MaximumEdge.com | | Search | | E-Mail | | News | | Weather | | Finance | | Directory | | Music | | Lottery Results | | Horoscopes | | Translation | | Games | | E-Cards | | Maps | | Jobs | | Magazines | | DVDs |

MaximumEdge.com
Shakespeare

Home > King Lear > ACT I - SCENE V. Court before the same.

Search: King Lear


< (Previous) ACT I, SCENE IVACT II, I (Next) >

ACT I - SCENE V. Court before the same.
Enter KING LEAR, KENT, and Fool

KING LEAR
1    Go you before to Gloucester with these letters.
2    Acquaint my daughter no further with any thing you
3    know than comes from her demand out of the letter.
4    If your diligence be not speedy, I shall be there afore you.
KENT
5    I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered
6    your letter.
Exit

Fool
7    If a man's brains were in's heels, were't not in
8    danger of kibes?
KING LEAR
9    Ay, boy.
Fool
10   Then, I prithee, be merry; thy wit shall ne'er go
11   slip-shod.
KING LEAR
12   Ha, ha, ha!
Fool
13   Shalt see thy other daughter will use thee kindly;
14   for though she's as like this as a crab's like an
15   apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.
KING LEAR
16   Why, what canst thou tell, my boy?
Fool
17   She will taste as like this as a crab does to a
18   crab. Thou canst tell why one's nose stands i'
19   the middle on's face?
KING LEAR
20   No.
Fool
21   Why, to keep one's eyes of either side's nose; that
22   what a man cannot smell out, he may spy into.
KING LEAR
23   I did her wrong--
Fool
24   Canst tell how an oyster makes his shell?
KING LEAR
25   No.
Fool
26   Nor I neither; but I can tell why a snail has a house.
KING LEAR
27   Why?
Fool
28   Why, to put his head in; not to give it away to his
29   daughters, and leave his horns without a case.
KING LEAR
30   I will forget my nature. So kind a father! Be my
31   horses ready?
Fool
32   Thy asses are gone about 'em. The reason why the
33   seven stars are no more than seven is a pretty reason.
KING LEAR
34   Because they are not eight?
Fool
35   Yes, indeed: thou wouldst make a good fool.
KING LEAR
36   To take 't again perforce! Monster ingratitude!
Fool
37   If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'ld have thee beaten
38   for being old before thy time.
KING LEAR
39   How's that?
Fool
40   Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst
41   been wise.
KING LEAR
42   O, let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven
43   Keep me in temper: I would not be mad!
Enter Gentleman
44   How now! are the horses ready?
Gentleman
45   Ready, my lord.
KING LEAR
46   Come, boy.
Fool
47   She that's a maid now, and laughs at my departure,
48   Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut shorter.
Exeunt

< (Previous) ACT I, SCENE IVACT II, I (Next) >
Scene Index
ACT I
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV
  • SCENE V


  • ACT II
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV


  • ACT III
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV
  • SCENE V
  • SCENE VI
  • SCENE VII


  • ACT IV
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV
  • SCENE V
  • SCENE VI
  • SCENE VII


  • ACT V
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III

  • ©1999-. All rights reserved.Contact
    Part of the MaximumEdge.com Network.Add Bookmark