SCENE II. A room in the castle.

Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, and Attendants KING CLAUDIUS Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern! Moreover that we much did long to see you, The need we have to use you did provoke Our hasty sending. omething have you heard O! "amlet#s trans!ormation$ so call it, ith nor the e%terior nor the inward man Resem&les that it was. What it should &e, More than his !ather#s death, that thus hath put him o much !rom the understanding o! himsel!, ' cannot dream o!( ' entreat you &oth, That, &eing o! so young days &rought up with him, )nd sith so neigh&our#d to his youth and havior, That you vouchsa!e your rest here in our court ome little time( so &y your companies To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather, o much as !rom occasion you may glean, Whether aught, to us unknown, a!!licts him thus, That, open#d, lies within our remedy. QUEEN GERTRUDE Good gentlemen, he hath much talk#d o! you$ )nd sure ' am two men there are not living To whom he more adheres. '! it will please you To show us so much gentry and good will )s to e%pend your time with us awhile, *or the supply and pro!it o! our hope, +our visitation shall receive such thanks )s !its a king#s remem&rance. ROSENCRANTZ ,oth your ma-esties Might, &y the sovereign power you have o! us, .ut your dread pleasures more into command Than to entreaty. GUILDENSTERN ,ut we &oth o&ey, )nd here give up ourselves, in the !ull &ent To lay our service !reely at your !eet, To &e commanded. KING CLAUDIUS Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern. QUEEN GERTRUDE

Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz( )nd ' &eseech you instantly to visit My too much changed son. Go, some o! you, )nd &ring these gentlemen where "amlet is. GUILDENSTERN "eavens make our presence and our practises .leasant and help!ul to him! QUEEN GERTRUDE )y, amen! Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, and some Attendants Enter POLONIUS LORD POLONIUS The am&assadors !rom /orway, my good lord, )re -oy!ully return#d. KING CLAUDIUS Thou still hast &een the !ather o! good news. LORD POLONIUS "ave ', my lord0 ' assure my good liege, ' hold my duty, as ' hold my soul, ,oth to my God and to my gracious king( )nd ' do think, or else this &rain o! mine "unts not the trail o! policy so sure )s it hath used to do, that ' have !ound The very cause o! "amlet#s lunacy. KING CLAUDIUS O, speak o! that$ that do ' long to hear. LORD POLONIUS Give !irst admittance to the am&assadors$ My news shall &e the !ruit to that great !east. KING CLAUDIUS Thysel! do grace to them, and &ring them in. Exit POLONIUS "e tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath !ound The head and source o! all your son#s distemper. QUEEN GERTRUDE ' dou&t it is no other &ut the main$ "is !ather#s death, and our o#erhasty marriage. KING CLAUDIUS Well, we shall si!t him. Re enter POLONIUS, !it" #OLTI$AND and CORNELIUS

Welcome, my good !riends! ay, 1oltimand, what !rom our &rother /orway0 OLTI!AND Most !air return o! greetings and desires. 2pon our !irst, he sent out to suppress "is nephew#s levies$ which to him appear#d To &e a preparation #gainst the .olack$ ,ut, &etter look#d into, he truly !ound 't was against your highness( whereat grieved, That so his sickness, age and impotence Was !alsely &orne in hand, sends out arrests On *ortin&ras$ which he, in &rie!, o&eys$ Receives re&uke !rom /orway, and in !ine Makes vow &e!ore his uncle never more To give the assay o! arms against your ma-esty. Whereon old /orway, overcome with -oy, Gives him three thousand crowns in annual !ee, )nd his commission to employ those soldiers, o levied as &e!ore, against the .olack( With an entreaty, herein !urther shown, Gi%in& a 'a'er That it might please you to give 3uiet pass Through your dominions !or this enterprise, On such regards o! sa!ety and allowance )s therein are set down. KING CLAUDIUS 't likes us well$ )nd at our more consider#d time well read, )nswer, and think upon this &usiness. Meantime we thank you !or your well4took la&our( Go to your rest$ at night we#ll !east together( Most welcome home! Exeunt #OLTI$AND and CORNELIUS LORD POLONIUS This &usiness is well ended. My liege, and madam, to e%postulate What ma-esty should &e, what duty is, Why day is day, night night, and time is time, Were nothing &ut to waste night, day and time. There!ore, since &revity is the soul o! wit, )nd tediousness the lim&s and outward !lourishes, ' will &e &rie!( your no&le son is mad(

Mad call ' it$ !or, to de!ine true madness, What is#t &ut to &e nothing else &ut mad0 ,ut let that go. QUEEN GERTRUDE More matter, with less art. LORD POLONIUS Madam, ' swear ' use no art at all. That he is mad, #tis true( #tis true #tis pity$ )nd pity #tis #tis true( a !oolish !igure$ ,ut !arewell it, !or ' will use no art. Mad let us grant him, then( and now remains That we !ind out the cause o! this e!!ect, Or rather say, the cause o! this de!ect, *or this e!!ect de!ective comes &y cause( Thus it remains, and the remainder thus. .erpend. ' have a daughter44have while she is mine44 Who, in her duty and o&edience, mark, "ath given me this( now gather, and surmise. Reads #To the celestial and my soul#s idol, the most &eauti!ied Ophelia,#44 That#s an ill phrase, a vile phrase$ #&eauti!ied# is a vile phrase( &ut you shall hear. Thus( Reads #'n her e%cellent white &osom, these, 5 c.# QUEEN GERTRUDE 6ame this !rom "amlet to her0 LORD POLONIUS Good madam, stay awhile$ ' will &e !aith!ul. Reads #7ou&t thou the stars are !ire$ 7ou&t that the sun doth move$ 7ou&t truth to &e a liar$ ,ut never dou&t ' love. #O dear Ophelia, ' am ill at these num&ers$ ' have not art to reckon my groans( &ut that ' love thee &est, O most &est, &elieve it. )dieu. #Thine evermore most dear lady, whilst this machine is to him, ")M89T.# This, in o&edience, hath my daughter shown me,

)nd more a&ove, hath his solicitings, )s they !ell out &y time, &y means and place, )ll given to mine ear. KING CLAUDIUS ,ut how hath she Received his love0 LORD POLONIUS What do you think o! me0 KING CLAUDIUS )s o! a man !aith!ul and honoura&le. LORD POLONIUS ' would !ain prove so. ,ut what might you think, When ' had seen this hot love on the wing44 )s ' perceived it, ' must tell you that, ,e!ore my daughter told me44what might you, Or my dear ma-esty your 3ueen here, think, '! ' had play#d the desk or ta&le4&ook, Or given my heart a winking, mute and dum&, Or look#d upon this love with idle sight$ What might you think0 /o, ' went round to work, )nd my young mistress thus ' did &espeak( #8ord "amlet is a prince, out o! thy star$ This must not &e(# and then ' precepts gave her, That she should lock hersel! !rom his resort, )dmit no messengers, receive no tokens. Which done, she took the !ruits o! my advice$ )nd he, repulsed44a short tale to make44 *ell into a sadness, then into a !ast, Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness, Thence to a lightness, and, &y this declension, 'nto the madness wherein now he raves, )nd all we mourn !or. KING CLAUDIUS 7o you think #tis this0 QUEEN GERTRUDE 't may &e, very likely. LORD POLONIUS "ath there &een such a time44'#d !ain know that44 That ' have positively said #Tis so,# When it proved otherwise0 KING CLAUDIUS /ot that ' know. LORD POLONIUS :.ointing to his head and shoulder; Take this !rom this, i! this &e otherwise( '! circumstances lead me, ' will !ind

Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed Within the centre. KING CLAUDIUS "ow may we try it !urther0 LORD POLONIUS +ou know, sometimes he walks !our hours together "ere in the lo&&y. QUEEN GERTRUDE o he does indeed. LORD POLONIUS )t such a time '#ll loose my daughter to him( ,e you and ' &ehind an arras then$ Mark the encounter( i! he love her not )nd &e not !rom his reason !all#n thereon, 8et me &e no assistant !or a state, ,ut keep a !arm and carters. KING CLAUDIUS We will try it. QUEEN GERTRUDE ,ut, look, where sadly the poor wretch comes reading. LORD POLONIUS )way, ' do &eseech you, &oth away( '#ll &oard him presently. Exeunt KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, and Attendants Enter (A$LET, readin& O, give me leave( "ow does my good 8ord "amlet0 "A!LET Well, God4a4mercy. LORD POLONIUS 7o you know me, my lord0 "A!LET 9%cellent well$ you are a !ishmonger. LORD POLONIUS /ot ', my lord. "A!LET Then ' would you were so honest a man. LORD POLONIUS "onest, my lord! "A!LET )y, sir$ to &e honest, as this world goes, is to &e one man picked out o! ten thousand. LORD POLONIUS

That#s very true, my lord. "A!LET *or i! the sun &reed maggots in a dead dog, &eing a god kissing carrion,44"ave you a daughter0 LORD POLONIUS ' have, my lord. "A!LET 8et her not walk i# the sun( conception is a &lessing( &ut not as your daughter may conceive. *riend, look to #t. LORD POLONIUS :)side; "ow say you &y that0 till harping on my daughter( yet he knew me not at !irst$ he said ' was a !ishmonger( he is !ar gone, !ar gone( and truly in my youth ' su!!ered much e%tremity !or love$ very near this. '#ll speak to him again. What do you read, my lord0 "A!LET Words, words, words. LORD POLONIUS What is the matter, my lord0 "A!LET ,etween who0 LORD POLONIUS ' mean, the matter that you read, my lord. "A!LET landers, sir( !or the satirical rogue says here that old men have grey &eards, that their !aces are wrinkled, their eyes purging thick am&er and plum4tree gum and that they have a plenti!ul lack o! wit, together with most weak hams( all which, sir, though ' most power!ully and potently &elieve, yet ' hold it not honesty to have it thus set down, !or yoursel!, sir, should &e old as ' am, i! like a cra& you could go &ackward. LORD POLONIUS :)side; Though this &e madness, yet there is method in #t. Will you walk out o! the air, my lord0 "A!LET 'nto my grave. LORD POLONIUS 'ndeed, that is out o# the air. Aside

"ow pregnant sometimes his replies are! a happiness that o!ten madness hits on, which reason and sanity could not so prosperously &e delivered o!. ' will leave him, and suddenly contrive the means o! meeting &etween him and my daughter.44My honoura&le lord, ' will most hum&ly take my leave o! you. "A!LET +ou cannot, sir, take !rom me any thing that ' will more willingly part withal( e%cept my li!e, e%cept my li!e, e%cept my li!e. LORD POLONIUS *are you well, my lord. "A!LET These tedious old !ools! Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN LORD POLONIUS +ou go to seek the 8ord "amlet$ there he is. ROSENCRANTZ :To .O8O/'2 ; God save you, sir! Exit POLONIUS GUILDENSTERN My honoured lord! ROSENCRANTZ My most dear lord! "A!LET My e%cellent good !riends! "ow dost thou, Guildenstern0 )h, Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do ye &oth0 ROSENCRANTZ )s the indi!!erent children o! the earth. GUILDENSTERN "appy, in that we are not over4happy$ On !ortune#s cap we are not the very &utton. "A!LET /or the soles o! her shoe0 ROSENCRANTZ /either, my lord. "A!LET Then you live a&out her waist, or in the middle o! her !avours0 GUILDENSTERN #*aith, her privates we. "A!LET

'n the secret parts o! !ortune0 O, most true$ she is a strumpet. What#s the news0 ROSENCRANTZ /one, my lord, &ut that the world#s grown honest. "A!LET Then is doomsday near( &ut your news is not true. 8et me 3uestion more in particular( what have you, my good !riends, deserved at the hands o! !ortune, that she sends you to prison hither0 GUILDENSTERN .rison, my lord! "A!LET 7enmark#s a prison. ROSENCRANTZ Then is the world one. "A!LET ) goodly one$ in which there are many con!ines, wards and dungeons, 7enmark &eing one o# the worst. ROSENCRANTZ We think not so, my lord. "A!LET Why, then, #tis none to you$ !or there is nothing either good or &ad, &ut thinking makes it so( to me it is a prison. ROSENCRANTZ Why then, your am&ition makes it one$ #tis too narrow !or your mind. "A!LET O God, ' could &e &ounded in a nut shell and count mysel! a king o! in!inite space, were it not that ' have &ad dreams. GUILDENSTERN Which dreams indeed are am&ition, !or the very su&stance o! the am&itious is merely the shadow o! a dream. "A!LET ) dream itsel! is &ut a shadow. ROSENCRANTZ Truly, and ' hold am&ition o! so airy and light a 3uality that it is &ut a shadow#s shadow. "A!LET Then are our &eggars &odies, and our monarchs and outstretched heroes the &eggars# shadows. hall we to the court0 !or, &y my !ay, ' cannot reason. ROSENCRANTZ GUILDENSTERN We#ll wait upon you. "A!LET

/o such matter( ' will not sort you with the rest o! my servants, !or, to speak to you like an honest man, ' am most dread!ully attended. ,ut, in the &eaten way o! !riendship, what make you at 9lsinore0 ROSENCRANTZ To visit you, my lord$ no other occasion. "A!LET ,eggar that ' am, ' am even poor in thanks$ &ut ' thank you( and sure, dear !riends, my thanks are too dear a hal!penny. Were you not sent !or0 's it your own inclining0 's it a !ree visitation0 6ome, deal -ustly with me( come, come$ nay, speak. GUILDENSTERN What should we say, my lord0 "A!LET Why, any thing, &ut to the purpose. +ou were sent !or$ and there is a kind o! con!ession in your looks which your modesties have not cra!t enough to colour( ' know the good king and 3ueen have sent !or you. ROSENCRANTZ To what end, my lord0 "A!LET That you must teach me. ,ut let me con-ure you, &y the rights o! our !ellowship, &y the consonancy o! our youth, &y the o&ligation o! our ever4preserved love, and &y what more dear a &etter proposer could charge you withal, &e even and direct with me, whether you were sent !or, or no0 ROSENCRANTZ :)side to G2'879/ T9R/; What say you0 "A!LET :)side; /ay, then, ' have an eye o! you.44'! you love me, hold not o!!. GUILDENSTERN My lord, we were sent !or. "A!LET ' will tell you why$ so shall my anticipation prevent your discovery, and your secrecy to the king and 3ueen moult no !eather. ' have o! late44&ut where!ore ' know not44lost all my mirth, !orgone all custom o! e%ercises$ and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly !rame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory, this most e%cellent canopy, the air, look you, this &rave o#erhanging !irmament, this ma-estical roo! !retted with golden !ire, why, it appears no other thing to

me than a !oul and pestilent congregation o! vapours. What a piece o! work is a man! how no&le in reason! how in!inite in !aculty! in !orm and moving how e%press and admira&le! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the &eauty o! the world! the paragon o! animals! )nd yet, to me, what is this 3uintessence o! dust0 man delights not me( no, nor woman neither, though &y your smiling you seem to say so. ROSENCRANTZ My lord, there was no such stu!! in my thoughts. "A!LET Why did you laugh then, when ' said #man delights not me#0 ROSENCRANTZ To think, my lord, i! you delight not in man, what lenten entertainment the players shall receive !rom you( we coted them on the way$ and hither are they coming, to o!!er you service. "A!LET "e that plays the king shall &e welcome$ his ma-esty shall have tri&ute o! me$ the adventurous knight shall use his !oil and target$ the lover shall not sigh gratis$ the humourous man shall end his part in peace$ the clown shall make those laugh whose lungs are tickled o# the sere$ and the lady shall say her mind !reely, or the &lank verse shall halt !or#t. What players are they0 ROSENCRANTZ 9ven those you were wont to take delight in, the tragedians o! the city. "A!LET "ow chances it they travel0 their residence, &oth in reputation and pro!it, was &etter &oth ways. ROSENCRANTZ ' think their inhi&ition comes &y the means o! the late innovation. "A!LET 7o they hold the same estimation they did when ' was in the city0 are they so !ollowed0 ROSENCRANTZ /o, indeed, are they not. "A!LET "ow comes it0 do they grow rusty0 ROSENCRANTZ /ay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace( &ut there is, sir, an aery o! children, little eyases,

that cry out on the top o! 3uestion, and are most tyrannically clapped !or#t( these are now the !ashion, and so &erattle the common stages44so they call them44that many wearing rapiers are a!raid o! goose43uills and dare scarce come thither. "A!LET What, are they children0 who maintains #em0 how are they escoted0 Will they pursue the 3uality no longer than they can sing0 will they not say a!terwards, i! they should grow themselves to common players44as it is most like, i! their means are no &etter44their writers do them wrong, to make them e%claim against their own succession0 ROSENCRANTZ #*aith, there has &een much to do on &oth sides$ and the nation holds it no sin to tarre them to controversy( there was, !or a while, no money &id !or argument, unless the poet and the player went to cu!!s in the 3uestion. "A!LET 's#t possi&le0 GUILDENSTERN O, there has &een much throwing a&out o! &rains. "A!LET 7o the &oys carry it away0 ROSENCRANTZ )y, that they do, my lord$ "ercules and his load too. "A!LET 't is not very strange$ !or mine uncle is king o! 7enmark, and those that would make mows at him while my !ather lived, give twenty, !orty, !i!ty, an hundred ducats a4piece !or his picture in little. # &lood, there is something in this more than natural, i! philosophy could !ind it out. )*ouris" o+ trum'ets !it"in GUILDENSTERN There are the players. "A!LET Gentlemen, you are welcome to 9lsinore. +our hands, come then( the appurtenance o! welcome is !ashion and ceremony( let me comply with you in this gar&, lest my e%tent to the players, which, ' tell you, must show !airly outward, should more appear like

entertainment than yours. +ou are welcome( &ut my uncle4!ather and aunt4mother are deceived. GUILDENSTERN 'n what, my dear lord0 "A!LET ' am &ut mad north4north4west( when the wind is southerly ' know a hawk !rom a handsaw. Enter POLONIUS LORD POLONIUS Well &e with you, gentlemen! "A!LET "ark you, Guildenstern$ and you too( at each ear a hearer( that great &a&y you see there is not yet out o! his swaddling4clouts. ROSENCRANTZ "appily he#s the second time come to them$ !or they say an old man is twice a child. "A!LET ' will prophesy he comes to tell me o! the players$ mark it. +ou say right, sir( o# Monday morning$ #twas so indeed. LORD POLONIUS My lord, ' have news to tell you. "A!LET My lord, ' have news to tell you. When Roscius was an actor in Rome,44 LORD POLONIUS The actors are come hither, my lord. "A!LET ,uz, &uz! LORD POLONIUS 2pon mine honour,44 "A!LET Then came each actor on his ass,44 LORD POLONIUS The &est actors in the world, either !or tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral4comical, historical4pastoral, tragical4historical, tragical4 comical4historical4pastoral, scene individa&le, or poem unlimited( eneca cannot &e too heavy, nor .lautus too light. *or the law o! writ and the li&erty, these are the only men. "A!LET O <ephthah, -udge o! 'srael, what a treasure hadst thou!

LORD POLONIUS What a treasure had he, my lord0 "A!LET Why, #One !air daughter and no more, The which he loved passing well.# LORD POLONIUS :)side; till on my daughter. "A!LET )m ' not i# the right, old <ephthah0 LORD POLONIUS '! you call me <ephthah, my lord, ' have a daughter that ' love passing well. "A!LET /ay, that !ollows not. LORD POLONIUS What !ollows, then, my lord0 "A!LET Why, #)s &y lot, God wot,# and then, you know, #'t came to pass, as most like it was,#44 the !irst row o! the pious chanson will show you more$ !or look, where my a&ridgement comes. Enter +our or +i%e P*a,ers +ou are welcome, masters$ welcome, all. ' am glad to see thee well. Welcome, good !riends. O, my old !riend! thy !ace is valenced since ' saw thee last( comest thou to &eard me in 7enmark0 What, my young lady and mistress! ,y#r lady, your ladyship is nearer to heaven than when ' saw you last, &y the altitude o! a chopine. .ray God, your voice, like apiece o! uncurrent gold, &e not cracked within the ring. Masters, you are all welcome. We#ll e#en to#t like *rench !alconers, !ly at any thing we see( we#ll have a speech straight( come, give us a taste o! your 3uality$ come, a passionate speech. #irst Pla$er What speech, my lord0 "A!LET ' heard thee speak me a speech once, &ut it was never acted$ or, i! it was, not a&ove once$ !or the play, ' remem&er, pleased not the million$ #twas caviare to the general( &ut it was44as ' received

it, and others, whose -udgments in such matters cried in the top o! mine44an e%cellent play, well digested in the scenes, set down with as much modesty as cunning. ' remem&er, one said there were no sallets in the lines to make the matter savoury, nor no matter in the phrase that might indict the author o! a!!ectation$ &ut called it an honest method, as wholesome as sweet, and &y very much more handsome than !ine. One speech in it ' chie!ly loved( #twas )eneas# tale to 7ido$ and therea&out o! it especially, where he speaks o! .riam#s slaughter( i! it live in your memory, &egin at this line( let me see, let me see44 #The rugged .yrrhus, like the "yrcanian &east,#44 it is not so(44it &egins with .yrrhus(44 #The rugged .yrrhus, he whose sa&le arms, ,lack as his purpose, did the night resem&le When he lay couched in the ominous horse, "ath now this dread and &lack comple%ion smear#d With heraldry more dismal$ head to !oot /ow is he total gules$ horridly trick#d With &lood o! !athers, mothers, daughters, sons, ,aked and impasted with the parching streets, That lend a tyrannous and damned light To their lord#s murder( roasted in wrath and !ire, )nd thus o#er4sized with coagulate gore, With eyes like car&uncles, the hellish .yrrhus Old grandsire .riam seeks.# o, proceed you. LORD POLONIUS #*ore God, my lord, well spoken, with good accent and good discretion. #irst Pla$er #)non he !inds him triking too short at Greeks$ his anti3ue sword, Re&ellious to his arm, lies where it !alls, Repugnant to command( une3ual match#d, .yrrhus at .riam drives$ in rage strikes wide$ ,ut with the whi!! and wind o! his !ell sword The unnerved !ather !alls. Then senseless 'lium, eeming to !eel this &low, with !laming top toops to his &ase, and with a hideous crash Takes prisoner .yrrhus# ear( !or, lo! his sword, Which was declining on the milky head O! reverend .riam, seem#d i# the air to stick( o, as a painted tyrant, .yrrhus stood,

)nd like a neutral to his will and matter, 7id nothing. ,ut, as we o!ten see, against some storm, ) silence in the heavens, the rack stand still, The &old winds speechless and the or& &elow )s hush as death, anon the dread!ul thunder 7oth rend the region, so, a!ter .yrrhus# pause, )roused vengeance sets him new a4work$ )nd never did the 6yclops# hammers !all On Mars#s armour !orged !or proo! eterne With less remorse than .yrrhus# &leeding sword /ow !alls on .riam. Out, out, thou strumpet, *ortune! )ll you gods, 'n general synod #take away her power$ ,reak all the spokes and !ellies !rom her wheel, )nd &owl the round nave down the hill o! heaven, )s low as to the !iends!# LORD POLONIUS This is too long. "A!LET 't shall to the &ar&er#s, with your &eard. .rithee, say on( he#s !or a -ig or a tale o! &awdry, or he sleeps( say on( come to "ecu&a. #irst Pla$er #,ut who, O, who had seen the mo&led 3ueen44# "A!LET #The mo&led 3ueen0# LORD POLONIUS That#s good$ #mo&led 3ueen# is good. #irst Pla$er #Run &are!oot up and down, threatening the !lames With &isson rheum$ a clout upon that head Where late the diadem stood, and !or a ro&e, )&out her lank and all o#er4teemed loins, ) &lanket, in the alarm o! !ear caught up$ Who this had seen, with tongue in venom steep#d, #Gainst *ortune#s state would treason have pronounced( ,ut i! the gods themselves did see her then When she saw .yrrhus make malicious sport 'n mincing with his sword her hus&and#s lim&s, The instant &urst o! clamour that she made, 2nless things mortal move them not at all, Would have made milch the &urning eyes o! heaven, )nd passion in the gods.# LORD POLONIUS

8ook, whether he has not turned his colour and has tears in#s eyes. .ray you, no more. "A!LET #Tis well( '#ll have thee speak out the rest soon. Good my lord, will you see the players well &estowed0 7o you hear, let them &e well used$ !or they are the a&stract and &rie! chronicles o! the time( a!ter your death you were &etter have a &ad epitaph than their ill report while you live. LORD POLONIUS My lord, ' will use them according to their desert. "A!LET God#s &odykins, man, much &etter( use every man a!ter his desert, and who should #scape whipping0 2se them a!ter your own honour and dignity( the less they deserve, the more merit is in your &ounty. Take them in. LORD POLONIUS 6ome, sirs. "A!LET *ollow him, !riends( we#ll hear a play to4morrow. Exit POLONIUS !it" a** t"e P*a,ers -ut t"e )irst 7ost thou hear me, old !riend$ can you play the Murder o! Gonzago0 #irst Pla$er )y, my lord. "A!LET We#ll ha#t to4morrow night. +ou could, !or a need, study a speech o! some dozen or si%teen lines, which ' would set down and insert in#t, could you not0 #irst Pla$er )y, my lord. "A!LET 1ery well. *ollow that lord$ and look you mock him not. Exit )irst P*a,er My good !riends, '#ll leave you till night( you are welcome to 9lsinore. ROSENCRANTZ Good my lord! "A!LET )y, so, God &e wi# ye$

Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN /ow ' am alone. O, what a rogue and peasant slave am '! 's it not monstrous that this player here, ,ut in a !iction, in a dream o! passion, 6ould !orce his soul so to his own conceit That !rom her working all his visage wann#d, Tears in his eyes, distraction in#s aspect, ) &roken voice, and his whole !unction suiting With !orms to his conceit0 and all !or nothing! *or "ecu&a! What#s "ecu&a to him, or he to "ecu&a, That he should weep !or her0 What would he do, "ad he the motive and the cue !or passion That ' have0 "e would drown the stage with tears )nd cleave the general ear with horrid speech, Make mad the guilty and appal the !ree, 6on!ound the ignorant, and amaze indeed The very !aculties o! eyes and ears. +et ', ) dull and muddy4mettled rascal, peak, 8ike <ohn4a4dreams, unpregnant o! my cause, )nd can say nothing$ no, not !or a king, 2pon whose property and most dear li!e ) damn#d de!eat was made. )m ' a coward0 Who calls me villain0 &reaks my pate across0 .lucks o!! my &eard, and &lows it in my !ace0 Tweaks me &y the nose0 gives me the lie i# the throat, )s deep as to the lungs0 who does me this0 "a! # wounds, ' should take it( !or it cannot &e ,ut ' am pigeon4liver#d and lack gall To make oppression &itter, or ere this ' should have !atted all the region kites With this slave#s o!!al( &loody, &awdy villain! Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain! O, vengeance! Why, what an ass am '! This is most &rave, That ', the son o! a dear !ather murder#d, .rompted to my revenge &y heaven and hell, Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words, )nd !all a4cursing, like a very dra&, ) scullion! *ie upon#t! !oh! )&out, my &rain! ' have heard That guilty creatures sitting at a play "ave &y the very cunning o! the scene

,een struck so to the soul that presently They have proclaim#d their male!actions$ *or murder, though it have no tongue, will speak With most miraculous organ. '#ll have these players .lay something like the murder o! my !ather ,e!ore mine uncle( '#ll o&serve his looks$ '#ll tent him to the 3uick( i! he &ut &lench, ' know my course. The spirit that ' have seen May &e the devil( and the devil hath power To assume a pleasing shape$ yea, and perhaps Out o! my weakness and my melancholy, )s he is very potent with such spirits, )&uses me to damn me( '#ll have grounds More relative than this( the play #s the thing Wherein '#ll catch the conscience o! the king. Exit