William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

ACT V. 3. SCENE III. Bosworth Field. (continued)

[The GHOSTS vanish. KING RICHARD starts out of his dream.]

KING RICHARD.
Give me another horse,--bind up my wounds,--
Have mercy, Jesu!--Soft! I did but dream.--
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!--
The lights burn blue.--It is now dead midnight.
Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
What, do I fear myself? there's none else by:
Richard loves Richard; that is, I am I.
Is there a murderer here? No;--yes, I am:
Then fly. What, from myself? Great reason why,--
Lest I revenge. What,--myself upon myself!
Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? for any good
That I myself have done unto myself?
O, no! alas, I rather hate myself
For hateful deeds committed by myself!
I am a villain: yet I lie, I am not.
Fool, of thyself speak well:--fool, do not flatter.
My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,
And every tongue brings in a several tale,
And every tale condemns me for a villain.
Perjury, perjury, in the high'st degree;
Murder, stern murder, in the dir'st degree;
All several sins, all us'd in each degree,
Throng to the bar, crying all Guilty! guilty!
I shall despair. There is no creature loves me;
And if I die no soul will pity me:
And wherefore should they,--since that I myself
Find in myself no pity to myself?
Methought the souls of all that I had murder'd
Came to my tent; and every one did threat
To-morrow's vengeance on the head of Richard.

[Enter RATCLIFF.]

RATCLIFF.
My lord,--

KING RICHARD.
Who's there?

RATCLIFF.
Ratcliff, my lord; 'tis I. The early village-cock
Hath twice done salutation to the morn;
Your friends are up, and buckle on their armour.

KING RICHARD.
O Ratcliff, I have dream'd a fearful dream!--
What think'st thou,--will our friends prove all true?

RATCLIFF.
No doubt, my lord.

KING RICHARD.
O Ratcliff, I fear, I fear,--

RATCLIFF.
Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows.