Which are not sterling。 Tender yourself more dearly； Or （not to crack the
wind of the poor phrase； Running it thus） you'll tender me a fool。 Oph。 My
lord； he hath importun'd me with love In honourable fashion。 Pol。 Ay；
fashion you may call it。 Go to； go to！ Oph。 And hath given countenance to
his speech； my lord； With almost all the holy vows of heaven。 Pol。 Ay；
springes to catch woodcocks！ I do know； When the blood burns； how
prodigal the soul Lends the tongue vows。 These blazes； daughter； Giving
more light than heat； extinct in both Even in their promise； as it is a…
making； You must not take for fire。 From this time Be something scanter
of your maiden presence。 Set your entreatments at a higher rate Than a
command to parley。 For Lord Hamlet； Believe so much in him； that he is
young； And with a larger tether may he walk Than may be given you。 In
few； Ophelia； Do not believe his vows； for they are brokers； Not of that
dye which their investments show； But mere implorators of unholy suits；
Breathing like sanctified and pious bawds； The better to beguile。 This is
for all： I would not； in plain terms； from this time forth Have you so
slander any moment leisure As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet。
Look to't； I charge you。 Come your ways。 Oph。 I shall obey； my
lord。Exeunt。
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
SCENE IV。 Elsinore。 The platform before the
Castle。
Enter Hamlet； Horatio； and Marcellus。
Ham。 The air bites shrewdly； it is very cold。 Hor。 It is a nipping and an
eager air。 Ham。 What hour now？ Hor。 I think it lacks of twelve。 Mar。 No； it
is struck。 Hor。 Indeed？ I heard it not。 It then draws near the season
Wherein the spirit held his wont to walk。A flourish of trumpets； and two
pieces go off。 What does this mean； my lord？ Ham。 The King doth wake
to…night and takes his rouse； Keeps wassail； and the swagg'ring upspring
reels； And； as he drains his draughts of Rhenish down； The kettledrum and
trumpet thus bray out The triumph of his pledge。 Hor。 Is it a custom？ Ham。
Ay； marry； is't； But to my mind； though I am native here And to the
manner born； it is a custom More honour'd in the breach than the
observance。 This heavy…headed revel east and west Makes us traduc'd and
tax'd of other nations； They clip us drunkards and with swinish phrase Soil
our addition； and indeed it takes From our achievements； though perform'd
at height； The pith and marrow of our attribute。 So oft it chances in
particular men That； for some vicious mole of nature in them； As in their
birth；… wherein they are not guilty； Since nature cannot choose his origin；…
By the o'ergrowth of some complexion； Oft breaking down the pales and
forts of reason； Or by some habit that too much o'erleavens The form of
plausive manners； that these men Carrying； I say； the stamp of one defect；
Being nature's livery； or fortune's star； Their virtues else… be they as pure
as grace； As infinite as man may undergo… Shall in the general censure
take corruption From that particular fault。 The dram of e'il Doth all the
noble substance often dout To his own scandal。
Enter Ghost。
Hor。 Look； my lord； it comes！ Ham。 Angels and ministers of grace
defend us！ Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn'd； Bring with thee airs
from heaven or blasts from hell； Be thy intents wicked or charitable； Thou
com'st in such a questionable shape That I will speak to thee。 I'll call thee
Hamlet； King； father； royal Dane。 O； answer me？ Let me not burst in
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
ignorance； but tell Why thy canoniz'd bones； hearsed in death； Have burst
their cerements； why the sepulchre Wherein we saw thee quietly inurn'd；
Hath op'd his ponderous and marble jaws To cast thee up again。 What may
this mean That thou； dead corse； again in complete steel； Revisits thus the
glimpses of the moon； Making night hideous； and we fools of nature So
horridly to shake our disposition With thoughts beyond the reaches of our
souls？ Say； why is this？ wherefore？ What should we do？Ghost beckons
Hamlet。 Hor。 It beckons you to go away with it； As if it some impartment
did desire To you alone。 Mar。 Look with what courteous action It waves
you to a more removed ground。 But do not go with it！ Hor。 No； by no
means！ Ham。 It will not speak。 Then will I follow it。 Hor。 Do not； my lord！
Ham。 Why； what should be the fear？ I do not set my life at a pin's fee； And
for my soul； what can it do to that； Being a thing immortal as itself？ It
waves me forth again。 I'll follow it。 Hor。 What if it tempt you toward the
flood； my lord； Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff That beetles o'er his
base into the sea； And there assume some other； horrible form Which
might deprive your sovereignty of reason And draw you into madness？
Think of it。 The very place puts toys of desperation； Without more motive；
into every brain That looks so many fadoms to the sea And hears it roar
beneath。 Ham。 It waves me still。 Go on。 I'll follow thee。 Mar。 You shall not
go； my lord。 Ham。 Hold off your hands！ Hor。 Be rul'd。 You shall not go。
Ham。 My fate cries out And makes each petty artire in this body As hardy
as the Nemean lion's nerve。 ＇Ghost beckons。＇
Still am I call'd。 Unhand me； gentlemen。 By heaven； I'll make a ghost
of him that lets me！… I say； away！… Go on。 I'll follow thee。 Exeunt Ghost
and Hamlet。 Hor。 He waxes desperate with imagination。 Mar。 Let's follow。
'Tis not fit thus to obey him。 Hor。 Have after。 To what issue will this come？
Mar。 Something is rotten in the state of Denmark。 Hor。 Heaven will direct
it。 Mar。 Nay； let's follow him。Exeunt。
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
SCENE V。 Elsinore。 The Castle。 Another part of the
fortifications。
Enter Ghost and Hamlet。
Ham。 Whither wilt thou lead me？ Speak！ I'll go no further。 Ghost。
Mark me。 Ham。 I will。 Ghost。 My hour is almost come； When I to
sulph'rous and tormenting flames Must render up myself。 Ham。 Alas； poor
ghost！ Ghost。 Pity me not； but lend thy serious hearing To what I shall
unfold。 Ham。 Speak。 I am bound to hear。 Ghost。 So art thou to revenge；
when thou shalt hear。 Ham。 What？ Ghost。 I am thy father's spirit； Doom'd
for a certain term to walk the night； And for the day confin'd to fast in fires；
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature Are burnt and purg'd away。
But that I am forbid To tell the secrets of my prison house； I could a tale
unfold whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul； freeze thy young
blood； Make thy two eyes； like stars； start from their spheres； Thy knotted
and combined locks to part； And each particular hair to stand on end Like
quills upon the fretful porcupine。 But this eternal blazon must not be To
ears of flesh and blood。 List； list； O； list！ If thou didst ever thy dear father
love… Ham。 O God！ Ghost。 Revenge his foul and most unnatural murther。
Ham。 Murther？ Ghost。 Murther most foul； as in the best it is； But this most
foul； strange； and unnatural。 Ham。 Haste me to know't； that I； with wings
as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love； May sweep to my revenge。
Ghost。 I find thee apt； And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed That
rots itself in ease on Lethe wharf； Wouldst thou not stir in this。 Now；
Hamlet； hear。 'Tis given out that； sleeping in my orchard； A serpent stung
me。 So the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death
Rankly abus'd。 But know； thou noble youth； The serpent that did sting thy
father's life Now wears his crown。 Ham。 O my prophetic soul！ My uncle？
Ghost。 Ay； that incestuous； that adulterate beast； With witchcraft of his wit；
with traitorous gifts… O wicked wit and gifts； that have the power So to
seduce！… won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming…virtuous
queen。 O Hamlet； what a falling…off was there； From me； whose love was
of that dignity That it went hand in hand even with the vow I made to her
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
in marriage； and to decline Upon a wretch whose natural gifts were poor
To those of mine！ But virtue； as it never will be mov'd； Though lewdness
court it in a shape of heaven； So lust； though to a radiant angel link'd； Will
sate itself in a celestial bed And prey on garbage。 But soft！ methinks I
scent the morning air。 Brief let me be。 Sleeping within my orchard； My
custom always of the afternoon； Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole；
With juice of cursed hebona in a vial； And in the porches of my ears did
pour The leperous distilment； whose effect Holds such an enmity with
blood of man That swift as quicksilver it courses through The natural gates
and alleys of the body； And with a sudden vigour it doth posset And curd；
like eager dropping