Who's there?

Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself.

Long live the King!

Barnardo?

He.

You come most carefully upon your hour.

'Tis now struck twelve. Get thee to bed, Francisco.

For this relief much thanks. 'Tis bitter cold,

91310And I am sick at heart.

Have you had quiet guard?

Not a mouse stirring.

Well, good night.

1314If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,

141715The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.

I think I hear them.--Stand, ho! Who is there?

Friends to this ground.

And liegemen to the Dane.

Give you good night.

Oh, farewell, honest soldiers. Who hath relieved you?

Barnardo hath my place. Give you good night.

Holla, Barnardo!

Say, what, is Horatio there?

A piece of him.

Welcome, Horatio. Welcome, good Marcellus.

What, has this thing appeared again tonight?

I have seen nothing.

Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy,

283330And will not let belief take hold of him,

293431Touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us.

303532Therefore I have entreated him along,

313633With us to watch the minutes of this night,

323734That if again this apparition come

333835He may approve our eyes and speak to it.

Tush, tush, 'twill not appear.

Sit down awhile,

354138And let us once again assail your ears,

364239That are so fortified against our story,

374340What we have two nights seen.

Well, sit we down,

384542And let us hear Barnardo speak of this.

Last night of all,

404744When yond same star that's westward from the pole

414845Had made his course t'illume that part of heaven

424946Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself,

435047The bell then beating one--

Peace, break thee off! Look where it comes again!

In the same figure like the King that's dead.

Thou art a scholar. Speak to it, Horatio.

Looks 'a not like the King? Mark it, Horatio.

Most like. It harrows me with fear and wonder.

It would be spoke to.

Speak to it, Horatio.

What art thou that usurp'st this time of night,

516057Together with that fair and warlike form

526158In which the majesty of buried Denmark

536259Did sometimes march? By heaven, I charge thee speak!

It is offended.

See, it stalks away.

Stay, speak, speak, I charge thee speak!

'Tis gone, and will not answer.

How now, Horatio, you tremble and look pale.

586965Is not this something more than fantasy?

597066What think you on't?

Before my God, I might not this believe

617268Without the sensible and true avouch

627369Of mine own eyes.

Is it not like the King?

As thou art to thyself.

647672Such was the very armor he had on

657773When he the ambitious Norway combated.

667874So frowned he once, when in an angry parle

677975He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice.

688076'Tis strange.

Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour,

708278With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch.

In what particular thought to work I know not,

728480But in the gross and scope of mine opinion

738581This bodes some strange eruption to our state.

Good now, sit down, and tell me, he that knows,

758783Why this same strict and most observant watch

768884So nightly toils the subject of the land,

778985And with such daily cost of brazen cannon

789086And foreign mart for implements of war,

799187Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore task

809288Does not divide the Sunday from the week:

819389What might be toward, that this sweaty haste

829490Doth make the night joint-laborer with the day?

839591Who is't that can inform me?

That can I.

849793At least the whisper goes so: our last King,

859894Whose image even but now appeared to us,

869995Was as you know by Fortinbras of Norway,

8710096Thereto pricked on by a most emulate pride,

8810197Dared to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet--

8910298For so this side of our known world esteemed him--

9010399Did slay this Fortinbras, who by a sealed compact

91104100Well ratified by law and heraldry

92105101Did forfeit, with his life, all these his lands

93106102Which he stood seized of, to the conqueror;

94107103Against the which a moiety competent

95108104Was gagèd by our King, which had return

96109105To the inheritance of Fortinbras

97110106Had he been vanquisher, as, by the same comart

98111107And carriage of the article design

99112108His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young Fortinbras,

100113109Of unimprovèd mettle hot and full,

101114110Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there

102115111Sharked up a list of lawless resolutes

103116112For food and diet to some enterprise

104117113That hath a stomach in't, which is no other,

105118114As it doth well appear unto our state,

106119115But to recover of us by strong hand

107120116And terms compulsatory those foresaid lands

108121117So by his father lost. And this, I take it,

109122118Is the main motive of our preparations,

110123119The source of this our watch, and the chief head

111124120Of this post-haste and rummage in the land.

I think it be no other but e'en so.

113124.2122Well may it sort that this portentous figure

114124.3123Comes armèd through our watch so like the King

115124.4124That was and is the question of these wars.

A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye.

117124.6126In the most high and palmy state of Rome,

118124.7127A little ere the mightiest Julius fell,

119124.8128The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead

120124.9129Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets,

121124.10130As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood,

122124.11131Disasters in the sun; and the moist star,

123124.12132Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands,

124124.13133Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse.

125124.14134And even the like precurse of fear[ed] events,

126124.15135As harbingers preceding still the fates

127124.16136And prologue to the omen coming on,

128124.17137Have heaven and earth together demonstrated

129124.18138Unto our climatures and countrymen.

130126140But soft, behold, lo, where it comes again!

131127141I'll cross it though it blast me.--Stay, illusion!

132128142If thou hast any sound or use of voice,

133129143Speak to me!

134If there be any good thing to be done

135130144That may to thee do ease and grace to me,

136145Speak to me!

137131146If thou art privy to thy country's fate,

138132147Which happily foreknowing may avoid,

139148Oh, speak!

140133149Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life

141134150Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,

142135151For which, they say, your spirits oft walk in death,

143136152Speak of it. Stay and speak!

Speak of it. Stay and speak! Stop it, Marcellus!

Shall I strike it with my partisan?

Do, if it will not stand.

'Tis here.

'Tis here.

'Tis gone.

149142158We do it wrong, being so majestical,

150143159To offer it the show of violence,

151144160For it is as the air, invulnerable,

152145161And our vain blows malicious mockery.

It was about to speak when the cock crew.

And then it started like a guilty thing

155148164Upon a fearful summons. I have heard

156149165The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn,

157150166Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat

158151167Awake the god of day, and, at his warning,

159152168Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,

160153169Th'extravagant and erring spirit hies

161154170To his confine; and of the truth herein

162155171This present object made probation.

It faded on the crowing of the cock.

164157173Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes

165158174Wherein our Savior's birth is celebrated,

166159175This bird of dawning singeth all night long,

167160176And then they say no spirit dare stir abroad;

168161177The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike,

169162178No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,

170163179So hallowed and so gracious is that time.

So have I heard and do in part believe it.

172165181But look, the morn in russet mantle clad

173166182Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill.

174167183Break we our watch up, and by my advice

175168184Let us impart what we have seen tonight

176169185Unto young Hamlet, for, upon my life,

177170186This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.

178171187Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it

179172188As needful in our loves, fitting our duty?

Let's do 't, I pray, and I this morning know

181174190Where we shall find him most convenient.

Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death

180195The memory be green, and that it us befitted

181196To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom

182197To be contracted in one brow of woe,

183198Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature

184199That we with wisest sorrow think on him

185200Together with remembrance of ourselves.

186201Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen,

187202Th'imperial jointress to this warlike state,

188203Have we as 'twere with a defeated joy,

189204With an auspicious and a dropping eye,

190205With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage,

191206In equal scale weighing delight and dole,

192207Taken to wife. Nor have we herein barred

193208Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone

194209With this affair along. For all, our thanks.

195210Now follows that you know young Fortinbras,

196211Holding a weak supposal of our worth,

197212Or thinking by our late dear brother's death

198213Our state to be disjoint and out of frame,

199214Co-leaguèd with this dream of his advantage,

200215He hath not failed to pester us with message

201216Importing the surrender of those lands

202217Lost by his father, with all bands of law,

203218To our most valiant brother. So much for him.

205219Now for ourself, and for this time of meeting,

206220Thus much the business is: we have here writ

207221To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras,

208222Who, impotent and bed-rid, scarcely hears

209223Of this his nephew's purpose, to suppress

210224His further gait herein, in that the levies,

211225The lists, and full proportions are all made

212226Out of his subject; and we here dispatch

213227You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltemand,

214228For bearers of this greeting to old Norway,

215229Giving to you no further personal power

216230To business with the King more than the scope

217231Of these delated articles allow.

218232Farewell, and let your haste commend your duty.

219233Cornelius and Voltemand In that and all things will we show our duty.

We doubt it nothing. Heartily farewell.

222235And now, Laertes, what's the news with you?

223236You told us of some suit. What is't, Laertes?

224237You cannot speak of reason to the Dane

225238And lose your voice. What wouldst thou beg, Laertes,

226239That shall not be my offer, not thy asking?

227240The head is not more native to the heart,

228241The hand more instrumental to the mouth,

229242Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father.

230243What wouldst thou have, Laertes?

My dread lord,

232245Your leave and favor to return to France,

233246From whence though willingly I came to Denmark

234247To show my duty in your coronation,

235248Yet now I must confess, that duty done,

236249My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France

237250And bow them to your gracious leave and pardon.

Have you your father's leave? What says Polonius?

H'ath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave

240.1253By laborsome petition, and at last

240.2254Upon his will I sealed my hard consent.

241255I do beseech you, give him leave to go.

Take thy fair hour, Laertes. Time be thine,

243257And thy best graces spend it at thy will.

244258But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son--

A little more than kin, and less than kind.

How is it that the clouds still hang on you?

Not so much, my lord, I am too much in the "son."

Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off

249263And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark.

250264Do not forever with thy vailèd lids

251265Seek for thy noble father in the dust.

252266Thou know'st 'tis common: all that lives must die,

253267Passing through nature to eternity.

Ay, madam, it is common.

If it be,

256270Why seems it so particular with thee?

"Seems," madam? Nay, it is, I know not "seems."

258272'Tis not alone my inky cloak, cold mother,

259273Nor customary suits of solemn black,

260274Nor windy suspiration of forced breath,

261275No, nor the fruitful river in the eye,

262276Nor the dejected havior of the visage,

263277Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief

264278That can denote me truly. These indeed seem,

265279For they are actions that a man might play.

266280But I have that within which passes show;

267281These but the trappings and the suits of woe.

'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet,

270283To give these mourning duties to your father.

271284But you must know your father lost a father;

272285That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound

273286In filial obligation for some term

274287To do obsequious sorrow; but to persever

275288In obstinate condolement is a course

276289Of impious stubbornness. 'Tis unmanly grief.

277290It shows a will most incorrect to heaven,

278291A heart unfortified, or mind impatient,

279292An understanding simple and unschooled;

280293For what we know must be and is as common

281294As any the most vulgar thing to sense,

282295Why should we in our peevish opposition

283296Take it to heart? Fie, 'tis a fault to .heaven,

284297A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,

285298To reason most absurd, whose common theme

286299Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried

287300From the first corse till he that died today

288301"This must be so." We pray you throw to earth

289302This unprevailing woe, and think of us

290303As of a father; for let the world take note

291304You are the most immediate to our throne,

292305And with no less nobility of love

293306Than that which dearest father bears his son

294307Do I impart toward you. For your intent

295308In going back to school in Wittenberg,

296309It is most retrograde to our desire,

297310And we beseech you bend you to remain

298311Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye,

299312Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son.

Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet.

301314I pray thee stay with us, go not to Wittenberg.

I shall in all my best obey you, madam.

Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply.

305317Be as ourself in Denmark.--Madam, come.

306318This gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet

307319Sits smiling to my heart, in grace whereof

308320No jocund health that Denmark drinks today

309321But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell,

310322And the King's rouse the heaven shall bruit again,

311323Respeaking earthly thunder. Come, away!

Oh, that this too too sallied flesh would melt,

314325Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!

315326Or that the Everlasting had not fixed

316327His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! Oh, God, God,

317328How w[e]ary, stale, flat, and unprofitable

318329Seem to me all the uses of this world!

319330Fie on't, ah, fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden

320331That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature

321332Possess it merely. That it should come thus!

322333But two months dead--nay, not so much, not two!

323334So excellent a king, that was to this

324335Hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother

325336That he might not beteem the winds of heaven

326337Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth,

327338Must I remember? Why, she should hang on him

328339As if increase of appetite had grown

329340By what it fed on. And yet within a month--

330341Let me not think on't; frailty, thy name is woman!

331342A little month, or ere those shoes were old

332343With which she followed my poor father's body,

333344Like Niobe, all tears, why, she--

334345Oh, God, a beast that wants discourse of reason

335346Would have mourned longer!--married with my uncle,

336347My father's brother, but no more like my father

337348Than I to Hercules. Within a month,

338349Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears

339350Had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes,

340351She married. Oh, most wicked speed, to post

341352With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!

342353It is not, nor it cannot come to good,

343354But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.

Hail to your lordship!

I am glad to see you well.--

347Horatio, or I do forget myself!

The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever.

Sir, my good friend, I'll change that name with you.

352360And what make you from Wittenberg,

Horatio?--

353361Marcellus.

My good lord.

I am very glad to see you. [To Barnardo.] Good even, sir.

356364[To Horatio] But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?

A truant disposition, good my lord.

I would not hear your enemy say so,

359367Nor shall you do my ear that violence

360368To make it truster of your own report

361369Against yourself. I know you are no truant.

362370But what is your affair in Elsinore?

363371We'll teach you for to drink ere you depart.

My lord, I came to see your father's funeral.

I prithee do not mock me, fellow student.

366374I think it was to [see] my mother's wedding.

Indeed, my lord, it followed hard upon.

Thrift, thrift, Horatio. The funeral baked meats

369377Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.

182370378Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven

183371379Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio!

184372380My father--methinks I see my father.

Where, my lord?

In my mind's eye, Horatio.

I saw him once. 'A was a goodly king.

'A was a man, take him for all in all,

188377385I shall not look upon his like again.

My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.

Saw? Who?

My lord, the King your father.

The King my father?

Season your admiration for a while

194383391With an attent ear till I may deliver,

195384392Upon the witness of these gentlemen,

196385393This marvel to you.

For God's love, let me hear!

Two nights together had these gentlemen,

198388396Marcellus and Barnardo, on their watch

199389397In the dead waste and middle of the night

200390398Been thus encountered: a figure like your father

201391399Armed at point, exactly, cap-à-pie,

202392400Appears before them, and with solemn march

203393401Goes slow and stately by them. Thrice he walked

204394402By their oppressed and fear-surprisèd eyes

205395403 Within his truncheon's length, whilst they, distilled

206396404Almost to jelly with the act of fear,

207397405Stand dumb and speak not to him. This to me

208398406In dreadful secrecy impart they did,

209399407And I with them the third night kept the watch,

210400408Where, as they had delivered, both in time,

211401409Form of the thing, each word made true and good,

212402410The apparition comes. I knew your father.

213403411These hands are not more like.

But where was this?

My lord, upon the platform where we watch.

Did you not speak to it?

My lord, I did,

216408416But answer made it none. Yet once methought

217409417It lifted up it head and did address

218410418Itself to motion, like as it would speak;

219411419But even then the morning cock crew loud,

220412420And at the sound it shrunk in haste away

221413421And vanished from our sight.

'Tis very strange.

As I do live, my honored lord, 'tis true,

223416424And we did think it writ down in our duty

224417425To let you know of it.

Indeed, sirs, but this troubles me.

226419427Hold you the watch tonight?

We do, my lord.

Armed, say you?

Armed, my lord.

From top to toe?

My lord, from head to foot.

Then saw you not his face.

Oh, yes, my lord, he wore his beaver up.

What looked he, frowningly?

A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.

Pale, or red?

Nay, very pale.

And fixed his eyes upon you?

Most constantly.

I would I had been there.

It would have much amazed you.

Very like. Stayed it long?

While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred.

Longer, longer.

Not when I saw't.

His beard was grizzled, no?

It was as I have seen it in his life,

247441449A sable silvered.

I will watch tonight.

248451Perchance 'twill walk again.

I warr'nt it will.

If it assume my noble father's person,

250445454I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape

251446455And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,

252447456If you have hitherto concealed this sight

253448457Let it be tenable in your silence still,

254449458And whatsomever else shall hap tonight,

255450459Give it an understanding but no tongue;

256451460I will requite your loves. So, fare you well.

257452461Upon the platform 'twixt eleven and twelve

258453462I'll visit you.

Our duty to your honor.

Your loves, as mine to you. Farewell.

260456465My father's spirit--in arms! All is not well.

261457466I doubt some foul play. Would the night were come!

262458467Till then, sit still, my soul. Fond deeds will rise,

263459468Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes.

My necessaries are inbarked. Farewell.

463471And sister, as the winds give benefit

464472And convey is assistant, do not sleep

465473But let me hear from you.

Do you doubt that?

For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favor,

468476Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,

469477A violet in the youth of primy nature,

470478Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,

471479The perfume and suppliance of a minute,

480No more.

No more. No more but so?

Think it no more.

474483For nature crescent does not grow alone

475484In thews and bulks, but as this temple waxes

476485The inward service of the mind and soul

477486Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now,

478487And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch

479488The virtue of his will; but you must fear,

480489His greatness weighed, his will is not his own.

482490He may not, as unvalued persons do,

483491Carve for himself, for on his choice depends

484492The safety and health of this whole state,

485493And therefore must his choice be circumscribed

486494Unto the voice and yielding of that body

487495Whereof he is the head. Then if he says he loves you,

488496It fits your wisdom so far to believe it

489497As he in his particular act and place

490498May give his saying deed, which is no further

491499Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal.

492500Then weigh what loss your honor may sustain

493501If with too credent ear you list his songs,

494502Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open

495503To his unmastered importunity.

496504Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister,

497505And keep you in the rear of your affection,

498506Out of the shot and danger of desire.

499507The chariest maid is prodigal enough

500508If she unmask her beauty to the moon.

501509Virtue itself scapes not calumnious strokes.

502510The canker galls the infants of the spring

503511Too oft before their buttons be disclosed,

504512And in the morn and liquid dew of youth

505513Contagious blastments are most imminent.

506514Be wary, then; best safety lies in fear.

507515Youth to itself rebels, though none else near.

I shall the effect of this good lesson keep

509517As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother,

510518Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,

511519Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven

512520Whiles, a puffed and reckless libertine,

513521Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,

514522And recks not his own rede.

Oh, fear me not.

517524I stay too long. But here my father comes.

518525A double blessing is a double grace;

519526Occasion smiles upon a second leave.

Yet here, Laertes? Aboard, aboard, for shame!

521528The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,

522529And you are stayed for. There, my blessing with thee,

523530And these few precepts in thy memory

524531Look thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,

525532Nor any unproportioned thought his act.

526533Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.

527534Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,

528535Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel,

529536But do not dull thy palm with entertainment

530537Of each new-hatched, unfledged courage. Beware

531538Of entrance to a quarrel, but, being in,

532539Bear't that th'opposèd may beware of thee.

533540Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.

534541Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.

535542Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,

536543But not expressed in fancy--rich, not gaudy,

537544For the apparel oft proclaims the man,

538545And they in France of the best rank and station

539546Are of a most select and generous, chief in that.

540547Neither a borrower nor a lender, boy,

541548For love oft loses both itself and friend,

542549And borrowing dulleth edge of husbandry.

543550This above all: to thine own self be true,

544551And it must follow as the night the day

545552Thou canst not then be false to any man.

546553Farewell. My blessing season this in thee!

Most humbly do I take my leave, my lord.

The time invests you. Go. Your servants tend.

Farewell, Ophelia, and remember well

550557What I have said to you.

'Tis in my memory locked,

552559And you yourself shall keep the key of it.

Farewell.

What is't, Ophelia, he hath said to you?

So please you, something touching the Lord Hamlet.

Marry, well bethought.

557564'Tis told me he hath very oft of late

558565Given private time to you, and you yourself

559566Have of your audience been most free and bounteous.

560567If it be so--as so 'tis put on me,

561568And that in way of caution--I must tell you

562569You do not understand yourself so clearly

563570As it behooves my daughter and your honor.

564571What is between you? Give me up the truth.

He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders

566573Of his affection to me.

Affection? Pooh, you speak like a green girl,

568575Unsifted in such perilous circumstance.

569576Do you believe his "tenders," as you call them?

I do not know, my lord, what I should think.

Marry, I will teach you. Think yourself a baby

572579That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay

573580Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more dearly,

574581Or--not to crack the wind of the poor phrase

575582Wrong[ing] it thus--you'll tender me a fool.

My lord, he hath importuned me with love

577584In honorable fashion.

Ay, fashion you may call it. Go to, go to.

And hath given countenance to his speech,

580587My lord, with almost all the holy vows of heaven.

Ay, spring[e]s to catch woodcocks. I do know

582589When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul

583590Lends the tongue vows. These blazes, daughter,

584591Giving more light than heat, extinct in both

585592Even in their promise as it is a-making ,

586593You must not take for fire. From this time

587594Be something scanter of your maiden presence.

588595Set your entreatments at a higher rate

589596Than a command to parle. For Lord Hamlet,

590597Believe so much in him that he is young,

591598And with a larger tether may he walk

592599Than may be given you. In few, Ophelia,

593600Do not believe his vows, for they are brokers

594601Not of that dye which their investments show,

595602But mere implorators of unholy suits

596603Breathing like sanctified and pious bonds

597604The better to beguile. This is for all:

598605I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth

599606Have you so slander any moment leisure

600607As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet.

601608Look to't, I charge you. Come your ways.

I shall obey, my lord.

The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold.

It is nipping, and an eager air.

What hour now?

I think it lacks of twelve.

No, it is struck.

Indeed? I heard it not. It then draws near the season

610617Wherein the spirit held his wont to walk.

611618What does this mean, my lord?

The King doth wake tonight and takes his rouse,

613620Keeps wassail, and the swagg'ring upspring reels;

614621And as he drains his drafts of Rhenish down

615622The kettledrum and trumpet thus bray out

616623The triumph of his pledge.

Is it a custom?

Ay, marry, is't,

619626But to my mind, though I am native here

620627And to the manner born, it is a custom

621628More honored in the breach than the observance.

621.1629This heavy-headed revel east and west

621.2630Makes us traduced and taxed of other nations.

621.3631They clepe us drunkards, and with swinish phrase

621.4632Soil our addition, and indeed it takes

621.5633From our achievements, though performed at height,

621.6634The pith and marrow of our attribute.

621.7635So, oft it chances in particular men,

621.8636That, for some vicious mole of nature in them,

621.9637As in their birth, wherein they are not guilty

621.10638(Since nature cannot choose his origin),

621.11639By the o'ergrowth of some complexion,

621.12640Oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason,

621.13641Or by some habit that too much o'erleavens

621.14642The form of plausive manners, that these men,

621.15643Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect

621.16644(Being Nature's livery, or Fortune's star),

621.17645His virtues else, be they as pure as grace,

621.18646As infinite as man may undergo,

621.19647Shall in the general censure take corruption

621.20648From that particular fault. The dram of eale

621.21649Doth all the noble substance often dout

621.22650To his own scandal.

Look, my lord, it comes!

Angels and ministers of grace defend us!

625654Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned,

626655Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell,

627656Be thy intents wicked or charitable,

628657Thou com'st in such a questionable shape

629658That I will speak to thee. I'll call thee Hamlet,

630659King, father, royal Dane. Oh, answer me!

631660Let me not burst in ignorance, but tell

632661Why thy canonized bones, hearsèd in death,

633662Have burst their cerements? Why the sepulcher

634663Wherein we saw thee quietly interred

635664Hath oped his ponderous and marble jaws

636665To cast thee up again? What may this mean

637666That thou, dead corse, again in compleat steel

638667Revisits thus the glimpses of the moon,

639668Making night hideous, and we fools of nature

640669So horridly to shake our disposition

641670With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls?

642671Say, why is this? Wherefore? What should we do?

It beckons you to go away with it,

645673As if it some impartment did desire

646674To you alone.

Look with what courteous action

648676It waves you to a more removèd ground.

649677But do not go with it.

No, by no means.

It will not speak. Then I will follow it.

Do not, my lord.

Why, what should be the fear?

654682I do not set my life at a pin's fee,

655683And for my soul, what can it do to that,

656684Being a thing immortal as itself?

657685It waves me forth again. I'll follow it.

What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord,

659687Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff

660688That beetles o'er his base into the sea,

661689And there assume some other horrible form

662690Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason

663691And draw you into madness? Think of it:

663.1692The very place puts toys of desperation,

663.2693Without more motive, into every brain

663.3694That looks so many fathoms to the sea

663.4695And hears it roar beneath.

It waves me still.--697Go on, I'll follow thee.

You shall not go, my lord.

Hold off your hands!

Be ruled. You shall not go.

My fate cries out

669702And makes each petty artery in this body

670703As hardy as the Nemean lion's nerve.

671704Still am I called. Unhand me, gentlemen!

672705By heav'n, I'll make a ghost of him that lets me.

673706I say, away!--Go on, I'll follow thee.

He waxes desperate with imag[inat]ion.

Let's follow. 'Tis not fit thus to obey him.

Have after. To what issue will this come?

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Heaven will direct it.

Nay, let's follow him.

Whither wilt thou lead me? Speak. I'll go no further.

Mark me.

Mark me. I will.

My hour is almost come

686718When I to sulf'rous and tormenting flames

687719Must render up myself.

Alas, poor ghost!

Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing

690722To what I shall unfold.

Speak. I am bound to hear.

So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear.

What?

I am thy father's spirit,

695727Doomed for a certain term to walk the night,

696728And for the day confined to fast in fires,

697729Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature

698730Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid

699731To tell the secrets of my prison house,

700732I could a tale unfold whose lightest word

701733Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood,

702734Make thy two eyes like stars start from their spheres,

703735Thy knotted and combinèd locks to part,

704736And each particular hair to stand on end

705737Like quills upon the fearful porpentine.

706738But this eternal blazon must not be

707739To ears of flesh and blood. List, list, oh, list:

708740If thou didst ever thy dear father love--

O God!

Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.

Murder?

Murder most foul, as in the best it is,

713745But this most foul, strange, and unnatural.

Haste me to know't, 715that I with wings as swift

716747As meditation or the thoughts of love

717748May sweep to my revenge.

I find thee apt,

719750And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed

720751That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf

721752Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear:

722753'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard,

723754A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark

724755Is by a forgèd process of my death

725756Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth,

726757The serpent that did sting thy father's life

727758Now wears his crown.

Oh, my prophetic soul! My uncle?

Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,

730761With witchcraft of his wits, with traitorous gifts--

731762Oh, wicked wit and gifts, that have the power

732763So to seduce!--won to his shameful lust

733764The will of my most seeming virtuous queen.

734765Oh, Hamlet, what falling off was there!

735766From me, whose love was of that dignity

736767That it went hand in hand even with the vow

737768I made to her in marriage, and to decline

738769Upon a wretch whose natural gifts were poor

739770To those of mine. But virtue, as it never will be moved,

740771Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven,

741772So but though to a radiant angel linked,

742773Will sort itself in a celestial bed

774And prey on garbage.

743775But soft, methinks I scent the morning air.

744776Brief let me be. Sleeping within my orchard,

745777My custom always of the afternoon,

746778Upon my secure hour, thy uncle stole

747779With juice of cursèd hebona in a vial,

748780And in the porches of my ears did pour

749781The lep'rous distillment, whose effect

750782Holds such an enmity with blood of man

751783That swift as quicksilver it courses through

752784The natural gates and alleys of the body,

753785And with a sudden vigor it doth possess

754786And curd like eager droppings into milk

755787The thin and wholesome blood; so did it mine,

756788And a most instant tetter barked about

757789Most lazarlike with vile and loathsome crust

758790All my smooth body.

759791Thus was I sleeping by a brother's hand

760792Of life, of crown, of queen at once dispatched,

761793Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,

762794Unhousled, disappointed, unaneled,

763795No reck'ning made, but sent to my account

764796With all my imperfections on my head.

765797Oh, horrible, oh, horrible, most horrible!

766798If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not.

767799Let not the royal bed of Denmark be

768800A couch for luxury and damnèd incest.

769801But howsomever thou pursues this act,

770802Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive

771803Against thy mother aught; leave her to heaven

772804And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge

773805To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once.

774806The glow-worm shows the matin to be near

775807And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire.

776808Adieu, adieu, adieu! Remember me.

O all you host of heaven! O earth! What else?

778810And shall I couple hell? Oh, fie! Hold, hold, my heart,

779811And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,

780812But bear me swiftly up. Remember thee?

781813Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds a seat

782814In this distracted globe. Remember thee?

783815Yea, from the table of my memory

784816I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,

785817All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past

786818That youth and observation copied there,

787819And thy commandment all alone shall live

788820Within the book and volume of my brain,

789821Unmixed with baser matter. Yes, by heaven.

790822Oh, most pernicious woman!

791823Oh, villain, villain, smiling damnèd villain!

792824My tables--meet it is I set it down

793825That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.

794826At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark.

795827So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word.

796828It is "Adieu, adieu, remember me."

829I have sworn't.

My lord, my lord!

Lord Hamlet!

Heavens secure him!

So be it.

Illo, ho, ho, my lord!

Hillo, ho, ho, boy, come, and come!

How is't, my noble lord?

What news, my lord?

Oh, wonderful!

Good my lord, tell it.

No, you will reveal it.

Not I, my lord, by heaven.

Nor I, my lord.

How say you then, would heart of man once think it--

812845But you'll be secret?

Ay, by heaven.

There's never a villain848dwelling in all Denmark

815849But he's an arrant knave.

There needs no ghost, my lord, come from the grave

817851To tell us this.

Why, right, you are in the right.

819853And so, without more circumstance at all

820854I hold it fit that we shake hands and part:

821855You as your business and desire shall point you

822856(For every man hath business and desire,

823857Such as it is), and for my own poor part

824858I will go pray.

These are but wild and whirling words, my lord.

I am sorry they offend you--heartily,

827861Yes, faith, heartily.

There's no offense, my lord.

Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,

830864And much offense too. Touching this vision here,

831865It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you.

832866For your desire to know what is between us,

833867O'ermaster it as you may. And now, good friends,

834868As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,

835869Give me one poor request.

What is't, my lord? We will.

Never make known what you have seen tonight.

My lord, we will not.

Nay, but swear't.

In faith, my lord, not I.

Nor I, my lord, in faith.

Upon my sword.

We have sworn, my lord, already.

Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.

Swear.

Ha, ha, boy, say'st thou so? Art thou there, truepenny?--

847882Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage.

848883Consent to swear.

Propose the oath, my lord.

Never to speak of this that you have seen.

851886Swear by my sword.

Swear.

Hic et ubique? Then we'll shift our ground.

854889Come hither, gentlemen,

855890And lay your hands again upon my sword.

857891Swear by my sword

856892Never to speak of this that you have heard.

Swear by his sword.

Well said, old mole. Canst work i'th' earth so fast?

860895A worthy pioneer!--Once more remove, good friends.

Oh, day and night, but this is wondrous strange.

And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.

863898There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

864899Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But come,

865900Here as before: never, so help you mercy,

866901How strange or odd some'er I bear myself

867902(As I perchance hereafter shall think meet

868903To put an antic disposition on),

869904That you at such times seeing me never shall,

870905With arms encumbered thus, or this headshake,

871906Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase

872907As, "Well, well, we know," or "We could an if we would,"

873908Or "If we list to speak," or "There be, an if they might,"

874909Or such ambiguous giving out, to note

875910That you know aught of me. This do swear,

876911So grace and mercy at your most need help you.

Swear.

Rest, rest, perturbèd spirit.--So, gentlemen,

880914With all my love I do commend me to you,

881915And what so poor a man as Hamlet is

882916May do t'express his love and friending to you,

883917God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together,

884918And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.

885919The time is out of joint. Oh, cursèd spite,

886920That ever I was born to set it right!

887921Nay, come, let's go together.

Give him this money, and these notes, Reynaldo.

I will, my lord.

You shall do marv'lous wisely, good Reynaldo,

893926Before you visit him, to make inquire

894927Of his behavior.

My lord, I did intend it.

Marry, well said, very well said. Look you, sir,

898930Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris,

899931And how, and who, what means, and where they keep,

900932What company, at what expense; and finding

901933By this encompassment and drift of question

902934That they do know my son, come you more nearer

903935Than your particular demands will touch it;

904936Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him,

905937As thus: "I know his father, and his friends,

906938And in part him." Do you mark this, Reynaldo?

Ay, very well, my lord.

"And in part him. But," you may say, "not well,

909941But if't be he I mean, he's very wild,

910942Addicted so and so," and there put on him

911943What forgeries you please--marry, none so rank

912944As may dishonor him, take heed of that,

913945But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips

914946As are companions noted and most known

915947To youth and liberty.

As gaming, my lord.

Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing,

918950Quarreling, drabbing--you may go so far.

My lord, that would dishonor him.

Faith, as you may season it in the charge.

921953You must not put another scandal on him

922954That he is open to incontinency;

923955That's not my meaning. But breathe his faults so quaintly

924956That they may seem the taints of liberty,

925957The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind,

926958A savageness in unreclaimèd blood,

959Of general assault.

But, my good lord--

Wherefore should you do this?

Ay, my lord, I would know that.

Marry sir, here's my drift,

931964And I believe it is a fetch of wit.

932965You laying these slight sallies on my son

933966As 'twere a thing a little soiled with working,

934967Mark you, your party in converse, him you would sound,

935968Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes

936969The youth you breathe of guilty, be assured

937970He closes with you in this consequence:

938971"Good sir" (or so), or "friend," or "gentleman,"

939972According to the phrase, or the addition

940973Of man and country.

Very good, my lord.

And then, sir, does 'a this, 'a does--what was I about to say?

943976By the mass, I was about to say something.

944977Where did I leave?

At "closes in the consequence."

At "closes in the consequence." Ay, marry,

948980He closes thus: "I know the gentleman,

949981I saw him yesterday"--or th'other day,

950982Or then, or then--"with such or such, and as you say,

951983There was 'a gaming there, or took in's rouse,

952984There falling out at tennis," or perchance

953985"I saw him enter such a house of sale,"

954986Videlicet, a brothel, or so forth. See you now,

955987Your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth,

956988And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,

957989With windlasses and with assays of bias,

958990By indirections find directions out;

959991So by my former lecture and advice

960992Shall you my son. You have me, have you not?

My lord, I have.

God buy ye, fare ye well.

Good my lord.

Observe his inclination in yourself.

I shall, my lord.

And let him ply his music.

Well, my lord.

Farewell.--How now, Ophelia, what's the matter?

Oh, my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted!

With what, i'th' name of God?

My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,

9741005Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced,

9751006No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled,

9761007Ungartered, and down-gyvèd to his ankle,

9771008Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other,

9781009And with a look so piteous in purport

9791010As if he had been loosèd out of hell

9801011To speak of horrors, he comes before me.

Mad for thy love?

My lord, I do not know,

1014But truly I do fear it.

What said he?

He took me by the wrist, and held me hard.

9851017Then goes he to the length of all his arm,

9861018And with his other hand thus o'er his brow

9871019He falls to such perusal of my face

9881020As 'a would draw it. Long stayed he so.

9891021At last, a little shaking of mine arm,

9901022And thrice his head thus waving up and down,

9911023He raised a sigh so piteous and profound

9921024As it did seem to shatter all his bulk

9931025And end his being. That done, he lets me go,

9941026And with his head over his shoulder turned

9951027He seemed to find his way without his eyes,

9961028For out o' doors he went without their helps,

9971029And to the last bended their light on me.

Come, go with me. I will go seek the King.

9991031This is the very ecstasy of love,

10001032Whose violent property fordoes itself

10011033And leads the will to desperate undertakings

10021034As oft as any passions under heaven

10031035That does afflict our natures. I am sorry.

10041036What, have you given him any hard words of late?

No, my good lord, but as you did command

10061038I did repel his letters, and denied

10071039His access to me.

That hath made him mad.

10091041I am sorry that with better heed and judgment

10101042I had not coted him. I feared he did but trifle

10111043And meant to wrack thee; but beshrew my jealousy!

10121044By heaven, it is as proper to our age

10131045To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions

10141046As it is common for the younger sort

10151047To lack discretion. Come, go we to the King.

10161048This must be known, which, being kept close, might move

10171049More grief to hide than hate to utter love.

1050Come.

Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

10221054Moreover that we much did long to see you,

10231055The need we have to use you did provoke

10241056Our hasty sending. Something have you heard

10251057Of Hamlet's transformation--so call it,

10261058Sith nor th'exterior nor the inward man

10271059Resembles that it was. What it should be,

10281060More than his father's death, that thus hath put him

10291061So much from th'understanding of himself,

10301062I cannot dream of. I entreat you both

10311063That, being of so young days brought up with him,

10321064And sith so neighbored to his youth and havior,

10331065That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court

10341066Some little time, so by your companies

10351067To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather

10361068So much as from occasion you may glean,

1036.11069Whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus

10371070That, opened, lies within our remedy.

Good gentlemen, he hath much talked of you,

10391072And sure I am two men there is not living

10401073To whom he more adheres. If it will please you

10411074To show us so much gentry and good will

10421075As to expend your time with us awhile

10431076For the supply and profit of our hope,

10441077Your visitation shall receive such thanks

10451078As fits a king's remembrance.

Both your majesties

10471080Might, by the sovereign power you have of us,

10481081Put your dread pleasures more into command

10491082Than to entreaty.

But we both obey,

10511084And here give up ourselves in the full bent

10521085To lay our service freely at your feet

10531086To be commanded.

Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guildenstern.

Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle Rosencrantz.

10561089And I beseech you instantly to visit

10571090My too-much-changèd son.--Go, some of you,

10591091And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.

Heavens make our presence and our practices

10611093Pleasant and helpful to him!

Ay, amen.

Th'ambassadors from Norway, my good lord,

10651097Are joyfully returned.

Thou still hast been the father of good news.

Have I, my lord? I assure my good liege,

10681100I hold my duty as I hold my soul,

10691101Both to my God and to my gracious king;

10701102And I do think--or else this brain of mine

10711103Hunts not the trail of policy so sure

10721104As it hath used to do--that I have found

10731105The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

Oh, speak of that! That do I long to hear.

Give first admittance to th'ambassadors.

10761108My news shall be the fruit to that great feast.

Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in.

10781110He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found

10791111The head and source of all your son's distemper.

I doubt it is no other but the main:

10811113His father's death, and our hasty marriage.

Well, we shall sift him.--Welcome, my good friends.

10841116Say, Voltemand, what from our brother Norway?

Most fair return of greetings and desires.

10861118Upon our first, he sent out to suppress

10871119His nephew's levies, which to him appeared

10881120To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack,

10891121But, better looked into, he truly found

10901122It was against your highness; whereat grieved

10911123That so his sickness, age, and impotence

10921124Was falsely borne in hand, sends out arrests

10931125On Fortinbras, which he in brief obeys,

10941126Receives rebuke from Norway, and, in fine,

10951127Makes vow before his uncle never more

10961128To give th'assay of arms against your majesty.

10971129Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,

10981130Gives him threescore thousand crowns in annual fee

10991131And his commission to employ those soldiers

11001132So levied (as before) against the Polack,

11011133With an entreaty herein further shown

11021134That it might please you to give quiet pass

11031135Through your dominions for this enterprise

11041136On such regards of safety and allowance

11051137As therein are set down.

It likes us well,

11071139And at our more considered time we'll read,

11081140Answer, and think upon this business.

11091141Meantime, we thank you for your well-took labor.

11101142Go to your rest. At night we'll feast together.

11111143Most welcome home!

This business is well ended.

11131145My liege and madam, to expostulate

11141146What majesty should be, what duty is,

11151147Why day is day, night night, and time is time,

11161148Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time.

11171149Therefore, brevity is the soul of wit,

11181150And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,

11191151I will be brief. Your noble son is mad.

11201152Mad call I it, for to define true madness,

11211153What is't but to be nothing else but mad?

11221154But let that go.

More matter with less art.

Madam, I swear I use no art at all.

11251157That he's mad, 'tis true. 'Tis true 'tis pity,

11261158And pity 'tis 'tis true--a foolish figure,

11271159But farewell it, for I will use no art.

11281160Mad let us grant him, then. And now remains

11291161That we find out the cause of this effect,

11301162Or rather say the cause of this defect,

11311163For this effect defective comes by cause.

11321164Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.

1165Perpend.

11331166I have a daughter--have while she is mine--

11341167Who in her duty and obedience, mark,

11351168Hath given me this. Now gather and surmise.

Came this from Hamlet to her?

Good madam, stay awhile, I will be faithful.

11531182This in obedience hath my daughter shown me,

11541183And more about hath his solicitings,

11551184As they fell out, by time, by means, and place,

11561185All given to mine ear.

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,

11611190When I had seen this hot love on the wing--

11621191As I perceived it (I must tell you that)

11631192Before my daughter told me--what might you,

11641193Or my dear majesty your queen here, think

11651194If I had played the desk or table-book,

11661195Or given my heart a working, mute and dumb,

11671196Or looked upon this love with idle sight,

11681197What might you think? No, I went round to work,

11691198And my young mistress thus I did bespeak:

11701199"Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy star.

11711200This must not be." And then I prescripts gave her

11721201That she should lock herself from her resort,

11731202Admit no messengers, receive no tokens.

11741203Which done, she took the fruits of my advice,

11751204And he, repellèd, a short tale to make,

11761205Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,

11771206Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness,

11781207Thence to lightness, and by this declension

11791208Into the madness wherein now he raves,

11801209And all we mourn for.

11811210King"/[To Queen]Do you think this?

It may be, very like.

Hath there been such a time--I would fain know that--

11841213That I have positively said 'Tis so"

11851214When it proved otherwise?

Not that I know.

Take this from this, if this be otherwise.

11881217If circumstances lead me, I will find

11891218Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed

11901219Within the center.

How may we try it further?

You know sometimes he walks four hours together

11931222Here in the lobby.

So he does indeed.

At such a time, I'll loose my daughter to him.

11971225Be you and I behind an arras then;

11981226Mark the encounter. If he love her not,

11991227And be not from his reason fall'n thereon,

12001228Let me be no assistant for a state

12011229But keep a farm and carters.

We will try it.

But look where sadly the poor wretch comes reading.

Away, I do beseech you both away.

12071234I'll board him presently. Oh, give me leave.--

12081235How does my good Lord Hamlet?

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!

12631278Polonius[To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern] You go to seek the Lord Hamlet? There he is.

[To Polonius] God save you, sir.

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.

Happy in that we are not ever happy. On Fortune's lap 12741286we are not the very button.

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.

In the secret parts of Fortune? Oh, most true, she is a strumpet. 12811292What news?

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?

Even those you were wont to take such delight in, the 13751341tragedians of the city.

How chances it they travel? Their residence both in 13771343reputation and profit was better both ways.

I think their inhibition comes by the means of the late 13801345innovation.

Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in 13821347the city? Are they so followed?

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.

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?

I am but mad north-north-west; when the wind is 14261363southerly, I know a hawk from a hand saw.

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.

Happily he is the second time come to them, for they say an 14331369old man is twice a child.

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.

My lord, I have news to tell you. When Roscius was an actor 14391374in Rome--

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,

and then you know,

The 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--

The rugged Pyrrhus, like 1493th'Hyrcanian 1421beast--

'Tis not so, it begins with Pyrrhus.

1494The rugged Pyrrhus, he whose 1422sable arms,

14951423Black as his purpose, did the night resemble

14961424When he lay couchèd in th'ominous horse,

14971425Hath now this dread and black complexion smeared

26414981426With heraldry more dismal head to foot;

26514991427Now is he total gules, horridly tricked

26615001428With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sons,

26715011429Baked and empasted with the parching streets

26815021430That lend a tyrannous and a damnèd light

26915031431To their lord's murder. Roasted in wrath and fire,

27015041432And thus o'ersizèd with coagulate gore,

27115051433With eyes like carbuncles, the hellish Pyrrhus

27215061434Old grandsire Priam seeks.

273So proceed you.

'Fore God, my Lord, well spoken, with good accent and good discretion.

Anon he finds him,

27615101437Striking too short at Greeks. His anticke sword,

27715111438Rebellious to his arm, lies where it falls,

27815121439Repugnant to command. Unequal matched,

27915131440Pyrrhus at Priam drives, in rage strikes wide,

28015141441But with the whiff and wind of his fell sword

28115151442Th'unnervèd father falls. [Then senseless Ilium,]

28215161443Seeming to feel this blow, with flaming top

28315171444Stoops to his base, and with a hideous crash

28415181445Takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear; for lo! his sword,

28515191446Which was declining on the milky head

28615201447Of reverent Priam, seemed i'th' air to stick.

28715211448So as a painted tyrant Pyrrhus stood,

28815221449Like a neutral to his will and matter,

2891450Did nothing.

29015231451But as we often see against some storm

29115241452A silence in the heavens, the rack stand still,

29215251453The bold winds speechless, and the orb below

29315261454As hush as death, anon the dreadful thunder

29415271455Doth rend the region, so, after Pyrrhus' pause,

29515281456A rousèd vengeance sets him new a-work,

29615291457And never did the Cyclops' hammers fall

29715301458On Mars's armor forged for proof eterne

29815311459With less remorse than Pyrrhus' bleeding sword

29915321460Now falls on Priam.

30015331461Out, out, thou strumpet Fortune! All you gods

30115341462In general synod take away her power,

30215351463Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel,

30315361464And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven

30415371465As low as to the fiends!

This is too long.

It shall to the barber's with your beard.--Prithee, say on. He's

15401468for a jig, or a tale of bawdry, or he sleeps. Say on. Come to Hecuba..

But who, ah, woe, had seen the moblèd queen--.

The moblèd queen!

That's good.

Run barefoot up and down, threat'ning the flames

31115471473With bisson rheum, a clout upon that head

31215481474Where late the diadem stood, and, for a robe,

31315491475About her lank and all-o'erteemèd loins

31415501476A blanket in the alarm of fear caught up--

31515511477Who this had seen, with tongue in venom steeped

31615521478'Gainst Fortune's state would treason have pronounced;

31715531479But if the gods themselves did see her then,

31815541480When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport

31915551481In mincing with his sword her husband limbs,

32015561482The instant burst of clamor that she made,

32115571483Unless things mortal move them not at all,

32215581484Would have made milch the burning eyes of heaven

32315591485And passion in the gods.

Look where he has not turned his color, and has tears in's 15611487eyes. Prithee, no more.

'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.

Good my lord.

Ay, so, God buy to you.--Now I am alone.

33615901511Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!

33715911512Is it not monstrous that this player here,

33815921513But in a fiction, in a dream of passion,

33915931514Could force his soul so to his own conceit

34015941515That from her working all the visage wanned,

34115951516Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect,

34215961517A broken voice, an[d] his whole function suiting

34315971518With forms to his conceit, and all for nothing,

34415981519For Hecuba.

34515991520What's Hecuba to him, or he to her,

34616001521That he should weep for her? What would he do

34716011522Had he the motive and that for passion

34816021523That I have? He would drown the stage with tears,

34916031524And cleave the general ear with horrid speech,

35016041525Make mad the guilty, and appal the free,

35116051526Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed

35216061527The very faculties of eyes and ears. Yet I,

35316071528A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak

35416081529Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause,

35516091530And can say nothing; no, not for a king

35616101531Upon whose property and most dear life

35716111532A damned defeat was made. Am I a coward?

35816121533Who calls me villain? Breaks my pate across?

35916131534Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face?

36016141535Tweaks me by the nose? Gives me the lie i'th' throat

36116151536As deep as to the lungs? Who does me this,

36216161537Ha? 'Swounds, I should take it; for it cannot be

36316171538But I am pigeon-livered, and lack gall

36416181539To make oppression bitter, or ere this

36516191540I should ha' fatted all the region kites

36616201541With this slave's offal. Bloody, bawdy villain!

36716211542Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!

36816231543Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,

36916241544That I, the son of a dear murderèd,

37016251545Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,

37116261546Must like a whore unpack my heart with words,

37216271547And fall a-cursing like a very drab, a stallion. Fie upon't, foh!

37316281548About, my brains! Hum, I have heard

37416291549That guilty creatures sitting at a play

37516301550Have by the very cunning of the scene

37616311551Been struck so to the soul that presently

37716321552They have proclaimed their malefactions;

37816331553For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak

37916341554With most miraculous organ. I'll have these players

38016351555Play something like the murder of my father

38116361556Before mine uncle. I'll observe his looks;

38216371557I'll tent him to the quick. If 'a do blench

38316381558I know my course. The spirit that I have seen

38416391559May be a de'il, and the de'il hath power

38516401560T'assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps,

38616411561Out of my weakness and my melancholy,

38716421562As he is very potent with such spirits,

38816431563Abuses me to damn me. I'll have grounds

38916441564More relative than this. The play's the thing

39016451565Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King.

And can you by no drift of conference

16491569Get from him why he puts on this confusion,

16501570Grating so harshly all his days of quiet

16511571With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?

He does confess he feels himself distracted,

16531573But from what cause, 'a will by no means speak.

Nor do we find him forward to be sounded,

16551575But with a crafty madness keeps aloof

16561576When we would bring him on to some confession

16571577Of his true state.

Did he receive you well?

Most like a gentleman.

But with much forcing of his disposition.

Niggard of question, but of our demands

16621582Most free in his reply.

Did you assay him to any pastime?

Madam, it so fell out that certain players

16651585We o'erraught on the way. Of these we told him,

16661586And there did seem in him a kind of joy

16671587To hear of it. They are here about the court,

16681588And, as I think, they have already order

16691589This night to play before him.

This night to play before him. 16701590Polonius 'Tis most true,

16711591And he beseeched me to entreat your majesties

16721592To hear and see the matter.

With all my heart,1594and it doth much content me

16741595To hear him so inclined.

1596Good gentlemen, give him a further edge,

16751597And drive his purpose into these delights.

We shall, my lord.

Sweet Gertrard, leave us two,

16791600For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither,

16801601That he, as 'twere by accident, may here

16811602Affront Ophelia. Her father and myself,

16821603We'll so bestow ourselves that, seeing unseen,

16831604We may of their encounter frankly judge,

16841605And gather by him, as he is behaved,

16851606If't be th'affliction of his love or no

16861607That thus he suffers for.

I shall obey you.

16881609And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish

16891610That your good beauties be the happy cause

16901611Of Hamlet's wildness. So shall I hope your virtues

16911612Will bring him to his wonted way again,

16921613To both your honors.

Madam, I wish it may.

Ophelia, walk you here.--Gracious, so please you,

16951616We will bestow ourselves. [To Ophelia, as he gives her a book] Read on this book,

16961617That show of such an exercise may color

16971618Your lowliness. We are oft too blame in this,

16981619 'Tis too much proved, that with devotion's visage

16991620And pious action we do sugar o'er

17001621The devil himself.

[Aside] Oh, 'tis too true!

17021623How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!

17031624The harlot's cheek, beautied with plast'ring art,

17041625Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it

17051626Than is my deed to my most painted word.

17061627Oh, heavy burden!

I hear him coming. Withdraw, my lord.

To be, or not to be, that is the question,

17111631Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

17121632The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

17131633Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

17141634And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep--

17151635No more--and by a sleep to say we end

17161636The heartache and the thousand natural shocks

17171637That flesh is heir to; 'tis a consummation

17181638Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep;

17191639To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub,

17201640For in that sleep of death what dreams may come

17211641When we have shuffled off this mortal coil

17221642Must give us pause. There's the respect

17231643That makes calamity of so long life.

17241644For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,

17251645Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,

17261646The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,

17271647The insolence of office, and the spurns

17281648That patient merit of th'unworthy takes,

17291649When he himself might his quietus make

17301650With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,

17311651To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

17321652But that the dread of something after death,

17331653The undiscovered country from whose bourn

17341654No traveler returns, puzzles the will,

17351655And makes us rather bear those ills we have

17361656Than fly to others that we know not of.

17371657Thus conscience does make cowards,

17381658And thus the native hue of resolution

17391659Is sickl[i]ed o'er with the pale cast of thought,

17401660And enterprises of great pitch and moment

17411661With this regard their currents turn awry

17421662And lose the name of action. Soft you now,

17431663The fair Ophelia!--Nymph, in thy orisons

17441664Be all my sins remembered.

Good my lord,

17461666How does your honor for this many a day?

I humbly thank you well.

My lord, I have remembrances of yours

17491669That I have longèd long to redeliver.

17501670I pray you now receive them.

No, not I. I never gave you aught.

My honored lord, you know right well you did,

17531673And with them words of so sweet breath composed

17541674As made these things more rich. Their perfume lost,

17551675Take these again, for to the noble mind

17561676Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind,

17571677There, my lord.

Ha, ha! Are you honest?

My lord?

Are you fair?

What means your lordship?

That if you be honest and fair, you should admit 17631683no discourse to your beauty.

Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce 17651685than with honesty?

Ay, truly, for the power of beauty will sooner transform 17671687honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can 17681688translate beauty into his likeness. This was sometime a paradox, but now the 17691689time gives it proof. I did love you once.

Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.

You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so 17731692evocutate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not.

I was the more deceived.

Get thee [to] a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of 17771695sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of 17781696such things that it were better my mother had not borne me: I am 17791697very proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offenses at my beck 17811698than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to give them shape, 17821699or time to act them in. What should such fellows as I do crawling 17831700between earth and heaven? We are arrant knaves; believe none of us.17841701Go thy ways to a nunnery. Where's your father?

At home, my lord.

Let the doors be shut upon him, 1704that he may 1788play the fool nowhere but in's own house. 1705Farewell.

Oh, help him, you sweet heavens!

If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy 17911708dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape 17921709calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, farewell. Or if thou wilt needs marry, 17931710marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you 17951711make of them. To a nunnery go, and quickly too. Farewell.

Heavenly powers restore him!

I have heard of your paintings well enough. God hath 17991714given you one face, and you make yourselves another. You jig and 18001715amble, and you lisp, you nickname God's creatures, and make your 18011716wantonness ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on't; it hath made me mad. 18031717I say we will have no mo marriage. Those that are married already, all 18041718but one, shall live; the rest shall keep as they are. To a nunnery, go.

Oh, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!

18071720The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword,

18081721Th'expectation and rose of the fair state,

18091722The glass of fashion and the mold of form,

18101723Th'observed of all observers, quite, quite down,

18111724And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,

18121725That sucked the honey of his musicked vows,

18131726Now see what noble and most sovereign reason

18141727Like sweet bells jangled out of time, and harsh,

18151728That unmatched form and stature of blown youth

18161729Blasted with ecstasy. Oh, woe is me

18171730T'have seen what I have seen, see what I see!

Love? His affections do not that way tend,

18201733Nor what he spake, though it lacked form a little,

18211734Was not like madness. There's something in his soul

18221735O'er which his melancholy sits on brood,

18231736And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose

18241737Will be some danger; which for to prevent,

18251738I have in quick determination

18261739Thus set it down: he shall with speed to England,

18271740For the demand of our neglected tribute.

18281741Haply the seas, and countries different,

18291742With variable objects, shall expel

18301743This something-settled matter in his heart,

18311744Whereon his brains still beating puts him thus

18321745From fashion of himself. What think you on't?

It shall do well. But yet do I believe

18341748the origin and commencement of his grief

18351749Sprung from neglected love.--How now, Ophelia?

18361750You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet said,

18371751We heard it all.--My lord, do as you please,

18381752But if you hold it fit, after the play

18391753Let his queen-mother all alone entreat him

18401754To show his grief. Let her be round with him,

18411755And I'll be placed (so please you) in the ear

18421756Of all their conference. If she find him not,

18431757To England send him, or confine him where

18441758Your wisdom best shall think.

It shall be so;

18461760Madness in great ones must not unmatched go.

Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, 18501763trippingly on the tongue; but if you mouth it, as many of our players do, 18511764I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air 18521765too much with your hand, thus, but use all gently; for in the very 18541766torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirlwind of your 1855passion, you must 1767acquire and beget a temperance that 1856may give it smoothness. Oh, it 1768offends me to the soul 1857to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow1769tear a 1858passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the 18591770groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but 18601771inexplicable dumb-shows and noise. I would have such a fellow whipped for 18611772o'erdoing Termagant. It out-Herods Herod. Pray you avoid it.

I warrant your honor.

Be not too tame, neither, but let your own discretion be 18651775your tutor. Suit the action to the word, the word to the action, with 18661776this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of 18671777nature. For anything so o'erdone is from the purpose of playing, 18681778whose end, both at the first and now, was and is to hold as 'twere 18701779the mirror up to nature, to show virtue her feature, scorn her own 18711780image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure. 18721781Now this overdone, or come tardy off, though it makes the 18741782unskillful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve, the censure of 18751783which one must in your allowance o'erweigh a whole theater of 18761784others. Oh, there be players that I have seen play, and heard others 18771785praised, and that highly, not to speak it profanely, that, neither 18781786having th'accent of Christians nor the gait of Christian, pagan, nor 18801787man, have so strutted and bellowed that I have thought some of 18811788nature's journeymen had made men, and not made them well, they 18821789imitated humanity so 1883abhominably.

I hope we have reformed that indifferently with us.

Oh, reform it altogether. And let those that play your clowns 18871792speak no more than is set down for them; for there be of them that 18881793will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren spectators 18891794to laugh too, though in the meantime some necessary question of 18911795the play be then to be considered. That's villainous, and shows a most 18921796pitiful ambition in the fool that uses 1893it. Go make you ready.

[To Polonius] How 18951797now, my lord, will the King hear this piece of work?

And the Queen to[o], and that presently.

Bid the players make haste.

Bid the players make haste. Will you two help to hasten them?

Ay, my lord.

What ho, Horatio!

Here, sweet lord, at your service.

Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man

19051805As e'er my conversation coped withal.

Oh, my dear lord--

Nay, do not think I flatter,

19081808For what advancement may I hope from thee

19091809That no revenue hast but thy good spirits

19101810To feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flattered?

19111811No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp

19121812And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee

19131813Where thrift may follow fawning. Dost thou hear?

19141814Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice

19151815And could of men distinguish her election,

19161816Sh'hath sealed thee for herself, for thou hast been

19171817As one in suff'ring all that suffers nothing,

19181818A man that Fortune's buffets and rewards

19191819Hast ta'en with equal thanks; and blest are those

19201820Whose blood and judgment are so well commeddled

19211821That they are not a pipe for Fortune's finger

19221822To sound what stop she please. Give me that man

19231823That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him

19241824In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart,

19251825As I do thee.--Something too much of this.--

19261826There is a play tonight before the King.

19271827One scene of it comes near the circumstance

19281828Which I have told thee of my father's death.

19291829I prithee, when thou see'st that act afoot,

19301830Even with the very comment of thy soul

19311831Observe my uncle. If his occulted guilt

19321832Do not itself unkennel in one speech,

19331833It is a damnèd ghost that we have seen,

19341834And my imaginations are as foul

19351835As Vulcan's stithy. Give him heedful note,

19361836For I mine eyes will rivet to his face,

19371837And after we will both our judgments join

19381838In censure of his seeming.

Well, my lord,

19401840If 'a steal aught the whilst this play is playing

19411841And scape detected, I will pay the theft.

They are coming to the play. I must be idle. 19471845Get you a place.

How fares our cousin Hamlet?

Excellent, i'faith, 1848of the chameleon's dish; I eat the air, 19501849promise-crammed. You cannot feed capons so.

I have nothing with this answer, Hamlet. 19521851These words are not mine.

No, nor mine now. 19541853[To Polonius] My lord, you played once i'th' university, you say?

That did I, my lord, and was accounted a good actor.

What did you enact?

I did enact Julius Caesar. I was killed i'th'Capitol. 19591857Brutus killed me.

It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf there.--19611859Be the players ready?

Ay, my lord, they stay upon your patience.

Come hither, my dear Hamlet, sit by me.

No, good mother, here's mettle more attractive.

[To the King] Oho, do you mark that?

[To Ophelia, as he lies at her feet] Lady, shall I lie in your lap?

No, my lord.

Do you think I meant country matters?

I think nothing, my lord.

That's a fair thought to lie between maids' legs.

What is, my lord?

Nothing.

You are merry, my lord.

Who, I?

Ay, my lord.

Oh, God, your only jig-maker. What should a man do but 19791875be merry? For look you how cheerfully my mother looks, and my 19801876father died within's two hours.

Nay, 'tis twice two months, my lord.

So long? Nay, then, let the dev'l wear black, for I'll have a 19841879suit of sables. Oh, heavens! Die two months ago, and not forgotten yet? 19851880Then there's hope a great man's memory may outlive his life half a 19861881year. But, by'r Lady, 'a must build churches then, or else shall 'a suffer 19881882not thinking on, with the hobby-horse, whose epitaph is, "For oh, for 19891883oh, the hobby-horse is forgot."

What means this, my lord?

Marry, this munching mallico, it means mischief.

Belike this show imports the argument of the play.

We shall know by this fellow.

20091897The players cannot keep [counsel]; they'll tell all.

Will 'a tell us what this show meant?

Ay, or any show that you will show him. Be not you ashamed 20121900to show, he'll not shame to tell you what it means.

You are naught, you are naught. I'll mark the play.

For us and for our tragedy,

20181903Here stooping to your clemency,

20191904We beg your hearing patiently.

Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring?

'Tis brief, my lord.

As woman's love.

Full thirty times hath Phoebus' cart gone round

20251910Neptune's salt wash and Tellus orbed the ground,

20261911And thirty dozen moons with borrowed sheen

20271912About the world have times twelve thirties been

20281913Since love our hearts and Hymen did our hands

20291914Unite commutual in most sacred bands.

So many journeys may the sun and moon

20311916Make us again count o'er ere love be done!

20321917But woe is me, you are so sick of late,

20331918So far from cheer and from our former state,

20341919That I distrust you. Yet though I distrust,

20351920Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must.

2035.11921For women fear too much, even as they love,

20361922And women's fear and love hold quantity:

20371923Either none, in neither aught, or in extremity.

20381924Now what my lord is, proof hath made you know,

20391925And as my love is sized, my fear is so.

2039.11926Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear;

2039.21927Where little fears grow great, great love grows there.

Faith, I must leave thee, love, and shortly to[o];

20411929My operant powers their functions leave to do.

20421930And thou shalt live in this fair world behind,

20431931Honored, beloved; and haply one as kind

20441932For husband shalt thou--

Oh, confound the rest!

20461934Such love must needs be treason in my breast.

20471935In second husband let me be accurst!

20481936None wed the second but who killed the first.

That's wormwood.

The instances that second marriage move

20511938Are base respects of thrift, but none of love.

20521939A second time I kill my husband dead

20531940When second husband kisses me in bed.

I do believe you think what now you speak,

20551942But what we do determine, oft we break.

20561943Purpose is but the slave to memory,

20571944Of violent birth, but poor validity,

20581945Which now the fruit unripe sticks on the tree,

20591946But fall unshaken when they mellow be.

20601947Most necessary 'tis that we forget

20611948To pay ourselves what to ourselves is debt.

20621949What to ourselves in passion we propose,

20631950The passion ending, doth the purpose lose.

20641951The violence of either grief or joy

20651952Their own enactures with themselves destroy.

20661953Where joy most revels, grief doth most lament;

20671954Grief joy, joy grieves, on slender accident.

20681955This world is not for aye, nor 'tis not strange

20691956That even our loves should with our fortunes change;

20701957For 'tis a question left us yet to prove

20711958Whether love lead fortune, or else fortune love.

20721959The great man down, you mark his favorite flies;

20731960The poor advanced makes friends of enemies;

20741961And hitherto doth love on fortune tend,

20751962For who not needs shall never lack a friend,

20761963And who in want a hollow friend doth try

20771964Directly seasons him his enemy.

20781965But orderly to end where I begun,

20791966Our wills and fates do so contrary run

20801967That our devices still are overthrown;

20811968Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own;

20821969So, think thou wilt no second husband wed,

20831970But die thy thoughts when thy first lord is dead.

Nor earth to me give food, nor heaven light,

20851972Sport and repose lock from me day and night,

2085.11973To desperation turn my trust and hope,

2085.21974And anchor's cheer in prison be my scope!

20861975Each opposite that blanks the face of joy

20871976Meet what I would have well, and it destroy!

20881977Both here and hence pursue me lasting strife,

20891978If once I be a widow, ever I be a wife!

If she should break it now!

'Tis deeply sworn. Sweet, leave me here awhile.

20931980My spirits grow dull, and fain I would beguile

20941981The tedious day with sleep.

Sleep rock thy brain,

20961983And never come mischance between us twain!

Madam, how like you this play?

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Oh, but she'll keep her word.

Have you heard the argument? Is there no offense in't?

No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest, no 2103offense i'th' world.

What do you call the play?

21051990HamletThe Mousetrap. Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the image 21061991of a murder done in Vienna. Gonzago is the Duke's name, his wife 21071992Baptista. You shall see anon. 'Tis a knavish piece of work, but what of 21081993that? Your majesty and we that have free souls, it touches us not. 21101994Let the galled jade winch, our withers are unwrung. 21121995--This is one Lucianus, nephew to the King.

You are as good as a chorus, my lord.

I could interpret between you and your love 21151999if I could see the puppets dallying.

You are keen, my lord, you are keen.

It would cost you a groaning to take off mine 2118edge.

Still better and worse.

So you mistake your husbands.--Begin, murderer, leave 21212004thy damnable faces and begin. Come, the croaking raven doth bellow 21222005for revenge.

Thoughts black, hands apt, drugs fit, and time agreeing,

21262007Considerate season, else no creature seeing,

21272008Thou mixture rank, of midnight weeds collected,

21282009With Hecate's ban thrice blasted, thrice invected,

21292010Thy natural magic and dire property

21302011On wholesome life usurps immediately.

'A poisons him i'th' garden for his estate. His name's 21332013Gonzago. The story is extant, and written in very choice Italian. You shall see 21342014anon how the murderer gets the love of Gonzago's wife.

The King rises.

How fares my lord?

Give o'er the play.

Give me some light. Away!

Lights, lights, lights!

"Why, let the strucken deer go weep,

21442021The heart ungallèd play,

21452022For some must watch while some must sleep;

21462023Thus runs the world away."

2147Would not this, sir, and a forest of 2024feathers--if the rest of2148 my fortunes turn Turk with me--with provincial 21492025roses on my razed shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry 2150of players?

Half a share.

A whole one, I.

21532028For thou dost know, O Damon dear,

21542029This realm dismantled was

2030Of Jove himself, and now reigns here

21562031A very, very pajock.

You might have rhymed.

O good Horatio, I'll take the Ghost's word for a thousand 21592034pound. Didst perceive?

Very well, my lord.

Upon the talk of the pois'ning.

I did very well note him.

Aha, come, some music! Come, the recorders.

21652039For if the King like not the comedy,

21662040Why, then belike he likes it not, perdy.

21672041Come, some music.

Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you.

Sir a whole history.

The King, sir--

Ay, sir, what of him?

Is in his retirement marvelous distempered.

With drink, sir?

No, my lord, with choler.

Your wisdom should show itself more richer to signify 21762051this to the doctor, for, for me to put him 2177to his purgation would 2052perhaps plunge him into 2178more choler.

Good my lord, put your discourse into some frame, 21802054and stare not so wildly from my affair.

I am tame sir. Pronounce.

The Queen your mother, in most great affliction of spirit, 21832057hath sent me to you.

You are welcome.

Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of the right breed. If 21862060it shall please you to make me a wholesome answer, I will do your 21872061mother's commandment. If not, your pardon and my return shall 21882062be the end of business.

Sir, I cannot.

What, my lord?

Make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseased. But, sir, such 21932066answer as I can make, you shall command, or rather, as you say, my 21942067mother. Therefore no more, but to the matter. My mother, you say.

Then thus she says: your behavior hath struck her into 21972069amazement and admiration.

Oh, wonderful son, that can so 'stonish a mother! But is there 21992071no sequel at the heels of this 2201mother's admiration? Impart.

She desires to speak with you in her closet ere you go to bed.

We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any 22042074further trade with us?

My lord, you once did love me.

22062076HamletAnd do still, by these pickers and stealers.

Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? You do 22082078surely bar the door upon your own liberty if you deny your griefs to 22092079your friend.

Sir, I lack advancement.

How can that be, when you have the voice of the King 22122082himself for your succession in Denmark?

Ay, sir, but "while the grass grows"--the proverb is something 22142085musty.--Oh, the recorders. Let me see one. [He takes a recorder.] To withdraw with you, why 22172086do you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive 22182087me into a toil?

Oh, my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love 2220is too unmannerly.

I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this pipe?

My lord, I cannot.

I pray you.

Believe me, I cannot.

I do beseech you.

I know no touch of it, my lord.

It is as easy as lying. Govern these ventages with your 22292096fingers and thumb, give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse 22302097most eloquent music. Look you, these are the stops.