King Lear : Act 2, Scene 1
Enter Bastard [EDMUND] and CURAN meets him.
and CURAN meets him: Edmund and Curan just happen to run into one another. [Curan appears only in this scene.]
EDMUND
1
Save thee, Curan.
1. Save thee: God save thee.
CURAN
2
And you, sir. I have been with your father, and
2. your father: Gloucester.
3
given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall and
4
Regan his duchess will be here with him this night.
4. here: Gloucester's house.
EDMUND
5
How comes that?
CURAN
6
Nay, I know not. You have heard of the news
7
abroad; I mean the whisper'd ones, for they
8
are yet but ear-bussing arguments?
8. ear-bussing: ear-kissing, ear-whispering. arguments: subject matter of discussions.
EDMUND
9
Not I. Pray you, what are they?
CURAN
10
Have you heard of no likely wars toward, 'twixt
10. toward: imminent.
11
the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany?
EDMUND
12
Not a word.
CURAN
13
You may do, then, in time. Fare you well, sir.
Exit.
EDMUND
14
The duke be here tonight? The better! best!
15
This weaves itself perforce into my business.
16
My father hath set guard to take my brother;
16. hath . . . brother: is on the watch to catch Edgar in the act of plotting against his father.
17
And I have one thing, of a queasy question,
17. of a queasy question: which may be difficult to pull off.
18
Which I must act: briefness and fortune, work!
18. briefness and fortune, work!: i.e., may speedy action and good luck bring me success!
[Loudly.]
19
Brother, a word; descend: brother, I say!
[Quietly, so Edgar can't hear.]
20
My father watches
19-20. Brother . . . watches: Edmund calls for Edgar to come out of hiding, so that he can engage him in an incriminating conversation while their father, Gloucester, also in hiding, listens in.
>>>
Enter EDGAR.
20
O sir, fly this place;
20. fly: flee.
21
Intelligence is given where you are hid;
21. Intelligence is given where you are hid: i.e., your hiding place has been spied out.
22
You have now the good advantage of the night:
23
Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?
24
He's coming hither: now, i' the night, i' the haste,
25
And Regan with him: have you nothing said
26
Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany?
25-26. have . . . Albany?: have you said anything on the side of the Duke of Cornwall and against the Duke of Albany? >>>
27
Advise yourself.
27. Advise yourself: consider carefully.
EDGAR
I am sure on't, not a word.
27. sure on't: sure of it.
EDMUND
28
I hear my father coming: pardon me:
29
In cunning I must draw my sword upon you
30
Draw; seem to defend yourself; now quit you well.
30. quit you well: acquit yourself well; make a good show of fighting me off.
[Very Loudly.]
31
Yield! Come before my father! Light, ho, here!
[Softly, to Edgar.]
32
Fly, brother.
[Very Loudly.]
Torches, torches!
[To Edgar? To the audience, with irony?]
So, farewell.
Exit Edgar.
33
Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion
34
Of my more fierce endeavour:
33-34. would beget opinion / Of my more fierce endeavour: would convince anyone that I fought very hard.
Max Bennet as Edmund
Brooklyn Academy of Music, 2014
Max Bennet as Edmund
Brooklyn Academy of Music, 2014
[Wounds his arm].
I have seen drunkards
35
Do more than this in sport.
[Shouting.]
Father, father!
36
Stop, stop! No help?
Enter GLOUCESTER, and Servants with torches.
GLOUCESTER
37
Now, Edmund, where's the villain?
EDMUND
38
Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out,
39
Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon
40
To stand's auspicious mistress
40. stand's auspicious mistress: stand as his auspicious mistress; i.e., give him good luck in his deeds of darkness.
GLOUCESTER
But where is he?
EDMUND
41
Look, sir, I bleed.
GLOUCESTER
Where is the villain, Edmund?
EDMUND
42
Fled this way, sir. When by no means he could
GLOUCESTER
43
Pursue him, ho! Go after.
[Exeunt some Servants.]
By no means what?
EDMUND
44
Persuade me to the murder of your lordship,
45
But that I told him, the revenging gods
45. But that: but when.
46
'Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend,
47
Spoke, with how manifold and strong a bond
48
The child was bound to the father; sir, in fine,
48. in fine: in sum.
49
Seeing how loathly opposite I stood
49. loathly opposite: abhorrently opposed.
50
To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
50. in fell motion: with a deadly thrust.
51
With his prepared sword, he charges home
51. charges home: strikes to the heart of.
52
My unprovided body, lanced mine arm:
52. unprovided: unarmed. lanced: pierced.
53
But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits,
53. alarum'd: called to arms, aroused to action.
54
Bold in the quarrel's right, roused to the encounter,
54. quarrel's right: justice of the cause.
55
Or whether gasted by the noise I made,
55. gasted: ghosted; scared.
56
Full suddenly he fled.
GLOUCESTER
Let him fly far:
57
Not in this land shall he remain uncaught;
58
And found dispatch. The noble duke my master,
58. And found dispatch: And once found, killed.
59
My worthy arch and patron, comes tonight:
59. arch: lord; chief; i.e., the Duke of Cornwall.
60
By his authority I will proclaim it,
61
That he which finds him shall deserve our thanks,
62
Bringing the murderous coward to the stake;
63
He that conceals him, death.
EDMUND
64
When I dissuaded him from his intent,
65
And found him pight to do it, with curst speech
65. pight: pitched, determined. curst: angry.
66
I threaten'd to discover him; he replied,
66. discover: expose; reveal.
67
'Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think,
67. unpossessing: without land or status.
68
If I would stand against thee, would the reposal
68. reposal: placing.
69
Of any trust, virtue, or worth in thee
70
Make thy words faith'd? No: what I should deny,
70. faith'd: credible; believed.
71
As this I would: ay, though thou didst produce
72
My very character, I'ld turn it all
72. My very character: i.e., incriminating evidence in my own handwriting.
73
To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practise:
73. suggestion: instigation. practise: plot.
74
And thou must make a dullard of the world,
74. make a dullard of the world: think people very stupid.
75
If they not thought the profits of my death
75. profits of my death Edgar's death might open the way for Edmund to become Gloucester's hier.
76. pregnant and potential: ready and powerful.
76. pregnant and potential: ready and powerful.
76
Were very pregnant and potential spurs
77
To make thee seek it.'
GLOUCESTER
 
O strange and fasten'd villain!
77. strange: unnatural. fasten'd: incorrigible.
78
Would he deny his letter? I never got him.
78. got: begot.
Tucket within.
Tucket: trumpet flourish.
79
Hark, the Duke's trumpets! I know not why he comes.
80
All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape;
80. All ports I'll bar: i.e., I'll close every town in the dukedom to him.
81
The Duke must grant me that: besides, his picture
82
I will send far and near, that all the kingdom
83
May have the due note of him; and of my land,
84
Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means
84. natural: loving; illegitimate.
85
To make thee capable.
85. capable: legally able to inherit.
Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants.
CORNWALL
86
How now, my noble friend! since I came hither,
87
Which I can call but now, I have heard strange news.
REGAN
88
If it be true, all vengeance comes too short
88. vengeance comes too short: i.e., vengeance is not enough.
89
Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord?
GLOUCESTER
90
O, madam, my old heart is crack'd, it's crack'd!
REGAN
91
What, did my father's godson seek your life?
92
He whom my father named? your Edgar?
GLOUCESTER
93
O, lady, lady, shame would have it hid!
REGAN
94
Was he not companion with the riotous knights
95
That tend upon my father?
GLOUCESTER
96
I know not, madam. 'Tis too bad, too bad.
EDMUND
97
Yes, madam, he was of that consort.
REGAN
98
No marvel, then, though he were ill affected:
98. ill affected: i.e., negatively affected.
99
'Tis they have put him on the old man's death,
99. have put him on: i.e., have put him up to; incited.
100
To have the expense and waste of his revenues.
100. To . . . revenues. : i.e., in order to loot Gloucester's estate once Edgar has inherited it.
101
I have this present evening from my sister
102
Been well inform'd of them; and with such cautions,
103
That if they come to sojourn at my house,
104
I'll not be there.
CORNWALL
104
                           Nor I, assure thee, Regan.
105
Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father
106
A child-like office.
106. A child-like office: a service that is natural to an affectionate child.
EDMUND
It was my duty, sir.
GLOUCESTER
107
He did bewray his practise; and received
107. bewray his practise: disclose his (Edgar's) plot.
108
This hurt you see, striving to apprehend him.
108. This hurt you see: i.e., the bloody wound that Edmund gave himself.
CORNWALL
109
Is he pursued?
GLOUCESTER
Ay, my good lord.
CORNWALL
110
If he be taken, he shall never more
111
Be fear'd of doing harm: make your own purpose,
110-111. he . . . harm: i.e., no one will will ever again have anything to fear from him.
112
How in my strength you please. For you, Edmund,
111-112. make . . . please: i.e., pursue and punish Edgar however you like, and I will back you up with my power and authority.
113
Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant
114
So much commend itself, you shall be ours:
115
Natures of such deep trust we shall much need;
116
You we first seize on.
EDMUND
I shall serve you, sir,
117
Truly, however else.
117. however else: if nothing else. Edmund is making a show of modesty.
GLOUCESTER
For him I thank your grace.
117. For him on his (Edmund's) behalf.
CORNWALL
118
You know not why we came to visit you,
REGAN
119
Thus out of season, threading dark-ey'd night?
120
Occasions, noble Gloucester, of some poise,
120. poise: weight, importance.
121
Wherein we must have use of your advice:
122
Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister,
123
Of differences, which I best thought it fit
122-123. Our . . . differences: i.e., both King Lear and Goneril have written to us of their dispute over King Lear's knights.
124
To answer from our home; the several messengers
124. from our home: from a location away from our home.
125
From hence attend dispatch. Our good old friend,
125. attend dispatch: wait to be dispatched.
126
Lay comforts to your bosom; and bestow
127
Your needful counsel to our business,
127. needful: badly needed.
128
Which craves the instant use.
128. craves the instant use: demands immediate attention.
GLOUCESTER
I serve you, madam:
129
Your graces are right welcome.
Exeunt.