RED-Alert!, SHIELDS-up..!!

Gene's Ideas, about 

The Future, and about Man, 

are wacky-doodle. 

Frakes/Cmdr. Will Riker :

RED Alert, SHIELDS-up! 

David Gerrold : 

He was a flawed man. 

He had great virtues, 

he had great flaws. 

John Pike :

I thought Gene was going to come 

across The Table at me. 

I saw first-hand Gene's battling
with The Studio. 

Rick Berman : 

Gene was considered somewhat 

of a pain in the neck, he was 

kind of a blustery guy. 

D.C. Fontana : 

Gene wasn't the easiest person 

to get along with but he stuck up 

for his beliefs and his concepts. 

It was just a lot of in-fighting -- 

it was all chaos. 

Ira Steven Behr: 

There was really scary stuff going on --
There's A Lawyer going around, 

looking in people's desks 

when they're not there. 

Brannon Braga : 

I spent the first couple of years 

just worried I was going to be fired. 

Sir Patrick Stewart : 

My Agent was the first person to Talk to us --
He said, "There wasn't a Hope in Hell
that this show would even make it
through The First Season. 

SHATNER :

This film is about the turbulent years 

that marked The Beginning of 

Star Trek: The Next Generation —

How it got off the ground 

and survived the chaos 

of the first three years. 

I became fascinated 

with The Struggle, not only 

the creative struggle, but 

The Struggle for Power. 

Those doors are opening up 

on Stage 6 where The Bridge 

for The Next Generation 

was first constructed. 

Power is an Ephemeral; 

it's What is Perceived. 

In order for Power to exist it has to 

be acknowledged by the people 

who are involved in The Work. 

What I Began to See was Gene Roddenberry, 

The Creator of Star Trek, aging 

and in diminishing Health 

trying desperately to 

hold on to His Creative Vision, 

His Legacy, and ultimately 

His Power.

The Blind

The Passover Plot - Jesus and the Blind Man

An unconventional take on Mark 8:22-25 where Jesus "heals" a blind man 

by spitting on him. For my full scene guide to the film go to https://biblefilms.blogspot.com/2011/05/scene-guide-passover-plot.html

If you're interested in this, you may also be interested 

in my book with the BFI "100 Bible Films" - 

https://www.bloomsbury.com/100-bible-...

The GOAT

Capt. Steve Rogers : 

Thor, What's His Play?

[ King Lear, obviously. ]

Thor : 

He has An Army, called The Chitauri. 

They're not Of Asgard or any world known. 

He means to lead them against your people. 

They will win him the Earth. 

In return, I suspect, for The Tesseract.

Steve Rogers : 

An Army. From outer space.

Bruce Banner : 

So he's building another portal. 

That's what he needs Erik Selvig for.

Thor : 

Selvig?

Bruce Banner : He's An Astrophysicist.

Thor : 

He's A Friend.

The Widow : 

Loki has him under some kind of spell. 

Along with one of ours.

Steve Rogers : 

I wanna know why Loki let us take him. 

He's not leading An Army from here.

Bruce Banner : 

I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. 

That guy's brain is a bag full of cats. 

You can just smell crazy on him.

Thor : 

Have a Care How You Speak! 

Loki is beyond reason, 

but He is Of Asgard — 

and He’s My Brother.

The Widow : 

He killed eighty people in two days.

Thor : 

…he’s adopted.

String Theory

 

“So I began to think more 

and more about The Individual, 

and I looked into 

what that actually meant. 

And what it was, 

was a structure that was 

pretty much created… 

The Ego-Structure was created 

out of what Julian Jaynes calls 

the “bicameral mind” 

becoming ONE mind.
And apparently – according to him – 

he says that back in the old days 

of the Greeks, 

and the earliest writing of the world, 

people didn’t have self-consciousness 

in the way that we have. 

They didn’t have egos. 

They didn’t understand themselves 

as “I” in the same way that we do. 

Because the corpus callosum – 

that connects the two hemispheres 

of the brain 

– WASN’T CONNECTED.

So if you heard A Voice, 

that voice was God. 

And Homer, and all those guys, 

you’ve got plenty of examples 

of people hearing 

the voice of God, 

and acting on that. 

Alexander constantly acted 

on the voice of God.

Julian Jaynes suggests that 

it wasn’t the voice of God – 

it was the voice of the left hemisphere of the brain communicating with the right hemisphere of the brain, 

interpreted AS a god.

So okay: now we’ve got the two things joined together. 

We’ve got this beautiful bridge in the middle that links the two. 
But we have the ego structure – which was created when those things linked.”

The Observer :

Bad enough I have to give Dick-and-Jane explanations to The President.

I've gotta give you one too. All right.

One end of this string represents Your Birth.

The other end, Your Death. 

You tie the ends together, 

and your life is a loop.

Ball The Loop...

and the days of your life 

touch each other 

out of sequence.

Therefore, leaping from one point 

of the string to another...

Would move you backward or forward 

within your own lifetime.

Which is Our Project :

Quantum Leap!

Future Boy :

Moe?

Sorry. I... I... I knocked.

I guess you didn't hear me.

Captain Galaxy :

I was in The Basement.

It's underneath The House.

Future Boy :

....Yeah.

Captain Galaxy :

Did Irene send you,

or is she lurking somewhere outside?

Future Boy :

No, no, no, I came alone.

She's worried about you, though.

She told me about the hearing tomorrow.

I guess this is the summons.

Captain Galaxy :

You know, a lot of people thought 

Einstein was crazy,

but they didn't try to lock him up.

Future Boy :

Listen, Moe, I KNOW You're Not Crazy,

but why don't you just meet with this Dr. Sandler guy so he knows it, too?

Captain Galaxy :

I don't need to meet a Doctor.

All I need is another 24 hours.

Future Boy :

Why do you keep saying that?

Don't you understand 

I'm here to help you?

Sooner or later you're gonna 

have to face this thing.

Time is NOT going to stand still.

Captain Galaxy :

I want to show you something.

When I was young, my, uh, 

passion was trains.

I couldn't get enough of them.

I even memorized their timetables.

Future Boy :

I did the same thing.

Captain Galaxy :

And whenever anything would go bad,

I would just imagine that 

I could just jump on A Train

and go anywhere I wanted to, 

to any time I wanted to.

But now I've got something 

better than A Train.

I've got a Time-o-nometer.

Future Boy :

What is it?

Captain Galaxy :

It's A Time Machine.

The Observer :

You sure it doesn't make cappuccino?

Captain Galaxy :

When I first started 

playing Captain Galaxy,

I became fascinated with 

the thought of actually 

being able to travel in time,

and I began to read 

everything I could about it.

Heisenberg's Theory of Indeterminacy,

Planck's Hypothesis of Discreet Units,

Einstein's Theory of Relativity.

Future Boy :

Yeah, but when you say "Time Machine",

you mean a time machine like, 

like on Your Show, right?

Captain Galaxy :

The Show? The Show?

No, no, no.

That's Fantasy. This is REAL.

Look -- Time is like A Piece of String.

One End of The String is Birth,

The Other is Death.

You put them together,

and Your LIFE, is A LOOP.

The Observer :

Sam, that's YOUR Theory (!!!!)

Captain Galaxy :

If I can travel fast enough 

ALONG The Loop,

I will eventually end up back

at The Beginning of MY Life.

The Observer :

He's ALMOST got it..!!

Future Boy :

Uh, well, let me ask you,

What Would Happen, 

if, uh, you would 

BALL The String, 

right, and then 

Each Day of Your Life

would touch 

ANOTHER Day.

And then you could travel

from one place on The String

to another, thus enabling

you to move back and forth

within Your Own Lifetime, maybe.

Captain Galaxy :

That's it. That's it.

Then I could actually...

Future Boy :

Quantum Leap?

Captain Galaxy :

Quantum Leap.

I Like that.

I Like that a lot.

Captain Galaxy :

Well, I see that we're 

just about out of time.

But before we sign off today, 

I'd like to make an announcement.

Captain Galaxy 

is going away 

for a while.

He's going back to see 

if he can find something

he lost a long time ago.

But before we sign off, 

we have time for one last letter.

The Observer :

How come you're not out there?

Future Boy :

Oh, I figured that he deserved 

to answer the last letter by himself.

I guess I was here to 

get them together, huh?

The Observer :

Yeah, well, Ziggy had 

a sloppy floppy on this one.

But it all worked out, right, didn't it?

Future Boy :

What Happens to him?

The Observer :

Well, he goes to live with Irene 

and spends the rest of his life

entertaining the kids in the neighborhood 

with Tales of The Future.

Captain Galaxy :

Today's letter is from 

little Sam Beckett 

in Elk Ridge, Indiana.

Sam writes:

"Dear Captain Galaxy,

Could you please explain Your Theory of Time Travel to Us?"

Well, Sam, our lifetimes 

are like A Piece of String.

But if you roll the string up into A Ball,

ALL The Days of Your Life...

You're Welcome

King Lear is a Helluva Play...

25 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Cordelia walks into Angel's office as he puts on his blazer.

CORDELIA

So... 

(walks up to Angel)

you feel good?

ANGEL

I do. I just...I kind of feel bad about it.

CORDELIA

My God, you are a piece of work.

ANGEL

I just don't feel like I deserve... 

(shrugs)

I mean, all I did was beat up a tiny Texan. 

It's not like I helped anyone. 

(sits on the chair arm)

CORDELIA

Sure you did.

ANGEL

Who?

CORDELIA

Boy, I really do fall for the dumb ones. 

You know how you're always trying to save, oh, every single person in The World? 

Did it ever occur to you you were one of them?

ANGEL

No, it never did.

CORDELIA

Well, you made the list, gorgeous. 

And you needed some help.

ANGEL

And you were the one that helped me.

CORDELIA

I did my part. 

(sits beside Angel)

ANGEL

Lindsey wasted a lot of energy trying to make me doubt myself. I know it's not even close to over, but I do feel like I can do this. Wolfram & Hart, whatever's coming, I feel like we can beat it.

CORDELIA

I know.

ANGEL

You do?

CORDELIA

I always did. I... I just needed you to know it, too.

ANGEL

So all that stuff about the deals with the devil...

CORDELIA

(nods)

Was God's honest truth. 

(looks at Angel)

But you're bigger than that. You'll win this in the end. 

(stands, steps away)

I, uh... just wish I could be there to see it.

ANGEL

What do you mean? You're not...

CORDELIA

(turns to face Angel)

I can't stay. This isn't me anymore. You can say good-bye to the gang for me, explain everything once you understand.

ANGEL

That's gonna be never. 

(walks toward her)

I need you here.

CORDELIA

(with tears in her eyes)

Don't make it hard, Angel. I'm just on a different road... and this is my off-ramp. The Powers That Be owed me one, and I didn't waste it. I got my guy back on track.

ANGEL

Cordy, there's just—

CORDELIA

(touches his face)

We take what we can get, champ, and we do our best with it. I'll be seeing you. 

(smiles through her tears, turns to walk out of the office)

(stops, turns around, walks quickly up to Angel)

Oh, what the hell. One for the road? 

(kisses Angel, but moments later, the telephone rings)

ANGEL

You know, um... I don't...I don't need to get that.

CORDELIA

(tenderly straightens his tie)

That you have to get. 

(Angel walks toward the phone)

Oh... and you're welcome.

ANGEL

(answers the phone)

Hello. Yes, I know. She's... but that's impossible. She's standing right— 

(turns to look for Cordelia, but she's not there; he becomes visibly upset)

I'm sorry. Yeah. 

(choking up)

When did she die? Did she, um... she never did wake up? I see. 

(hangs up, looks out to where Cordelia was standing moments earlier)

Thank you.

Fade to black.

25 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Cordelia walks into Angel's office as he puts on his blazer.




CORDELIA
So...
(walks up to Angel)
you feel good?

ANGEL
I do. I just...I kind of feel bad about it.

CORDELIA
My God, you are a piece of work.

ANGEL
I just don't feel like I deserve...
(shrugs)
I mean, all I did was beat up a tiny Texan. It's not like I helped anyone.
(sits on the chair arm)

CORDELIA
Sure you did.

ANGEL
Who?

CORDELIA
Boy, I really do fall for the dumb ones. You know how you're always trying to save, oh, every single person in the world? Did it ever occur to you you were one of them?

ANGEL
No, it never did.

CORDELIA
Well, you made the list, gorgeous. And you needed some help.

ANGEL
And you were the one that helped me.

CORDELIA
I did my part.
(sits beside Angel)

ANGEL
Lindsey wasted a lot of energy trying to make me doubt myself. I know it's not even close to over, but I do feel like I can do this. Wolfram & Hart, whatever's coming, I feel like we can beat it.

CORDELIA
I know.

ANGEL
You do?

CORDELIA
I always did. I... I just needed you to know it, too.

ANGEL
So all that stuff about the deals with the devil...

CORDELIA
(nods)
Was God's honest truth.
(looks at Angel)
But you're bigger than that. You'll win this in the end.
(stands, steps away)
I, uh... just wish I could be there to see it.

ANGEL
What do you mean? You're not...

CORDELIA
(turns to face Angel)
I can't stay. This isn't me anymore. You can say good-bye to the gang for me, explain everything once you understand.

ANGEL
That's gonna be never.
(walks toward her)
I need you here.

CORDELIA
(with tears in her eyes)
Don't make it hard, Angel. I'm just on a different road... and this is my off-ramp. The Powers That Be owed me one, and I didn't waste it. I got my guy back on track.

ANGEL
Cordy, there's just—

CORDELIA
(touches his face)
We take what we can get, champ, and we do our best with it. I'll be seeing you.
(smiles through her tears, turns to walk out of the office)
(stops, turns around, walks quickly up to Angel)
Oh, what the hell. One for the road?
(kisses Angel, but moments later, the telephone rings)

ANGEL
You know, um... I don't...I don't need to get that.

CORDELIA
(tenderly straightens his tie)
That you have to get.
(Angel walks toward the phone)
Oh... and you're welcome.

ANGEL
(answers the phone)
Hello. Yes, I know. She's... but that's impossible. She's standing right—
(turns to look for Cordelia, but she's not there; he becomes visibly upset)
I'm sorry. Yeah.
(choking up)
When did she die? Did she, um... she never did wake up? I see.
(hangs up, looks out to where Cordelia was standing moments earlier)
Thank you.

Fade to black.

Lear

"Fortune, good night,

smile once more, turn thy wheel. "

Huh?

King Lear.

I did it once. Carried A Spear.

Long time ago.

Long, long time ago....

O, I would so love to have seen 

William Hartnell's King Lear... 

Bill :

All this stuff, I can 

do it with a look!

Truth :

Bill, I really think we should 

stick with what's on the page.

Bill :

Verity. I can do all this 

with a look, you know.

I don't need all these lines.

It's like ruddy King Lear!

I remember Lindsay Anderson 

saying the same thing about me 

on 'Sporting Life'.

He just ripped a couple 

of pages out of The Script.

"Bill can do all this with 

a gesture," you see.

"A raised eyebrow. "

Do you see what I mean?

Truth :

...of course.

Bill :

Bless You.

Truth :

Actually, I'm glad to have 

the chance to talk to you, Bill...

Bill :

You're My Rock, Verity. 

Oh...You know that. My Rock.

Truth :

I don't know about that...

Bill :

Since that day you first started 

telling me about Doctor Who, 

I've been spellbound.

Spellbound! 

But look at us now, eh?

Just look at us!

Our arses are in butter!

OLD GRANDFATHER : 

My Dear Steven, History sometimes gives us 

a terrible shock, and that is because 

we don't quite fully understand. 

Why should we? 

After all, we're all too small 

to realise its final pattern. 

Therefore, Don't try and Judge it 

from where you stand. 

I Was Right to do as I did. 

Yes, that I firmly Believe.

 

(Steven leaves The TARDIS without another word.)

 

OLD GRANDFATHER :

Even after all this time 

he cannot understand. 

I dare not change 

The Course of History. 

 

Well, at least I taught him 

to take some precautions. 

He did remember to look at The Scanner before he opened The Doors. 

Now they're all gone. All gone. 

None of them could understand.

Not even my little Susan, or Vicki. 

And as for Barbara and Chatterton. Chesterton. 

They were all too impatient 

to get back to their own time. 

And now, Steven. 

Perhaps I should go Home, 

back to My Own Planet. 

....But I can't. 

I can't. 

 

SCENE I. King Lear's palace.

Enter KENT, GLOUCESTER, and EDMUND

KENT

I thought the king had more affected the Duke of
Albany than Cornwall.

GLOUCESTER

It did always seem so to us: but now, in the
division of the kingdom, it appears not which of
the dukes he values most; for equalities are so
weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice
of either's moiety.

KENT

Is not this Your Son, my lord?

GLOUCESTER

His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have
so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am
brazed to it.

KENT

I cannot conceive you.

GLOUCESTER

Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon
she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, sir, a son
for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed.
Do you smell a fault?

KENT

I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it
being so proper.

GLOUCESTER

But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year
elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account:
though this knave came something saucily into the
world before he was sent for, yet was his mother
fair; there was good sport at his making, and the
whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this
noble gentleman, Edmund?

EDMUND

No, my lord.

GLOUCESTER

My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my
honourable friend.

EDMUND

My services to your lordship.

KENT

I must love you, and sue to know you better.

EDMUND

Sir, I shall study deserving.

GLOUCESTER

He hath been out nine years, and away he shall
again. The King is coming.

 

Sennet. Enter KING LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants

KING LEAR

Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester.

GLOUCESTER

I shall, my liege.

 

Exeunt GLOUCESTER and EDMUND

KING LEAR

Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.
Give me the map there. Know that we have divided
In three our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent
To shake all cares and business from our age;
Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburthen'd crawl toward death. Our son of Cornwall,
And you, our no less loving son of Albany,
We have this hour a constant will to publish
Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife
May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy,
Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,
Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,
And here are to be answer'd. Tell me, my daughters,--
Since now we will divest us both of rule,
Interest of territory, cares of state,--
Which of you shall we say doth love us most?
That we our largest bounty may extend
Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril,
Our eldest-born, speak first.

GONERIL

Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;
Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty;
Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;
No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;
As much as child e'er loved, or father found;
A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;
Beyond all manner of so much I love you.

CORDELIA

[Aside] What shall Cordelia do?
Love, and be silent.

LEAR

Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,
With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd,
With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
We make thee lady: to thine and Albany's issue
Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter,
Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.

REGAN

Sir, I am made
Of the self-same metal that my sister is,
And prize me at her worth. In my true heart
I find she names my very deed of love;
Only she comes too short: that I profess
Myself an enemy to all other joys,
Which the most precious square of sense possesses;
And find I am alone felicitate
In your dear highness' love.

CORDELIA

[Aside] Then poor Cordelia!
And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's
More richer than my tongue.

KING LEAR

To thee and thine hereditary ever
Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;
No less in space, validity, and pleasure,
Than that conferr'd on Goneril. Now, our joy,
Although the last, not least; to whose young love
The vines of France and milk of Burgundy
Strive to be interess'd; what can you say to draw
A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.

CORDELIA

Nothing, my lord.

KING LEAR

Nothing!

CORDELIA

Nothing.

KING LEAR

Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.

CORDELIA

Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave
My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty
According to my bond; nor more nor less.

KING LEAR

How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech a little,
Lest it may mar your fortunes.

CORDELIA

Good my lord,
You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I
Return those duties back as are right fit,
Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
Why have my sisters husbands, if they say
They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,
That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry
Half my love with him, half my care and duty:
Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,
To love my father all.

KING LEAR

But goes thy heart with this?

CORDELIA

Ay, good my lord.

KING LEAR

So young, and so untender?

CORDELIA

So young, my lord, and true.

KING LEAR

Let it be so; thy truth, then, be thy dower:
For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,
The mysteries of Hecate, and the night;
By all the operation of the orbs
From whom we do exist, and cease to be;
Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity and property of blood,
And as a stranger to my heart and me
Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barbarous Scythian,
Or he that makes his generation messes
To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom
Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and relieved,
As Thou my sometime daughter.

KENT

Good my liege,--

KING LEAR

Peace, Kent!
Come not between the dragon and his wrath.
I loved her most, and thought to set my rest
On her kind nursery. Hence, and avoid my sight!
So be my grave my peace, as here I give
Her father's heart from her! Call France; who stirs?
Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,
With my two daughters' dowers digest this third:
Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.
I do invest you jointly with my power,
Pre-eminence, and all the large effects
That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course,
With reservation of an hundred knights,
By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode
Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain
The name, and all the additions to a king;
The sway, revenue, execution of the rest,
Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm,
This coronet part betwixt you.

 

Giving the crown

KENT

Royal Lear,
Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,
Loved as my father, as my master follow'd,
As my great patron thought on in my prayers,--

KING LEAR

The bow is bent and drawn, make from the shaft.

KENT

Let it fall rather, though the fork invade
The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly,
When Lear is mad. What wilt thou do, old man?
Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak,
When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound,
When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom;
And, in thy best consideration, cheque
This hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment,
Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;
Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound
Reverbs no hollowness.

KING LEAR

Kent, on thy life, No More.

KENT

My Life I never held but as a pawn
To wage against thy enemies; nor fear to lose it,
Thy safety being the motive.

KING LEAR

Out of my sight!

KENT

See better, Lear; and let me still remain
The true blank of thine eye.

KING LEAR

Now, By Apollo,--

KENT

Now, By Apollo, King,
Thou swear'st thy gods in vain.

KING LEAR

O, vassal! miscreant!
Laying his hand on his sword

ALBANY CORNWALL

Dear sir, forbear.

KENT

Do:
Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow
Upon thy foul disease. Revoke thy doom;
Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,
I'll tell thee thou dost evil.

KING 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 revoked.

KENT

Fare thee well, king: sith thus Thou wilt appear,
Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.

 

To CORDELIA

 

The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,
That justly think'st, and hast most rightly said!

 

To REGAN and GONERIL

 

And your large speeches may your deeds approve,
That good effects may spring from words of love.
Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu;
He'll shape his old course in a country new.

 

Exit

 

Flourish. Re-enter GLOUCESTER, with KING OF FRANCE, BURGUNDY, and Attendants

GLOUCESTER

Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord.

KING LEAR

My lord of Burgundy.
We first address towards you, who with this king
Hath rivall'd for our daughter: what, in the least,
Will you require in present dower with her,
Or cease your quest of love?

BURGUNDY

Most royal majesty,
I crave no more than what your highness offer'd,
Nor will you tender less.

KING LEAR

Right noble Burgundy,
When she was dear to us, we did hold her so;
But now her price is fall'n. Sir, there she stands:
If aught within that little seeming substance,
Or all of it, with our displeasure pieced,
And nothing more, may fitly like your grace,
She's there, and she is yours.

BURGUNDY

I know no answer.

KING LEAR

Will you, with those infirmities she owes,
Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,
Dower'd with our curse, and stranger'd with our oath,
Take her, or leave her?

BURGUNDY

Pardon me, royal sir;
Election makes not up on such conditions.

KING LEAR

Then leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me,
I tell you all her wealth.
To KING OF FRANCE
For you, great king,
I would not from your love make such a stray,
To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you
To avert your liking a more worthier way
Than on a wretch whom nature is ashamed
Almost to acknowledge hers.

KING OF FRANCE

This is most strange,
That she, that even but now was your best object,
The argument of your praise, balm of your age,
Most best, most dearest, should in this trice of time
Commit a thing so monstrous, to dismantle
So many folds of favour. Sure, her offence
Must be of such unnatural degree,
That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd affection
Fall'n into taint: which to believe of her,
Must be a faith that reason without miracle
Could never plant in me.

CORDELIA

I yet beseech your majesty,--
If for I want that glib and oily art,
To speak and purpose not; since what I well intend,
I'll do't before I speak,--that you make known
It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness,
No unchaste action, or dishonour'd step,
That hath deprived me of your grace and favour;
But even for want of that for which I am richer,
A still-soliciting eye, and such a tongue
As I am glad I have not, though not to have it
Hath lost me in your liking.

KING LEAR

Better thou
Hadst not been born than not to have pleased me better.

KING OF FRANCE

Is it but this,--a tardiness in nature
Which often leaves the history unspoke
That it intends to do? My lord of Burgundy,
What say you to the lady? Love's not love
When it is mingled with regards that stand
Aloof from the entire point. Will you have her?
She is herself a dowry.

BURGUNDY

Royal Lear,
Give but that portion which yourself proposed,
And here I take Cordelia by the hand,
Duchess of Burgundy.

KING LEAR

Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm.

BURGUNDY

I am sorry, then, you have so lost a father
That you must lose a husband.

CORDELIA

Peace be with Burgundy!
Since that respects of fortune are his love,
I shall not be his wife.

KING OF FRANCE

Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor;
Most choice, forsaken; and most loved, despised!
Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon:
Be it lawful I take up what's cast away.
Gods, gods! 'tis strange that from their cold'st neglect
My love should kindle to inflamed respect.
Thy dowerless daughter, king, thrown to my chance,
Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France:
Not all the dukes of waterish Burgundy
Can buy this unprized precious maid of me.
Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind:
Thou losest here, a better where to find.

KING LEAR

Thou hast her, France: let her be thine; for we
Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see
That face of hers again. Therefore be gone
Without our grace, our love, our benison.
Come, noble Burgundy.
Flourish. Exeunt all but KING OF FRANCE, GONERIL, REGAN, and CORDELIA

KING OF FRANCE

Bid farewell to your sisters.

CORDELIA

The jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes
Cordelia leaves you: I know you what you are;
And like a sister am most loath to call
Your faults as they are named. Use well our father:
To your professed bosoms I commit him
But yet, alas, stood I within his grace,
I would prefer him to a better place.
So, farewell to you both.

REGAN

Prescribe not us our duties.

GONERIL

Let your study
Be to content your lord, who hath received you
At fortune's alms. You have obedience scanted,
And well are worth the want that you have wanted.

CORDELIA

Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides:
Who cover faults, at last shame them derides.
Well may you prosper!

KING OF FRANCE

Come, my fair Cordelia.

 

Exeunt KING OF FRANCE and CORDELIA

GONERIL

Sister, it is not a little I have to say of what
most nearly appertains to us both. I think our
father will hence to-night.

REGAN

That's most certain, and with you; next month with us.

GONERIL

You see how full of changes his age is; the
observation we have made of it hath not been
little: he always loved our sister most; and
with what poor judgment he hath now cast her off
appears too grossly.

REGAN

'Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever
but slenderly known himself.

GONERIL

The best and soundest of his time hath been but
rash; then must we look to receive from his age,
not alone the imperfections of long-engraffed
condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness
that infirm and choleric years bring with them.

REGAN

Such unconstant starts are we like to have from
him as this of Kent's banishment.

GONERIL

There is further compliment of leavetaking
between France and him. Pray you, let's hit
together: if our father carry authority with
such dispositions as he bears, this last
surrender of his will but offend us.

REGAN

We shall further think on't.

GONERIL

We must do something, and i' the heat.

 

Exeunt

Embeded Charms and Magicks

Curses :

 KING LEAR

Hear, nature, hear; dear goddess, hear!
Suspend thy purpose, if thou didst intend
To make this creature fruitful!
Into her womb convey sterility!
Dry up in her the organs of increase;
And from her derogate body never spring
A babe to honour her! If she must teem,
Create her child of spleen; that it may live,
And be a thwart disnatured torment to her!
Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth;
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks;
Turn all her mother's pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt; that she may feel
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
To have a thankless child! Away, away!

Exit

Some Time Later....

 

 

Okay then, so - successful test!

I guess so - I suggest we split up and search.

Good idea - we can do more damage that way.