Original Text | Modern Text |
Enter King CLAUDIUS and two or three attendants | Enter King CLAUDIUS and two or three attendants |
CLAUDIUS I have sent to seek him and to find the body. How dangerous is it that this man goes loose! Yet must not we put the strong law on him. He’s loved of the distracted multitude, 5 Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes. And where ’tis so, th' offender’s scourge is weighed, But never the offense. To bear all smooth and even, This sudden sending him away must seem Deliberate pause. Diseases desperate grown 10 By desperate appliance are relieved, Or not at all. | CLAUDIUS I have sent to seek him and to find the body. How dangerous is it that this man goes loose! Yet must not we put the strong law on him. He’s loved of the distracted multitude, Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes. And where ’tis so, th' offender’s scourge is weighed, But never the offense. To bear all smooth and even, This sudden sending him away must seem Deliberate pause. Diseases desperate grown By desperate appliance are relieved, Or not at all. |
Enter ROSENCRANTZ | Enter ROSENCRANTZ |
How now, what hath befall'n? | How now, what hath befall'n? |
ROSENCRANTZ Where the dead body is bestowed, my lord, We cannot get from him. | ROSENCRANTZ Where the dead body is bestowed, my lord, We cannot get from him. |
CLAUDIUS But where is he? | CLAUDIUS But where is he? |
ROSENCRANTZ 15 Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure. | ROSENCRANTZ Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure. |
CLAUDIUS Bring him before us. | CLAUDIUS Bring him before us. |
ROSENCRANTZ Ho, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord. | ROSENCRANTZ Ho, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord. |
Enter HAMLET and GUILDENSTERN | Enter HAMLET and GUILDENSTERN |
CLAUDIUS Now, Hamlet, where’s Polonius? | CLAUDIUS Now, Hamlet, where’s Polonius? |
HAMLET At supper. | HAMLET At supper. |
CLAUDIUS 20 At supper where? | CLAUDIUS At supper where? |
HAMLET Not where he eats, but where he is eaten. A certain convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet. We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service—two dishes, but to one table. That’s the end. | HAMLET Not where he eats, but where he is eaten. A certain convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet. We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service—two dishes, but to one table. That’s the end. |
CLAUDIUS Alas, alas! | CLAUDIUS Alas, alas! |
HAMLET A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm. | HAMLET A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm. |
CLAUDIUS 30 What dost you mean by this? | CLAUDIUS What dost you mean by this? |
HAMLET Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar. | HAMLET Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar. |
CLAUDIUS Where is Polonius? | CLAUDIUS Where is Polonius? |
HAMLET In heaven. Send hither to see. If your messenger find him not there, seek him i' th' other place yourself. But if indeed you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby. | HAMLET In heaven. Send hither to see. If your messenger find him not there, seek him i' th' other place yourself. But if indeed you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby. |
CLAUDIUS (to attendants) Go seek him there. | CLAUDIUS (to attendants) Go seek him there. |
Exeunt some attendants | Exeunt some attendants |
HAMLET He will stay till ye come. | HAMLET He will stay till ye come. |
CLAUDIUS 40 Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety— Which we do tender as we dearly grieve For that which thou hast done—must send thee hence With fiery quickness. Therefore prepare thyself. The bark is ready and the wind at help, 45 Th' associates tend, and everything is bent For England. | CLAUDIUS Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety— Which we do tender as we dearly grieve For that which thou hast done—must send thee hence With fiery quickness. Therefore prepare thyself. The bark is ready and the wind at help, Th' associates tend, and everything is bent For England. |
HAMLET For England? | HAMLET For England? |
CLAUDIUS Ay, Hamlet. | CLAUDIUS Ay, Hamlet. |
HAMLET Good. | HAMLET Good. |
CLAUDIUS 50 So is it, if thou knew’st our purposes. | CLAUDIUS So is it, if thou knew’st our purposes. |
HAMLET I see a cherub that sees them. But come, for England. Farewell, dear mother. | HAMLET I see a cherub that sees them. But come, for England. Farewell, dear mother. |
CLAUDIUS Thy loving father, Hamlet. | CLAUDIUS Thy loving father, Hamlet. |
HAMLET My mother. Father and mother is man and wife, man and wife is one flesh, and so, my mother.—Come, for England! | HAMLET My mother. Father and mother is man and wife, man and wife is one flesh, and so, my mother.—Come, for England! |
Exit HAMLET | Exit HAMLET |
CLAUDIUS Follow him at foot. Tempt him with speed aboard. Delay it not. I’ll have him hence tonight. Away! For everything is sealed and done That else leans on the affair. Pray you, make haste. | CLAUDIUS Follow him at foot. Tempt him with speed aboard. Delay it not. I’ll have him hence tonight. Away! For everything is sealed and done That else leans on the affair. Pray you, make haste. |
Exeunt all but CLAUDIUS | Exeunt all but CLAUDIUS |
As my great power thereof may give thee sense, Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red After the Danish sword and thy free awe Pays homage to us—thou mayst not coldly set 65 Our sovereign process, which imports at full, By letters congruing to that effect, The present death of Hamlet. | As my great power thereof may give thee sense, Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red After the Danish sword and thy free awe Pays homage to us—thou mayst not coldly set Our sovereign process, which imports at full, By letters congruing to that effect, The present death of Hamlet. |
Do it, England, For like the hectic in my blood he rages, And thou must cure me. Till I know ’tis done, | Do it, England, For like the hectic in my blood he rages, And thou must cure me. Till I know ’tis done, |
Exit | Exit |
