Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·King Lear, Act IV.i ·Gloucester
"As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods."
Not quite the line.
How it's usually quoted
"As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods."
What Shakespeare actually wrote
"As flies to wanton boys are we to th' gods, / They kill us for their sport." Gloucester — King Lear, Act IV.i
Why it matters
Lopping off "they kill us for their sport" converts bleak theology into a mild simile. The second line is the indictment — without it, Gloucester sounds resigned rather than appalled.
More from the canon.
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