Reading Help HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in `
` the end: he keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; `
` first mouthed, to be last swallowed: when he needs what you have `
` gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry `
` again. `
` `
` Ros. `
` I understand you not, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear. `
` `
` Ros. `
` My lord, you must tell us where the body is and go with us to `
` the king. `
` `
` Ham. `
` The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. `
` The king is a thing,-- `
` `
` Guil. `
` A thing, my lord! `
` `
` Ham. `
` Of nothing: bring me to him. Hide fox, and all after. `
` `
` [Exeunt.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene III. Another room in the Castle. `
` `
` [Enter King,attended.] `
` `
` King. `
` I have sent to seek him and to find the body. `
` How dangerous is it that this man goes loose! `
` Yet must not we put the strong law on him: `
` He's lov'd of the distracted multitude, `
` Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes; `
` And where 'tis so, the offender's scourge is weigh'd, `
` But never the offence. To bear all smooth and even, `
` This sudden sending him away must seem `
` Deliberate pause: diseases desperate grown `
` By desperate appliance are reliev'd, `
` Or not at all. `
` `
` [Enter Rosencrantz.] `
` `
` How now! what hath befall'n? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Where the dead body is bestow'd, my lord, `
` We cannot get from him. `
` `
` King. `
` But where is he? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure. `
` `
` King. `
` Bring him before us. `
` `
` Ros. `
` Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord. `
` `
` [Enter Hamlet and Guildenstern.] `
` `
` King. `
` Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? `
` `
` Ham. `
` At supper. `
` `
` King. `
` At supper! where? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain `
` convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your `
` only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else to fat us, and `
` we fat ourselves for maggots: your fat king and your lean beggar `
` is but variable service,--two dishes, but to one table: that's `
` the end. `
` `
` King. `
` Alas, alas! `
` `
` Ham. `
` A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat `
` of the fish that hath fed of that worm. `
` `
` King. `
` What dost thou mean by this? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through `
` the guts of a beggar. `
` `
` King. `
` Where is Polonius? `
` `
` Ham. `
` In heaven: send thither to see: if your messenger find him not `
` there, seek him i' the other place yourself. But, indeed, if you `
` find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up `
` the stairs into the lobby. `
` `
` King. `
` Go seek him there. [To some Attendants.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` He will stay till you come. `
` `
` [Exeunt Attendants.] `
` `
` King. `
` Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety,-- `
` Which we do tender, as we dearly grieve `
` For that which thou hast done,--must send thee hence `
` With fiery quickness: therefore prepare thyself; `
` The bark is ready, and the wind at help, `
` The associates tend, and everything is bent `
` For England. `
` `
` Ham. `
` For England! `
` `
` King. `
` Ay, Hamlet. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Good. `
` `
` King. `
` So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I see a cherub that sees them.--But, come; for England!-- `
` Farewell, dear mother. `
` `
` King. `
` Thy loving father, Hamlet. `
` `
` Ham. `
` My mother: father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is `
` one flesh; and so, my mother.--Come, for England! `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` King. `
` Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard; `
` Delay it not; I'll have him hence to-night: `
` Away! for everything is seal'd and done `
` That else leans on the affair: pray you, make haste. `
` `
` [Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.] `
` `
` And, England, if my love thou hold'st at aught,-- `
` As my great power thereof may give thee sense, `
` Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red `
` After the Danish sword, and thy free awe `
` Pays homage to us,--thou mayst not coldly set `
` Our sovereign process; which imports at full, `
` By letters conjuring to that effect, `
` The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England; `
` For like the hectic in my blood he rages, `
` And thou must cure me: till I know 'tis done, `
` Howe'er my haps, my joys were ne'er begun. `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene IV. A plain in Denmark. `
` `
` [Enter Fortinbras, and Forces marching.] `
` `
` For. `
` Go, Captain, from me greet the Danish king: `
` Tell him that, by his license, Fortinbras `
` Craves the conveyance of a promis'd march `
` Over his kingdom. You know the rendezvous. `
` If that his majesty would aught with us, `
` We shall express our duty in his eye; `
` And let him know so. `
` `
` Capt. `
` I will do't, my lord. `
` `
` For. `
` Go softly on. `
` `
` [Exeunt all For. and Forces.] `
` `
` [Enter Hamlet, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, &c.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` Good sir, whose powers are these? `
` `
`
` the end: he keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; `
` first mouthed, to be last swallowed: when he needs what you have `
` gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry `
` again. `
` `
` Ros. `
` I understand you not, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear. `
` `
` Ros. `
` My lord, you must tell us where the body is and go with us to `
` the king. `
` `
` Ham. `
` The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. `
` The king is a thing,-- `
` `
` Guil. `
` A thing, my lord! `
` `
` Ham. `
` Of nothing: bring me to him. Hide fox, and all after. `
` `
` [Exeunt.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene III. Another room in the Castle. `
` `
` [Enter King,attended.] `
` `
` King. `
` I have sent to seek him and to find the body. `
` How dangerous is it that this man goes loose! `
` Yet must not we put the strong law on him: `
` He's lov'd of the distracted multitude, `
` Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes; `
` And where 'tis so, the offender's scourge is weigh'd, `
` But never the offence. To bear all smooth and even, `
` This sudden sending him away must seem `
` Deliberate pause: diseases desperate grown `
` By desperate appliance are reliev'd, `
` Or not at all. `
` `
` [Enter Rosencrantz.] `
` `
` How now! what hath befall'n? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Where the dead body is bestow'd, my lord, `
` We cannot get from him. `
` `
` King. `
` But where is he? `
` `
` Ros. `
` Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure. `
` `
` King. `
` Bring him before us. `
` `
` Ros. `
` Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord. `
` `
` [Enter Hamlet and Guildenstern.] `
` `
` King. `
` Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? `
` `
` Ham. `
` At supper. `
` `
` King. `
` At supper! where? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain `
` convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your `
` only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else to fat us, and `
` we fat ourselves for maggots: your fat king and your lean beggar `
` is but variable service,--two dishes, but to one table: that's `
` the end. `
` `
` King. `
` Alas, alas! `
` `
` Ham. `
` A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat `
` of the fish that hath fed of that worm. `
` `
` King. `
` What dost thou mean by this? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through `
` the guts of a beggar. `
` `
` King. `
` Where is Polonius? `
` `
` Ham. `
` In heaven: send thither to see: if your messenger find him not `
` there, seek him i' the other place yourself. But, indeed, if you `
` find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up `
` the stairs into the lobby. `
` `
` King. `
` Go seek him there. [To some Attendants.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` He will stay till you come. `
` `
` [Exeunt Attendants.] `
` `
` King. `
` Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety,-- `
` Which we do tender, as we dearly grieve `
` For that which thou hast done,--must send thee hence `
` With fiery quickness: therefore prepare thyself; `
` The bark is ready, and the wind at help, `
` The associates tend, and everything is bent `
` For England. `
` `
` Ham. `
` For England! `
` `
` King. `
` Ay, Hamlet. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Good. `
` `
` King. `
` So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I see a cherub that sees them.--But, come; for England!-- `
` Farewell, dear mother. `
` `
` King. `
` Thy loving father, Hamlet. `
` `
` Ham. `
` My mother: father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is `
` one flesh; and so, my mother.--Come, for England! `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` King. `
` Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard; `
` Delay it not; I'll have him hence to-night: `
` Away! for everything is seal'd and done `
` That else leans on the affair: pray you, make haste. `
` `
` [Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.] `
` `
` And, England, if my love thou hold'st at aught,-- `
` As my great power thereof may give thee sense, `
` Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red `
` After the Danish sword, and thy free awe `
` Pays homage to us,--thou mayst not coldly set `
` Our sovereign process; which imports at full, `
` By letters conjuring to that effect, `
` The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England; `
` For like the hectic in my blood he rages, `
` And thou must cure me: till I know 'tis done, `
` Howe'er my haps, my joys were ne'er begun. `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene IV. A plain in Denmark. `
` `
` [Enter Fortinbras, and Forces marching.] `
` `
` For. `
` Go, Captain, from me greet the Danish king: `
` Tell him that, by his license, Fortinbras `
` Craves the conveyance of a promis'd march `
` Over his kingdom. You know the rendezvous. `
` If that his majesty would aught with us, `
` We shall express our duty in his eye; `
` And let him know so. `
` `
` Capt. `
` I will do't, my lord. `
` `
` For. `
` Go softly on. `
` `
` [Exeunt all For. and Forces.] `
` `
` [Enter Hamlet, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, &c.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` Good sir, whose powers are these? `
` `
`