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Act 4, Scene 6
King Lear Translation Act 4, Scene 7
Enter CORDELIA, KENT disguised, GENTLEMAN, and DOCTOR
CORDELIA
O thou good Kent, how shall I live and workTo match thy goodness? My life will be too short,And every measure fail me.
CORDELIA
Oh, good Kent, what can I do that will ever live up to your goodness? I won't live long enough to succeed, and all my attempts will fail.
KENT
To be acknowledged, madam, is o'erpaid. All my reports go with the modest truth,Nor more, nor clipped, but so.
KENT
Madam, to be thanked by you is too much payment. All that I've reported about the king is the truth—not exaggerated or understated, but just as it happened.
CORDELIA
Be better suited.These weeds are memories of those worser hours.I prithee, put them off.
CORDELIA
Change into better clothes. These rags are memories of bad times that are now in the past. Please, take them off.
KENT
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.
KENT
I'm sorry, dear madam, but revealing myself now would ruin my plans. The favor I beg of you is that you pretend not to know me until the time is right.
CORDELIA
Then be ’t so, my good lord.—How does the king?
CORDELIA
Then I'll do that, my good lord.
[To the DOCTOR] How is the king doing?
DOCTOR
Madam, sleeps still.
DOCTOR
Madam, he's still sleeping.
CORDELIA
O you kind gods, Cure this great breach in his abusèd nature, Th' untuned and jarring senses, O, wind up, Of this child-changèd father!
CORDELIA
Oh, you kind gods: heal the great wound in his suffering mind, and re-tune his discordant senses! Heal this father driven crazy by his children!
DOCTOR
So please your majestyThat we may wake the king? He hath slept long.
DOCTOR
Would it please your Majesty if we woke up the king? He's slept a long time.
CORDELIA
Be governed by your knowledge, and proceed I' th' sway of your own will. Is he arrayed?
CORDELIA
Do whatever your medical expertise tells you to, and go ahead as you see fit. Is he dressed?
Enter LEAR asleep in a chair carried by servants
GENTLEMAN
Ay, madam. In the heaviness of his sleepWe put fresh garments on him.
GENTLEMAN
Yes, madam. We put fresh clothes on him while he was sleeping deeply.
DOCTOR
Be by, good madam, when we do awake him.I doubt not of his temperance.
DOCTOR
Good madam, stay close by when we wake him up. I'm sure he'll stay calm.
CORDELIA
Very well.
CORDELIA
Very well.
DOCTOR
Please you, draw near.—Louder the music there!
DOCTOR
Please, come closer. Play the music louder!
CORDELIA
[kisses LEAR] O my dear father, restoration hang Thy medicine on my lips, and let this kiss Repair those violent harms that my two sisters Have in thy reverence made!
CORDELIA
[She kisses LEAR] Oh, my dear father, may my lips heal and restore you, and may this kiss repair those violent wounds that my two sisters have inflicted on your revered spirit!
KENT
Kind and dear princess!
KENT
Kind and dear princess!
CORDELIA
Had you not been their father, these white flakes Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face To be opposed against the warring winds? To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder In the most terrible and nimble stroke Of quick cross lightning? To watch—poor perdu!— With this thin helm? Mine enemy’s meanest dog, Though he had bit me, should have stood that night Against my fire. And wast thou fain, poor father, To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn In short and musty straw? Alack, alack! 'Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once Had not concluded all.—He wakes. Speak to him.
CORDELIA
Even if you hadn't been their father, these white locks of hair should have made them pity you. Is this a face that ought to endure the violent winds, or stand against the dreadful thunder and the terrible, zigzagged lightning? To stand guard all night—poor lonely sentry!—with only your thinning hair as a helmet? Even if my enemy's meanest dog had bit me, I still would have let it stay inside by my fireplace on that night. And, poor father, were you glad to find shelter with pigs and beggars on a bed of musty straw? Alas, alas! It's a wonder that your life and your sanity didn't end all at once. He's waking up. Speak to him.
DOCTOR
Madam, do you. 'Tis fittest.
DOCTOR
Madam, you speak first. That's most appropriate.
CORDELIA
How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty?
CORDELIA
How are you, my royal lord? How is your Majesty doing?
LEAR
You do me wrong to take me out o' th' grave. Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears Do scald like molten lead.
LEAR
You do me wrong to take me out of the grave. You are a soul in heaven, but I am chained to a wheel of fire, tormented endlessly, and even my tears burn me like molten lead.
CORDELIA
Sir, do you know me?
CORDELIA
Sir, do you know me?
LEAR
You are a spirit, I know. Where did you die?
LEAR
You are a spirit, I know. Where did you die?
CORDELIA
[aside to DOCTOR] Still, still far wide!
CORDELIA
[To the DOCTOR so that only he can hear] He's still far from sanity!
DOCTOR
He’s scarce awake. Let him alone awhile.
DOCTOR
He's barely awake. Let's leave him alone for a while.
LEAR
Where have I been? Where am I? Fair daylight? I am mightily abused. I should ev'n die with pity To see another thus. I know not what to say. I will not swear these are my hands. Let’s see. I feel this pinprick. Would I were assured Of my condition.
LEAR
Where have I been? Where am I? Is it daytime? I have been greatly deceived. I would even die of pity to see someone else in my situation. I don't know what to say. I can't even promise that these are my hands. Let's see. I feel this pinprick. I wish I could be sure of my condition.
CORDELIA
[kneels] O, look upon me, sir,And hold your hands in benediction o'er me.No, sir, you must not kneel.
CORDELIA
[Kneeling] Oh, look at me, sir. Hold your hands over me, and give me your blessing. No, sir, you must not kneel.
LEAR
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. Methinks I should know you, and know this man. Yet I am doubtful, for I am mainly ignorant What place this is, and all the skill I have Remembers not these garments. Nor I know not Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me, For as I am a man, I think this lady To be my child Cordelia.
LEAR
Please do not mock me. I am a very foolish, silly old man, more than eighty years old, not an hour more or less. And to put it plainly, I fear that I'm not in my right mind. I think I should recognize you, and this man too. [He points at KENT] But I'm still doubtful, for I have no idea where I am, and I can't remember where I got these clothes. I don't know where I slept last night either. Do not laugh at me, but I swear I think this lady is my child, Cordelia.
CORDELIA
And so I am, I am.
CORDELIA
And so I am, I am.
LEAR
Be your tears wet? Yes, faith. I pray, weep not. If you have poison for me, I will drink it. I know you do not love me, for your sisters Have, as I do remember, done me wrong. You have some cause; they have not.
LEAR
Are your tears real? Yes, it's really happening. Please, don't cry. If you have poison for me, I'll drink it. I know you don't love me, for your sisters have done me wrong, if I remember correctly. And they don't even have a good reason to hate me, but you do.
CORDELIA
No cause, no cause.
CORDELIA
No reason, no reason.
LEAR
Am I in France?
LEAR
Am I in France?
KENT
In your own kingdom, sir.
KENT
You're in your own kingdom, sir.
LEAR
Do not abuse me.
LEAR
Don't trick me.
DOCTOR
Be comforted, good madam. The great rage, You see, is killed in him. And yet it is danger To make him even o'er the time he has lost. Desire him to go in. Trouble him no more Till further settling.
DOCTOR
Be comforted, good madam. You see how his great frenzy is now over. But it's dangerous to make him try to fill in the blank spaces of his memory. Ask him to go inside. Don't trouble him further until his mind is more settled.
CORDELIA
Will ’t please your highness walk?
CORDELIA
Would it please your Highness to walk?
LEAR
You must bear with me. Pray you now, forget and forgive.I am old and foolish.
LEAR
You must bear with me. Please, forget and forgive. I am old and foolish.
Exeunt. Manent KENT and GENTLEMAN.
GENTLEMAN
Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was soslain?
GENTLEMAN
Sir, is it true that the Duke of Cornwall was killed?
KENT
Most certain, sir.
KENT
Very true, sir.
GENTLEMAN
Who is conductor of his people?
GENTLEMAN
Who is leading his men now?
KENT
As ’tis said, the bastard son of Gloucester.
KENT
They say it's Gloucester's bastard son.
GENTLEMAN
They say Edgar, his banished son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.
GENTLEMAN
I've heard that Edgar, Gloucester's banished son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.
KENT
Report is changeable. Tis time to look about. The powers of the kingdom approach apace.
KENT
Rumors are unreliable. It's time to be on our guard. The British army is approaching.
GENTLEMAN
The arbitrement is like to be bloody. Fare you well, sir.
GENTLEMAN
The battle will most likely be a bloody one. Farewell, sir.
Exit GENTLEMAN
KENT
My point and period will be throughly wrought,Or well or ill, as this day’s battle’s fought.
KENT
For better or for worse, my life and my plans completely depend on how today's battle ends.
Exit
