King Lear

“A mistress’s command. Wear this; spare speech. Decline your head: this kiss, if it durst speak, Would stretch thy spirits up into the air. Conceive, and fare thee well."

“A tailor, sir; a stone-cutter or a painter could not have made him so ill, though they had been but two years o’ th’ trade."

“ALB. Well, you may fear too far. GON. Safer than trust too far. Let me still take away the harms I fear, Not fear still to be taken. I know his heart."

“Alack, sir, he is mad. GLOU. ’Tis the time’s plague, when madmen lead the blind. Do as I bid thee, or rather do thy pleasure; Above the rest, be gone."

“Alack, the night comes on, and the bleak winds Do sorely ruffle; for many miles about There’s scarce a bush."

“All blest secrets, All you unpublish’d virtues of the earth, Spring with my tears; be aidant and remediate In the good man’s distress!"

“And let his knights have colder looks among you; What grows of it, no matter. Advise your fellows so. I would breed from hence occasions, and I shall, That I may speak. "

“And your large speeches may your deeds approve, That good effects may spring from words of love. Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu, He’ll shape his old course in a country new."

“Answer my life my judgment, Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least, Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sounds Reverb no hollowness."

“As for the mercy Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia, The battle done, and they within our power, Shall never see his pardon; for my state Stands on me to defend, not to debate."

“As much as child e’er lov’d, or father found; A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable: Beyond all manner of so much I love you."

“Be then desir’d By her, that else will take the thing she begs, A little to disquantity your train, And the remainders that shall still depend,"

“Better I were distract, So should my thoughts be sever’d from my griefs, And woes by wrong imaginations lose The knowledge of themselves."

“By day and night he wrongs me, every hour He flashes into one gross crime or other That sets us all at odds. I’ll not endure it."

“By the kind gods, ’tis most ignobly done To pluck me by the beard."

“CUR. Have you heard of no likely wars toward, ’twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany? EDM. Not a word. CUR. You may do then in time. Fare you well, sir."

“Contending with the fretful elements; Bids the wind blow the earth into the sea, Or swell the curled waters ’bove the main, That things might change or cease, tears his white hair, Which the impetuous blasts with eyeless rage Catch in their fury, and make nothing of, Strives in his little world of man to outscorn The to-and-fro-conflicting wind and rain."

“EDG. Do you hear aught, sir, of a battle toward? 1. GENT. Most sure and vulgar; every one hears that, Which can distinguish sound."

“EDM. About it, and write happy when th’ hast done. Mark, I say instantly, and carry it so As I have set it down. 1. CAPT. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats, If it be man’s work, I’ll do’t."

“ False of heart, light of ear, bloody of hand; hog in sloth, fox in stealth, wolf in greediness, dog in madness, lion in prey."

“False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father, Conspirant ’gainst this high illustrious prince, And from th’ extremest upward of thy head To the descent and dust below thy foot, A most toad-spotted traitor."

“Fathers that wear rags Do make their children blind, But fathers that bear bags Shall see their children kind. Fortune, that arrant whore, Ne’er turns the key to th’ poor."

“For by the sacred radiance of the sun, The mysteries of Hecat and the night; By all the operation of the orbs, From whom we do exist and cease to be;"

“France spreads his banners in our noiseless land, With plumed helm thy state begins to threat, Whilst thou, a moral fool, sits still and cries, “Alack, why does he so?"

“GLOU. Set me where you stand. EDG. Give me your hand. You are now within a foot Of th’ extreme verge. For all beneath the moon Would I not leap upright. GLOU. Let go my hand."

“Give me an ounce of civet; good apothecary, Sweeten my imagination. There’s money for thee. GLOU. O, let me kiss that hand! LEAR. Let me wipe it first, it smells of mortality."

“Gone, sir; farewell! And yet I know not how conceit may rob The treasury of life, when life itself Yields to the theft. Had he been where he thought, By this had thought been past."

“Good King, that must approve the common saw, Thou out of heaven’s benediction com’st To the warm sun! Approach, thou beacon to this under globe, That by thy comfortable beams I may Peruse this letter. "

“Good my lord, You have begot me, bred me, lov’d me: I Return those duties back as are right fit, Obey you, love you, and most honor you."

“Have more than thou showest, Speak less than thou knowest, Lend less than thou owest, Ride more than thou goest, Learn more than thou trowest, Set less than thou throwest;"

“Having more man than wit about me, drew. He rais’d the house with loud and coward cries. Your son and daughter found this trespass worth The shame which here it suffers."

“Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires, Men so disorder’d, so debosh’d and bold, That this our court, infected with their manners, Shows like a riotous inn. "

“Here is better than the open air, take it thankfully. I will piece out the comfort with what addition I can. I will not be long from you."

“Here is the place, my lord; good my lord, enter, The tyranny of the open night’s too rough For nature to endure."

“Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out, Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon To stand ’s auspicious mistress."

“Here, father, take the shadow of this tree For your good host; pray that the right may thrive. If ever I return to you again, I’ll bring you comfort."

“Here, take this purse, thou whom the heav’ns’ plagues Have humbled to all strokes. That I am wretched Makes thee the happier; heavens, deal so still!"

“He’s mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse’s health, a boy’s love, or a whore’s oath."

“Howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones! Had I your tongues and eyes, I’ld use them so That heaven’s vault should crack."

“I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message bluntly. That which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in, and the best of me is diligence."

“I dare pawn down my life for him that he hath writ this to feel my affection to your honor, and to no other pretense of danger."

“I do profess to be no less than I seem, to serve him truly that will put me in trust, to love him that is honest, to converse with him that is wise and says little, to fear judgment, to fight when I cannot choose, and to eat no fish."

“I do remember now. Henceforth I’ll bear Affliction till it do cry out itself “Enough, enough,” and die."

“I have a journey, sir, shortly to go: My master calls me, I must not say no."

“I heard myself proclaim’d, And by the happy hollow of a tree Escap’d the hunt. No port is free, no place That guard and most unusual vigilance Does not attend my taking. "

“I pray you, sir, take patience. I have hope You less know how to value her desert Than she to scant her duty."

“If he distaste it, let him to my sister, Whose mind and mine I know in that are one, Not to be overrul’d."

“ If it shall please you to suspend your indignation against my brother till you can derive from him better testimony of his intent, you should run a certain course;"

“If you miscarry, Your business of the world hath so an end, And machination ceases. Fortune love you!"

“In brief, Sorrow would be a rarity most beloved, If all could so become it."

“Into her womb convey sterility, Dry up in her the organs of increase, And from her derogate body never spring A babe to honor her!"

“It did always seem so to us; but now in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the Dukes he values most, for equalities are so weigh’d, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either’s moi’ty."

“It is the stars, The stars above us, govern our conditions, Else one self mate and make could not beget Such different issues."

“Leave thy drink and thy whore, And keep in a’ door, And thou shalt have more Than two tens to a score."

“Let go thy hold when a great wheel runs down a hill, lest it break thy neck with following; but the great one that goes upward, let him draw thee after. "

“Let him fly far. Not in this land shall he remain uncaught; And found—dispatch. "

“Let not the creaking of shoes nor the rustling of silks betray thy poor heart to woman. Keep thy foot out of brothels, thy hand out of plackets, thy pen from lenders’ books, and defy the foul fiend."

“Life and death! I am asham’d That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus, That these hot tears, which break from me perforce, Should make thee worth them."

“Look with thine ears; see how yond justice rails upon yond simple thief. Hark in thine ear: change places, and handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief? Thou hast seen a farmer’s dog bark at a beggar?"

“Love well our father; To your professed bosoms I commit him, But yet, alas, stood I within his grace, I would prefer him to a better place."

“My dear lord, You know the fiery quality of the Duke, How unremovable and fix’d he is In his own course."

“My face I’ll grime with filth, Blanket my loins, elf all my hairs in knots, And with presented nakedness outface The winds and persecutions of the sky."

“My point and period will be throughly wrought, Or well or ill, as this day’s battle’s fought. "

“My son Came then into my mind, and yet my mind Was then scarce friends with him. I have heard more since. As flies to wanton boys are we to th’ gods, They kill us for their sport."

“Never (O fault!) reveal’d myself unto him, Until some half hour past, when I was arm’d. Not sure, though hoping, of this good success, I ask’d his blessing, and from first to last Told him our pilgrimage. "

“No contraries hold more antipathy Than I and such a knave."

“None but the Fool, who labors to outjest His heart-strook injuries."

“Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire are my daughters. I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness; I never gave you kingdom, call’d you children; You owe me no subscription. Then let fall Your horrible pleasure. "

“Not all the dukes of wat’rish Burgundy Can buy this unpriz’d precious maid of me. Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind, Thou losest here, a better where to find."

“Not so young, sir, to love a woman for singing, nor so old to dote on her for any thing. I have years on my back forty-eight."

“Now to you: If on my credit you dare build so far To make your speed to Dover, you shall find Some that will thank you, making just report Of how unnatural and bemadding sorrow The King hath cause to plain."

“O dear son Edgar, The food of thy abused father’s wrath! Might I but live to see thee in my touch, I’ld say I had eyes again."

“Pardon, dear madam, Yet to be known shortens my made intent. My boon I make it, that you know me not Till time and I think meet."

“Peace, Kent! Come not between the dragon and his wrath; I lov’d her most, and thought to set my rest On her kind nursery."

“Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, Your loop’d and window’d raggedness, defend you From seasons such as these?"

“Pray do not mock me. I am a very foolish fond old man, Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less; And to deal plainly, I fear I am not in my perfect mind."

“Return with her? Why, the hot-bloodied France, that dowerless took Our youngest born, I could as well be brought To knee his throne, and squire-like, pension beg To keep base life afoot. "

“Seek, seek for him, Lest his ungovern’d rage dissolve the life That wants the means to lead it."

“Since I was man, Such sheets of fire, such bursts of horrid thunder, Such groans of roaring wind and rain, I never Remember to have heard."

“Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter, Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty, Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare, No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honor;"

“So may it be indeed. Methinks thy voice is alter’d, and thou speak’st In better phrase and matter than thou didst. EDG. Y’ are much deceiv’d. In nothing am I chang’d But in my garments."

“So we’ll live, And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues Talk of court news;"

“Sure her offense Must be of such unnatural degree That monsters it, or your fore-vouch’d affection Fall into taint; which to believe of her Must be a faith that reason without miracle Should never plant in me."

“Take up thy master; If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life, With thine and all that offer to defend him, Stand in assured loss. Take up, take up, And follow me, that will to some provision Give thee quick conduct."

“That he suspects none; on whose foolish honesty My practices ride easy. I see the business. Let me, if not by birth, have lands by wit: All with me’s meet that I can fashion fit."

“The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid, That justly think’st and hast most rightly said!"

“The murmuring surge, That on th’ unnumb’red idle pebble chafes, Cannot be heard so high. I’ll look no more, Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight Topple down headlong."

“The sea, with such a storm as his bare head In hell-black night endur’d, would have buoy’d up And quench’d the stelled fires; Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain."

“The weight of this sad time we must obey, Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say: The oldest hath borne most; we that are young Shall never see so much, nor live so long."#

“Then they for sudden joy did weep, And I for sorrow sung, That such a king should play bo-peep, And go the fools among."

“There is a cliff, whose high and bending head Looks fearfully in the confined deep. Bring me but to the very brim of it, And I’ll repair the misery thou dost bear With something rich about me. From that place I shall no leading need."

“This feather stirs, she lives! If it be so, It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows That ever I have felt."

“This is a slave whose easy-borrowed pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows."

“This judgment of the heavens, that makes us tremble, Touches us not with pity.—O, is this he? The time will not allow the compliment Which very manners urges."

“This milky gentleness and course of yours Though I condemn not, yet, under pardon, You are much more attax’d for want of wisdom Than prais’d for harmful mildness."

“Thou changed and self-cover’d thing, for shame Bemonster not thy feature. Were’t my fitness To let these hands obey my blood, They are apt enough to dislocate and tear Thy flesh and bones."

“Thou think’st ’tis much that this contentious storm Invades us to the skin; so ’tis to thee; But where the greater malady is fix’d, The lesser is scarce felt. "

“Thou wert better in a grave than to answer with thy uncover’d body this extremity of the skies. Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow’st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the cat no perfume."

“Though well we may not pass upon his life Without the form of justice, yet our power Shall do a court’sy to our wrath, which men May blame, but not control."

“To be acknowledg’d, madam, is o’erpaid. All my reports go with the modest truth, Nor more nor clipt, but so."

“Vex not his ghost. O, let him pass, he hates him That would upon the rack of this tough world Stretch him out longer."

“Was this a face To be oppos’d against the warring winds? To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder? In the most terrible and nimble stroke Of quick cross lightning?"

“We are not the first Who with best meaning have incurr’d the worst. For thee, oppressed king, I am cast down, Myself could else out-frown false Fortune’s frown."

“We have seen the best of our time. Machinations, hollowness, treachery, and all ruinous disorders follow us disquietly to our graves. "

“we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and stars, as if we were villains on necessity, fools by heavenly compulsion, knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers by an enforc’d obedience of planetary influence; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrusting on."

“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."

“What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure Their going hence even as their coming hither, Ripeness is all. Come on. GLOU. And that’s true too."

“When priests are more in word than matter; When brewers mar their malt with water; When nobles are their tailors’ tutors; No heretics burn’d, but wenches’ suitors;"

“When we are born, we cry that we are come To this great stage of fools.—This’ a good block. It were a delicate stratagem, to shoe A troop of horse with felt. I’ll put’t in proof,"

“When we our betters see bearing our woes, We scarcely think our miseries our foes."

“Wherefore should I Stand in the plague of custom, and permit The curiosity of nations to deprive me, For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines Lag of a brother? Why bastard? Wherefore base?"

“Who alone suffers, suffers most i’ th’ mind, Leaving free things and happy shows behind, But then the mind much sufferance doth o’erskip, When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship."

“Who loses and who wins; who’s in, who’s out— And take upon ’s the mystery of things As if we were God’s spies; and we’ll wear out, In a wall’d prison, packs and sects of great ones, That ebb and flow by th’ moon."

“Why not by th’ hand, sir? How have I offended? All’s not offense that indiscretion finds And dotage terms so."

“Yet better thus, and known to be contemn’d, Than still contemn’d and flatter’d. To be worst, The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune, Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear."

“You are not worth the dust which the rude wind Blows in your face. I fear your disposition; That nature which contemns it origin Cannot be bordered certain in itself."

“You have seen Sunshine and rain at once; her smiles and tears Were like a better way: those happy smilets That play’d on her ripe lip seem’d not to know What guests were in her eyes, which, parted thence, As pearls from diamonds dropp’d."

“You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames Into her scornful eyes! Infect her beauty, You fen-suck’d fogs, drawn by the pow’rful sun, To fall and blister!"

“You, to your rights, With boot, and such addition as your honors Have more than merited. All friends shall taste The wages of their virtue, and all foes The cup of their deservings."