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most like； if their means are no better）； their writers do them wrong to
make them exclaim against their own succession。 Ros。 Faith； there has
been much to do on both sides； and the nation holds it no sin to tarre them
to controversy。 There was； for a while； no money bid for argument unless
the poet and the player went to cuffs in the question。 Ham。 Is't possible？
Guil。 O； there has been much throwing about of brains。 Ham。 Do the boys
carry it away？ Ros。 Ay； that they do； my lord… Hercules and his load too。
Ham。 It is not very strange； for my uncle is King of Denmark； and those
that would make mows at him while my father lived give twenty； forty；
fifty； a hundred ducats apiece for his picture in little。 'Sblood； there is
something in this more than natural； if philosophy could find it out。
Flourish for the Players。
Guil。 There are the players。 Ham。 Gentlemen； you are welcome to
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
Elsinore。 Your hands； come！ Th' 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 outwards） should more appear
like entertainment than yours。 You are welcome。 But my uncle…father and
aunt…mother are deceiv'd。 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； a 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' th' 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？ Why； thy face is valanc'd since
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
I saw thee last。 Com'st' 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 crack'd 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。 1。 Play。 What speech； my good 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； pleas'd not the million； 'twas caviary to the
general； but it was （as I receiv'd 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 indict the author of affectation； but call'd it an
honest method； as wholesome as sweet； and by very much more handsome
than fine。 One speech in't I chiefly lov'd。 '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…'
'Tis not so； it begins with Pyrrhus：
'The rugged Pyrrhus； he whose sable arms；Black as his purpose； did
the night resembleWhen he lay couched in the ominous horse；Hath now
this dread and black complexion smear'dWith heraldry more dismal。 Head
to footNow is be total gules； horridly trick'dWith blood of fathers； mothers；
daughters； sons；Bak'd and impasted with the parching streets；That lend a
tyrannous and a damned lightTo their lord's murther。 Roasted in wrath and
fire；And thus o'ersized with coagulate gore；With eyes like carbuncles； the
hellish PyrrhusOld grandsire Priam seeks。'
So； proceed you。 Pol。 Fore God； my lord； well spoken； with good
accent and gooddiscretion。
1。 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 Th' unnerved father falls。 Then
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
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' th' 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； Aroused vengeance sets him
new awork； 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。…
Prithee say on。 He's for a jig or a tale of bawdry； or he sleeps。 Say on；
come to Hecuba。
1。 Play。 'But who； O who； had seen the mobled queen…'
Ham。 'The mobled queen'？ Pol。 That's good！ 'Mobled queen' is good。
1。 Play。 'Run barefoot up and down； threat'ning the flames With bisson
rheum； a clout upon that head Where late the diadem stood； and for a robe；
About her lank and all o'erteemed loins； A blanket； in the alarm of fear
caught up… Who this had seen； with tongue in venom steep'd 'Gainst
Fortune's state would treason have pronounc'd。 But if the gods themselves
did see her then； When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport In Mincing
with his sword her husband's limbs； The instant burst of clamour that she
made （Unless things mortal move them not at all） Would have made milch
the burning eyes of heaven And passion in the gods。'
Pol。 Look； whe'r he has not turn'd his colour； and has tears in's eyes。
Prithee no more！ Ham。 'Tis well。 I'll have thee speak out the rest of this
soon。… Good my lord； will you see the players well bestow'd？ Do you hear？
Let them be well us'd； for they are the abstract and brief chronicles of the
time。 After your death you were better have a bad epitaph than their ill
report while you live。 Pol。 My lord； I will use them according to their
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