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Original Text |
Modern Text |
|
Enter KENT disguised and GENTLEMAN
|
Enter KENT disguised and GENTLEMAN
|
|
KENT Why the King of France is so suddenly gone back know you the reason?
|
KENT Why the King of France is so suddenly gone back know you the reason?
|
|
GENTLEMAN Something he left imperfect in the state which, since his coming forth, is thought of; which imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger that his personal return was most required and necessary.
|
GENTLEMAN Something he left imperfect in the state which, since his coming forth, is thought of; which imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger that his personal return was most required and necessary.
|
|
KENT Who hath he left behind him general?
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KENT Who hath he left behind him general?
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|
GENTLEMAN The Marshal of France, Monsieur la Far.
|
GENTLEMAN The Marshal of France, Monsieur la Far.
|
|
KENT Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief?
|
KENT Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief?
|
|
GENTLEMAN Ay, sir. She took them, read them in my presence,
And now and then an ample tear trilled down
Her delicate cheek. It seemed she was a queen
Over her passion, who, most rebel-like,
15 Sought to be king o'er her.
|
GENTLEMAN Ay, sir. She took them, read them in my presence,
And now and then an ample tear trilled down
Her delicate cheek. It seemed she was a queen
Over her passion, who, most rebel-like,
Sought to be king o'er her.
|
|
KENT O, then it moved her?
|
KENT O, then it moved her?
|
|
GENTLEMAN Not to a rage. Patience and sorrow strove
Who should express her goodliest. You have seen
Sunshine and rain at once—her smiles and tears
Were like a better way. Those happy smilets
20 That played on her ripe lip seemed not to know
What guests were in her eyes, which parted thence
As pearls from diamonds dropped. In brief,
Sorrow would be a rarity most beloved
If all could so become it.
|
GENTLEMAN Not to a rage. Patience and sorrow strove
Who should express her goodliest. You have seen
Sunshine and rain at once—her smiles and tears
Were like a better way. Those happy smilets
That played on her ripe lip seemed not to know
What guests were in her eyes, which parted thence
As pearls from diamonds dropped. In brief,
Sorrow would be a rarity most beloved
If all could so become it.
|
|
KENT Made she no verbal question?
|
KENT Made she no verbal question?
|
|
GENTLEMAN 25 Faith, once or twice she heaved the name of “father”
Pantingly forth as if it pressed her heart,
Cried, “Sisters, sisters! Shame of ladies, sisters!
Kent, father, sisters! What, i' th' storm, i' th' night?
Let pity not be believed.” There she shook
30 The holy water from her heavenly eyes,
And clamor moistened. Then away she started
To deal with grief alone.
|
GENTLEMAN Faith, once or twice she heaved the name of “father”
Pantingly forth as if it pressed her heart,
Cried, “Sisters, sisters! Shame of ladies, sisters!
Kent, father, sisters! What, i' th' storm, i' th' night?
Let pity not be believed.” There she shook
The holy water from her heavenly eyes,
And clamor moistened. Then away she started
To deal with grief alone.
|
|
KENT It is the stars,
The stars above us, govern our conditions.
Else one self mate and mate could not beget
35 Such different issues. You spoke not with her since?
|
KENT It is the stars,
The stars above us, govern our conditions.
Else one self mate and mate could not beget
Such different issues. You spoke not with her since?
|
|
GENTLEMAN No.
|
GENTLEMAN No.
|
|
KENT Was this before the king returned?
|
KENT Was this before the king returned?
|
|
GENTLEMAN No, since.
|
GENTLEMAN No, since.
|
|
KENT Well, sir, the poor distressèd Lear’s i' th' town,
Who sometime in his better tune remembers
40 What we are come about, and by no means
Will yield to see his daughter.
|
KENT Well, sir, the poor distressèd Lear’s i' th' town,
Who sometime in his better tune remembers
What we are come about, and by no means
Will yield to see his daughter.
|
|
GENTLEMAN Why, good sir?
|
GENTLEMAN Why, good sir?
|
|
KENT A sovereign shame so elbows him. His own unkindness
That stripped her from his benediction turned her
To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights
45 To his dog-hearted daughters. These things sting
His mind so venomously that burning shame
Detains him from Cordelia.
|
KENT A sovereign shame so elbows him. His own unkindness
That stripped her from his benediction turned her
To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights
To his dog-hearted daughters. These things sting
His mind so venomously that burning shame
Detains him from Cordelia.
|
|
GENTLEMAN Alack, poor gentleman!
|
GENTLEMAN Alack, poor gentleman!
|
|
KENT Of Albany’s and Cornwall’s powers you heard not?
|
KENT Of Albany’s and Cornwall’s powers you heard not?
|
|
GENTLEMAN 'Tis so. They are afoot.
|
GENTLEMAN 'Tis so. They are afoot.
|
|
KENT 50 Well, sir, I’ll bring you to our master Lear
And leave you to attend him. Some dear cause
Will in concealment wrap me up awhile.
When I am known aright you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you, go
55 Along with me.
|
KENT Well, sir, I’ll bring you to our master Lear
And leave you to attend him. Some dear cause
Will in concealment wrap me up awhile.
When I am known aright you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you, go
Along with me.
|
|
Exeunt
|
Exeunt
|
Original Text |
Modern Text |
|
Enter KENT disguised and GENTLEMAN
|
Enter KENT disguised and GENTLEMAN
|
|
KENT Why the King of France is so suddenly gone back know you the reason?
|
KENT Why the King of France is so suddenly gone back know you the reason?
|
|
GENTLEMAN Something he left imperfect in the state which, since his coming forth, is thought of; which imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger that his personal return was most required and necessary.
|
GENTLEMAN Something he left imperfect in the state which, since his coming forth, is thought of; which imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger that his personal return was most required and necessary.
|
|
KENT Who hath he left behind him general?
|
KENT Who hath he left behind him general?
|
|
GENTLEMAN The Marshal of France, Monsieur la Far.
|
GENTLEMAN The Marshal of France, Monsieur la Far.
|
|
KENT Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief?
|
KENT Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief?
|
|
GENTLEMAN Ay, sir. She took them, read them in my presence,
And now and then an ample tear trilled down
Her delicate cheek. It seemed she was a queen
Over her passion, who, most rebel-like,
15 Sought to be king o'er her.
|
GENTLEMAN Ay, sir. She took them, read them in my presence,
And now and then an ample tear trilled down
Her delicate cheek. It seemed she was a queen
Over her passion, who, most rebel-like,
Sought to be king o'er her.
|
|
KENT O, then it moved her?
|
KENT O, then it moved her?
|
|
GENTLEMAN Not to a rage. Patience and sorrow strove
Who should express her goodliest. You have seen
Sunshine and rain at once—her smiles and tears
Were like a better way. Those happy smilets
20 That played on her ripe lip seemed not to know
What guests were in her eyes, which parted thence
As pearls from diamonds dropped. In brief,
Sorrow would be a rarity most beloved
If all could so become it.
|
GENTLEMAN Not to a rage. Patience and sorrow strove
Who should express her goodliest. You have seen
Sunshine and rain at once—her smiles and tears
Were like a better way. Those happy smilets
That played on her ripe lip seemed not to know
What guests were in her eyes, which parted thence
As pearls from diamonds dropped. In brief,
Sorrow would be a rarity most beloved
If all could so become it.
|
|
KENT Made she no verbal question?
|
KENT Made she no verbal question?
|
|
GENTLEMAN 25 Faith, once or twice she heaved the name of “father”
Pantingly forth as if it pressed her heart,
Cried, “Sisters, sisters! Shame of ladies, sisters!
Kent, father, sisters! What, i' th' storm, i' th' night?
Let pity not be believed.” There she shook
30 The holy water from her heavenly eyes,
And clamor moistened. Then away she started
To deal with grief alone.
|
GENTLEMAN Faith, once or twice she heaved the name of “father”
Pantingly forth as if it pressed her heart,
Cried, “Sisters, sisters! Shame of ladies, sisters!
Kent, father, sisters! What, i' th' storm, i' th' night?
Let pity not be believed.” There she shook
The holy water from her heavenly eyes,
And clamor moistened. Then away she started
To deal with grief alone.
|
|
KENT It is the stars,
The stars above us, govern our conditions.
Else one self mate and mate could not beget
35 Such different issues. You spoke not with her since?
|
KENT It is the stars,
The stars above us, govern our conditions.
Else one self mate and mate could not beget
Such different issues. You spoke not with her since?
|
|
GENTLEMAN No.
|
GENTLEMAN No.
|
|
KENT Was this before the king returned?
|
KENT Was this before the king returned?
|
|
GENTLEMAN No, since.
|
GENTLEMAN No, since.
|
|
KENT Well, sir, the poor distressèd Lear’s i' th' town,
Who sometime in his better tune remembers
40 What we are come about, and by no means
Will yield to see his daughter.
|
KENT Well, sir, the poor distressèd Lear’s i' th' town,
Who sometime in his better tune remembers
What we are come about, and by no means
Will yield to see his daughter.
|
|
GENTLEMAN Why, good sir?
|
GENTLEMAN Why, good sir?
|
|
KENT A sovereign shame so elbows him. His own unkindness
That stripped her from his benediction turned her
To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights
45 To his dog-hearted daughters. These things sting
His mind so venomously that burning shame
Detains him from Cordelia.
|
KENT A sovereign shame so elbows him. His own unkindness
That stripped her from his benediction turned her
To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights
To his dog-hearted daughters. These things sting
His mind so venomously that burning shame
Detains him from Cordelia.
|
|
GENTLEMAN Alack, poor gentleman!
|
GENTLEMAN Alack, poor gentleman!
|
|
KENT Of Albany’s and Cornwall’s powers you heard not?
|
KENT Of Albany’s and Cornwall’s powers you heard not?
|
|
GENTLEMAN 'Tis so. They are afoot.
|
GENTLEMAN 'Tis so. They are afoot.
|
|
KENT 50 Well, sir, I’ll bring you to our master Lear
And leave you to attend him. Some dear cause
Will in concealment wrap me up awhile.
When I am known aright you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you, go
55 Along with me.
|
KENT Well, sir, I’ll bring you to our master Lear
And leave you to attend him. Some dear cause
Will in concealment wrap me up awhile.
When I am known aright you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you, go
Along with me.
|
|
Exeunt
|
Exeunt
|
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