The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (908 page)

I have determined that today I will announce

the different dowries of my daughters, so that

we can nip any future disputes in the bud. The Princes of France and Burgundy,

great rivals for the love of my youngest daughter,

have been staying in my court, out of love, for a long time,

and will be given my decision today. Tell me, my daughters–

since I am now throwing off my kingship,

ownership of land and the cares of state–

which of you shall we say loves me the most?

The biggest share will go to the one where merit most enhances nature. Goneril,

my firstborn, you speak first.

GONERIL

Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;

Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty;

Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;

No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;

As much as child e'er loved, or father found;

A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;

Beyond all manner of so much I love you.

Sir, I love you more than words can express;

more than my eyesight, my freedom and my liberty;

more than anything of value, expensive or rare;

as much as life, grace, health, beauty, honor;

I am the most loving child ever, no father could find better;

my love makes me breathless and speechless;

I love you beyond all expression.

CORDELIA

[Aside] What shall Cordelia do?

Love, and be silent.

What shall Cordelia do?

You must love, and be silent.

LEAR

Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,

With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd,

With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,

We make thee lady: to thine and Albany's issue

Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter,

Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.

All of this territory, from this line to this,

full of shady forests and open plains,

with many rivers and extensive meadows,

we make you the lady of: this shall be handed down to your children

in perpetuity. What does my second daughter say,

dearest Regan, the wife of Cornwall? Speak.

REGAN

Sir, I am made

Of the self-same metal that my sister is,

And prize me at her worth. In my true heart

I find she names my very deed of love;

Only she comes too short: that I profess

Myself an enemy to all other joys,

Which the most precious square of sense possesses;

And find I am alone felicitate

In your dear highness' love.

Sir, I am

identical in this way to my sister,

and of equal merit. She has

spoken everything that is in my heart,

only she falls short: I have to say

that no other happiness means anything to me,

nothing which the highest sense could feel;

the only thing that makes me happy

is your dear highness' love.

CORDELIA

[Aside] Then poor Cordelia!

And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's

More richer than my tongue.

This is bad for you Cordelia!

And yet it isn't, since I'm sure that my love

is more than I can say.

KING LEAR

To thee and thine hereditary ever

Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;

No less in space, validity, and pleasure,

Than that conferr'd on Goneril. Now, our joy,

Although the last, not least; to whose young love

The vines of France and milk of Burgundy

Strive to be interess'd; what can you say to draw

A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.

You and your descendants for ever

shall have this large third of my beautiful country;

it's no less spacious, profitable or lovely

than Goneril's share. Now, the light of my eye,

last but not least; the one whose young love

the Dukes of France and Burgundy

are fighting to win; what can you say to get

a richer third than your sisters? Speak.

CORDELIA

Nothing, my lord.

Nothing, my lord.

KING LEAR

Nothing!

Nothing!

CORDELIA

Nothing.

Nothing.

KING LEAR

Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.

You won't get anything for nothing: try again.

CORDELIA

Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave

My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty

According to my bond; nor more nor less.

I'm sorry, but I cannot force myself

to express my feelings: I love your Majesty

just as I should; no more nor less.

KING LEAR

How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech a little,

Lest it may mar your fortunes.

What's this, Cordelia! You should speak differently,

or you'll talk yourself out of your fortune.

CORDELIA

Good my lord,

You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I

Return those duties back as are right fit,

Obey you, love you, and most honour you.

Why have my sisters husbands, if they say

They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,

That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry

Half my love with him, half my care and duty:

Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,

To love my father all.

My good lord,

you've  fathered me, brought me up and loved me: I

repay you in the proper way,

by obeying you, loving you and honoring you.

Why do my sisters have husbands, if they say

that all their love is for you? When and if I marry,

the lord who takes my hand will also get

half my love, of my attention and care:

I certainly will not marry like my sisters,

only having love for my father.

KING LEAR

But goes thy heart with this?

Are you speaking from the heart?

CORDELIA

Ay, good my lord.

Yes, my good lord.

KING LEAR

So young, and so untender?

You're so young and so hardhearted?

CORDELIA

So young, my lord, and true.

So young, my lord, and honest.

KING LEAR

Let it be so; thy truth, then, be thy dower:

For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,

The mysteries of Hecate, and the night;

By all the operation of the orbs

From whom we do exist, and cease to be;

Here I disclaim all my paternal care,

Propinquity and property of blood,

And as a stranger to my heart and me

Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barbarous Scythian,

Or he that makes his generation messes

To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom

Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and relieved,

As thou my sometime daughter.

So be it; let your honesty be your dowry then:

by the holy light of the sun,

these secrets of the underworld and the night;

by the movement of the stars

which mark our births and deaths;

I hereby disown all my fatherly duties,

family relations and blood ties,

and declare that you are now a stranger to my heart and me

forever, from this moment on. The barbarian Scythian,

or the ones who make their parents into stews

to assuage their appetites, shall be as close

to my heart, just as helped and pitied

as you, who was once my daughter.

KENT

Good my liege,--

My good Lord–

KING LEAR

Peace, Kent!

Come not between the dragon and his wrath.

I loved her most, and thought to set my rest

On her kind nursery. Hence, and avoid my sight!

So be my grave my peace, as here I give

Her father's heart from her! Call France; who stirs?

Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,

With my two daughters' dowers digest this third:

Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.

I do invest you jointly with my power,

Pre-eminence, and all the large effects

That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course,

With reservation of an hundred knights,

By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode

Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain

The name, and all the additions to a king;

The sway, revenue, execution of the rest,

Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm,

This coronet part betwixt you.

Giving the crown

Quiet, Kent!

Do not come between the Dragon and his victim.

I loved her the most, and thought that she

would look after me in my retirement. Get out, don't let me see you again!

There will be no peace this side of the grave, and I take

her father's heart away from her! Call France; who's going to do it?

Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,

take this extra third along with my two daughters' dowries:

let her marry her pride, which she calls honesty;

I give you both my power to share,

my superiority and all the other privileges

of kingship.  I shall stay with you month and month about

with a retinue of a hundred knights, which you shall pay for.

I shall keep the title of King, and the honours due to it;

the power, income and administration of the rest

is yours, beloved sons: to confirm this

you can split this crown between you.

KENT

Royal Lear,

Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,

Loved as my father, as my master follow'd,

As my great patron thought on in my prayers,--

Royal Lear,

whom I have always honoured as my King,

loved as my father, and followed as my master,

remembered you in my prayers as my great patron–

KING LEAR

The bow is bent and drawn, make from the shaft.

Enough preamble, make your point.

KENT

Let it fall rather, though the fork invade

The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly,

When Lear is mad. What wilt thou do, old man?

Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak,

When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound,

When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom;

And, in thy best consideration, cheque

This hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment,

Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;

Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound