HAMLET 1.5

Another part of the platform.

[Enter GHOST and HAMLET]

HAMLET Where wilt thou lead me? speak; I'll go no further.

Ghost Mark me.

HAMLET I will.

Ghost My hour is almost come,

When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames

Must render up myself.

HAMLET Alas, poor ghost! 5

Ghost Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing

To what I shall unfold.

HAMLET Speak; I am bound to hear.

Ghost So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear.

HAMLET What?

Ghost I am thy father's spirit, 10

Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night,

And for the day confined to fast in fires,

Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature

Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid

To tell the secrets of my prison-house, 15

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, 20

Like quills upon the fretful porpentine:

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--

HAMLET O God! 25

Ghost Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.

HAMLET Murder!

Ghost Murder most foul, as in the best it is;

But this most foul, strange and unnatural.

HAMLET Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift 30

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 roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf, 35

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 abused: but know, thou noble youth, 40

The serpent that did sting thy father's life

Now wears his crown.

HAMLET O my prophetic soul! My uncle!

Ghost Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,

With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts,-- 45

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 50

That it went hand in hand even with the vow

I made to her in marriage, and to decline

Upon a wretch whose natural gifts were poor

To those of mine!

But virtue, as it never will be moved, 55

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; 60

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 hebenon in a vial,

And in the porches of my ears did pour 65

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 doth posset 70

And curd, like eager droppings into milk,

The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine;

And a most instant tetter bark'd about,

Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust,

All my smooth body. 75

Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand

Of life, of crown, of queen, at once dispatch'd:

Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,

Unhousel'd, disappointed, unanel'd,

No reckoning made, but sent to my account 80

With all my imperfections on my head:

O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!

If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not;

Let not the royal bed of Denmark be

A couch for luxury and damned incest. 85

But, howsoever thou pursuest this act,

Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive

Against thy mother aught: leave her to heaven

And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,

To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once! 90

The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,

And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire:

Adieu, adieu! Hamlet, remember me.

[Exit]

HAMLET O all you host of heaven! O earth! what else?

And shall I couple hell? O, fie! Hold, hold, my heart; 95

And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,

But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee!

Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat

In this distracted globe. Remember thee!

Yea, from the table of my memory 100

I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,

All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,

That youth and observation copied there;

And thy commandment all alone shall live

Within the book and volume of my brain, 105

Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven!

O most pernicious woman!

O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!

My tables,--meet it is I set it down,

That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain; 110

At least I'm sure it may be so in Denmark:

[Writing]

So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word;

It is 'Adieu, adieu! remember me.'

I have sworn 't.

MARCELLUS, HORATIO |[Within] My lord, my lord,-- 115

MARCELLUS [Within]Lord Hamlet,--

HORATIO [Within]Heaven secure him!

HAMLET So be it!

HORATIO [Within] Hillo, ho, ho, my lord!

HAMLET Hillo, ho, ho, boy! come, bird, come. 120

[Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS]

MARCELLUS How is't, my noble lord?

HORATIO What news, my lord?

HAMLET O, wonderful!

HORATIO Good my lord, tell it.

HAMLET No; you'll reveal it.

HORATIO Not I, my lord, by heaven. 125

MARCELLUS Nor I, my lord.

HAMLET How say you, then; would heart of man once think it?

But you'll be secret?

HORATIO, MARCELLUS |Ay, by heaven, my lord.

HAMLET There's ne'er a villain dwelling in all Denmark 130

But he's an arrant knave.

HORATIO There needs no ghost, my lord, come from the grave

To tell us this.

HAMLET Why, right; you are i' the right;

And so, without more circumstance at all,

I hold it fit that we shake hands and part: 135

You, as your business and desire shall point you;

For every man has business and desire,

Such as it is; and for mine own poor part,

Look you, I'll go pray.

HORATIO These are but wild and whirling words, my lord. 140

HAMLET I'm sorry they offend you, heartily;

Yes, 'faith heartily.

HORATIO There's no offence, my lord.

HAMLET Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,

And much offence too. Touching this vision here, 145

It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you:

For your desire to know what is between us,

O'ermaster 't as you may. And now, good friends,

As you are friends, scholars and soldiers,

Give me one poor request. 150

HORATIO What is't, my lord? we will.

HAMLET Never make known what you have seen to-night.

HORATIO, MARCELLUS |My lord, we will not.

HAMLET Nay, but swear't.

HORATIO In faith, 155

My lord, not I.

MARCELLUS Nor I, my lord, in faith.

HAMLET Upon my sword.

MARCELLUS We have sworn, my lord, already.

HAMLET Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.

Ghost [Beneath] Swear.

HAMLET Ah, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art thou there, 160

truepenny?

Come on--you hear this fellow in the cellarage--

Consent to swear.

HORATIO Propose the oath, my lord.

HAMLET Never to speak of this that you have seen,

Swear by my sword. 165

Ghost [Beneath] Swear.

HAMLET Hic et ubique? then we'll shift our ground.

Come hither, gentlemen,

And lay your hands again upon my sword:

Never to speak of this that you have heard, 170

Swear by my sword.

Ghost [Beneath] Swear.

HAMLET Well said, old mole! canst work i' the earth so fast?

A worthy pioner! Once more remove, good friends.

HORATIO O day and night, but this is wondrous strange! 175

HAMLET And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But come;

Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,

How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself, 180

As I perchance hereafter shall think meet

To put an antic disposition on,

That you, at such times seeing me, never shall,

With arms encumber'd thus, or this headshake,

Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, 185

As 'Well, well, we know,' or 'We could, an if we would,'

Or 'If we list to speak,' or 'There be, an if they might,'

Or such ambiguous giving out, to note

That you know aught of me: this not to do,

So grace and mercy at your most need help you, Swear. 190

Ghost [Beneath] Swear.

HAMLET Rest, rest, perturbed spirit!

[They swear]

So, gentlemen,

With all my love I do commend me to you:

And what so poor a man as Hamlet is 195

May do, to express his love and friending to you,

God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together;

And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.

The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,

That ever I was born to set it right! 200

Nay, come, let's go together.

[Exeunt]

Ghost		My hour is almost come,
		When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames
		Must render up myself.

Ghost		Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing
		To what I shall unfold.

Ghost	I am thy father's spirit,	10
	Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night,
	And for the day confined to fast in fires,
	Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
	Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid
	To tell the secrets of my prison-house,	15
	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,	20
	Like quills upon the fretful porpentine:
	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--

Ghost		Murder most foul, as in the best it is;
		But this most foul, strange and unnatural.

HAMLET	Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift	30
	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 roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf,	35
	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 abused: but know, thou noble youth,	40
	The serpent that did sting thy father's life
	Now wears his crown.

Ghost	Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,
	With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts,--	45
	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	50
	That it went hand in hand even with the vow
	I made to her in marriage, and to decline
	Upon a wretch whose natural gifts were poor
	To those of mine!
	But virtue, as it never will be moved,	55
	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;	60
	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 hebenon in a vial,
	And in the porches of my ears did pour	65
	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 doth posset	70
	And curd, like eager droppings into milk,
	The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine;
	And a most instant tetter bark'd about,
	Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust,
	All my smooth body.	75
	Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand
	Of life, of crown, of queen, at once dispatch'd:
	Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
	Unhousel'd, disappointed, unanel'd,
	No reckoning made, but sent to my account	80
	With all my imperfections on my head:
	O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!
	If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not;
	Let not the royal bed of Denmark be
	A couch for luxury and damned incest.	85
	But, howsoever thou pursuest this act,
	Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
	Against thy mother aught: leave her to heaven
	And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
	To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once!	90
	The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
	And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire:
	Adieu, adieu! Hamlet, remember me.
	[Exit]

HAMLET	O all you host of heaven! O earth! what else?
	And shall I couple hell? O, fie! Hold, hold, my heart;	95
	And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
	But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee!
	Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat
	In this distracted globe. Remember thee!
	Yea, from the table of my memory	100
	I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,
	All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,
	That youth and observation copied there;
	And thy commandment all alone shall live
	Within the book and volume of my brain,	105
	Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven!
	O most pernicious woman!
	O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
	My tables,--meet it is I set it down,
	That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain;	110
	At least I'm sure it may be so in Denmark:
	[Writing]
	So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word;
	It is 'Adieu, adieu! remember me.'
	I have sworn 't.

HAMLET		Hillo, ho, ho, boy! come, bird, come.	120
		[Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS]

HAMLET		How say you, then; would heart of man once think it?
		But you'll be secret?

HAMLET		There's ne'er a villain dwelling in all Denmark	130
		But he's an arrant knave.

HORATIO		There needs no ghost, my lord, come from the grave
		To tell us this.

HAMLET	Why, right; you are i' the right;
	And so, without more circumstance at all,
	I hold it fit that we shake hands and part:	135
	You, as your business and desire shall point you;
	For every man has business and desire,
	Such as it is; and for mine own poor part,
	Look you, I'll go pray.

HAMLET		I'm sorry they offend you, heartily;
		Yes, 'faith heartily.

HAMLET	Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,
	And much offence too. Touching this vision here,	145
	It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you:
	For your desire to know what is between us,
	O'ermaster 't as you may. And now, good friends,
	As you are friends, scholars and soldiers,
	Give me one poor request.	150

HAMLET	Ah, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art thou there,	160
	truepenny?
	Come on--you hear this fellow in the cellarage--
	Consent to swear.

HAMLET		Never to speak of this that you have seen,
		Swear by my sword.	165

HAMLET	Hic et ubique? then we'll shift our ground.
	Come hither, gentlemen,
	And lay your hands again upon my sword:
	Never to speak of this that you have heard,	170
	Swear by my sword.

HAMLET		Well said, old mole! canst work i' the earth so fast?
		A worthy pioner! Once more remove, good friends.

HAMLET	And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
	There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
	Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But come;
	Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,
	How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,	180
	As I perchance hereafter shall think meet
	To put an antic disposition on,
	That you, at such times seeing me, never shall,
	With arms encumber'd thus, or this headshake,
	Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,	185
	As 'Well, well, we know,' or 'We could, an if we would,'
	Or 'If we list to speak,' or 'There be, an if they might,'
	Or such ambiguous giving out, to note
	That you know aught of me: this not to do,
	So grace and mercy at your most need help you, Swear.	190

HAMLET	Rest, rest, perturbed spirit!
	[They swear]
	So, gentlemen,
	With all my love I do commend me to you:
	And what so poor a man as Hamlet is	195
	May do, to express his love and friending to you,
	God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together;
	And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.
	The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,
	That ever I was born to set it right!	200
	Nay, come, let's go together.
	[Exeunt]