King Lear: Act 3, Scene 7 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 7 of King Lear from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, Edmund, the Bastard, and Servants. CORNWALL, to Goneril Post speedily to my lord your husband. Show him this letter. He gives her a paper. The army of France is landed.—Seek out the traitor Gloucester. Some Servants exit. REGAN Hang him instantly. 5 GONERIL Pluck out his eyes.	Now that everyone has seen the letter Edmund handed over to Cornwall—the one indicating that Gloucester was helping Lear against Cornwall and Albany—they're talking about how Gloucester should be punished. Goneril wants him hanged; Regan suggests they remove his eyes.
CORNWALL Leave him to my displeasure.—Edmund, keep you our sister company. The revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding. Advise the Duke, where you 10 are going, to a most festinate preparation; we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent betwixt us.—Farewell, dear sister.— Farewell, my lord of Gloucester. Enter Oswald, the Steward. How now? Where’s the King? 15	Cornwall says he'll handle Gloucester. He tells Edmund to escort Goneril back to her own castle (while Cornwall stays at Gloucester's castle). Cornwall explains that having Edmund in the castle while he tortures Edmund's father would be kind of inappropriate.
OSWALD My lord of Gloucester hath conveyed him hence. Some five- or six-and-thirty of his knights, Hot questrists after him, met him at gate, Who, with some other of the lord’s dependents, Are gone with him toward Dover, where they boast 20 To have well-armèd friends. CORNWALL Get horses for your mistress. Oswald exits.	Just before Edmund and Goneril leave, Oswald (Goneril's steward) comes in with the report that Lear is headed towards Dover, courtesy of Gloucester.
GONERIL Farewell, sweet lord, and sister. CORNWALL Edmund, farewell. Goneril and Edmund exit. Go seek the traitor Gloucester. 25 Pinion him like a thief; bring him before us. Some Servants exit. Though well we may not pass upon his life Without the form of justice, yet our power Shall do a court’sy to our wrath, which men May blame but not control. 30 Enter Gloucester and Servants. Who’s there? The traitor? REGAN Ingrateful fox! ’Tis he. CORNWALL Bind fast his corky arms. GLOUCESTER What means your Graces? Good my friends, 35 consider You are my guests; do me no foul play, friends.	As Cornwall's servants drag Gloucester into the room, Gloucester protests that Cornwall and Regan are his guests, and this isn't a very gracious way for guests to act. Huh. You think?
CORNWALL Bind him, I say. REGAN Hard, hard. O filthy traitor! GLOUCESTER Unmerciful lady as you are, I’m none. 40 CORNWALL To this chair bind him. Servants bind Gloucester. Villain, thou shalt find— Regan plucks Gloucester’s beard. GLOUCESTER By the kind gods, ’tis most ignobly done To pluck me by the beard. REGAN So white, and such a traitor? 45 GLOUCESTER Naughty lady, These hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin Will quicken and accuse thee. I am your host; With robber’s hands my hospitable favors You should not ruffle thus. What will you do? 50 CORNWALL Come, sir, what letters had you late from France? REGAN Be simple-answered, for we know the truth. CORNWALL And what confederacy have you with the traitors Late footed in the kingdom? REGAN To whose hands 55 You have sent the lunatic king. Speak.	In terms of being good houseguests, it's pretty clear that Regan and Cornwall haven't been to charm school. They order the servants to tie him up. Then they berate Gloucester as a traitor, pull out some of his beard hairs, and demand to know where he sent King Lear.
GLOUCESTER I have a letter guessingly set down Which came from one that’s of a neutral heart, And not from one opposed. CORNWALL Cunning. 60 REGAN And false. CORNWALL Where hast thou sent the King? GLOUCESTER To Dover. REGAN Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril— 65 CORNWALL Wherefore to Dover? Let him answer that. GLOUCESTER I am tied to th’ stake, and I must stand the course. REGAN Wherefore to Dover? GLOUCESTER Because I would not see thy cruel nails Pluck out his poor old eyes, nor thy fierce sister 70 In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs. The sea, with such a storm as his bare head In hell-black night endured, would have buoyed up And quenched the stellèd fires; Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain. 75 If wolves had at thy gate howled that stern time, Thou shouldst have said “Good porter, turn the key.” All cruels else subscribe. But I shall see The wingèd vengeance overtake such children. 80	Cornwall and Regan keep asking Gloucester why he sent Lear to Dover, but all he'll say is that he did it to keep Lear safe from his monstrous daughters. Now they can't harm their father, and instead Gloucester says he'll see them suffer for their betrayal of their dear old dad.
CORNWALL See ’t shalt thou never.—Fellows, hold the chair.— Upon these eyes of thine I’ll set my foot. GLOUCESTER He that will think to live till he be old, Give me some help! As Servants hold the chair, Cornwall forces out one of Gloucester’s eyes. O cruel! O you gods! 85	Cornwall says, "No you won't," and he tears out one of Gloucester's eyes.
REGAN One side will mock another. Th’ other too. CORNWALL If you see vengeance—	Regan tells her hubby to get the other eye, too, and Cornwall is ready to comply.
FIRST SERVANT Hold your hand, my lord. I have served you ever since I was a child, 90 But better service have I never done you Than now to bid you hold. REGAN How now, you dog? FIRST SERVANTIf you did wear a beard upon your chin, I’d shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean? 95 CORNWALL My villain? Draw and fight. FIRST SERVANT Nay, then, come on, and take the chance of anger. REGAN, to an Attendant Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus? She takes a sword and runs at him behind; kills him. FIRST SERVANT O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye left To see some mischief on him. O! He dies. 100	Before Cornwall can snatch Gloucester's other eye, one of the servants decides to rebel. He tells Cornwall he cannot watch him commit such an atrocity, which causes both Cornwall and Regan to draw swords on the servant. The servant wounds Cornwall, but Regan stabs the servant in the back and kills him.
CORNWALL Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly! Forcing out Gloucester’s other eye. Where is thy luster now?	Cornwall, back to torturing Gloucester, pulls out his other eye while reciting a line that may have ruined jelly donuts for us forever.
GLOUCESTER All dark and comfortless! Where’s my son Edmund?— Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature 105 To quit this horrid act. REGAN Out, treacherous villain! Thou call’st on him that hates thee. It was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us, Who is too good to pity thee. 110	Gloucester, now completely blind, calls upon his son Edmund for help. Regan informs him that it was Edmund who turned him in.
GLOUCESTER O my follies! Then Edgar was abused. Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him.	Gloucester, fully blinded, finally sees the truth: Edmund is a traitor, and has likely been a traitor from the start. More importantly, Edgar must be innocent.
REGAN Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Dover. Some Servants exit with Gloucester. How is ’t, my lord? How look you? 115 CORNWALL I have received a hurt. Follow me, lady.— Turn out that eyeless villain. Throw this slave Upon the dunghill.—Regan, I bleed apace. Untimely comes this hurt. Give me your arm. Cornwall and Regan exit.	Regan orders that Gloucester be put outside and abandoned to fend for himself. After a servant leads Gloucester out into the elements, Regan and Cornwall—about to collapse from his wound—stumble out as well.
SECOND SERVANT I’ll never care what wickedness I do 120 If this man come to good. THIRD SERVANT If she live long And in the end meet the old course of death, Women will all turn monsters. SECOND SERVANT Let’s follow the old earl and get the Bedlam 125 To lead him where he would. His roguish madness Allows itself to anything. THIRD SERVANT Go thou. I’ll fetch some flax and whites of eggs To apply to his bleeding face. Now heaven help him! They exit.	The servants left in the room are shocked at what they have just witnessed. They decide they have to help the blind Gloucester.