Five Revenge Tragedies: The Spanish Tragedy, Hamlet, Antonio's Revenge, The Tragedy of Hoffman, The Revenger's Tragedy (Penguin Classics)

by William Shakespeare

  Horatio. Well, sit we down, and let us hear Barnardo speak of this.

  30 Barnardo. last night of all, where yonder star that’s westward from the pole had made his course to illumine that part of heaven where now it burns, the bell then tolling one –

  Enter Ghost.

  Marcellus. Break off your talk, see where it comes again!

  Barnardo. In the same figure like the king that’s dead.

  Marcellus. Thou art a scholar, speak to it, Horatio.

  Barnardo. looks it not like the king?

  Horatio. Most like. It horrors me with fear and wonder.

  Barnardo. It would be spoke to.

  Marcellus. Question it, Horatio.

  40 Horatio. What art thou that thus usurp the state, in

  Which the majesty of buried Denmark did some times

  Walk? By heaven, I charge thee, speak.

  Marcellus. It is offended.

  Exit Ghost.

  Barnardo. See, it stalks away.

  Horatio. Stay, speak, speak, by heaven, I charge thee speak!

  Marcellus. ’Tis gone and makes no answer.

  Barnardo. How now Horatio, you tremble and look pale.

  Is this not something more than fantasy?

  What think you on’t?

  50 Horatio. Afore my God, I might not this believe, without the sensible and true avouch of my own eyes.

  Marcellus. Is it not like the king?

  Horatio. As thou art to thy self.

  Such was the very armour he had on,

  When he the ambitious Norway combated.

  So frowned he once, when in an angry parle

  He smote the sleaded poleaxe on the ice:

  ’Tis strange.

  Marcellus. Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour

  60 With martial stalk he passed through our watch.

  Horatio. In what particular to work, I know not,

  But in the thought and scope of my opinion,

  This bodes some strange eruption to the state.

  Marcellus. Good, now sit down and tell me he that knows

  Why this same strict and most observant watch

  So nightly toils the subject of the land,

  And why such daily cost of brazen cannon

  And foreign mart for implements of war,

  Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore task

  70 Does not divide the Sunday from the week?

  What might be toward, that this sweaty march

  Doth make the night joint labourer with the day?

  Who is’t that can inform me?

  Horatio. Marry that I can, at least the whisper goes so:

  Our late king, who as you know was by Fortenbrasse of Norway

  Thereto pricked on by a most emulous cause, dared to

  The combat, to which our valiant Hamlet –

  For so this side of our known world esteemed him –

  Did slay this Fortenbrasse

  80 Who by a sealed compact well ratified by law

  And heraldry, did forfeit with his life all those

  His lands which he stood seized of by the conqueror,

  Against the which, a moiety competent,

  Was gaged by our king:

  Now sir, young Fortenbrasse,

  Of inapproved mettle hot and full

  Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there,

  Sharked up a fight of lawless resolutes

  For food and diet to some enterprise

  90 That hath a stomach in’t: and this, I take it, is the

  Chief head and ground of this our watch.

  Enter the Ghost.

  But lo, behold, see where it comes again!

  I’ll cross it, though it blast me. Stay, illusion!

  If there be any good thing to be done

  That may do ease to thee and grace to me,

  Speak to me.

  If thou art privy to thy country’s fate,

  Which haply foreknowing may prevent, O speak to me,

  Or if thou hast extorted in thy life

  100 Or hoarded treasure in the womb of earth,

  For which they say you spirits walk in death, speak to me.

  Stay and speak, speak, stop it, Marcellus! [A cock crows.]

  Barnardo. ’Tis here. Exit Ghost.

  Horatio. ’Tis here.

  Marcellus. ’Tis gone. O we do it wrong, being so majestical, to offer it the show of violence,

  For it is as the air invulnerable

  And our vain blows malicious mockery.

  Barnardo. It was about to speak when the cock crew.

  Horatio. And then it faded like a guilty thing,

  110 Upon a fearful summons. I have heard

  The cock, that is the trumpet to the morning,

  Doth with his early and shrill-crowing throat

  Awake the god of day, and at his sound,

  Whether in earth or air, in sea or fire,

  The stravagant and erring spirit hies

  To his confines, and of the truth hereof

  This present object made probation.

  Marcellus. It faded on the crowing of the cock.

  Some say, that ever ’gainst that season comes

  120 Wherein our Saviour’s birth is celebrated,

  The bird of dawning singeth all night long,

  And then, they say, no spirit dare walk abroad,

  The nights are wholesome, then no planet strikes,

  No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,

  So gracious and so hallowed is that time.

  Horatio. So have I heard, and do in part believe it.

  But see, the sun in russet mantle clad,

  Walks o’er the dew of yon high mountain top.

  Break we our watch up, and by my advice,

  130 Let us impart what we have seen tonight

  Unto young Hamlet: for upon my life,

  This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.

  Do you consent, we shall acquaint him with it,

  As needful in our love, fitting our duty?

  Marcellus. let’s do’t I pray, and I this morning know

  Where we shall find him most conveniently. [Exeunt.]

  [Scene 2]

  Enter King, Queen, Hamlet, leartes, Corambis, and the two ambassadors [Cornelia and Voltemar], with attendants.

  King. lords, we here have writ to Fortenbrasse,

  Nephew to old Norway, who impotent

  And bed-rid, scarcely hears of this his

  Nephew’s purpose: and we here dispatch

  Young good Cornelia, and you, Voltemar

  For bearers of these greetings to old

  Norway, giving to you no further personal power

  To business with the king,

  Than those related articles do show.

  10 Farewell, and let your haste commend your duty.

  Cornelia and Voltemar. In this and all things we show our duty.

  King. We doubt nothing: heartily farewell.

  And now leartes. What’s the news with you?

  You said you had a suit: what is’t, leartes?

  Leartes. My gracious lord, your favourable licence,

  Now that the funeral rites are all performed,

  I may have leave to go again to France,

  For though the favour of your grace might stay me,

  Yet something is there whispers in my heart,

  20 Which makes my mind and spirits bend all for France.

  King. Have you your father’s leave, leartes?

  Corambis. He hath, my lord, wrung from me a forced grant,

  And I beseech you grant your highness’ leave.

  King. With all our heart. leartes, fare thee well.

  Leartes. I in all love and duty take my leave.

  King. And now, princely son Hamlet. Exit.

  What means these sad and melancholy moods?

  For your intent in going to Wittenberg,

  We hold it most unmeet and unconvenient,

  30
Being the joy and half-heart of your mother.

  Therefore let me entreat you stay in court.

  All Denmark’s hope, our cousin and dearest son.

  Hamlet. My lord, ’tis not the sable suit I wear,

  No nor the tears that still stand in my eyes,

  Nor the distracted haviour in the visage,

  Nor all together mixed with outward semblance,

  Is equal to the sorrow of my heart.

  Him have I lost I must of force forgo,

  These but the ornaments and suits of woe.

  40 King. This shows a loving care in you, son Hamlet:

  But you must think, your father lost a father,

  That father dead, lost his, and so shall be until the

  General ending. Therefore cease laments.

  It is a fault against heaven, fault against the dead,

  A fault ’gainst nature, and in reason’s

  Common course most certain:

  None lives on earth, but he is born to die.

  Queen. let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet.

  Stay here with us, go not to Wittenberg.

  50 Hamlet. I shall in all my best obey you, madam.

  King. Spoke like a kind and most loving son.

  And there’s no health the king shall drink today,

  But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell

  The rouse the king shall drink unto Prince Hamlet.

  Exeunt all but Hamlet.

  Hamlet. O, that this too much grieved and sallied flesh

  Would melt to nothing, or that the universal

  Globe of heaven would turn all to a chaos!

  O God, within two months; no, not two: married

  Mine uncle! O let me not think of it,

  60 My father’s brother – but no more like

  My father, than I to Hercules.

  Within two months, ere yet the salt of most

  Unrighteous tears had left their flushing

  In her galled eyes: she married – O God, a beast

  Devoid of reason would not have made

  Such speed! Frailty, thy name is woman.

  Why she would hang on him, as if increase

  Of appetite had grown by what it looked on.

  O wicked, wicked speed, to make such

  70 Dexterity to incestuous sheets,

  Ere yet the shoes were old,

  The which she followed my dead father’s corse

  Like Niobe, all tears! Married! Well, it is not,

  Nor it cannot come to good.

  But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue.

  Enter Horatio and Marcellus.

  Horatio. Health to your lordship.

  Hamlet. I am very glad to see you. Horatio, or I much forget myself.

  Horatio. The same my lord, and your poor servant ever.

  80 Hamlet. O my good friend, I change that name with you: but what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio? Marcellus?

  Marcellus. My good lord.

  Hamlet. I am very glad to see you, good even, sirs.

  But what is your affair in Elsenour?

  We’ll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.

  Horatio. A truant disposition, my good lord.

  Hamlet. Nor shall you make me truster

  Of your own report against yourself:

  Sir, I know you are no truant:

  90 But what is your affair in Elsenour?

  Horatio. My good lord, I came to see your father’s funeral.

  Hamlet. O, I pray thee do not mock me, fellow student.

  I think it was to see my mother’s wedding.

  Horatio. Indeed my lord, it followed hard upon.

  Hamlet. Thrift, thrift, Horatio: the funeral baked meats

  Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.

  Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven

  Ere ever I had seen that day, Horatio.

  O my father, my father; me thinks I see my father.

  100 Horatio. Where, my lord?

  Hamlet. Why, in my mind’s eye, Horatio.

  Horatio. I saw him once. He was a gallant king.

  Hamlet. He was a man, take him for all in all,

  I shall not look upon his like again.

  Horatio. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.

  Hamlet. Saw, who?

  Horatio. My lord, the king your father.

  Hamlet. Ha ha, the king my father, kee you?

  Horatio. Cease your admiration for a while

  110 With an attentive ear, till I may deliver,

  Upon the witness of these gentlemen,

  This wonder to you.

  Hamlet. For God’s love, let me hear it.

  Horatio. Two nights together had these gentlemen,

  Marcellus and Barnardo, on their watch,

  In the dead vast and middle of the night.

  Been thus encountered by a figure like your father.

  Armed to point, exactly cap-à-pié,

  Appears before them thrice. He walks

  120 Before their weak and fear-oppressed eyes

  Within his truncheon’s length,

  While they distilled almost to jelly

  With the act of fear, stands 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 delivered form of the thing,

  Each part made true and good,

  The apparition comes. I knew your father:

  130 These hands are not more like.

  Hamlet. ’Tis very strange.

  Horatio. As I do live, my honoured lord, ’tis true,

  And we did think it right done,

  In our duty to let you know it.

  Hamlet. Where was this?

  Marcellus. My lord, upon the platform where we watched.

  Hamlet. Did you not speak to it?

  Horatio. My lord we did, but answer made it none.

  Yet once methought it was about to speak,

  140 And lifted up his head to motion,

  Like as he would speak, but even then

  The morning cock crew loud, and in all haste,

  It shrunk in haste away, and vanished

  Our sight.

  Hamlet. Indeed, indeed sirs, but this troubles me:

  Hold you the watch to night?

  All. We do my lord.

  Hamlet. Armed, say ye?

  All. Armed, my good lord.

  150 Hamlet. From top to toe?

  All. My good lord, from head to foot.

  Hamlet. Why, then saw you not his face?

  Horatio. O yes, my lord, he wore his beaver up.

  Hamlet. How looked he: frowningly?

  Horatio. A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.

  Hamlet. Pale, or red?

  Horatio. Nay, very pale.

  Hamlet. And fixed his eyes upon you?

  Horatio. Most constantly.

  160 Hamlet. I would I had been there.

  Horatio. It would ’a much amazed you.

  Hamlet. Yea, very like, very like: stayed it long?

  Horatio. While one with moderate pace

  Might tell a hundred.

  Marcellus. O longer, longer.

  Hamlet. His beard was grizzled, no?

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

  A sable silver.

  Hamlet. I will watch tonight. Perchance ’twill walk again.

  170 Horatio. I warrant it will.

  Hamlet. If it assume my noble father’s person,

  I’ll speak to it, if hell itself should gape,

  And bid me hold my peace. Gentlemen,

  If you have hither concealed this sight,

  Let it be tenable in your silence still,

  And whatsoever else shall chance tonight,

  Give it an understanding, but no tongue.

  I will requite your loves, so fare you well.

  Upon the platform, �
��twixt eleven and twelve,

  180 I’ll visit you.

  All. Our duties to your honour. Exeunt.

  Hamlet. O your loves, your loves, as mine to you,

  Farewell. My father’s spirit in arms:

  Well, all’s not well. I doubt some foul play.

  Would the night were come,

  Till then, sit still my soul. Foul deeds will rise,

  Though all the world o’erwhelm them to men’s eyes.

  Exit.

  [Scene 3]

  Enter leartes and Ofelia.

  Leartes. My necessaries are embarked, I must aboard.

  But ere I part, mark what I say to thee:

  I see Prince Hamlet makes a show of love.

  Beware Ofelia, do not trust his vows.

  Perhaps he loves you now, and now his tongue

  Speaks from his heart, but yet take heed, my sister.

  The chariest maid is prodigal enough,

  If she unmask her beauty to the moon.

  Virtue itself ’scapes not calumnious thoughts.

  10 Believ’t, Ofelia. Therefore keep aloof

  Lest that he trip thy honour and thy fame.

  Ofelia. Brother, to this I have lent attentive ear,

  And doubt not, but to keep my honour firm,

  But my dear brother, do not you,

  Like to a cunning sophister,

  Teach me the path and ready way to heaven.

  While you forgetting what is said to me,

  Yourself, like to a careless libertine

  Doth give his heart, his appetite at full,

  20 And little recks how that his honour dies?

  Leartes. No, fear it not, my dear Ofelia.

  Here comes my father, occasion smiles upon a second leave.

  Enter Corambis.

  Corambis. Yet here leartes? Aboard, aboard, for shame,

  The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,

  And you are stayed for. There, my blessing with thee –

  And these few precepts in thy memory:

  Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar;

  Those friends thou hast, and their adoptions tried,

  Grapple them to thee with a hoop of steel,

  30 But do not dull the palm with entertain

  Of every new unfledg’d courage;

  Beware of entrance into a quarrel; but being in,

  Bear it that the opposed may beware of thee;

  Costly thy apparel, as thy purse can buy,

  But not expressed in fashion,

  For the apparel oft proclaims the man,

  And they of France of the chief rank and station

  Are of a most select and general chief in that;

  This above all, to thy own self be true,

  40 And it must follow, as the night the day,

  Thou canst not then be false to any one,

  Farewell, my blessing with thee.