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thereabout of it especially where he speaks of Priam's slaughter。 If it live
in your memory； begin at this line… let me see； let me see：
'The rugged Pyrrhus； like th' Hyrcanian beast…'
'Tis not so； it begins with Pyrrhus：
'The rugged Pyrrhus； he whose sable arms；Black as his purpose； did
the night resembleWhen he lay couched in the ominous horse；Hath now
this dread and black complexion smear'dWith heraldry more dismal。 Head
to footNow is be total gules； horridly trick'dWith blood of fathers； mothers；
daughters； sons；Bak'd and impasted with the parching streets；That lend a
tyrannous and a damned lightTo their lord's murther。 Roasted in wrath and
fire；And thus o'ersized with coagulate gore；With eyes like carbuncles； the
hellish PyrrhusOld grandsire Priam seeks。'
So； proceed you。 Pol。 Fore God； my lord； well spoken； with good
accent and gooddiscretion。
1。 Play。 'Anon he finds him； Striking too short at Greeks。 His antique
sword； Rebellious to his arm； lies where it falls； Repugnant to command。
Unequal match'd； Pyrrhus at Priam drives； in rage strikes wide； But with
the whiff and wind of his fell sword Th' unnerved father falls。 Then
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
senseless Ilium； Seeming to feel this blow； with flaming top Stoops to his
base； and with a hideous crash Takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear。 For lo！ his
sword； Which was declining on the milky head Of reverend Priam； seem'd
i' th' air to stick。 So； as a painted tyrant； Pyrrhus stood； And； like a neutral
to his will and matter； Did nothing。 But； as we often see； against some
storm； A silence in the heavens； the rack stand still； The bold winds
speechless； and the orb below As hush as death… anon the dreadful thunder
Doth rend the region； so； after Pyrrhus' pause； Aroused vengeance sets him
new awork； And never did the Cyclops' hammers fall On Mars's armour；
forg'd for proof eterne； With less remorse than Pyrrhus' bleeding sword
Now falls on Priam。 Out； out； thou strumpet Fortune！ All you gods； In
general synod take away her power； Break all the spokes and fellies from
her wheel； And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven； As low as to
the fiends！
Pol。 This is too long。 Ham。 It shall to the barber's； with your beard。…
Prithee say on。 He's for a jig or a tale of bawdry； or he sleeps。 Say on；
come to Hecuba。
1。 Play。 'But who； O who； had seen the mobled queen…'
Ham。 'The mobled queen'？ Pol。 That's good！ 'Mobled queen' is good。
1。 Play。 'Run barefoot up and down； threat'ning the flames With bisson
rheum； a clout upon that head Where late the diadem stood； and for a robe；
About her lank and all o'erteemed loins； A blanket； in the alarm of fear
caught up… Who this had seen； with tongue in venom steep'd 'Gainst
Fortune's state would treason have pronounc'd。 But if the gods themselves
did see her then； When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport In Mincing
with his sword her husband's limbs； The instant burst of clamour that she
made （Unless things mortal move them not at all） Would have made milch
the burning eyes of heaven And passion in the gods。'
Pol。 Look； whe'r he has not turn'd his colour； and has tears in's eyes。
Prithee no more！ Ham。 'Tis well。 I'll have thee speak out the rest of this
soon。… Good my lord； will you see the players well bestow'd？ Do you hear？
Let them be well us'd； for they are the abstract and brief chronicles of the
time。 After your death you were better have a bad epitaph than their ill
report while you live。 Pol。 My lord； I will use them according to their
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
desert。 Ham。 God's bodykins； man； much better！ Use every man after his
desert； and who should scape whipping？ Use them after your own honour
and dignity。 The less they deserve； the more merit is in your bounty。 Take
them in。 Pol。 Come； sirs。 Ham。 Follow him； friends。 We'll hear a play to…
morrow。Exeunt Polonius and Players ＇except the First＇。 Dost thou hear me；
old friend？ Can you play 'The Murther of Gonzago'？ 1。 Play。 Ay； my lord。
Ham。 We'll ha't to…morrow night。 You could； for a need； study a speech of
some dozen or sixteen lines which I would set down and insert in't； could
you not？ 1。 Play。 Ay； my lord。 Ham。 Very well。 Follow that lord… and look
you mock him not。 ＇Exit First Player。＇ My good friends； I'll leave you till
night。 You are welcome to Elsinore。 Ros。 Good my lord！ Ham。 Ay； so； God
b' wi' ye！ ＇Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Now I am alone。 O what
a rogue and peasant slave am I！ Is it not monstrous that this player here；
But in a fiction； in a dream of passion； Could force his soul so to his own
conceit That； from her working； all his visage wann'd； Tears in his eyes；
distraction in's aspect； A broken voice； and his whole function suiting With
forms to his conceit？ And all for nothing！ For Hecuba！ What's Hecuba to
him； or he to Hecuba； That he should weep for her？ What would he do；
Had he the motive and the cue for passion That I have？ He would drown
the stage with tears And cleave the general ear with horrid speech； Make
mad the guilty and appal the free； Confound the ignorant； and amaze
indeed The very faculties of eyes and ears。 Yet I； A dull and muddy…
mettled rascal； peak Like John…a…dreams； unpregnant of my cause； And
can say nothing！ No； not for a king； Upon whose property and most dear
life A damn'd defeat was made。 Am I a coward？ Who calls me villain？
breaks my pate across？ Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face？
Tweaks me by th' nose？ gives me the lie i' th' throat As deep as to the lungs？
Who does me this； ha？ 'Swounds； I should take it！ for it cannot be But I
am pigeon…liver'd and lack gall To make oppression bitter； or ere this I
should have fatted all the region kites With this slave's offal。 Bloody
bawdy villain！ Remorseless； treacherous； lecherous； kindless villain！ O；
vengeance！ Why； what an ass am I！ This is most brave； That I； the son of a
dear father murther'd； Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell； Must
（like a whore） unpack my heart with words And fall a…cursing like a very
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
drab； A scullion！ Fie upon't！ foh！ About； my brain！ Hum； I have