Gent. The arbitrement is like to be bloody. Fare you well, sir. [Exit. Kent. My point and period will be throughly 15 wrought, Or well or ill, as this day's battle's fought. [Exit. SCENE I. ACT V. The British Camp, near Dover. Enter, with Drum and Colours, EDMUND, REGAN, Officers, Edm. Know of the Duke if his last purpose hold, [To an Officer, who goes out. Reg. Our sister's man is certainly miscarried. Reg. Now, sweet lord, You know the goodness I intend upon you: Tell me, but truly, but then speak the truth, Edm. In honour'd love. 15 Throughly and thoroughly, as also through and thorough, were used interchangeably in Shakespeare's time. So in St. Matthew, iii. 12: "He will throughly purge his floor." See, also, Hamlet, page 183, note 21. 1 A military commander is apt, especially on the eve of a battle, to vary his orders frequently, or to give out an order one hour, and to countermand it the next, as he receives further intelligence of the enemy's movements. Hence, to his subordinates, he often seems not to know his own mind; and his second order appears to reprove his first. 2 Here, as often, doubted has the sense of feared. The same with doubtful in the third speech below. Reg. I am doubtful that you have been conjunct Reg. I never shall endure her: dear my lord, Edm. Fear me not: She and the Duke her husband! Enter, with Drum and Colours, ALBANY, GONERIL, and Soldiers. Gon. [Aside.] I had rather lose the battle than that sister Should loosen him and me. Alb. Our very loving sister, well be-met. Sir, this I hear, the King is come to his daughter, With others whom the rigour of our State Forced to cry out. Where I could not be honest, It toucheth us, as France invades our land, Edm. Sir, you speak nobly. Reg. Why is this reason'd ?5 Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy; For these domestic and particular broils 8 Probably meaning, as far as she has any favours to bestow. 4 To bold was sometimes used as a transitive verb for to encourage or embolden. Albany means that the invasion touches him, not as it is a befriending of the old King, and aims to reinstate him in the throne, but as it threatens the independence of the kingdom. — With has simply the force of and, connecting others and King. 5"Why is this talked about?" To talk, to converse is an old meaning of to reason. Shakespeare has it repeatedly so. Alb. Let's, then, determine With the ancient of war on our proceedings.6 Edm. I shall attend you presently at your tent. Gon. No. Reg. 'Tis most convenient; pray you, go with us. Edg. If e'er your Grace had speech with man so poor, Hear me one word. [Exeunt all but ALBANY and EDGAR. Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. I was forbid it. And I'll appear again. Alb. Why, fare thee well: I will o'erlook thy paper. [Exit EDGAR. 6 This is meant as a proposal, or an order, to hold a council of veteran warriors for determining what course to pursue. 7 Edmund means that he will soon join Albany at his tent, instead of going along with him. So the Poet often uses attend. In what follows, Goneril lingers, to keep with Edmund; and this at once starts Regan's suspicions. When Regan urges Goneril to go along with them, the latter instantly guesses the cause, the riddle, and replies, "I will go." Very intellectual ladies! "Dragons in the prime, that tear each other in their slime." 8 "All plottings or designs against your life have an end." -- Re-enter EDMUND. Edm. The enemy's in view; draw up your powers. Is now urged on you. Alb. We will greet the time.9 Edm. To both these sisters have I sworn my love; Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take? Her husband being alive. Now, then, we'll use SCENE II. A Field between the two Camps. [Exit. [Exit. Alarum within. Enter, with Drum and Colours, LEAR, CORDELIA, and their Forces; and exeunt. Enter EDGAR and GLOSTER. Edg. Here, father, take the shadow of this tree 9 "We will be ready for the occasion, or at hand to welcome it." 10 "I shall hardly be able to make out my game." In the language of the card-table, to set up a side was to become partners in a game; and to carry out a side was to win or succeed in the game. For your good host: 1 pray that the right may thrive. I'll bring you comfort. Glos. Grace go with you, sir! [Exit EDGAR. Alarum and Retreat within. Re-enter EDGAR. Edg. Away, old man,-give me thy hand,-away! King Lear hath lost, he and his daughter ta'en: Give me thy hand; come on. Glos. No further, sir; a man may rot even here. Ripeness is all: 2 come on. Glos. And that's true too. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The British Camp, near Dover. Enter, in Conquest, with Drum and Colours, EDMUND; LEAR and CORDELIA Prisoners; Officers, Soldiers, &c. Edm. Some officers take them away: good guard, Until their greater pleasures first be known That are to censure them.3 Cord. We're not the first Who, with best meaning, have incurr'd the worst. For thee, opressèd King, am I cast down; 1 A rather strange use of host; but Shakespeare has at least two instances of host used as a verb for to lodge. 2 Ripeness, here, is preparedness or readiness. So Hamlet, on a like occasion, says "the readiness is all." And so the phrase, “Like a shock of corn fully ripe." 3 "Their greater pleasures" means the pleasure of the greater persons.— Here, as usual, to censure is to judge, to pass sentence. |