Cap. The nephew to old Norway, Fortinbras.
Ham. Goes it against the main of Poland, sir,
Or for some frontier?

Cap. Truly to speak, sir, and with no addition,
We go to gain a little patch of ground,
That hath in it no profit but the name.

To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it;
Nor will it yield to Norway, or the Pole,

A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee.

Ham. Why, then the Polack never will defend it. Cap. Yes, 'tis already garrison'd.

Ham. Two thousand souls, and twenty thousand ducats,

Will not debate the question of this straw:
This is the imposthume of much wealth and peace;
That inward breaks, and shows no cause without
Why the man dies.—I humbly thank you, sir.
Cap. God be wi'you, sir.

Ros.

[Exit Captain.

Will't please you go, my lord?

Ham. I will be with you straight. Go a little

before.

[Exeunt Ros. and Guild.

How all occasions do inform against me,

And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,
If his chief good, and market of his time,

Be but to sleep, and feed? a beast, no more.
Sure, he, that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before, and after, gave us not

That capability and godlike reason

To fust in us unus'd. Now, whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple

Of thinking too precisely on the event,—

A thought, which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom,

And, ever, three parts coward,-I do not know
Why yet I live to say, This thing's to do;

Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means,
To do't. Examples, gross as earth, exhort me:
Witness, this army, of such mass, and charge,

Led by a delicate and tender prince;

Whose spirit, with divine ambition puff'd,
Makes mouths at the invisible event;

Exposing what is mortal, and unsure,
To all that fortune, death, and danger, dare,
Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great,
Is, not to stir without great argument;
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw,

When honour's at the stake. How stand I then,
That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd,
Excitements of my reason, and my blood,
And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I see
The imminent death of twenty thousand men,
That, for a fantasy, and trick of fame,
Go to their graves like beds; fight for a plot
Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,

Which is not tomb enough, and continent,
To hide the slain?-O, from this time forth,
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! [Exit.

SCENE V.

Elsinore. A Room in the Castle.

Enter Queen and HORATIO.

Queen.

-I will not speak with her.

Hor. She is importunate; indeed, distract;

Her mood will needs be pitied.

Queen.

What would she have?

Hor. She speaks much of her father; says, she

hears,

There's tricks i'the world; and hems, and beats her

heart;

Spurns enviously at straws; speaks things in doubt, That carry but half sense: her speech is nothing, Yet the unshaped use of it doth move

The hearers to collection; they aim at it,

And botch the words up fit to their own thoughts; Which, as her winks, and nods, and gestures yield

them,

Indeed would make one think, there might be thought, Though nothing sure, yet much unhappily 96.

Queen. 'Twere good, she were spoken with; for she

may strew

Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds:

Let her come in.

[Exit Horatio.

To my sick soul, as sin's true nature is,
Each toy seems prologue to some great amiss:
So full of artless jealousy is guilt,

It spills itself, in fearing to be spilt.

Re-enter HORATIO, with OPHELIA.

Oph. Where is the beauteous majesty of Denmark? Queen. How now, Ophelia ?

Oph. 97 How should I your true love know

From another one?

99 By his cockle hat and staff,

And his sandal shoon.

[Singing.

Queen. Alas, sweet lady, what imports this song?

Oph. Say you? nay, pray you, mark.

He is dead and gone, lady,

He is dead and gone;

At his head a grass-green turf,

[Sings.

King. How do you, pretty lady?

Oph. Well, God'ield you!

They say, the owl was

a baker's daughter 99. Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be. God be at your table!

King. Conceit upon her father.

Oph. Pray, let us have no words of this; but when you, what it means, say you this:

they ask

Good morrow, 'tis Saint Valentine's day,

All in the morning betime,

And I a maid at your window,

Then up

he rose,

and don'd his clothes,

And dupp'd the chamber door 100

Let in the maid, that out a maid

Never departed more.

King. Pretty Ophelia !

Oph. Indeed, without an oath, I'll make an end

on't:

101

By Gis, and by Saint Charity,

Alack, and fye for shame!

Young men will do't, if they come to't;

By cock, they are to blame.

Quoth she, before you tumbled me,

You promis'd me to wed:

[He answers.]

So would I ha' done, by yonder sun,

An thou hadst not come to my bed.