King Lear

²⁸²servant lover

²⁸³undistinguished space limitless scope

²⁸³will lust

²⁸⁶Thee … up I will bury you (Oswald)

²⁸⁶post unsanctified unholy messenger

²⁸⁷in … time when the time is ripe

²⁸⁸ungracious wicked, sinful

²⁸⁸strike blast/afflict

²⁸⁹death-practised whose death is plotted

²⁹¹stiff stubborn

²⁹²ingenious sensitive, intelligent

²⁹³distract mad

²⁹⁵wrong imaginations illusions

Act 4 Scene 6

^4.6Location: the French camp, near Dover

³every … me all my efforts will be inadequate

⁴o’erpaidi.e. already more than enough

⁵All … truth everything I have told you is the simple truth (or possibly “may all reports of me be unexaggerated and accurate”)

⁶Nor … clipped neither overstated nor abbreviated

⁷suited dressed

⁸weeds clothes

¹¹Yet … intent to have my identity known now would spoil the plan I have devised

¹²My … it the favor I ask is

¹²know me not do not acknowledge me

¹³meet suitable

¹⁸wind up put in tune (by tightening the pegs on a stringed instrument)

¹⁹child-changèd changed by his children

²³I’th’sway … will as you see fit, under your own authority

²³arrayed dressed (appropriately)

²⁷doubt of fear for

²⁷temperance self-control

³¹reverence i.e. position deserving respect, venerable state

³³Had you even if you had

³³flakes locks of hair

³⁴Did challenge would have demanded

³⁴of from

³⁸fain obliged

³⁹rogues forlorn destitute vagabonds

⁴⁰short i.e. broken up (and hence less comfortable)

⁴¹at once at the same time

⁴²concluded all come entirely to an end

⁴⁶bliss i.e. heaven

⁴⁷wheel of fire i.e. one of hell’s tortures of the damned; recalls Ixion, who, in Greek mythology, was bound to a wheel of fire for attempting to seduce the queen of the gods

⁴⁷that so that

⁵¹wide wide of the mark, confused

⁵⁴abused wronged, ill-treated/deluded

⁵⁷Would … condition! I wish I could be sure of what state I am in!

⁶³fond silly

⁸⁴rage frenzy

⁸⁶further settling his mind is more settled

Act 5 Scene 1

^5.1Location: the British camp, near Dover

^5.1Drum and Colours soldiers with military flags and a drum beating

¹Know of find out from

¹last purpose most recent intention

²since subsequently

²advised persuaded/warned

²aught anything, i.e. any news

⁴self-reproving self-reproach

⁴constant pleasure fixed wishes

⁵miscarried come to harm

⁶doubted feared

¹¹honoured honorable

¹³forfended place forbidden place, i.e. Goneril’s vagina

¹⁵I … her I cannot stand her

¹⁶familiar too friendly/sexually intimate

²⁰rigour … state harshness of our government

²¹cry out i.e. protest in pain

²²Why … reasoned? Why are we discussing this?

²³Combine together i.e. let us combine our two armies

²⁴domestic … broils private internal squabbles

²⁷th’ancient of war experienced senior officers

³⁰convenient suitable, seemly

³¹know the riddle understand your enigmatic request, see your trick (Regan wants to keep a suspicious eye on Goneril)

³⁴I’ll overtake you presumably Albany calls after those who have or are in the process of departing

³⁵ope open

³⁵letter i.e. the letter Oswald was carrying from Goneril to Edmund

³⁶sound i.e. sound a summons

³⁸champion one who fights in single combat

³⁹avouchèd declared, affirmed

³⁹miscarry lose the battle and die

⁴¹machination plotting

⁴⁴cry make the proclamation

⁴⁶o’erlook read over

⁴⁷powers troops

⁴⁹discovery intelligence-gathering, reconnaissance

⁵¹greet the time be ready when the time comes

⁵³jealous suspicious, mistrustful

⁵⁸hardly with difficulty

⁵⁸carry … side fulfill my side of the agreement (with Goneril)/achieve my own (power-seeking) ends

⁶⁰countenance authority

⁶²taking off murder

⁶⁵shall i.e. they shall

⁶⁵my … debate my position relies on action not discussion

Act 5 Scene 2

^5.2Location: not far from the battlefield, near Dover

^5.2Alarum trumpet call to arms

¹father form of address for an old man

²host i.e. shelter

^5.2retreat trumpet call signaling retreat

⁷ta’en (are) captured

¹²Ripeness readiness/the right time

Act 5 Scene 3