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
1. he was met even now: i.e., he [King Lear] was seen very recently.
2 As mad as the vex'd sea; singing aloud;
3 Crown'd with rank fumiter and furrow-weeds,
3. rank: luxuriant, thick, coarse.
4 With burdocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,
5 Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow
6 In our sustaining corn. A century send forth;
3-6. fumiter . . . sustaining corn: i.e., common weeds. >>>
century: battalion [100 men].
century: battalion [100 men].
7 Search every acre in the high-grown field,
8 And bring him to our eye.
Exit an Officer.
What can man's wisdom
9 In the restoring his bereaved sense?
9. What can . . . sense?: What can human knowledge do to restore the good sense he lost?
10 He that helps him take all my outward worth.
10. He . . . worth: He who helps him can take all my material wealth.
Doctor
11 There is means, madam:
12 Our foster-nurse of nature is repose,
12. Our . . . repose: i.e., That which comforts and nourishes human nature is rest.
13 The which he lacks; that to provoke in him,
14 Are many simples operative, whose power
13-14. that to provoke . . . operative: to induce rest there are effective medicinal herbs. eye of anguish: wakeful suffering.
15 Will close the eye of anguish.
CORDELIA
All blest secrets,
16 All you unpublish'd virtues of the earth,
18. unpublish'd virtues: obscure healing plants.
17 Spring with my tears! be aidant and remediate
17. Spring with my tears!: Grow as fast as my tears fall! aidant and remediate: healing and restorative.
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.
20. wants: lacks.
Enter a Messenger.
Messenger
News, madam;
21 The British powers are marching hitherward.
21. powers: armies.
CORDELIA
22 'Tis known before; our preparation stands
22. our preparation: the troops we have ready.
23 In expectation of them. O dear father,
24 It is thy business that I go about;
25 Therefore great France
25. France: i.e., the king of France, Cordelia's husband.
26 My mourning and importun'd tears hath pitied.
26. My . . . tears: my sad and pressing tears.
27 No blown ambition doth our arms incite,
27. blown: inflated. our arms incite: motivate us to take up arms.
28 But love, dear love, and our aged father's right:
28. 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.
29 Soon may I hear and see him!
Exeunt.