.35 | |
| As Flies to wanton Boyes, are we to th'Gods, | As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; | wanton (adj.)cruelly irresponsible, badly behaved | KL IV.i.36 | |
| They kill vs for their sport. | They kill us for their sport. | sport (n.)recreation, amusement, entertainment | KL IV.i.37.1 | |
| Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
| (aside) | | KL IV.i.37 | |
| How should this be? | How should this be? | | KL IV.i.37.2 | |
| Bad is the Trade that must play Foole to sorrow, | Bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow, | trade (n.)course of action, practice | KL IV.i.38 | |
| Ang'ring it selfe, and others. Blesse thee Master. | Angering itself and others. (Aloud) Bless thee, master! | | KL IV.i.39 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| Is that the naked Fellow? | Is that the naked fellow? | | KL IV.i.40.1 | |
| Oldm. | OLD MAN | | | |
| I, my Lord. | Ay, my lord. | | KL IV.i.40.2 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| Get thee away: If for my sake | Then prithee get thee away. If for my sake | | KL IV.i.41 | |
| Thou wilt ore-take vs hence a mile or twaine | Thou wilt o'ertake us hence a mile or twain, | overtake (v.)catch up to, come up with | KL IV.i.42 | |
| I'th'way toward Douer, do it for ancient loue, | I'the way toward Dover, do it for ancient love, | ancient, aunchient (adj.)former, earlier, past | KL IV.i.43 | |
| And bring some couering for this naked Soule, | And bring some covering for this naked soul, | | KL IV.i.44 | |
| Which Ile intreate to leade me. | Who I'll entreat to lead me. | | KL IV.i.45.1 | |
| Old. | OLD MAN | | | |
| Alacke sir, he is mad. | Alack, sir, he is mad. | | KL IV.i.45.2 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| 'Tis the times plague, / When Madmen leade the blinde: | 'Tis the time's plague when madmen lead the blind. | plague (n.)calamity, affliction, scourge | KL IV.i.46 | |
| Do as I bid thee, or rather do thy pleasure: | Do as I bid thee, or rather do thy pleasure. | | KL IV.i.47 | |
| Aboue the rest, be gone. | Above the rest, begone. | | KL IV.i.48 | |
| Oldm. | OLD MAN | | | |
| Ile bring him the best Parrell that I haue | I'll bring him the best 'parel that I have. | | KL IV.i.49 | |
| Come on't, what will. | Come on't what will. | | KL IV.i.50.1 | |
| Exit | Exit | | KL IV.i. | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| Sirrah, naked fellow. | Sirrah naked fellow! | | KL IV.i.50.2 | |
| Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
| Poore Tom's a cold. I cannot daub it further. | Poor Tom's a-cold. (Aside) I cannot daub it further. | daub (v.)pretend, fake, pass off | KL IV.i.51 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| Come hither fellow. | Come hither, fellow. | | KL IV.i.52 | |
| Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
| (aside) | | KL IV.i.53 | |
| And yet I must: Blesse thy sweete eyes, they bleede. | And yet I must. (Aloud) Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed. | | KL IV.i.53.1 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| Know'st thou the way to Douer? | Knowest thou the way to Dover? | | KL IV.i.54 | |
| Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
| Both style, and gate; Horseway, and foot-path: poore | Both stile and gate, horse-way and footpath, Poor | | KL IV.i.55 | |
| Tom hath bin scarr'd out of his good wits. Blesse thee | Tom hath been scared out of his good wits. Bless thee, | wits, also five witsfaculties of the mind (common wit, imagination, fantasy, estimation, memory) or body (the five senses) | KL IV.i.56 | |
| good mans sonne, from the foule Fiend. | good man's son, from the foul fiend. Five fiends have | goodman (adj.)[title for a person under the rank of gentleman] mister, master | KL IV.i.57 | |
| been in Poor Tom at once: of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididence, | Hobbididence (n.)[pron: hobi'didens] in Christian tradition, the name of a devil | KL IV.i.58 | |
| | Obidicut (n.)[pron: o'bidikut] in Christian tradition, the name of a devil | | |
| prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; | Mahu (n.)[pron: 'mahhu] in Christian tradition, the name of a devil | KL IV.i.59 | |
| Modo, of murder; Flibberdigibbet, of mopping and | mopping (n.)grimacing, making faces | KL IV.i.60 | |
| | Flibberdigibbet (n.)[pron: fliberdi'jibet] in Christian tradition, the name of a devil | | |
| | Modo (n.)[pron: 'mohdoh] in Christian tradition, the name of a devil | | |
| mowing, who since possesses chambermaids and | mowing (n.)grimacing, making mouths | KL IV.i.61 | |
| waiting-women. So bless thee, master! | | KL IV.i.62 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| Here take this purse, yu whom the heau'ns plagues | Here, take this purse, thou whom the heavens' plagues | plague (n.)calamity, affliction, scourge | KL IV.i.63 | |
| Haue humbled to all strokes: that I am wretched | Have humbled to all strokes:. That I am wretched | stroke (n.)affliction, blow, misery | KL IV.i.64 | |
| Makes thee the happier: Heauens deale so still: | Makes thee the happier. Heavens deal so still! | still (adv.)constantly, always, continually | KL IV.i.65 | |
| | deal (v.)bestow, apportion, grant | | |
| Let the superfluous, and Lust-dieted man, | Let the superfluous and lust-dieted man | lust-dieted (adj.)pleasure-gorged, self-indulgent | KL IV.i.66 | |
| | superfluous (adj.)having too much, over-supplied, overflowing | | |
| That slaues your ordinance, that will not see | That slaves your ordinance, that will not see | ordinance (n.)decree, divine rule, injunction | KL IV.i.67 | |
| | slave (v.)enslave, bring into subjection | | |
| Because he do's not feele, feele your powre quickly: | Because he does not feel, feel your power quickly! | | KL IV.i.68 | |
| So distribution should vndoo excesse, | So distribution should undo excess | undo (v.)eliminate, abolish, do away with | KL IV.i.69 | |
| And each man haue enough. Dost thou know Douer? | And each man have enough. Dost thou know Dover? | | KL IV.i.70 | |
| Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
| I Master. | Ay, master. | | KL IV.i.71 | |
| Glou. | GLOUCESTER | | | |
| There is a Cliffe, whose high and bending head | There is a cliff whose high and bending head | bending (adj.)overhanging, jutting, curved | KL IV.i.72 | |
| Lookes fearfully in the confined Deepe: | Looks fearfully in the confined deep; | fearfully (adv.)frighteningly, terrifyingly | KL IV.i.73 | |
| | confined (adj.)bounded, enclosed, rimmed | | |
| Bring me but to the very brimme of it, | Bring me but to the very brim of it | | KL IV.i.74 | |
| And Ile repayre the misery thou do'st beare | And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear | | KL IV.i.75 | |
| With something rich about me: from that place, | With something rich about me. From that place | | KL IV.i.76 | |
| I shall no leading neede. | I shall no leading need. | | KL IV.i.77.1 | |
| Edg. | EDGAR | | | |
| Giue me thy arme; | Give me thy arm; | | KL IV.i.77.2 | |
| Poore Tom shall leade thee. | Poor Tom shall lead thee. | | KL IV.i.78 | |
| Exeunt. | Exeunt | | KL IV.i.78 | |