Reading Help HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
`
` [Flourish of trumpets within.] `
` `
` Guil. `
` There are the players. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands, come: the `
` appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony: let me comply `
` with you in this garb; lest my extent to the players, which I `
` tell you must show fairly outward, should more appear like `
` entertainment than yours. You are welcome: but my uncle-father `
` and aunt-mother are deceived. `
` `
` Guil. `
` In what, my dear lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I `
` know a hawk from a handsaw. `
` `
` [Enter Polonius.] `
` `
` Pol. `
` Well be with you, gentlemen! `
` `
` Ham. `
` Hark you, Guildenstern;--and you too;--at each ear a hearer: that `
` great baby you see there is not yet out of his swaddling clouts. `
` `
` Ros. `
` Happily he's the second time come to them; for they say an old `
` man is twice a child. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I will prophesy he comes to tell me of the players; mark it.--You `
` say right, sir: o' Monday morning; 'twas so indeed. `
` `
` Pol. `
` My lord, I have news to tell you. `
` `
` Ham. `
` My lord, I have news to tell you. When Roscius was an actor in `
` Rome,-- `
` `
` Pol. `
` The actors are come hither, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Buzz, buzz! `
` `
` Pol. `
` Upon my honour,-- `
` `
` Ham. `
` Then came each actor on his ass,-- `
` `
` Pol. `
` The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, `
` history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, `
` tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene `
` individable, or poem unlimited: Seneca cannot be too heavy nor `
` Plautus too light. For the law of writ and the liberty, these are `
` the only men. `
` `
` Ham. `
` O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou! `
` `
` Pol. `
` What treasure had he, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why-- `
` 'One fair daughter, and no more, `
` The which he loved passing well.' `
` `
` `
` Pol. `
` [Aside.] Still on my daughter. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Am I not i' the right, old Jephthah? `
` `
` Pol. `
` If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a daughter that I `
` love passing well. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Nay, that follows not. `
` `
` Pol. `
` What follows, then, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why-- `
` 'As by lot, God wot,' `
` and then, you know, `
` 'It came to pass, as most like it was--' `
` The first row of the pious chanson will show you more; for look `
` where my abridgment comes. `
` `
` [Enter four or five Players.] `
` `
` You are welcome, masters; welcome, all:--I am glad to see thee `
` well.--welcome, good friends.--O, my old friend! Thy face is `
` valanc'd since I saw thee last; comest thou to beard me in `
` Denmark?--What, my young lady and mistress! By'r lady, your `
` ladyship is nearer to heaven than when I saw you last, by the `
` altitude of a chopine. Pray God, your voice, like a piece of `
` uncurrent gold, be not cracked within the ring.--Masters, you are `
` all welcome. We'll e'en to't like French falconers, fly at `
` anything we see: we'll have a speech straight: come, give us a `
` taste of your quality: come, a passionate speech. `
` `
` I Play. `
` What speech, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` I heard thee speak me a speech once,--but it was never acted; `
` or if it was, not above once; for the play, I remember, pleased `
` not the million, 'twas caviare to the general; but it was,--as I `
` received it, and others, whose judgments in such matters cried in `
` the top of mine,--an excellent play, well digested in the scenes, `
` set down with as much modesty as cunning. I remember, one said `
` there were no sallets in the lines to make the matter savoury, `
` nor no matter in the phrase that might indite the author of `
` affectation; but called it an honest method, as wholesome as `
` sweet, and by very much more handsome than fine. One speech in it `
` I chiefly loved: 'twas AEneas' tale to Dido, and thereabout of it `
` especially where he speaks of Priam's slaughter: if it live in `
` your memory, begin at this line;--let me see, let me see:-- `
` `
` The rugged Pyrrhus, like th' Hyrcanian beast,-- `
` `
` it is not so:-- it begins with Pyrrhus:-- `
` `
` 'The rugged Pyrrhus,--he whose sable arms, `
` Black as his purpose,did the night resemble `
` When he lay couched in the ominous horse,-- `
` Hath now this dread and black complexion smear'd `
` With heraldry more dismal; head to foot `
` Now is be total gules; horridly trick'd `
` With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, `
` Bak'd and impasted with the parching streets, `
` That lend a tyrannous and a damned light `
` To their vile murders: roasted in wrath and fire, `
` And thus o'ersized with coagulate gore, `
` With eyes like carbuncles, the hellish Pyrrhus `
` Old grandsire Priam seeks.' `
` `
` So, proceed you. `
` `
` Pol. `
` 'Fore God, my lord, well spoken, with good accent and good `
` discretion. `
` `
` I Play. `
` Anon he finds him, `
` Striking too short at Greeks: his antique sword, `
` Rebellious to his arm, lies where it falls, `
` Repugnant to command: unequal match'd, `
` Pyrrhus at Priam drives; in rage strikes wide; `
` But with the whiff and wind of his fell sword `
` The unnerved father falls. Then senseless Ilium, `
` Seeming to feel this blow, with flaming top `
` Stoops to his base; and with a hideous crash `
` Takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear: for lo! his sword, `
` Which was declining on the milky head `
` Of reverend Priam, seem'd i' the air to stick: `
` So, as a painted tyrant, Pyrrhus stood; `
` And, like a neutral to his will and matter, `
` Did nothing. `
` But as we often see, against some storm, `
` A silence in the heavens, the rack stand still, `
` The bold winds speechless, and the orb below `
` As hush as death, anon the dreadful thunder `
` Doth rend the region; so, after Pyrrhus' pause, `
` A roused vengeance sets him new a-work; `
` And never did the Cyclops' hammers fall `
` On Mars's armour, forg'd for proof eterne, `
` With less remorse than Pyrrhus' bleeding sword `
` Now falls on Priam.-- `
` Out, out, thou strumpet, Fortune! All you gods, `
` In general synod, take away her power; `
` Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel, `
` And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven, `
` As low as to the fiends! `
` `
` Pol. `
` This is too long. `
` `
` Ham. `
` It shall to the barber's, with your beard.--Pr'ythee say on.-- `
` He's for a jig or a tale of bawdry, or he sleeps:--say on; come `
` to Hecuba. `
` `
` I Play. `
` But who, O who, had seen the mobled queen,-- `
` `
` Ham. `
` 'The mobled queen'? `
`
` [Flourish of trumpets within.] `
` `
` Guil. `
` There are the players. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands, come: the `
` appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony: let me comply `
` with you in this garb; lest my extent to the players, which I `
` tell you must show fairly outward, should more appear like `
` entertainment than yours. You are welcome: but my uncle-father `
` and aunt-mother are deceived. `
` `
` Guil. `
` In what, my dear lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I `
` know a hawk from a handsaw. `
` `
` [Enter Polonius.] `
` `
` Pol. `
` Well be with you, gentlemen! `
` `
` Ham. `
` Hark you, Guildenstern;--and you too;--at each ear a hearer: that `
` great baby you see there is not yet out of his swaddling clouts. `
` `
` Ros. `
` Happily he's the second time come to them; for they say an old `
` man is twice a child. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I will prophesy he comes to tell me of the players; mark it.--You `
` say right, sir: o' Monday morning; 'twas so indeed. `
` `
` Pol. `
` My lord, I have news to tell you. `
` `
` Ham. `
` My lord, I have news to tell you. When Roscius was an actor in `
` Rome,-- `
` `
` Pol. `
` The actors are come hither, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Buzz, buzz! `
` `
` Pol. `
` Upon my honour,-- `
` `
` Ham. `
` Then came each actor on his ass,-- `
` `
` Pol. `
` The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, `
` history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, `
` tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene `
` individable, or poem unlimited: Seneca cannot be too heavy nor `
` Plautus too light. For the law of writ and the liberty, these are `
` the only men. `
` `
` Ham. `
` O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou! `
` `
` Pol. `
` What treasure had he, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why-- `
` 'One fair daughter, and no more, `
` The which he loved passing well.' `
` `
` `
` Pol. `
` [Aside.] Still on my daughter. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Am I not i' the right, old Jephthah? `
` `
` Pol. `
` If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a daughter that I `
` love passing well. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Nay, that follows not. `
` `
` Pol. `
` What follows, then, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why-- `
` 'As by lot, God wot,' `
` and then, you know, `
` 'It came to pass, as most like it was--' `
` The first row of the pious chanson will show you more; for look `
` where my abridgment comes. `
` `
` [Enter four or five Players.] `
` `
` You are welcome, masters; welcome, all:--I am glad to see thee `
` well.--welcome, good friends.--O, my old friend! Thy face is `
` valanc'd since I saw thee last; comest thou to beard me in `
` Denmark?--What, my young lady and mistress! By'r lady, your `
` ladyship is nearer to heaven than when I saw you last, by the `
` altitude of a chopine. Pray God, your voice, like a piece of `
` uncurrent gold, be not cracked within the ring.--Masters, you are `
` all welcome. We'll e'en to't like French falconers, fly at `
` anything we see: we'll have a speech straight: come, give us a `
` taste of your quality: come, a passionate speech. `
` `
` I Play. `
` What speech, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` I heard thee speak me a speech once,--but it was never acted; `
` or if it was, not above once; for the play, I remember, pleased `
` not the million, 'twas caviare to the general; but it was,--as I `
` received it, and others, whose judgments in such matters cried in `
` the top of mine,--an excellent play, well digested in the scenes, `
` set down with as much modesty as cunning. I remember, one said `
` there were no sallets in the lines to make the matter savoury, `
` nor no matter in the phrase that might indite the author of `
` affectation; but called it an honest method, as wholesome as `
` sweet, and by very much more handsome than fine. One speech in it `
` I chiefly loved: 'twas AEneas' tale to Dido, and thereabout of it `
` especially where he speaks of Priam's slaughter: if it live in `
` your memory, begin at this line;--let me see, let me see:-- `
` `
` The rugged Pyrrhus, like th' Hyrcanian beast,-- `
` `
` it is not so:-- it begins with Pyrrhus:-- `
` `
` 'The rugged Pyrrhus,--he whose sable arms, `
` Black as his purpose,did the night resemble `
` When he lay couched in the ominous horse,-- `
` Hath now this dread and black complexion smear'd `
` With heraldry more dismal; head to foot `
` Now is be total gules; horridly trick'd `
` With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, `
` Bak'd and impasted with the parching streets, `
` That lend a tyrannous and a damned light `
` To their vile murders: roasted in wrath and fire, `
` And thus o'ersized with coagulate gore, `
` With eyes like carbuncles, the hellish Pyrrhus `
` Old grandsire Priam seeks.' `
` `
` So, proceed you. `
` `
` Pol. `
` 'Fore God, my lord, well spoken, with good accent and good `
` discretion. `
` `
` I Play. `
` Anon he finds him, `
` Striking too short at Greeks: his antique sword, `
` Rebellious to his arm, lies where it falls, `
` Repugnant to command: unequal match'd, `
` Pyrrhus at Priam drives; in rage strikes wide; `
` But with the whiff and wind of his fell sword `
` The unnerved father falls. Then senseless Ilium, `
` Seeming to feel this blow, with flaming top `
` Stoops to his base; and with a hideous crash `
` Takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear: for lo! his sword, `
` Which was declining on the milky head `
` Of reverend Priam, seem'd i' the air to stick: `
` So, as a painted tyrant, Pyrrhus stood; `
` And, like a neutral to his will and matter, `
` Did nothing. `
` But as we often see, against some storm, `
` A silence in the heavens, the rack stand still, `
` The bold winds speechless, and the orb below `
` As hush as death, anon the dreadful thunder `
` Doth rend the region; so, after Pyrrhus' pause, `
` A roused vengeance sets him new a-work; `
` And never did the Cyclops' hammers fall `
` On Mars's armour, forg'd for proof eterne, `
` With less remorse than Pyrrhus' bleeding sword `
` Now falls on Priam.-- `
` Out, out, thou strumpet, Fortune! All you gods, `
` In general synod, take away her power; `
` Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel, `
` And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven, `
` As low as to the fiends! `
` `
` Pol. `
` This is too long. `
` `
` Ham. `
` It shall to the barber's, with your beard.--Pr'ythee say on.-- `
` He's for a jig or a tale of bawdry, or he sleeps:--say on; come `
` to Hecuba. `
` `
` I Play. `
` But who, O who, had seen the mobled queen,-- `
` `
` Ham. `
` 'The mobled queen'? `
`