Pol. With what, in the name of heaven? Oph. My lord, as I was sewing in my closet, Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbrac'd; No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd, Ungarter'd, and down-gyved1 to his ancle; Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other; And with a look so piteous in purport,

As if he had been loosed out of hell,

To speak of horrors, he comes before me.
Pol. Mad for thy love?

Oph.

But, truly, I do fear it.

Pol.

My lord, I do not know;

What said he?

Oph. He took me by the wrist, and held me hard;
Then goes he to the length of all his arm;
And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
He falls to such perusal of my face,

As he would draw it. Long stay'd he so;
At last, a little shaking of mine arm,
And thrice his head thus waving up and down,-
He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound,
As it did seem to shatter all his bulk,2
And end his being: That done, he lets me go:
And, with his head over his shoulder turn'd,
He seem'd to find his way without his eyes;
For out o'doors he went without their helps,
And, to the last, bended their light on me.

Pol. Come, go with me; I will go seek the king. This is the very ecstacy of love;

Whose violent property foredoes3 itself,
And leads the will to desperate undertakings,
As oft as any passion under heaven,

That does afflict our natures. I am sorry,

What, have you given him any hard words of late? Oph. No, my good lord; but, as you did command,

I did repel his letters, and denied

(1) Hanging down, like fetters. (3) Destroys.

(2) Body.

That hath made him mad.

His access to me.
Pol.
I am sorry, that with better heed and judgment,
I had not quoted1 him: I fear'd, he did but trifle,
And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jeal
ousy!

It seems, it is as proper to our age

To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions,
As it is common for the younger sort

To lack discretion. Come, go we to the king: This must be known; which, being kept close, might move

More grief to hide, than hate to utter love.

Come.

[Exeunt. SCENE II-A room in the castle. Enter King, Queen, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Attend

ants.

King. Welcome, dear Rosencrantz, and Guil-
denstern!

Moreover that we much did long to see you,
The need we have to use you, did provoke
Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation; so I call it,
Since not the exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was: What it should be,
More than his father's death, that thus hath put him
So much from the understanding of himself,
I cannot dream of: I entreat you both,

That,-being of so young days brought up with him;
And, since, so neighbour'd to his youth and hu-

mour,

That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court
Some little time: so by your companies
To draw him on to pleasures; and to gather,
So much as from occasion you may glean,
Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus,
That, open'd, lies within our remedy.

(1) Observed.

Queen. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd

of you;

And, sure I am, two men there are not living,
To whom he more adheres. If it will please you
To show us so much gentry, and good will,
As to expend your time with us a while,
For the supply and profit of our hope,
Your visitation shall receive such thanks
As fits a king's remembrance.

Ros.
Both your majesties
Might, by the sovereign power you have of us,
Put your dread pleasures more into command
Than to entreaty.

Guil.

But we both obey;
And here give up ourselves, in the full bent,2
To lay our service freely at your feet,

To be commanded.

King. Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guildenstern.

Queen. Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle Ro

sencrantz :

And I beseech you instantly to visit

My too much changed son.-Go, some of you,
And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.
Guil. Heavens make our presence, and our prac-
tices,

Pleasant and helpful to him!

Queen.

Ay, amen! [Exeunt Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and some Attendants.

Enter Polonius.

Pol. The embassadors from Norway, my good lord,

Are joyfully return'd.

King. Thou still hast been the father of good

news.

Pol. Have I, my lord? Assure you my good

liege,

(1) Complaisance.

(2) Utmost exertion.

I hold my duty, as I hold my soul,
Both to my God, and to my gracious king:
And I do think (or else this brain of mine
Hunts not the trail of policy so sure
As it hath us'd to do,) that I have found
The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

in.

King O, speak of that; that do I long to hear. Pol. Give first admittance to the embassadors; My news shall be the fruit2 to that great feast. King. Thyself do grace to them, and bring them [Exit Polonius. He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found The head and source of all your son's distemper. Queen. I doubt, it is no other but the main; His father's death, and our o'er-hasty marriage. Re-enter Polonius, with Voltimand and Cornelius. King. Well, we shall sift him.-Welcome, my good friends!

Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?
Volt. Most fair return of greetings, and desires.
Upon our first, he sent out to suppress

His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack ;3
But, better look'd into, he truly found

It was against your highness: Whereat griev'd,-
That so his sickness, age, and impotence,
Was falsely borne in hand,1-sends out arrests
On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys;
Receives rebuke from Norway; and, in fine,
Makes vow before his uncle, never more
To give the assay of arms against your majesty.
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,
Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee;
And his commission, to employ those soldiers,
So levied as before, against the Polack:

With an entreaty, herein further shown,

[Gives a paper.

(2) Dessert.
(4) Imposed on.

That it might please you to give quiet pass
Through your dominions, for this enterprise;
On such regards of safety, and allowance,
As therein are set down.

King.
It likes us well:
And, at our more consider'd time, we'll read,
Answer, and think upon this business.

Mean time, we thank you for your well-took labour:
Go to your rest; at night we'll feast together:
Most welcome home!

Pol.

[Exeunt Voltimand and Cornelius. This business is well ended.

4

My liege, and madam, to expostulate!
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night, night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day and time.
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,-
I will be brief: Your noble son is mad :
Mad call I it; for, to define true madness,
What is't, but to be nothing else but mad?
But let that go.

Queen. More matter, with less art.
Pol. Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
That he is mad, 'tis true: 'tis true, 'tis pity;
And pity 'tis, 'tis true: a foolish figure;
But farewell it, for I will use no art.

Mad let us grant him then and now remains,
That we find out the cause of this effect;
Or, rather say, the cause of this defect;
For this effect, defective, comes by cause:
Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.
Perpend.

I have a daughter; have, while she is mine;
Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,
Hath given me this: Now gather and surmise.
-To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most
beautified Ophelia,

(1) Discuss.