Hor. A truant disposition, good my lord. Ham. I would not hear your enemy say so; Nor shall you do mine ear that violence, To make it truster of your own report Against yourself: I know, you are no truant. But what is your affair in Elsinore? We'll teach you to drink deep, ere you depart. Hor. My lord, Ι came to see your father's

funeral.

Ham. I pray thee, do not mock me, fellowstudent;

I think, it was to see my mother's wedding. Hor. Indeed, my lord, it followed hard upon. Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio! the funeral bak'd

meats

Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
'Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven,
Or ever had seen that day, Horatio!
My father, Methinks, I see my father.
Hor. Where,

Ham. My lord? In my mind's eye, Horatio. Hor. I saw him once, he was a goodly king. Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.
Ham, Saw! who?

Hor. My lord, the king your father.
Ham. The king my father!

Hor. Season your admiration for a while
With an attent ear; till I may deliver,
Upon the witnefs of these gentlemen,

Yhis marvel to you,

Ham. For God's love, let me hear.

Hor. Two nights together had these gentle

men,

Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,
In the dead waist and middle of the night,

Armed at point, exactly, cap-à-pé,

Appears before them, and, with solemn march, Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd,

By their opprefs'd and fear-surprized eyes, Within his truncheon's length; whilst they,

distill'd

Almost to jelly with the act of fear,

Stand dumb and speak not to him. This to

me

In dreadful secrecy impart they did;

And I with them, the third night, kept the watch:

Where, as they had deliver'd, both in time, Form of the thing, each word made true and good,

The apparition comes: I knew your father;
These hands are not more like.

Ham.. But where was this?

Mar. My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd.

Ham. Did you not speak to it?

Hor. My lord, I did;

But answer made it none: yet once, methought,
It lifted up its head, and did addrefs

Itself to motion, like as it would speak:
But, even then, the morning cock crew loud;
And at the sound it shrunk in haste away,
And vanish'd from our sight.

Ham. 'Tis very strange.

Hor. As I do live,

true;

my honour'd lord, 'tis

And we did think it writ down in our duty,
To let you know of it.

Ham. Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles

me.

Hold you the watch to-night?
All. We do, my lord.
Ham. Arm'd, say you?
All, Arm'd, my lord.

Ham. From top to toe?

All. My lord, from head to foot.

Ham. Then saw you not

Hor. His face. O, yes, my lord; he wore his beaver up.

Ham. What, look'd he frowningly?

Hor. A countenance more In sorrow than in anger.

Ham. Pale, or red?

Hor. Nay, very pale.

Ham. And fix'd his eyes upon you?
Hor. Most constantly.

Ham. I would, I had been there.

Hor. It would have much amaz'd you.
Ham. Very like,

Very like: Stay'd it long?

Hor. While one with moderate haste.

Might tell a hundred.

Mar. Ber. Longer, longer.

Hor. Not when I saw it.

Ham. His béard was grizzl'd? no?

Hor. It was, as I have seen it in his life,

A sable silver'd.

Ham. I will watch to-night; Perchance, 'twill walk again. Hor, I warrant, it will.

Ham. If it assume my noble father's person, I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape, And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all, If you have hitherto conceal'd this sight, Let it be tenable in your silence still; And whatsoever else shall hap to-night, Give it an understanding, but no tongue; I will requite your loves: So, fare you well:

Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve,
I'll visit you.

All. Our duty to your honour.

Ham. Your loves, as mine to you: Farewel. [Exeunt Hon. MAR. and BER. My father's spirit in arms! all is not well; I doubt some foul play: 'would the night were

come!

Till then sit still, my soul: Foul deeds will

Laer. My necessaries are embark'd; farewel: And, sister, as the winds give benefit,'

And convoy is assistant, do not sleep,

But let me hear from you.

Oph. Do you doubt that?

Laer. For Hamlet, and the trifling of his
favour,

Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood;
A violet in the youth of primy nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,
The perfume and suppliance of a minute;
No mure.

Oph. No more but so?

Laer. Think it no more:

For nature, crescent, does not grow alone
In thews, and bulk; but, as this temple waxes,
The inward service of the mind and soul

Grows wide withal. Perhaps, he loves you

now;

And now no soil, nor cautel, doth besmirch
The virtue of his will: but, you must fear,
His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own;
For he himself is subject to his birth:
He may not, as unvalued persons do,

Carve for himself; for on his choice depends
The safety and the health of the whole state;
And therefore must his choice be circumscrib'd
Unto the voice and yielding of that body,
Whereof he is the head:

loves you,

Then if he says, he

It fits your wisdom so far to believe it,
As he in his particular act and place

May give his saying deed; which is no further,
Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal.
Then weigh what lofs your honour may

sustain,

If with too credent car you
Or lose your heart;

open

list his songs;

or your chaste treasure

To his unmaster'd importunity.

Fear it, Ophelis, fear it, my dear sister;
And keep you in the rear of your affection,
Out of the shot and danger of desire.
The chariest maid is prodigal enough,
If she unmask her beauty to the moon:
Virtue itself scapes not calumnious strokes:
The canker galls the infants of the spring,
Too oft before their buttons be disclos'd;
And in the morn and liquid dew of youth
Contagious blastments are most imminent.
Be wary then; best safety lies in fear;
Youth to itself rebels, though none else near.
Oph. I shall the effect of this good lesson
keep