First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
| |
| Enter Kent and a Gentleman | | KL IV.iii.1 | |
| KENT | | | |
| Why the King of France is so suddenly gone back | | KL IV.iii.1 | |
| know you no reason? | | KL IV.iii.2 | |
| GENTLEMAN | | | |
| Something he left imperfect in the state, | imperfect (adj.) unfinished, incomplete | KL IV.iii.3 | |
| which since his coming forth is thought of, which imports | import (v.) be of importance to, concern, matter to | KL IV.iii.4 | |
| to the kingdom so much fear and danger that his | | KL IV.iii.5 | |
| personal return was most required and necessary. | require (v.) request, ask, beg | KL IV.iii.6 | |
| KENT | | | |
| Who hath he left behind him general? | | KL IV.iii.7 | |
| GENTLEMAN | | | |
| The Marshal of France, Monsieur La Far. | | KL IV.iii.8 | |
| KENT | | | |
| Did your letters pierce the Queen to any demonstration | | KL IV.iii.9 | |
| of grief? | | KL IV.iii.10 | |
| GENTLEMAN | | | |
| Ay, sir; she took them, read them in my presence, | | KL IV.iii.11 | |
| And now and then an ample tear trilled down | trill (v.) roll, flow, stream | KL IV.iii.12 | |
| Her delicate cheek. It seemed she was a queen | | KL IV.iii.13 | |
| Over her passion who, most rebel-like, | | KL IV.iii.14 | |
| Sought to be king o'er her. | | KL IV.iii.15.1 | |
| KENT | | | |
| O, then it moved her? | | KL IV.iii.15.2 | |
| GENTLEMAN | | | |
| Not to a rage; patience and sorrow strove | patience (n.) endurance, fortitude, composure | KL IV.iii.16 | |
| | strive (v.) compete, contend, vie | | |
| | rage (n.) violent outburst, furious passion | | |
| Who should express her goodliest. You have seen | express (v.) show, reveal, display | KL IV.iii.17 | |
| | goodly (adj.) good-looking, handsome, attractive, comely | | |
| Sunshine and rain at once; her smiles and tears | | KL IV.iii.18 | |
| Were like a better way; those happy smilets | smilet (n.) slight smile | KL IV.iii.19 | |
| That played on her ripe lip seemed not to know | ripe (adj.) red and full like ripe fruit | KL IV.iii.20 | |
| What guests were in her eyes, which parted thence | | KL IV.iii.21 | |
| As pearls from diamonds dropped. In brief, | | KL IV.iii.22 | |
| Sorrow would be a rarity most beloved | | KL IV.iii.23 | |
| If all could so become it. | become (v.) grace, honour, dignify | KL IV.iii.24.1 | |
| KENT | | | |
| Made she no verbal question? | question (n.) conversation, discourse, piece of talk | KL IV.iii.24.2 | |
| GENTLEMAN | | | |
| Faith, once or twice she heaved the name of father | | KL IV.iii.25 | |
| Pantingly forth, as if it pressed her heart, | | KL IV.iii.26 | |
| Cried ‘ Sisters! Sisters! Shame of ladies! Sisters! | | KL IV.iii.27 | |
| Kent! Father! Sisters! – What, i'the storm? i'the night? | | KL IV.iii.28 | |
| Let pity not be believed!’ There she shook | | KL IV.iii.29 | |
| The holy water from her heavenly eyes, | | KL IV.iii.30 | |
| And clamour moistened; then away she started | start (v.) hurry, rush, hasten | KL IV.iii.31 | |
| | clamor, clamour (n.) protest, complaint, outcry | | |
| To deal with grief alone. | | KL IV.iii.32.1 | |
| KENT | | | |
| It is the stars, | | KL IV.iii.32.2 | |
| The stars above us govern our conditions. | condition (n.) nature, state, circumstances | KL IV.iii.33 | |
| Else one self mate and make could not beget | mate and make husband and wife | KL IV.iii.34 | |
| | self (adj.) same, selfsame, identical, exact | | |
| Such different issues. You spoke not with her since? | issue (n.) child(ren), offspring, family, descendant | KL IV.iii.35 | |
| GENTLEMAN | | | |
| No. | | KL IV.iii.36 | |
| KENT | | | |
| Was this before the King returned? | | KL IV.iii.37.1 | |
| GENTLEMAN | | | |
| No, since. | | KL IV.iii.37.2 | |
| KENT | | | |
| Well, sir, the poor distressed Lear's i'the town, | | KL IV.iii.38 | |
| Who sometime in his better tune remembers | sometime (adv.) sometimes, now and then | KL IV.iii.39 | |
| | tune (n.) state of mind, mood | | |
| What we are come about, and by no means | | KL IV.iii.40 | |
| Will yield to see his daughter. | | KL IV.iii.41.1 | |
| GENTLEMAN | | | |
| Why, good sir? | | KL IV.iii.41.2 | |
| KENT | | | |
| A sovereign shame so elbows him; his own unkindness | elbow (v.) jostle, thrust back, crowd in | KL IV.iii.42 | |
| | sovereign (adj.) overpowering, unmitigated, extreme | | |
| That stripped her from his benediction, turned her | benediction (n.) blessing, happiness, prosperity | KL IV.iii.43 | |
| To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights | casualty (n.) chance occurrence, uncertainty, precariousness | KL IV.iii.44 | |
| To his dog-hearted daughters – these things sting | dog-hearted (adj.) cruel, callous, malevolent | KL IV.iii.45 | |
| His mind so venomously that burning shame | | KL IV.iii.46 | |
| Detains him from Cordelia. | | KL IV.iii.47.1 | |
| GENTLEMAN | | | |
| Alack, poor gentleman! | | KL IV.iii.47.2 | |
| KENT | | | |
| Of Albany's and Cornwall's powers you heard not? | power (n.) armed force, troops, host, army | KL IV.iii.48 | |
| GENTLEMAN | | | |
| 'Tis so. They are afoot. | | KL IV.iii.49 | |
| KENT | | | |
| Well, sir, I'll bring you to our master Lear | | KL IV.iii.50 | |
| And leave you to attend him. Some dear cause | dear (adj.) important, major, significant | KL IV.iii.51 | |
| | attend (v.) serve, follow, wait [on/upon] | | |
| | cause (n.) reason, motive, ground | | |
| Will in concealment wrap me up awhile. | | KL IV.iii.52 | |
| When I am known aright you shall not grieve | | KL IV.iii.53 | |
| Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you | | KL IV.iii.54 | |
| Go along with me. | | KL IV.iii.55 | |
| Exeunt | | KL IV.iii.55 | |