Richard III

by William Shakespeare

Q. ELIZ. O thou well skill’d in curses, stay awhile, And teach me how to curse mine enemies! Q. MAR. Forbear to sleep the nights, and fast the days; Compare dead happiness with living woe; Think that thy babes were fairer than they were, And he that slew them fouler than he is: Bettering thy loss266 makes the bad causer worse: Revolving this will teach thee how to curse. Q. ELIZ. My words are dull; O, quicken them with thine! Q. MAR. Thy woes will make them sharp and pierce like mine. [Exit.] DUCH. Why should calamity be full ot words? Q. ELIZ. Windy attorneys to their client woes, Airy succeeders of intestate joys,267 Poor breathing orators of miseries! Let them have scope: though what they do impart Help not at all, yet do they ease the heart. DUCH. If so, then be not tongue-tied: go with me, And in the breath of bitter words let’s smother My damned son, which thy two sweet sons smother’d. I hear his drum: be copious in exclaims.

Q. ELIZ. O thou well skill’d in curses, stay awhile, And teach me how to curse mine enemies! Q. MAR. Forbear to sleep the nights, and fast the days; Compare dead happiness with living woe; Think that thy babes were fairer than they were, And he that slew them fouler than he is: Bettering thy loss 266 makes the bad causer worse: Revolving this will teach thee how to curse. Q. ELIZ. My words are dull; O, quicken them with thine! Q. MAR. Thy woes will make them sharp and pierce like mine. [Exit.] DUCH. Why should calamity be full ot words? Q. ELIZ. Windy attorneys to their client woes, Airy succeeders of intestate joys, 267 Poor breathing orators of miseries! Let them have scope: though what they do impart Help not at all, yet do they ease the heart. DUCH. If so, then be not tongue-tied: go with me, And in the breath of bitter words let’s smother My damned son, which thy two sweet sons smother’d. I hear his drum: be copious in exclaims.