Ham. O! that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew;

Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd

His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God! 132
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world.

Fie on 't! O fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,

That grows to seed; things rank and gross in

nature

Possess it merely. That it should come to this!
But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two:
So excellent a king; that was, to this,
Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother
That he might not beteem the winds of heaven
Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth!
Must I remember? why, she would hang on him,
As if increase of appetite had grown

136

140

144

By what it fed on; and yet, within a month,
Let me not think on 't: Frailty, thy name is woman!
A little month; or ere those shoes were old
With which she follow'd my poor father's body,
Like Niobe, all tears; why she, even she,—
O God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason,
Would have mourn'd longer,-married with mine
uncle,

My father's brother, but no more like my father
Than I to Hercules: within a month,

Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing in her galled eyes,

She married. O! most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets.

130 resolve: dissolve
137 merely entirely
149 Niobe; cf. n.
155 flushing: redness
156 post: hasten

132 canon: law 140 Hyperion; cf. n.

149

153

157

134 uses: usages 141 beteem: allow

150 discourse of reason: reasoning power galled: sore with weeping

157 dexterity: facility

It is not nor it cannot come to good;

But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue!

Enter Horatio, Bernardo, and Marcellus.

Hor. Hail to your lordship!

Ham.

I am glad to see you well.

Horatio, or I do forget myself.

160

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

ever.

Ham. Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name

with you.

And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?
Marcellus?

Mar. My good lord,

165

Ham. I am very glad to see you. [To Bernardo.]

Good even, sir.

169

172

But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?
Hor. A truant disposition, good my lord.
Ham. I would not hear your enemy say so,
Nor shall you do mine ear that violence,
To make it truster of your own report
Against yourself; I know you are no truant.
But what is your affair in Elsinore?
We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.
Hor. My lord, I came to see your father's

funeral.

176

Ham. I pray thee, do not mock me, fellow-student;

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

Hor. Indeed, my lord, it follow'd hard upon.

Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio! the funeral bak'd meats

Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven

161 forget myself; cf. n.

180 bak'd meats: meat pies; cf. n.

180

169 disposition: temperament, mood 182 dearest: direst

Ere I had ever seen that day, Horatio!
My father, methinks I see my father.
Hor. O! where, my lord?

184

Ham.
In my mind's eye, Horatio.
Hor. I saw him once; he was a goodly king.
Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.
Ham. Saw? Who?

Hor. My lord, the king your father.

Нат.

188

192

The king, my father? Hor. Season your admiration for a while With an attent ear, till I may deliver, Upon the witness of these gentlemen, This marvel to you.

Ham.

For God's love, let me hear.

Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen, 196 Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,

In the dead vast and middle of the night,

Been thus encounter'd: a figure like your father,
Arm'd at all points exactly, cap-a-pe,

Appears before them, and with solemn march
Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd
By their oppress'd and fear-surprised eyes,

200

Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, distill'd

Almost to jelly with the act of fear,

Stand dumb and speak not to him. This to me
In dreadful secrecy impart they did,

And I with them the third night kept the watch;
Where, as they had deliver'd, both in time,

192 Season: temper, qualify 193 attent: attentive

200 cap-a-pe: from head to foot 204 truncheon: officer's staff

204

209

Form of the thing, each word made true and good, The apparition comes. I knew your father;

These hands are not more like.

Ham.

But where was this?

Mar. My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd.

Ham. Did you not speak to it?

Hor.

213

216

My lord, I did; But answer made it none; yet once methought It lifted up it head and did address Itself to motion, like as it would speak; But even then the morning cock crew loud, And at the sound it shrunk in haste away And vanish'd from our sight.

Ham.

'Tis very strange.

Hor. As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true; And we did think it writ down in our duty

To let you know of it.

220

Ham. Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me. 224 Hold you the watch to-night?

Mar.

Ber.

My lord, from head to foot.

Ham. Then saw you not his face?

Hor. O yes! my lord; he wore his beaver up.
Ham. What! look'd he frowningly?

228

Hor. A countenance more in sorrow than in anger. Ham. Pale or red?

229 beaver: face-guard of a helmet

232

216 it: its

Hor. Nay, very pale.
Ham.

Hor. Most constantly.

Ham.

And fix'd his eyes upon you?

I would I had been there.

Hor. It would have much amaz'd you.
Ham. Very like, very like.

Stay'd it long?

236

Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell a

240

Hor. It was, as I have seen it in his life,

Ham. If it assume my noble father's person,
I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape
And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,
If you have hitherto conceal'd this sight,
Let it be tenable in your silence still;
And whatsoever else shall hap to-night,
Give it an understanding, but no tongue:

I will requite your loves. So, fare you well.
Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve,
I'll visit you.

All.

Our duty to your honour.
Ham. Your loves, as mine to you. Farewell.

244

248

252

Exeunt [all but Hamlet].

My father's spirit in arms! all is not well;

I doubt some foul play: would the night were come!

237 tell: count 239 grizzled: grey 241 sable: heraldic term for black 247 tenable: that which may be kept