Art Third. SCENE I. A Room in the Castle. Enter King, Queen, POLONIUS, OPHELIA, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN, King. And can you, by no drift of conference Get from him why he puts on this confusion; Grating so harshly all his days of quiet With turbulent and dangerous lunacy? Ros. He does confess, he feels himself distracted; But from what cause he will by no means speak. Guil. Nor do we find him forward to be sounded; But, with a crafty madness, keeps aloof, Queen. Did he receive you well? Ros. Most like a gentleman. Guil. But with much forcing of his disposition. Ros. Niggard of question; but, of our demands, Most free in his reply. Queen. To any pastime? Did you assay him Ros. Madam, it so fell out, that certain players We o'er-raught on the way: of these we told him; And there did seem in him a kind of joy To hear of it: They are about the court; And, as I think, they have already order This night to play before him. Pol. 'Tis most true: And he beseech'd me to entreat your majesties, To hear and see the matter. King. With all my heart; and it doth much content me To hear him so inclin'd. Good gentlemen, give him a further edge, [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Her father, and myself (lawful espial), Will so bestow ourselves, that, seeing, unseen, If't be the affliction of his love, or no, Queen. I shall obey you: And, for your part, Ophelia, I do wish, That your good beauties be the happy cause Of Hamlet's wildness: so shall I hope, your virtues Will bring him to his wonted way again, Madam, I wish it may. [Aside. Pol. I hear him coming; let's withdraw, my lord. [Exeunt King and POLONIUS. . Enter HAMLET. Ham. To be, or not to be, that is the question:- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end Oph. Oph. My lord, I have remembrances of yours, That I have longed long to redeliver; I pray you, now receive them, I never gave you aught. No, not I; Oph. My honour'd lord, you know right well, you did: [pos'd And, with them, words of so sweet breath comAs made the things more rich: their perfume Take these again; for to the noble mind, lost, Rich gifts wax poor, when givers prove unkind. There, my lord. Ham. Ha, ha! are you honest? Ham. Are you fair? Oph. What means your lordship? Ham. That if you be honest, and fair,your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty. Oph. Could beanty, my lord, have better commerce than with honesty? Ham. Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner transform honesty from what it is to a bawd, than the force of honesty can translate beauty into his likeness; this was sometime a paradox, but now the time gives it proof. I did love you once. Oph. Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so. Ham. You should not have believed me; for virtue cannot so innoculate our old stock, but we shall relish of it: I loved you not. Oph. I was the more deceived Ham. Get thee to a nunnery; Why would'st And I'll be plac'd, so please you, in the ear thon be a breeder of sinners? I am myself in- Of all their conference; If she find him not, different honest; but yet I could accuse me of To England send him; or confine him, where such things, that it were better, my mother had Your wisdom best shall think. not borne me: I am very proud, revengeful, King. It shall be so: ambitious; with more offences at my back, than Madness in great ones must not unwatch'd go. I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to [Exeunt. give them shape, or time to act them in; What should such fellows as I do crawling between earth and heaven! We are arrant knaves, all; believe none of us: Go thy ways to a nunnery. Where's your father? Oph. At home, my lord. Ham. Let the doors be shut upon him; that he may play the fool no where but in's own honse. Farewell. Oph. O, help him, you sweet heavens! Ham. If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy dowry; Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery; farewell: Or, if thon wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough, what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go; and quickly too. Farewell. Oph. Heavenly powers restore him! Ham. I have heard of your paintings too, well enough; God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another: you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and nickname God's creatures, and make your wantonness your ignorance; Go to; I'll no more of it; it hath made me mad. I say, we will have no more marriages: those that are married already, all but one, shall live; the rest shall keep as they are. To a nunnery, [Exit HAMLET. Oph. O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown! The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's eye, tongue, sword: go. The expectancy and rose of the fair state, King. Love! his affections do not that way tend; [little, Nor what he spake, though it lack'd form a Was not like madness. There's something in his soul, SCENE II. A Hall in the same. Enter 11AMLET, and certain Players. Ham. Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue: but if you mouth it, as many of our players do, I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus; but use all gently: for in the very torrent, tempest, and (as I may say) whirlwind of your passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance, that may give it smoothness. O, it offends me to the soul, to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings: who, for the most part, are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb shows, and noise: I would have such a fellow whipped for o'erdoing Termagant; it out-herods Herod: 'Pray you, avoid it. 1 Play. I warrant your honour. Ham. Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be your tutor: suit the action to the word, the word to the action: with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature: for any thing so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first, and now, was, and is, to hold, as 'twere,the mirrour up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time, his form and pressure. Now this, overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the unskilful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve; the censure of which one, must, in your allowance, o'erweigh a whole theatre of others. O, there be players, that I have seen play,-and heard others praise, and that highly,-not to speak it profanely, that, neither having the accent of Christians, nor the gait of Christian, pagan, nor man, have so strutted, and bellowed, that I have thought some of nature's journeymen had made men, and not made them well, they imitated humanity so abominably. 1 Play. I hope, we have reformed that indifferently with us." Ham. O, reform it altogether. And let those, that play your clowns, speak no more than is set down for them: for there be of them, that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too; though, in the mean time, some necessary question of the play be then to be considered: that's villanous: and Thus set it down; He shall with speed to Eng-shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that O'er which his melancholy sits on brood; And, I do doubt, the batch and the disclose Will be some danger: Which for to prevent, I have, in quick determination, [land, For the demand of our neglected tribute: You need not tell us what lord Hamlet said; uses it. Go, make you ready.— [Exeunt Players. Enter POLONIUS, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDEN STERN. How now, my lord? will the king hear this piece of work? Pol. And the queen too, and that presently. Ham. Bid the players make haste.[Exit POLONIUS. Will you two help to hasten them? Both. Ay, my lord. [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Ham. What, ho; Horatio! Enter HORATIO. Hor. Here, sweet lord, at your service. That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him As Vulcan's stithy. Give him heedful note: Well, my lord: Hor. If he steal aught, the whilst this play is playing, And scape detecting, I will pay the theft. Ham. They are coming to the play; I must be Get you a place. [idle: Danish March. A Flourish. Enter King, Queen, POLONIUS, OPHELIA, Rosencrantz, GuildenSTERN, and Others. King. How fares our cousin Hamlet? Ham. Excellent, i'faith; of the chameleon's dish I eat the air, promise-crammed; you. cannot feed capons so. King. I have nothing with this answer, Hamlet; these words are not mine. Ham. No, nor mine now. My lord,-you played once in the university, you say? [TO POLONIUS. Pol. That did I, my lord; and was accounted a good actor. Ham. And what did you enact? Pol. I did enact Julius Cæsar: I was killed i' the Capitol; Brutus killed me. Ham. It was a brute part of him, to kill so capital a calf there.-Be the players ready? Ros. Ay, my lord; they stay upon your patience. [me. Queen. Come hither, my dear Hamlet, sit by Ham. No, good mother, here's metal more attractive. Pol. O ho! do you mark that? [To the King. Oph. No, my lord. Ham. Do you think, I meant country matters? Oph. I think nothing, my lord. Ham. That's a fair thought to lie between maid's legs. Oph. What is, my lord. Ham. Nothing. Oph. You are merry, my lord. Ham. Who, I? Oph. Ay, my lord. Ham. O your only jig-maker. What should a man do, but be merry? for, look you, how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within these two hours. Oph. Nay, 'tis twice two months, my lord. Ham. So long? Nay, then let the devil wear black, for I'll have a suit of sables. O heavens! die two months ago, and not forgotten yet? Then there's hope, a great man's memory may outlive his life half a year: Bat, by'r-lady, he must build churches then: or else shall he suffer not thinking on, with the hobby-horse; whose epitaph is, For, O, for,O, the hobby horse is forgot Trumpets sound. The Dumb Show follows. Enter a King and a Queen, very lovingly: the Queen embracing him, and he her. She kneels, and makes show of protestation unto him. He takes her up, and declines his head upon her neck: lays him down upon a bank of flowers; she, seeing him asleep, leaves him. Anon comes in a Fellow, takes off his crown, kisses it, and pours poison in the King's ears, and exit. The Queen returns; finds the King dead, and makes passionate action. The Poisoner, with some two or three Mutes, comes in again, seeming to lament with her. The dead body is carried away. The Poisoner woos the Queen with gifts; she seems loath and unwil ling awhile; but, in the end accepts his love. [Exeunt. Oph. What means this, my lord? Ham. Marry, this is miching malicho; it means mischief. Oph. Belike, this show imports the argument of the play. Enter Prologue. Ham. We shall know by this fellow: the players cannot keep counsel; they'll tell all. Oph. Will he tell us what this show meant? Ham. Ay, or any show that you'll show him: Be not you asham'd to show, he'll not shame to tell you what it means. Oph. You are naught, you are naught; I'll mark the play. Pro. For us, and for our tragedy, Here stooping to your clemency, We beg your hearing patiently. Ham. is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring? Oph. 'Tis brief, my lord. Ham. As woman's love. Enter a King and a Queen. P.King. Full thirty times hath Phoebus' cart gone round Neptune's salt wash, and Tellus' orbed ground; And thirty dozen moons, with borrow'd sheen, About the world have times twelve thirties been, Since love our hearts, and Hymen did our hands, Unite commutual in most sacred bands. P. Queen. So many journeys may the sun and moon Make us again count o'er, ere love be done! In neither aught, or in extremity. [know; there. P. Queen. O, confound the rest! Such love must needs be treason in my breast: In second husband let me be accurst? None wed the second, but who kill'd the first. Ham. That's wormwood. [riage move, P. Queen. The instances, that second marAre base respects of thrift, but none of love: A second time I kill my husband dead, When second husband kisses me in bed. P. King. I do believe, you think what now you speak; But, what we do determine, oft we break. For 'tis a question left us yet to prove, flies; The poor advanc'd makes friends of enemies. For who not needs, shall never lack a friend; Sport and repose lock from me, day, and night! Ham. If she should break it now, [To OPHELIA. P. King. 'Tis deeply sworn. Sweet, leave me here a while; My spirits grow dull, and fain I would beguile The tedious day with sleep. [Sleeps. P. Queen. Sleep rock thy brain;] And never come mischance between us twain [Exit. Ham. Madam, how like you this play? Queen. The lady doth protest too much, methinks. Ham. O, but she'll keep her word. King. Have you heard the argument? Is there no offence in't? Ham. No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest; no offence i' the world. King. What do you call the play? Ham. The mouse-trap. Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the image of a murder done in Vienna: Gonzago is the duke's name, his wife, Baptista: you shall see anon 'tis a knavish piece of work: But what of that? your majesty, and we that have free souls, it touches us not: Let the galled jade wince, our withers are unwrung. Enter LUCIANUS. This is one Lucianus, nephew to the king. Oph. You are keen, my lord, you are keen. Ham. It would cost you a groaning, to take Oph. Still better, and worse. [off my edge. Ham. So you mistake your husbands.-Begin, murderer: leave thy damnable faces, and begin, Come; -The croaking raven Doth bellow for revenge. Luc. Thoughts black, hands apt, drugs fit, and time agreeing; Confederate season, else no creature seeing; [Pours the poison into the Sleeper's ears. Ham. He poisons him i' the garden for his estate. His name's Gonzago: the story is extant, and written in very choice Italian: You shall see anon, how the murderer gets the love of Gonzago's wife Oph. The king rises. Ham. What! frighted with false fire! Pol. Give o'er the play. King. Give me some light?-away! Pol. Lights, lights, lights! [Exeunt all but HAMLET and HORATIO. Ham. Why let the strucken deer go weep. The hart ungalled play: For some must watch, while some must sleep; Thus runs the world away. Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers (if For thou dost know, O Damon dear, Of Jove himself; and now reigns here A very, very-peacock. Hor. You might have rhymed. Ham. O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand pound. Didst perceive? Hor. Very well, my lord. Ham. Upon the talk of the poisoning,- Ham. Ah, ha!-Come, some musick; come, the recorders. For if the king like not the comedy, Guil. Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you. Ham. Sir, a whole history. Guil. The king, sir, Ham. Ay, sir, what of him? I would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you [temper'd. would sound me from my lowest note to the Guil. Is, in his retirement, marvellous dis- top of my compass: and there is much musick, Ham. With drink, sir? Guil. No, my lord, with choler. Ham. Your wisdom should show itself more richer, to signify this to the doctor; for, for me to put him to his purgation, would, perhaps, plunge him into more choler. Guil. Good my lord, put your discourse into some frame, and start not so wildly from my affair. Ham. I am tame, sir:-pronounce. Guil. The queen, your mother, in most great affliction of spirit, hath sent me to you. Ham. You are welcome. Guil. Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of the right breed. If it shall please you to make me a wholesome answer, I will do your mother's commandment: if not, your pardon, and my return shall be the end of my business. Ham. Sir, I cannot. Guil. What, my lord? Ham. Make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseased: But, sir, such answer as I can make, you shall command; or, rather, as you say, my mother: therefore no more, but to the matter; My mother, you say, Ros. Then thus she says: Your behaviour bath struck her into amazement and admiration. Ham. O wonderful son, that can so astonish a mother!-But is there no sequel at the heels of this mother's admiration? impart. Ros. She desires to speak with you in her closet, ere you go to bed. Ham. We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any further trade with us? Ros. My lord, you once did love me. Ham. And do still, by these pickers and stealers. Ros. Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? you do, surely, but bar the door upon your own liberty, if you deny your griefs! to your friend. Ham. Sir, I lack advancement. Ros. How can that be, when you have the voice of the king himself for your succession in Deumark? Ham. Ay, sir, but While the grass grows,-the proverb is something musty. Enter the Players, with Recorders. O, the recorders: -let me see one.-To withdraw with you.-Why do you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me into a toil? Guil. O, my lord, if my duty be too my love is too unmannerly. Ham, I do not well understand that. you play upon this pipe? Guil. My lord, I cannot. Ham. I pray you. Guil. Believe me, I cannot. Ham. I do beseech you. bold, Will Guil. I know uo touch of it, my lord. Ham, "Tis as easy as lying: govern these ventages with your fingers and thumb, give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent musick. Look you, these are the stops. excellent voice, in this little organ; yet cannot you make it speak. 'Sblood, do you think, I am easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me. Enter POLONIUS. God bless yon, sir! Pol. My lord, the queen would speak with you, and presently. Ham. Do you see yonder cloud, that's almost in shape of a camel? Pol. By the mass, and 'tis like a camel,indeed. Ham. Or, like a whale? Pol. Very like a whale. Ham. Then will I come to my mother by and by.-They fool me to the top of my bent. I will come by and by. Pol. I will say so. [Exit POLONIUS. Ham. By and by is easily said.-Leave me, friends. [Ereunt Ros. GUIL. HOR. &c. 'Tis now the very witching time of night; When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out [hot blood, Contagion to this world: Now could I drink And do such bitter business as the day Would quake to look on. Soft; now to my mother, O heart, lose not thy nature; let not ever I will speak daggers to her, but use none; SCENE III. A Room in the same. Enter King, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN. I your commission will forthwith despatch, We will ourselves provide: Ros. The single and peculiar life is bound, With all the strength and armour of the mind, To keep itself from 'noyance; but much more That spirit, upon whose weal depend and rest The lives of many. The cease of majesty Dies not alone; but, like a gulf, doth draw What's near it, with it: it is a massy wheel, Fix'd on the summit of the highest mount, Towhose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things Are mortis'd and adjoin'd; which,when it falls, Each small annexment, petty consequence, Attends the boist'rous ruin. Never alone Did the king sigh, but with a general groan. King. Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy For we will fetters put upon this fear, [voyage; Which now goes too free-footed. Ros. Guil. We will haste us. [Exeunt Ros, and GUIL. Enter POLONIUS. Guil. But these cannot I command to any utterance of harmony; I have not the skill. Ham. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me? You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you Pol. My lord,he's going to his mother's closet: |