The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (935 page)

The crows and choughs that wing the midway air

Show scarce so gross as beetles: half way down

Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!

Methinks he seems no bigger than his head:

The fishermen, that walk upon the beach,

Appear like mice; and yond tall anchoring bark,

Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy

Almost too small for sight: the murmuring surge,

That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,

Cannot be heard so high. I'll look no more;

Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight

Topple down headlong.

Come on, sir; here's the place: stand still. How terrifying

and dizzying it is, to look down so far!

The crows and jackdaws that fly through the air in between

hardly look as big as beetles: halfway down

one of the samphire gatherers is hanging, what a dreadful job!

I think he looks no bigger than his head:

the fishermen walking on the beach

look like mice; that great ship at anchor has shrunk

to the size of a rowing boat, her rowing boat looks like a buoy

almost too small to be seen: the rumble of the waves

that crash on the numberless barren pebbles

cannot be heard up here. I won't look any more,

in case it makes me dizzy and my sight fails,

making me fall headfirst.

GLOUCESTER

Set me where you stand.

Put me where you are standing.

EDGAR

Give me your hand: you are now within a foot

Of the extreme verge: for all beneath the moon

Would I not leap upright.

Give me your hand: you are now within a foot

of the edge: I wouldn't stand up here

for everything on earth.

GLOUCESTER

Let go my hand.

Here, friend, 's another purse; in it a jewel

Well worth a poor man's taking: fairies and gods

Prosper it with thee! Go thou farther off;

Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going.

Let go of my hand.

Here, friend, is another purse; there's a jewel in it

that's well worth having for a poor man: may the fairies and gods

make it profitable for you! Go further away;

say goodbye, and let me hear you going.

EDGAR

Now fare you well, good sir.

Now take care of yourself, good sir.

GLOUCESTER

With all my heart.

I fully intend to.

EDGAR

Why I do trifle thus with his despair

Is done to cure it.

I am only messing about with his despair

so that it can be cured.

GLOUCESTER

[Kneeling] O you mighty gods!

This world I do renounce, and, in your sights,

Shake patiently my great affliction off:

If I could bear it longer, and not fall

To quarrel with your great opposeless wills,

My snuff and loathed part of nature should

Burn itself out. If Edgar live, O, bless him!

Now, fellow, fare thee well.

He falls forward

Oh you mighty gods!

I am giving up the world, and in your sight

I am throwing off my great affliction:

if I could bear it any longer, without

rebelling against your almighty orders,

the almost consumed wick of my candle of life

would burn itself out. If Edgar is alive, bless him!

Now, my friend, goodbye.

EDGAR

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. Alive or dead?

Ho, you sir! friend! Hear you, sir! speak!

Thus might he pass indeed: yet he revives.

What are you, sir?

I am gone sir, goodbye.

And yet I don't know whether imagination can

steal away life, when life gives in

to its theft: might he die

just because he thinks he has? Is he alive or dead?

Hey, you sir! Friend! Listen, sir! Speak!

He might actually be dead: but he's coming round.

How are you sir?

GLOUCESTER

Away, and let me die.

Go away, and let me die.

EDGAR

Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air,

So many fathom down precipitating,

Thou'dst shiver'd like an egg: but thou dost breathe;

Hast heavy substance; bleed'st not; speak'st; art sound.

Ten masts at each make not the altitude

Which thou hast perpendicularly fell:

Thy life's a miracle. Speak yet again.

If you had been nothing but gossamer, feathers and air,

falling down so many fathoms

you would have smashed like an egg: but you breathe;

you are all in one piece; you don't bleed; you speak; you're all right.

Ten masts one on top of the other would not reach the height

which you have just fallen straight down:

it's a miracle you're alive. Speak again.

GLOUCESTER

But have I fall'n, or no?

But have I fallen or not?

EDGAR

From the dread summit of this chalky bourn.

Look up a-height; the shrill-gorged lark so far

Cannot be seen or heard: do but look up.

From the terrible top of this chalky cliff.

Look up there; the high singing lark cannot

be seen or heard up there: just look up.

GLOUCESTER

Alack, I have no eyes.

Is wretchedness deprived that benefit,

To end itself by death? 'Twas yet some comfort,

When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage,

And frustrate his proud will.

Alas, I am blind.

Is misery deprived of the benefit

of ending itself in suicide? It used to be a comfort,

when misery could outwit the tyrant's anger

and stop him doing what he wanted.

EDGAR

Give me your arm:

Up: so. How is 't? Feel you your legs? You stand.

Give me your arm:

get up: that's it. How is it? Can you feel your legs? Stand up.

GLOUCESTER

Too well, too well.

I can do it all too well.

EDGAR

This is above all strangeness.

Upon the crown o' the cliff, what thing was that

Which parted from you?

This is beyond belief.

When you were at the top of the cliff, who was that

who left you?

GLOUCESTER

A poor unfortunate beggar.

A poor unfortunate beggar.

EDGAR

As I stood here below, methought his eyes

Were two full moons; he had a thousand noses,

Horns whelk'd and waved like the enridged sea:

It was some fiend; therefore, thou happy father,

Think that the clearest gods, who make them honours

Of men's impossibilities, have preserved thee.

As I stood down here, I thought his eyes

were two full moons; he had a thousand noses,

horns twisted and waved like the ridges of the sea:

it was some devil; therefore, you happy father,

consider that the purest gods, who win our worship

through doing impossible things, have saved you.

GLOUCESTER

I do remember now: henceforth I'll bear

Affliction till it do cry out itself

'Enough, enough,' and die. That thing you speak of,

I took it for a man; often 'twould say

'The fiend, the fiend:' he led me to that place.

Now I remember: from now on I'll put up

with my hardships until they cry out themselves

‘Enough, enough,’ and die. That thing you speak of,

I thought it was a man; often it would say

‘The fiend, the fiend:’ he took me to that place.

EDGAR

Bear free and patient thoughts. But who comes here?

Enter KING LEAR, fantastically dressed with wild flowers

The safer sense will ne'er accommodate

His master thus.

Keep your thoughts happy and patient. But who is this?

A sane man would never

be dressed up like this.

KING LEAR

No, they cannot touch me for coining; I am the

king himself.

No, they can't arrest me for forging coins; I am the

King himself.

EDGAR

O thou side-piercing sight!

What a heartrending sight!

KING LEAR

Nature's above art in that respect. There's your

press-money. That fellow handles his bow like a

crow-keeper: draw me a clothier's yard. Look,

look, a mouse! Peace, peace; this piece of toasted

cheese will do 't. There's my gauntlet; I'll prove

it on a giant. Bring up the brown bills. O, well

flown, bird! i' the clout, i' the clout: hewgh!

Give the word.

Nature's better than art in that respect. Here's your

signing on money. That fellow handles his bow like a

scarecrow: pull the string back as far as it will go. Look,

look, a mouse! Hush, hush; this piece of toasted

cheese will do it. There's my challenge; I'll take on

a giant. Bring up the spearmen. Oh,

good shot! It's a bull's-eye, it's a bull's-eye: twang!

What's the password?

EDGAR

Sweet marjoram.

Sweet marjoram.

KING LEAR

Pass.

You can pass.

GLOUCESTER

I know that voice.

I know that voice.

KING LEAR

Ha! Goneril, with a white beard! They flattered

me like a dog; and told me I had white hairs in my

beard ere the black ones were there. To say 'ay'

and 'no' to every thing that I said!--'Ay' and 'no'

too was no good divinity. When the rain came to

wet me once, and the wind to make me chatter; when

the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I

found 'em, there I smelt 'em out. Go to, they are

not men o' their words: they told me I was every

thing; 'tis a lie, I am not ague-proof.

Ha! Goneril, with a white beard! They flattered me

like a dog does its master; they told me I was old and wise

before I was either. They said yes

and no to everything I said! Saying yes and no

to everything is poor theology. When the rain came

to soak me, and the wind to freeze me; when

the thunder would not stop when I told it to; then I

saw what they're like, then I found them out. Go away,