King Lear Act III Quotes

KENT to Gentleman Sir, I do know you;And dare, upon the warrant of my note,Commend a dear thing to you.
KENT to Gentleman But, true it is, from France there comes a powerInto this scatter’d kingdom; who already,Wise in our negligence, have secret feetIn some of our best ports, and are at pointTo show their open banner.
KENT to Gentleman If on my credit you dare build so farTo make your speed to Dover, you shall findSome that will thank you, making just reportOf how unnatural and bemadding sorrowThe king hath cause to plain.
KENT to Gentleman If you shall see Cordelia,–As fear not but you shall,–show her this ring;And she will tell you who your fellow isThat yet you do not know.
KING LEAR to Audience Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! spout, rain!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
Fool to KENT Marry, here’s grace and a cod-piece; that’s a wiseman and a fool.
KING LEAR to KENT Hast practised on man’s life: close pent-up guilts,Rive your concealing continents, and cryThese dreadful summoners grace.
KING LEAR to KENT I am a manMore sinn’d against than sinning.
KING LEAR to KENT My wits begin to turn.
Fool to SOLILOQUY 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;
Fool to SOLILOQUY Then comes the time, who lives to see’t,That going shall be used with feet.This prophecy Merlin shall make; for I live before his time.
GLOUCESTER to EDMUND Go to; say you nothing. There’s a division betwixtthe dukes; and a worse matter than that: I havereceived a letter this night; ’tis dangerous to bespoken; I have locked the letter in my closet:
EDMUND to SOLILOQUY This courtesy, forbid thee, shall the dukeInstantly know; and of that letter too:
EDMUND to SOLILOQUY This seems a fair deserving, and must draw meThat which my father loses; no less than all:The younger rises when the old doth fall.
KENT to LEAR Here is the place, my lord; good my lord, enter:The tyranny of the open night’s too roughFor nature to endure.
KING LEAR to KENT The body’s delicate: the tempest in my mindDoth from my senses take all feeling elseSave what beats there.
KING LEAR to KENT No, I will weep no more. In such a nightTo shut me out! Pour on; I will endure.
KING LEAR to KENT Your old kind father, whose frank heart gave all,– O, that way madness lies; let me shun that;No more of that.
Fool to LEAR Come not in here, nuncle, here’s a spiritHelp me, help me!
Fool to KENT A spirit, a spirit: he says his name’s poor Tom.
KING LEAR to EDGAR Hast thou given all to thy two daughters?And art thou come to this?
KING LEAR to KENT Death, traitor! nothing could have subdued natureTo such a lowness but his unkind daughters.Is it the fashion, that discarded fathersShould have thus little mercy on their flesh?
Fool to GROUP This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen.
EDGAR to LEAR A serving-man, proud in heart and mind; that curledmy hair; wore gloves in my cap; served the lust ofmy mistress’ heart, and did the act of darkness withher;
KING LEAR to EDGAR Is man no more than this?
GLOUCESTER to LEAR Go in with me: my duty cannot sufferTo obey in all your daughters’ hard commands:
GLOUCESTER to KENT ah, that good Kent!He said it would be thus, poor banish’d man!Thou say’st the king grows mad; I’ll tell thee, friend,I am almost mad myself
CORNWALL to EDMUND I will have my revenge ere I depart his house.
EDMUND to CORNWALL This is the letter he spoke of, whichapproves him an intelligent party to the advantagesof France: O heavens! that this treason were not,or not I the detector!
CORNWALL to EDMUND True or false, it hath made thee earl ofGloucester. Seek out where thy father is, that hemay be ready for our apprehension.
EDMUND to ASIDE If I find him comforting the king, it willstuff his suspicion more fully.–I will persevere inmy course of loyalty, though the conflict be sorebetween that and my blood.
CORNWALL to EDMUND I will lay trust upon thee; and thou shalt find adearer father in my love.
KENT to GLOUCESTER All the power of his wits have given way to hisimpatience: the gods reward your kindness!
KING LEAR to KENT I’ll see their trial first. Bring in the evidence.
KING LEAR to EDGAR Thou robed man of justice, take thy place;
EDGAR to LEAR Bless thy five wits!
KENT to LEAR O pity! Sir, where is the patience now,That thou so oft have boasted to retain?
EDGAR to ASIDE My tears begin to take his part so much,They’ll mar my counterfeiting.
KING LEAR to Kent Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains:so, so, so. We’ll go to supper i’ he morning. So, so, so.
Fool to LEAR And I’ll go to bed at noon.
GLOUCESTER to KENT I have o’erheard a plot of death upon him:There is a litter ready; lay him in ‘t,And drive towards Dover, friend, where thou shalt meetBoth welcome and protection.
EDGAR to SOLILOQUY When we our betters see bearing our woes,We scarcely think our miseries our foes.
EDGAR to SOLILOQUY How light and portable my pain seems now,When that which makes me bend makes the king bow,He childed as I father’d!
CORNWALL to GONERIL Post speedily to my lord your husband; show himthis letter: the army of France is landed. Seekout the villain Gloucester.
REGAN to CORNWALL Hang him instantly.
GONERIL to CORNWALL Pluck out his eyes.
CORNWALL to EDMUND Keep you oursister company: the revenges we are bound to takeupon your traitorous father are not fit for yourbeholding.
GLOUCESTER to REGAN Unmerciful lady as you are, I’m none.
GLOUCESTER to REGAN By the kind gods, ’tis most ignobly doneTo pluck me by the beard.
REGAN to GLOUCESTER So white, and such a traitor!
GLOUCESTER to REGAN These hairs, which thou dost ravish from my chin,Will quicken, and accuse thee
GLOUCESTER to CORNWALL and REGAN I have a letter guessingly set down,Which came from one that’s of a neutral heart,And not from one opposed.
GLOUCESTER to REGAN Because I would not see thy cruel nailsPluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sisterIn his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.
CORNWALL to GLOUCESTER See’t shalt thou never. Fellows, hold the chair.Upon these eyes of thine I’ll set my foot.
First Servant to GLOUCESTER O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye leftTo see some mischief on him. O!
GLOUCESTER to REGAN All dark and comfortless. Where’s my son Edmund?Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,To quit this horrid act.
REGAN to GLOUCESTER Out, treacherous villain!Thou call’st on him that hates thee: it was heThat made the overture of thy treasons to us;Who is too good to pity thee.
GLOUCESTER to REGAN O my follies! then Edgar was abused.Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!
REGAN to SERVANTS Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smellHis way to Dover.
CORNWALL to REGAN I bleed apace:Untimely comes this hurt: give me your arm.