King Lear : Act 4, Scene 4

Enter, with drum and colours, CORDELIA,

colours i.e., battle flag

           [Doctor,] and Soldiers.

      CORDELIA
  1   Alack, 'tis he: why, he was met even now

he was met even now i.e., he (King Lear) was seen very recently rank luxuriant fumiter and furrow-weeds

  2   As mad as the vex'd sea; singing aloud;
  3   Crown'd with rank fumiter and furrow-weeds,
  4   With burdocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,
  5   Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow

century battalion (100 men)

  6   In our sustaining corn. A century send forth;
  7   Search every acre in the high-grown field,
  8   And bring him to our eye.

           Exit an Officer.

What can ... sense? What can human medical knowledge do to restore the good sense of which he was deprived?
He ... worth He who helps him can take all my material wealth

  8                                           What can man's wisdom
  9   In the restoring his bereaved sense?
10   He that helps him take all my outward worth.

      Doctor
11   There is means, madam:

Our ... repose i.e., That which comforts and nourishes human nature is rest. that to provoke ... simples operative to induce that there are medicinal herbs (which are) effective
eye of anguish wakeful suffering

12   Our foster-nurse of nature is repose,
13   The which he lacks; that to provoke in him,
14   Are many simples operative, whose power
15   Will close the eye of anguish.

      CORDELIA
15                                                     All blest secrets,

unpublish'd virtues obscure healing plants
Spring with my tears! Grow as fast as my tears fall! aidant and remediate healing and restorative

wants lacks | it the life

16   All you unpublish'd virtues of the earth,
17   Spring with my tears! be aidant and remediate
18   In the good man's distress! Seek, seek for him;
19   Lest his ungovern'd rage dissolve the life
20   That wants the means to lead it.

           Enter a Messenger.

      Messenger
20                                                       News, madam;

powers armies

21 The British powers are marching hitherward.

CORDELIA

our preparation the troops we have ready

22   'Tis known before; our preparation stands
23   In expectation of them. O dear father,
24   It is thy business that I go about;
25   Therefore great France

My mourning and importun'd tears my sad and importunate tears blown ambition inflated ambition | our arms incite motivate us to take up arms But love, dear love, and our aged father's right i.e., we are fighting for nothing but love, precious love, and our aged father's rights

26   My mourning and importun'd tears hath pitied.
27   No blown ambition doth our arms incite,
28   But love, dear love, and our aged father's right:
29   Soon may I hear and see him!

           Exeunt.