King Lear

by William Shakespeare

KENT Fellow, I know thee. OSWALD What dost thou know me for12? KENT A knave, a rascal, an eater of broken meats13, a base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hundred-pound14, filthy, worsted-stocking knave, a lily-livered, action-taking15, whoreson, glass-gazing, super-serviceable finical16 rogue: one-trunk-inheriting slave: one that wouldst be a bawd17 in way of good service, and art nothing but the composition18 of a knave, beggar, coward, pander19, and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch: one whom I will beat into clamorous whining if thou deny’st the least syllable of thy addition21. OSWALD Why, what a monstrous fellow art thou thus to rail22 on one that is neither known of thee nor knows thee! KENT What a brazen-faced varlet24 art thou to deny thou knowest me! Is it two days since I tripped up thy heels and beat thee before the king? Draw26, you rogue, for though it be night, yet the moon shines: I’ll make a sop o’th’moonshine27 of you, you whoreson cullionly barber-monger28. Draw. Draws his sword OSWALD Away! I have nothing to do with thee. KENT Draw, you rascal: you come with letters against the king, and take vanity the puppet31’s part against the royalty of her father: draw, you rogue, or I’ll so carbonado32 your shanks: draw, you rascal, come your ways33. OSWALD Help, ho! Murder! Help! KENT Strike, you slave! Stand, rogue, stand, you neat35 slave, strike!