King Lear, Act 3, Scene 7

Post speedily to my lord your husband, show him this letter: the army of France is landed. Seek out the traitor Gloucester.

Ride quickly to your husband, my lord, and show him this letter: the army of France has landed. Go find the traitor Gloucester.

Hang him instantly.

Hang him at once.

Pluck out his eyes.

Tear out his eyes.

Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep you our sister company: the revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding. Advise the Duke where you are going, to a most festinate preparation: we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister, farewell, my lord of Gloucester.

Leave him to my anger. Edmund, you keep our sister company: the revenge we must take on your traitorous father is not something you should watch. Tell the Duke where you are going, and tell him to prepare with all possible speed: we mean to do the same. Our messengers between us will be fast and well informed. Goodbye, dear sister; goodbye, my lord of Gloucester.

How now! Where’s the King?

Well now! Where's the King?

My lord of Gloucester hath convey’d him hence: Some five or six and thirty of his knights, Hot questrists after him, met him at gate; Who, with some other of the lord’s dependants, Are gone with him toward Dover: where they boast To have well-armed friends.

My lord of Gloucester has taken him away from here. About thirty-five or thirty-six of his knights, searching hotly for him, met him at the gate; they, along with some others of the lord's followers, have gone with him towards Dover, where they boast that they have well-armed friends.

Get horses for your mistress.

Get horses for your mistress.

Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.

Goodbye, sweet lord, and sister.

Edmund, farewell.

Edmund, goodbye.

Go seek the traitor Gloucester, Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.

Go and find the traitor Gloucester. Tie his arms like a thief's, and bring him before us.

Though well we may not pass upon his life Without the form of justice, yet our power Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men May blame, but not control. Who’s there? The traitor?

Although we may not properly sentence him to death without the forms of a trial, still our power will do our anger the favour it wants — something men may criticise, but cannot stop. Who's there? The traitor?

Ingrateful fox! ’tis he.

Ungrateful fox! It's him.

Bind fast his corky arms.

Tie his withered arms tight.

What mean your graces? Good my friends, consider you are my guests. Do me no foul play, friends.

What do your graces mean by this? My good friends, remember that you are my guests. Don't treat me foully, friends.

Bind him, I say.

Tie him up, I say.

Hard, hard. O filthy traitor!

Tight, tight. Oh, you filthy traitor!

Unmerciful lady as you are, I’m none.

Merciless lady that you are, I am no traitor.

To this chair bind him. Villain, thou shalt find—

Tie him to this chair. Villain, you will find—

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

By the kind gods, it is a most dishonourable thing to pull me by the beard.

So white, and such a traitor!

So white-haired, and such a traitor!

Naughty lady, These hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin Will quicken, and accuse thee. I am your host: With robber’s hands my hospitable favours You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?

Wicked lady, these hairs you tear from my chin will come alive and accuse you. I am your host: you should not tear at the marks of my hospitality like this, with a robber's hands. What are you going to do?

Come, sir, what letters had you late from France?

Come, sir, what letters did you recently get from France?

Be simple answer’d, for we know the truth.

Answer plainly, because we know the truth.

And what confederacy have you with the traitors, Late footed in the kingdom?

And what alliance do you have with the traitors who have just landed in the kingdom?

To whose hands have you sent the lunatic King? Speak.

Into whose hands have you sent the mad King? Speak.

I have a letter guessingly set down, Which came from one that’s of a neutral heart, And not from one oppos’d.

I have a letter full of guesswork, which came from someone who is neutral at heart, and not from an enemy of yours.

Cunning.

Crafty.

And false.

And a lie.

Where hast thou sent the King?

Where have you sent the King?

To Dover.

To Dover.

Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charg’d at peril,—

Why to Dover? Weren't you ordered, on pain of punishment—

Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that.

Why to Dover? Let him answer that first.

I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the course.

I am tied to the stake, and I must endure the attack of the dogs.

Wherefore to Dover, sir?

Why to Dover, sir?

Because I would not see thy cruel nails Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs. 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. If wolves had at thy gate howl’d that stern time, Thou shouldst have said, ‘Good porter, turn the key.’ All cruels else subscrib’d: but I shall see The winged vengeance overtake such children.

Because I did not want to see your cruel nails tear out his poor old eyes, nor your savage sister sink her boar's tusks into his anointed flesh. In a storm like the one his bare head endured in that hell-black night, the sea would have risen up and put out the stars' fires; yet, poor old heart, he helped the heavens to rain. If wolves had howled at your gate on that harsh night, you would have said, 'Good porter, unlock the door.' Every other cruelty gives way to that: but I shall live to see winged vengeance catch up with such children.

See’t shalt thou never. Fellows, hold the chair. Upon these eyes of thine I’ll set my foot.

You will never see it. Men, hold the chair. I'll set my foot on these eyes of yours.

He that will think to live till he be old, Give me some help!—O cruel! O you gods!

Anyone who hopes to live until he's old, give me some help! Oh, cruel! Oh, you gods!

One side will mock another; the other too!

One side will make the other look ridiculous; the other one too!

If you see vengeance—

If you see vengeance—

Hold your hand, my lord: I have serv’d you ever since I was a child; But better service have I never done you Than now to bid you hold.

Stop your hand, my lord. I have served you ever since I was a child; but I have never done you better service than now, when I tell you to stop.

How now, you dog!

What's this, you dog!

If you did wear a beard upon your chin, I’d shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean?

If you had a beard on your chin, I'd shake it in this quarrel. What do you think you're doing?

My villain?

My own servant turns on me?

Nay, then, come on, and take the chance of anger.

Well then, come on, and take your chances in a fight.

[To another servant.] Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus?

[To another servant.] Give me your sword. A peasant standing up to us like this?

O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye left To see some mischief on him. O!

Oh, I'm killed! My lord, you have one eye left to see some harm come to him. Oh!

Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly! Where is thy lustre now?

To stop it seeing any more, put it out. Out, vile jelly! Where's your shine now?

All dark and comfortless. Where’s my son Edmund? Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature To quit this horrid act.

All dark and without comfort. Where is my son Edmund? Edmund, set alight every spark of natural feeling in you, to pay back this horrible deed.

Out, treacherous villain! Thou call’st on him that hates thee: it was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us; Who is too good to pity thee.

Out, treacherous villain! You're calling on the man who hates you. It was he who revealed your treasons to us; and he is too good a man to pity you.

O my follies! Then Edgar was abus’d. Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!

Oh, what a fool I've been! Then Edgar was wronged. Kind gods, forgive me for that, and make him prosper!

Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Dover. How is’t, my lord? How look you?

Go and push him out of the gates, and let him smell his way to Dover. How are you, my lord? How do you feel?

I have receiv’d a hurt: follow me, lady. Turn out that eyeless villain. Throw this slave Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace: Untimely comes this hurt: give me your arm.

I've taken a wound: follow me, lady. Throw that eyeless villain out. Throw this slave on the dunghill. Regan, I'm bleeding fast: this wound has come at a bad time. Give me your arm.

I’ll never care what wickedness I do, If this man come to good.

I'll stop caring how much evil I do, if this man ends up well.

If she live long, And in the end meet the old course of death, Women will all turn monsters.

If she lives a long time and in the end dies a natural death, all women will turn into monsters.

Let’s follow the old Earl, and get the bedlam To lead him where he would: his roguish madness Allows itself to anything.

Let's follow the old Earl, and get the madman to lead him wherever he wants to go: being a wandering lunatic, he'll agree to anything.

Go thou: I’ll fetch some flax and whites of eggs To apply to his bleeding face. Now heaven help him!

You go: I'll fetch some flax and egg whites to put on his bleeding face. Now may heaven help him!