Gloucester. Well, my good lord, I have informed them so.

  Lear. Informed them? Dost thou understand me, man?

  Gloucester. Ay, my good lord.

  Lear. The King would speak with Cornwall. The dear father Would with his daughter speak, commands--tendsdeg

  --service.

  Are they informed of this? My breath and blood!

  Fiery? The fiery Duke, tell the hot Duke that--

  No, but not yet. May be he is not well.

  Infirmity doth still neglect all office

  Whereto our health is bound.deg We are not

  ourselves

  When nature, being oppressed, commands the

  mind

  To suffer with the body. I'll forbear;

  And am fallen outdeg with my more headier willdeg

  To take the indisposed and sickly fit

  For the sound man. [Looking on Kent] Death on

  my state!deg Wherefore

  Should he sit here? This act persuades me

  That this remotiondeg of the Duke and her

  Is practicedeg only. Give me my servant forth.deg

  Go tell the Duke and's wife I'd speak with them!

  Now, presently!deg Bid them come forth and hear

  me,

  Or at their chamber door I'll beat the drum

  Till it cry sleep to death.deg

  Gloucester. I would have all well betwixt you.

  Exit.

  100 tends attends (i.e., awaits); with, possibly, an ironic second meaning, "tenders," or "offers"

  105 Whereto ... bound duties which we arc required to perform, when in health

  108 fallen out angry

  108 headier will headlong inclination

  110 state royal condition

  112 remotion (1) removal (2) remaining aloof

  113 practice pretense

  113 forth i.e., out of the stocks

  115 presently at once

  117 cry ... death follow sleep, like a cry or pack of hounds, until it kills it

  Lear. O me, my heart, my rising heart! But down!

  Fool. Cry to it, Nuncle, as the cockneydeg did to the eels when she put 'em i' th' pastedeg alive. She knappeddeg 'em o' th' coxcombsdeg with a stick and cried, "Down, wantons,deg down!" 'Twas her brother that, in pure kindness to his horse, buttered his hay.deg

  Enter Cornwall, Regan, Gloucester, Servants.

  Lear. Good morrow to you both.

  Cornwall. Hail to your Grace.

  Kent here set at liberty.

  Regan. I am glad to see your Highness.

  Lear. Regan, I think you are. I know what reason I have to think so. If thou shouldst not be glad,

  I would divorce me from thy mother's tomb,

  Sepulchring an adultress.deg [To Kent] O, are you

  free?

  Some other time for that. Beloved Regan,

  Thy sister's naught.deg O Regan, she hath tied

  Sharp-toothed unkindness, like a vulture, here.

  [Points to his heart.]

  I can scarce speak to thee. Thou'lt not believe

  With how depraved a qualitydeg--O Regan!

  Regan. I pray you, sir, take patience. I have hope You less know how to value her desert

  Than she to scant her duty.deg

  Lear. Say? how is that?

  120 cockney Londoner (ignorant city dweller)

  121 paste pastry pie

  122 knapped rapped

  122 coxcombs heads 123 wantons i.e., playful things (with a sexual implication)

  125 buttered his hay i.e., the city dweller does from ignorance what the dishonest ostler does from craft: greases the hay the traveler has paid for, so that the horse will not eat

  130--31 divorce ... adultress i.e., repudiate your dead mother as having conceived you by another man

  133 naught wicked

  136 quality nature

  137-39 I ... duty (despite the double negative, the passage means, "I believe that you fail to give Goneril her due, rather than that she fails to fulfill her duty")

  Regan. I cannot think my sister in the least Would fail her obligation. If, sir, perchance

  She have restrained the riots of your followers,

  'Tis on such ground, and to such wholesome end,

  As clears her from all blame.

  Lear. My curses on her!

  Regan. O, sir, you are old, Nature in you stands on the very verge

  Of his confine.deg You should be ruled, and led

  By some discretion that discerns your state

  Better than you yourself.deg Therefore I pray you

  That to our sister you do make return,

  Say you have wronged her.

  Lear. Ask her forgiveness? Do you but mark how this becomes the house:deg

  "Dear daughter, I confess that I am old.

  [Kneeling.]

  Age is unnecessary. On my knees I beg

  That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food."

  Regan. Good sir, no more. These are unsightly tricks. Return you to my sister.

  Lear. [Rising] Never, Regan. She hath abateddeg me of half my train,

  Looked black upon me, struck me with her tongue,

  Most serpentlike, upon the very heart.

  All the stored vengeances of heaven fall

  On her ingrateful top!deg Strike her young bones,deg

  You takingdeg airs, with lameness.

  Cornwall. Fie, sir, fie!

  Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames Into her scornful eyes! Infect her beauty, 146-47 Nature ... confine i.e., you are nearing the end of your life

  148-49 some ... yourself some discreet person who understands your condition more than you do

  152 becomes the house suits my royal and paternal position

  158 abated curtailed

  162 top head

  162 young bones (the reference may be to unborn children, rather than to Goneril herself) -

  163 taking infecting

  You fen-suckeddeg fogs, drawn by the pow'rful sun,

  To fall and blisterdeg her pride.

  Regan. O the blest gods!

  So will you wish on me when the rash mood is on.

  Lear. No, Regan, thou shalt never have my curse. Thy tender-hefteddeg nature shall not give

  Thee o'er to harshness. Her eyes are fierce, but thine

  Do comfort, and not burn. 'Tis not in thee

  To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train,

  To bandydeg hasty words, to scant my sizes,deg

  And, in conclusion, to oppose the boltdeg

  Against my coming in. Thou better know'st

  The offices of nature, bond of childhood,deg

  Effectsdeg of courtesy, dues of gratitude.

  Thy half o' th' kingdom hast thou not forgot,

  Wherein I thee endowed.

  Regan. Good sir, to th' purpose.deg

  Tucket within.

  Lear. Who put my man i' th' stocks?

  Cornwall. What trumpet's that?

  Regan. I know't--my sister's. This approvesdeg her letter, That she would soon be here.

  Enter Oswald.

  Is your lady come? Lear. This is a slave, whose easy borroweddeg pride Dwells in the fickle gracedeg of her he follows.

  Out, varlet,deg from my sight.

  Cornwall. What means your Grace?

  166 fen-sucked drawn up from swamps by the sun

  167 fall and blister fall upon and raise blisters

  170 tender-hefted gently framed

  174 bandy volley (metaphor from tennis)

  174 scant my sizes reduce my allowances

  175 oppose the bolt i.e., bar the door

  177 offices ... childhood natural duties, a child's duty to its parent

  178 Effects manifestations

  180 to th' purpose come to the point

  182 approves confirms

  184 easy borrowed (1) facile and taken from another (2) acquired without anything to back it up (like money bo
rrowed without security)

  185 grace favor

  186 varlet base fellow

  Lear. Who stocked my servant? Regan, I have good hope Thou didst not know on't.

  Enter Goneril.

  Who comes here? O heavens!

  If you do love old men, if your sweet sway

  Allowdeg obedience, if you yourselves are old,

  Make itdeg your cause. Send down, and take my part.

  [To Goneril] Art not ashamed to look upon

  this beard?

  O Regan, will you take her by the hand?

  Goneril. Why not by th' hand, sir? How have I offended? All's not offense that indiscretion findsdeg

  And dotage terms so.

  Lear. O sides,deg you are too tough! Will you yet hold? How came my man i' th' stocks?

  Cornwall. I set him there, sir; but his own disordersdeg Deserved much less advancement.deg

  Lear. You? Did you?

  Regan. I pray you, father, being weak, seem so.deg If till the expiration of your month

  You will return and sojourn with my sister,

  Dismissing half your train, come then to me.

  I am now from home, and out of that provision

  Which shall be needful for your entertainment.deg

  Lear. Return to her, and fifty men dismissed? No, rather I abjure all roofs, and choose

  To wagedeg against the enmity o' th' air,

  To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,

  Necessity's sharp pinch.deg Return with her?

  Why, the hot-bloodeddeg France, that dowerless

  took 190 Allow approve of

  191 it i.e., my cause

  195 finds judges

  196 sides breast

  198 disorders misconduct

  199 advancement promotion

  200 seem so i.e., act weak

  205 entertainment maintenance

  208 wage fight

  210 Necessity's sharp pinch (a summing up of the hard choice he has just announced)

  211 hot-blooded passionate

  Our youngest born, I could as well be brought

  To kneedeg his throne, and, squirelike,deg pension beg

  To keep base life afoot. Return with her?

  Persuade me rather to be slave and sumpterdeg

  To this detested groom. [Pointing at Oswald.]

  Goneril. At your choice, sir.

  Lear. I prithee, daughter, do not make me mad. I will not trouble thee, my child; farewell.

  We'll no more meet, no more see one another.

  But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter,

  Or rather a disease that's in my flesh,

  Which I must needs call mine. Thou art a boil,

  A plague-sore, or embossed carbuncledeg

  In my corrupted blood. But I'll not chide thee.

  Let shame come when it will, I do not call it.

  I do not bid the Thunder-bearerdeg shoot,

  Nor tell tales of thee to high-judgingdeg Jove.

  Mend when thou canst, be better at thy leisure,

  I can be patient, I can stay with Regan,

  I and my hundred knights.

  Regan. Not altogether so. I looked not for you yet, nor am provided

  For your fit welcome. Give ear, sir, to my sister,

  For those that mingle reason with your passiondeg

  Must be content to think you old, and so--

  But she knows what she does.

  Lear. Is this well spoken?

  Regan. I dare avouchdeg it, sir. What, fifty followers? Is it not well? What should you need of more?

  Yea, or so many, sith thatdeg both chargedeg and

  danger

  Speak 'gainst so great a number? How in one house 213 knee kneel before

  213 squirelike like a retainer

  215 sumpter pack horse

  223 embossed carbuncle swollen boil

  226 Thunder-bearer i.e., Jupiter

  227 high-judging (1) supreme (2) judging from heaven

  233 min- gle ... passion i.e., consider your turbulent behavior coolly and reasonably

  236 avouch swear by

  238 sith that since

  238 charge expense

  Should many people, under two commands,

  Holddeg amity? 'Tis hard, almost impossible.

  Goneril. Why might not you, my lord, receive attendance From those that she calls servants, or from mine?

  Regan. Why not, my lord? If then they chanced to slackdeg ye, We could control them. If you will come to me

  (For now I spy a danger), I entreat you

  To bring but five-and-twenty. To no more

  Will I give place or notice.deg

  Lear. I gave you all.

  Regan. And in good time you gave it.

  Lear. Made you my guardians, my depositaries,deg But kept a reservationdeg to be followed

  With such a number. What, must I come to you

  With five-and-twenty? Regan, said you so?

  Regan. And speak't again, my lord. No more with me.

  Lear. Those wicked creatures yet do look well-favoreddeg When others are more wicked; not being the worst

  Stands in some rank of praise.deg [To Goneril] I'll

  go with thee.

  Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty,

  And thou art twice her love.deg

  Goneril. Hear me, my lord. What need you five-and-twenty? ten? or five?

  To followdeg in a house where twice so many

  Have a command to tend you?

  Regan. What need one?

  Lear. O reasondeg not the need! Our basest beggars 241 hold preserve

  244 slack neglect

  248 notice recognition

  250 depositaries trustees

  251 reservation condition

  255 well-favored handsome 2

  56-57 not ... praise i.e., that Goneril is not so bad as Regan is one thing in her favor

  259 her love i.e., as loving as she

  261 follow attend on you

  263 reason scrutinize

  Are in the poorest thing superfluous.deg

  Allow not nature more than nature needs,deg

  Man's life is cheap as beast's. Thou art a lady:

  If only to go warm were gorgeous,

  Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st,

  Which scarcely keeps thee warm.deg But, for true

  need--

  You heavens, give me that patience, patience I

  need.

  You see me here, you gods, a poor old man,

  As full of grief as age, wretched in both.

  If it be you that stirs these daughters' hearts

  Against their father, fooldeg me not so much

  To beardeg it tamely; touch me with noble anger,

  And let not women's weapons, water drops,

  Stain my man's cheeks. No, you unnatural hags!

  I will have such revenges on you both

  That all the world shall--I will do such things--

  What they are, yet I know not; but they shall be

  The terrors of the earth. You think I'll weep.

  No, I'll not weep.

  Storm and tempest.

  I have full cause of weeping, but this heart

  Shall break into a hundred thousand flawsdeg

  Or eredeg I'll weep. O Fool, I shall go mad!

  Exeunt Lear, Gloucester, Kent, and Fool.

  Cornwall. Let us withdraw, 'twill be a storm.

  Regan. This house is little; the old man and's people Cannot be well bestowed.deg

  Goneril. 'Tis his own blame; hathdeg put himself from restdeg And must needs taste his folly.

  264 Are ... superfluous i.e., have some trifle not absolutely necessary

  265 needs i.e., to sustain life

  267-69 If ... warm i.e., if to satisfy the need for warmth were to be gorgeous, you would not need the clothing you wear, which is worn more for beauty than warmth

  274 fool humiliate

  275
To bear as to make me bear

  284 flaws (1) pieces (2) cracks (3) gusts of passion

  285 Or ere before

  288 bestowed lodged 289 hath he hath

  289 rest (1) place of residence (2) repose of mind

  Regan. For his particular,deg I'll receive him gladly, But not one follower.

  Goneril. So am I purposed.deg Where is my Lord of Gloucester?

  Cornwall. Followed the old man forth.

  Enter Gloucester.

  He is returned.

  Gloucester. The King is in high rage.

  Cornwall. Whither is he going?

  Gloucester. He calls to horse, but will I know not whither.

  Cornwall. 'Tis best to give him way, he leads himself.deg

  Goneril. My lord, entreat him by no means to stay.

  Gloucester. Alack, the night comes on, and the high winds Do sorely ruffle.deg For many miles about

  There's scarce a bush.

  Regan. O, sir, to willful men The injuries that they themselves procure

  Must be their schoolmasters. Shut up your doors.

  He is attended with a desperate train,

  And what they may incensedeg him to, being apt

  To have his ear abused,deg wisdom bids fear.

  Cornwall. Shut up your doors, my lord; 'tis a wild night. My Regan counsels well. Come out o' th' storm.

  Exeunt.

  291 his particular himself personally

  292 purposed determined

  297 give ... himself let him go; he insists on his own way

  300 ruffle rage

  305 incense incite

  305-06 being ... abused he being inclined to harken to bad counsel

  ACT 3

  Scene 1. [A heath.]

  Storm still.deg Enter Kent and a Gentleman severally.

  Kent. Who's there besides foul weather? Gentleman. One minded like the weather most unquietly.deg

  Kent. I know you. Where's the King?

  Gentleman. Contending with the fretful elements; Bids the wind blow the earth into the sea,

  Or swell the curled waters 'bove the main,deg

  That things might change,deg or cease; tears his white

  hair,

  Which the impetuous blasts, with eyelessdeg rage,

  Catch in their fury, and make nothing of;