[Guards, lords, and ladies discovered.

Danish

march. Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Horatio, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Hamlet

King.

How fares our cousin Hamlet?

[Ascends throne R.

Hamlet.

Excellent, i' faith; of the chameleon's dish: I eat the air, promise-crammed: you cannot feed capons so.

King.

I have nothing with this answer, Hamlet; these words are not mine.

Hamlet.

No, nor mine now.

[To Polonius.] My lord, you

played once in the university, you say?

Pol.

That did I, my lord; and was accounted a good actor.

Hamlet.

And what did you enact?

Pol.

I did enact Julius Cæsar: I was killed i' the Capitol· Brutus killed me.

Hamlet.

It was a brute part of him [Aside] to kill so capital a calf there. Be the players ready?

Ros.

Ay, my lord; they stay upon your patience.

Queen.

Come hither, my dear Hamlet, sit by me.

Hamlet.

No, good mother, here 's metal more attractive.

O, your only jig-maker. What should a man do but be merry? for, look you, how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within these two hours.

Oph.

Nay, 't is quite two months, my lord.

Hamlet.

So long? Nay, then, let the devil wear black, for I'll have a suit of sables. Two months ago, and not forgotten yet? Then there's hope a great man's memory may outlive his life half a year: but, by 'r lady, he must build churches, then.

Oph.

What means the play, my lord ?

[This reference is to the Queen, and mournfullyto the evanescence of all love.

P. King.

[Enter a King and a Queen.

Full thirty times hath Phoebus' car gone round
Neptune's salt wash and Tellus' orbèd ground,
And thirty dozen moons with borrowed sheen
About the world have times twelve thirties been,
Since love our hearts, and Hymen did our hands,
Unite commutual in most sacred bands.

P. Queen.

So many journeys may the sun and moon
Make us again count o'er ere love be done!
But, woe is me, you are so sick of late,

So far from cheer and from your former state,
That I distrust you. Yet, though I distrust,
Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must:
For women's fear and love hold quantity;

In neither aught, or in extremity.

Now, what my love is proof hath made you know ;
And as my love is sized, my fear is so :

Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear;
Where little fears grow great, great love grows there.

I do believe you think what now you speak;
But what we do determine oft we break.
Purpose is but the slave to memory;

Of violent birth, but poor validity:

Which now, like fruit unripe, sticks on the tree;

But fall, unshaken, when they mellow be.

Our wills and fates do so contràry run,

That our devices still are overthrown;

Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own:

So think thou wilt no second husband wed;

But die thy thoughts when thy first lord is dead.

P. Queen.

Nor earth to me give food, nor heaven light!
Sport and repose lock from me day and night!
To desperation turn my trust and hope!
An anchor's cheer in prison be my scope !
Each opposite, that blanks the face of joy,
Meet what I would have well, and it destroy !
Both here and hence, pursue me lasting strife,
If once a widow, ever I be wife!

P. King.

'T is deeply sworn.

[Aside

[Sleeps.

[Exit.

[To the Queen.

Madam, how like you this play?

Queen.

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Hamlet.

O, but she'll keep her word.

King.

Have you heard the argument? Is there no offence

in 't?

Hamlet.

No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest; no offence i'

the world.

King.

What do you call the play?

Hamlet.

The Mouse-trap. Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the image of a murder done in Vienna: Gonzago is the duke's name; his wife, Baptista: you shall see anon; 't is a knavish piece of work: but what o' that? your majesty, and we that have free souls, it touches us not: let the galled jade wince! our withers are unwrung.

[Enter Second Actor, as Lucianus. This is one Lucianus, nephew to the king.