Ay, that they do, my lord – Hercules and his load too.]

HAM. It is not very strange, for my uncle is King of Denmark, and those that would make mouths at him while my father liv'd, give twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats a-piece for his picture in little. 'Sblood, there is something in this more than natural, if philosophy could find it out.

 

A flourish [for the Players].

 

GUIL. There are the players.

HAM. Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands, come then: th' appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony. Let me comply with you in this garb, [lest my] extent to the players, which, I tell you, must show fairly outwards, should more appear like entertainment than yours. You are welcome; but my uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceiv'd.

GUIL. In what, my dear lord?

HAM. I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a hand-saw.

 

Enter Polonius.

 

POL. Well be with you, gentlemen!

HAM [Aside to them.] Hark you, Guildenstern, and you too – at each ear a hearer – that great baby you see there is not yet out of his swaddling-clouts.

ROS. Happily he is the second time come to them, for they say an old man is twice a child.

HAM. I will prophesy, he comes to tell me of the players, mark it. [Aloud.] You say right, sir, a' Monday morning, 'twas then indeed.

POL. My lord, I have news to tell you.

HAM. My lord, I have news to tell you. When Roscius was an actor in Rome –

POL. The actors are come hither, my lord.

HAM. Buzz, buzz!

POL. Upon my honor –

HAM. »Then came each actor on his ass« –

POL. The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, [tragical-historical, tragical- comical-historical-pastoral,] scene individable, or poem unlimited; Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light, for the law of writ and the liberty: these are the only men.

HAM. O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou!

POL. What a treasure had he, my lord?

HAM. Why –

»One fair daughter, and no more,

The which he loved passing well.«

POL [Aside.] Still on my daughter.

HAM. Am I not i' th' right, old Jephthah?

POL. If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a daughter that I love passing well.

HAM. Nay, that follows not.

POL. What follows then, my lord?

HAM.