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- Edition: Hamlet
Hamlet (Quarto 2, 1604)
- Introduction
- Texts of this edition
- Contextual materials
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2.2.0.21051Flourish. Enter King and Queen, Rosencrantz and 10201052Guildenstern [and other Courtiers].
Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Good gentlemen, he hath much talked of you,
Both your majesties
But we both obey,
Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guildenstern.
Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle Rosencrantz.
Heavens make our presence and our practices
Ay, amen.
2.2.39.1Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern [and other Courtiers].
Th'ambassadors from Norway, my good lord,
Thou still hast been the father of good news.
Have I, my lord? I assure my good liege,
Oh, speak of that! That do I long to hear.
Give first admittance to th'ambassadors.
Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in.
2.2.53.1[Polonius goes to bring in the ambassadors.]
I doubt it is no other but the main:
Well, we shall sift him.--Welcome, my good friends.
Most fair return of greetings and desires.
2.2.76.1[Giving a letter to the King]
It likes us well,
2.2.85.1Exeunt Ambassadors.
This business is well ended.
More matter with less art.
Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
2.2.108.1[He reads from the letter.]
Came this from Hamlet to her?
Good madam, stay awhile, I will be faithful.
2.2.111.1[He reads the] letter.
"Doubt thou the stars are fire,
But how hath she received his love?
What do you think of me?
As of a man faithful and honorable.
I would fain prove so. But what might you think,
It may be, very like.
Hath there been such a time--I would fain know that--
Not that I know.
Take this from this, if this be otherwise.
How may we try it further?
You know sometimes he walks four hours together
So he does indeed.
At such a time, I'll loose my daughter to him.
We will try it.
But look where sadly the poor wretch comes reading.
Away, I do beseech you both away.
2.2.163.1Exit King and Queen.
Well, God-a-mercy.
Do you know me, my lord?
Excellent well. You are a fishmonger.
Not I, my lord.
Then I would you were so honest a man.
Honest, my lord?
Ay, sir, to be honest, as this world goes, 1216is to be one man picked out of ten thousand.
That's very true, my lord.
For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a 1219good kissing carrion--Have you a daughter?
I have, my lord.
Let her not walk i'th'sun. Conception is a blessing, 12231249but as your daughter may conceive, friend, look to't.
[Aside] How say you by that? Still harping on my daughter. Yet he 12261251knew me not at first. 'A said I was a fishmonger. 'A is far gone, 12271252and truly, in my youth I suffered much extremity for love, very 12281253near this. I'll speak to him again.--What do you read, my 12291254lord?
Words, words, words.
What is the matter, my lord?
Between who?
I mean the matter that you read, my lord.
Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says here that old 12351260men have gray beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes 12361261purging thick amber and plumtree gum, and that they have a 12371262plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams--all which, sir,12381263though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not 12401264honesty to have it thus set down; for yourself, sir, shall grow old 12411265as I am, if, like a crab, you could go backward.
[Aside] Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.--Will you 12441267walk out of the air, my lord?
Into my grave.
[Aside] Indeed, that's out of the air. How pregnant sometimes 12481270his replies are! A happiness that often madness hits on, which reason 12511271and sanctity could not so prosperously be delivered of. I will leave 12531272him and my daughter.--My lord, I will take my leave of you.
You cannot take from me anything that I will not more 12591274willingly part withal--except my life, except my life, except my 12601275life.
Fare you well, my lord.
These tedious old fools!
2.2.18912631278Polonius[To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern] You go to seek the Lord Hamlet? There he is.
[To Polonius] God save you, sir.
2.2.190.1[Exit Polonius.]
My honored lord!
My most dear lord!
My excellent good friends! How dost thou, Guildenstern? 12701283Ah, Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do you both?
As the indifferent children of the earth.
Nor the soles of her shoe?
Neither, my lord.
Then you live about her waist, or in the middle of her favors.
Faith, her privates we.
None, my lord, but the world's grown honest.
Then is doomsday near. But your news is not true. 13161295But, in the beaten way of friendship, what make you at Elsinore?
To visit you, my lord, no other occasion.
Beggar that I am, I am ever poor in thanks, but I thank13201298you; and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. 13211299Were you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free 13221300visitation? Come, come, deal justly with me. Come, come, nay, speak.
What should we say, my lord?
Anything but to th' purpose. You were sent for, and there is 13261303a kind of confession in your looks, which your modesties have not 13271304craft enough to color. I know the good King and Queen have 13281305sent for you.
To what end, my lord?
That you must teach me. But let me conjure you, by the 13311308rights of our fellowship, by the consonancy of our youth, by the 13321309obligation of our ever-preserved love, and by what more dear a 13331310better proposer can charge you withal, be even and direct with 13341311me whether you were sent for or no.
[Aside to Guildenstern] What say you?
[Aside] Nay, then, I have an eye of you.--If you love me, hold not off.
My lord, we were sent for.
I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation prevent your 13411316discovery, and your secrecy to the King and Queen molt no 13421317feather. I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth, 13431318forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily with 13441319my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a 13451320sterile promontory. This most excellent canopy the air, look 13471321you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof 13481322fretted with golden fire, why, it appeareth nothing to me but a foul 13491323and pestilent congregation of vapors. What piece of work is a 13501324man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and 13511325moving, how express and admirable in action, how like an 13531326angel in apprehension, how like a god; the beauty of the world; the 13541327paragon of animals. And yet to me what is this quintessence of 13551328dust? Man delights not me, nor women neither, though by your 13561329smiling you seem to say so.
My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts.
Why did ye laugh, then, when I said man delights not me?
To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what lenten 13631333entertainment the players shall receive from you. We coted them 13641334on the way, and hither are they coming to offer you service.
He that plays the King shall be welcome; his majesty shall 13671336have tribute on me. The Adventurous Knight shall use his foil and 13681337target, the Lover shall not sigh gratis, the Humorous Man shall end 13691338his part in peace, and the Lady shall say her mind freely, or the 13721339blank verse shall halt for't. What players are they?
How chances it they travel? Their residence both in 13771343reputation and profit was better both ways.
No, indeed, are they not.
It is not very strange, for my uncle is King of Denmark, and 14101350those that would make mouths at him while my father lived give 14111351twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats apiece for his picture 14121352in little. 'Sblood, there is something in this more than natural, if 14131353philosophy could find it out.
2.2.222.1A flourish.
There are the players.
Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands, come, 14181356then. Th'appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony. Let 14191357me comply with you in this garb, lest my extent to the players, 14201358which, I tell you, must show fairly outwards, should more 14211359appear like entertainment than yours. You are welcome. But my 14221360uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived.
In what, my dear lord?
Well be with you, gentlemen.
Hark you, Guildenstern, and you too, at each ear a hearer: 14301367that great baby you see there is not yet 1431out of his swaddling clouts.
I will prophesy he comes to tell me of the players. Mark it.-- 14351371You say right, sir, o'Monday 1436morning, 'twas then indeed.
My lord, I have news to tell you.
The actors are come hither, my lord.
Buzz, buzz.
Upon my honor.
Then came each actor on his ass.
The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, 14451380history, pastoral, 1446pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, scene 14471381individable, or poem unlimited. Seneca cannot be too heavy nor 14481382Plautus too light for the law of writ and the liberty: these are the 14501383only men.
O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou?
What a treasure had he, my lord?
Why,
[Aside] Still on my daughter.
Am I not i'th' right, old Jephthah?
If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a daughter that I love passing well.
Nay, that follows not.
What follows then, my lord?
Why,
2.2.251and then you know,
2.2.254The first row of the pious chanson will 14641395show you more, for look where my 1465abridgment comes.
You are welcome, masters, welcome all.--I am glad to see thee 14681398well. Welcome, good friends.--Oh, old friend, why, thy face is 14691399valanced since I saw thee last. Com'st thou to beard me in Denmark?-- 14701400What, my young lady and mistress! By Lady, your ladyship is 14711401nearer to heaven than when I saw you last, by the altitude of a 14721402chopine. Pray God your voice, like a piece of uncurrent gold, 14731403be not cracked within the ring.--Masters, you are all welcome. 14741404We'll e'en to't, like French falconers: fly at anything we see. 14751405 We'll have a speech straight. Come, give us a taste of your quality. 14771406Come, a passionate speech.
What speech, my good lord?
I heard thee speak me a speech once, but it was never acted, 14801409or if it was, not above once; for the play, I remember, pleased not 14811410the million, 'twas caviary to the general. But it was, as I received 14821411it, and others whose judgments in such matters cried in the top 14831412of mine, an excellent play, well digested in the scenes, set down 14851413with as much modesty as cunning. I remember one said there 14861414were no sallets in the lines, to make the matter 1487savory, nor no 1415matter in the phrase that might indict the 1488author of affection, 1416but called it an honest method, as wholesome as sweet, and by very 1417much more handsome than fine. One 1489speech in't I chiefly loved: 1418 'twas Aeneas' talk to Dido, and thereabout of it especially when he 14901419speaks of Priam's slaughter. If it live in your memory, begin at 14921420this line--let me see, let me see--
2.2.259'Tis not so, it begins with Pyrrhus.
2.2.273So proceed you.
'Fore God, my Lord, well spoken, with good accent and good discretion.
Anon he finds him,
This is too long.
It shall to the barber's with your beard.--Prithee, say on. He's
But who, ah, woe, had seen the moblèd queen--.
The moblèd queen!
That's good.
Run barefoot up and down, threat'ning the flames
'Tis well. I'll have thee speak out the rest of this soon. 15631489[To Polonius] Good my lord, will you see the players well bestowed? Do you 15641490hear, let them be well used, for they are the abstract and brief 15651491chronicles of the time. After your death you were better have a 15661492bad epitaph than their ill report while you live.
My lord, I will use them according to their desert.
God's bodkin, man, much better. Use every man after his 15711495desert and who shall scape whipping? Use them after your own honor 15721496and dignity; the less they deserve, the more merit is in your 15731497bounty. Take them in.
Come, sirs.
Follow him, friends. We'll hear a play tomorrow. [Aside to the First Player] Dost thou 15781500hear me, old friend, can you play "The Murder of Gonzago"?
Ay, my lord.
We'll ha't tomorrow night. You could for need study 15811503a speech of some dozen lines or sixteen lines, which I would set 15821504down and insert in't, could you not?
Ay, my lord.
Very well. Follow that lord, and look you mock him not. 15851507 --My good friends, I'll leave you till night. You are welcome to 15861508Elsinore.
2.2.333.1Exeunt Polonius and Players.
Good my lord.
2.2.334.1Exeunt [Rosencrantz and Guildenstern].
Ay, so, God buy to you.--Now I am alone.
2.2.390.1Exit.