LEAR.
Kent, on thy life, no more.
KENT.
My life I never held but as a pawn
To wage against thine enemies; nor fear to lose it,
Thy safety being the motive.
LEAR.
Out of my sight!
KENT.
See better, Lear; and let me still remain
The true blank of thine eye.
LEAR.
Now, by Apollo, —
KENT.
Now by Apollo, king,
Thou swear'st thy gods in vain.
LEAR.
O vassal! miscreant!
[Laying his hand on his sword.]
ALBANY and CORNWALL.
Dear sir, forbear!
KENT.
Do;
Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow
Upon the foul disease. Revoke thy gift,
Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,
I'll tell thee thou dost evil.
LEAR.
Hear me, recreant!
On thine allegiance, hear me! —
Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow, —
Which we durst never yet, — and with strain'd pride
To come between our sentence and our power, —
Which nor our nature nor our place can bear, —
Our potency made good, take thy reward.
Five days we do allot thee for provision
To shield thee from diseases of the world;
And on the sixth to turn thy hated back
Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day following,
Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,
The moment is thy death. Away! by Jupiter,
This shall not be revok'd.
