Reading Help HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
That did I, my lord, and was accounted a good actor. `
` `
` Ham. `
` What did you enact? `
` `
` Pol. `
` I did enact Julius Caesar; I was kill'd 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. `
` `
` Queen. `
` Come hither, my dear Hamlet, sit by me. `
` `
` Ham. `
` No, good mother, here's metal more attractive. `
` `
` Pol. `
` O, ho! do you mark that? [To the King.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` Lady, shall I lie in your lap? `
` [Lying down at Ophelia's feet.] `
` `
` Oph. `
` No, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I mean, my head upon your lap? `
` `
` Oph. `
` Ay, 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 maids' 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 's 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: but, 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 enters.] `
` `
` [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, pours poison in the king's ears, and exit. The `
` Queen returns, finds the King dead, and makes passionate action. `
` The Poisoner with some three or four Mutes, comes in again, `
` seeming to lament with her. The dead body is carried away. The `
` Poisoner wooes the Queen with gifts; she seems loth and unwilling `
` awhile, but in the end accepts his love.] `
` `
` [Exeunt.] `
` `
` Oph. `
` What means this, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Marry, this is miching mallecho; 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 ashamed 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! `
` But, woe is me, you are so sick of late, `
` So far from cheer and from your former state. `
` That I distrust you. Yet, though I distrust, `
` Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must: `
` For women's fear and love holds quantity; `
` In neither aught, or in extremity. `
` Now, what my love is, proof hath made you know; `
` And as my love is siz'd, my fear is so: `
` Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear; `
` Where little fears grow great, great love grows there. `
` `
` P. King. `
` Faith, I must leave thee, love, and shortly too; `
` My operant powers their functions leave to do: `
` And thou shalt live in this fair world behind, `
` Honour'd, belov'd, and haply one as kind `
` For husband shalt thou,-- `
` `
` 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. `
` [Aside.] Wormwood, wormwood! `
` `
` P. Queen. `
` The instances that second marriage move `
` Are 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. `
` Purpose is but the slave to memory; `
` Of violent birth, but poor validity: `
` Which now, like fruit unripe, sticks on the tree; `
` But fall unshaken when they mellow be. `
` Most necessary 'tis that we forget `
` To pay ourselves what to ourselves is debt: `
` What to ourselves in passion we propose, `
` The passion ending, doth the purpose lose. `
` The violence of either grief or joy `
` Their own enactures with themselves destroy: `
` Where joy most revels, grief doth most lament; `
` Grief joys, joy grieves, on slender accident. `
` This world is not for aye; nor 'tis not strange `
` That even our loves should with our fortunes change; `
` For 'tis a question left us yet to prove, `
` Whether love lead fortune, or else fortune love. `
` The great man down, you mark his favourite flies, `
` The poor advanc'd makes friends of enemies; `
` And hitherto doth love on fortune tend: `
`
` `
` Ham. `
` What did you enact? `
` `
` Pol. `
` I did enact Julius Caesar; I was kill'd 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. `
` `
` Queen. `
` Come hither, my dear Hamlet, sit by me. `
` `
` Ham. `
` No, good mother, here's metal more attractive. `
` `
` Pol. `
` O, ho! do you mark that? [To the King.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` Lady, shall I lie in your lap? `
` [Lying down at Ophelia's feet.] `
` `
` Oph. `
` No, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I mean, my head upon your lap? `
` `
` Oph. `
` Ay, 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 maids' 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 's 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: but, 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 enters.] `
` `
` [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, pours poison in the king's ears, and exit. The `
` Queen returns, finds the King dead, and makes passionate action. `
` The Poisoner with some three or four Mutes, comes in again, `
` seeming to lament with her. The dead body is carried away. The `
` Poisoner wooes the Queen with gifts; she seems loth and unwilling `
` awhile, but in the end accepts his love.] `
` `
` [Exeunt.] `
` `
` Oph. `
` What means this, my lord? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Marry, this is miching mallecho; 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 ashamed 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! `
` But, woe is me, you are so sick of late, `
` So far from cheer and from your former state. `
` That I distrust you. Yet, though I distrust, `
` Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must: `
` For women's fear and love holds quantity; `
` In neither aught, or in extremity. `
` Now, what my love is, proof hath made you know; `
` And as my love is siz'd, my fear is so: `
` Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear; `
` Where little fears grow great, great love grows there. `
` `
` P. King. `
` Faith, I must leave thee, love, and shortly too; `
` My operant powers their functions leave to do: `
` And thou shalt live in this fair world behind, `
` Honour'd, belov'd, and haply one as kind `
` For husband shalt thou,-- `
` `
` 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. `
` [Aside.] Wormwood, wormwood! `
` `
` P. Queen. `
` The instances that second marriage move `
` Are 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. `
` Purpose is but the slave to memory; `
` Of violent birth, but poor validity: `
` Which now, like fruit unripe, sticks on the tree; `
` But fall unshaken when they mellow be. `
` Most necessary 'tis that we forget `
` To pay ourselves what to ourselves is debt: `
` What to ourselves in passion we propose, `
` The passion ending, doth the purpose lose. `
` The violence of either grief or joy `
` Their own enactures with themselves destroy: `
` Where joy most revels, grief doth most lament; `
` Grief joys, joy grieves, on slender accident. `
` This world is not for aye; nor 'tis not strange `
` That even our loves should with our fortunes change; `
` For 'tis a question left us yet to prove, `
` Whether love lead fortune, or else fortune love. `
` The great man down, you mark his favourite flies, `
` The poor advanc'd makes friends of enemies; `
` And hitherto doth love on fortune tend: `
`