King Lear : Act 3, Scene 3

           Enter GLOUCESTER and EDMUND.

      GLOUCESTER
  1   Alack, alack, Edmund, I like not this unnatural
  2   dealing. When I desir'd their leave that I might

pity him i.e., aid King Lear | they i.e., Regan, Lear's second daughter, and her husband, the Duke of Cornwall

  3   pity him, they took from me the use of mine own
  4   house; charged me, on pain of their perpetual
  5   displeasure, neither to speak of him, entreat for
  6   him, nor any way sustain him.

      EDMUND
  7   Most savage and unnatural!

      GLOUCESTER

Go to an expletive —Here it seems to mean "Be careful!"
division disagreement; quarrel —See the note to lines 8-14.
closet private chamber

  8   Go to; say you nothing. There's a division betwixt
  9   the dukes; and a worse matter than that: I have
10   received a letter this night; 'tis dangerous to be
11   spoken; I have locked the letter in my closet:
12   these injuries the king now bears will be revenged

home thoroughly | power armed force
footed landed
incline to side with
privily privately; secretly
of him perceiv'd found out by him

13   home; there's part of a power already footed: we
14   must incline to the king. I will seek him, and
15   privily relieve him: go you and maintain talk with
16   the duke, that my charity be not of him perceiv'd.
17   If he ask for me, I am ill, and gone to bed.

though I die i.e., even if I die

18 Though I die for it, as no less is threatened me,

relieved helped

19 the king my old master must be relieved. There is

toward coming

20   some strange thing toward, Edmund; pray you, be careful.

           Exit.

      EDMUND

courtesy act of kindness | forbid forbidden

21 This courtesy, forbid thee, shall the duke
22 Instantly know; and of that letter too:

This ... deserving i.e., betraying my father is something which should deserve a reward
must draw ... than all must win me all that my father loses, which will be all that he has

23   This seems a fair deserving, and must draw me
24   That which my father loses; no less than all:
25   The younger rises when the old doth fall.

           Exit.