PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Claudius, King of Denmark.

Hamlet,1 Son to the former, and Nephew to the

present King.

Polonius, Lord Chamberlain.

Horatio, Friend to Hamlet.

Laertes, Son to Polonius.

Marcellus, Officers.

Bernardo,

Francisco, a Soldier.

Reynaldo, Servant to Polonius.
A Captain. An Ambassador.
Ghost of Hamlet's Father.
Fortinbras, Prince of Norway.

Gertrude, Queen of Denmark, and Mother of Hamlet.
Ophelia, Daughter of Polonius.

Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Players, GraveDiggers, Sailors, Messengers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, Elsinore.

1 Hamlet,] i. e. Amleth. The h transferred from the end to the beginning of the name. STEEVENS.

HAMLET,

PRINCE OF DENMARK.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Elsinore. A Platform before the Castle.

FRANCISCO on his Post. Enter to him Bernardo.

Ber. Who's there?

Fran.

Yourself.

Nay, answer me:1 stand, and unfold

Ber. Long live the king!

Fran.

Ber.

Bernardo?

He.

Fran. You come most carefully upon your hour. Ber. 'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco.

Fran. For this relief, much thanks: 'tis bitter cold, And I am sick at heart.

Ber. Have you had quiet guard?

Fran.

Ber. Well, good night.

Not a mouse stirring.

If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,

1

me:] i. e. me who am already on the watch, and have a right to demand the watch-word.

The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.

Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS,

Fran. I think, I hear them.-Stand, ho! Who is there!

Hor. Friends to this ground.

And liegemen to the Dane.

O, farewell, honest soldier:

Mar.
Fran. Give you good night.
Mar.
Who hath reliev'd you?
Fran.

Bernardo hath my place.

[Exit FRANCISCO.

Give you good night.

Mar.

Holla! Bernardo!

Ber.

Say.

What, is Horatio there?

Hor.

A piece of him.

Ber. Welcome, Horatio; welcome, good Mar

cellus.

Hor. What, has this thing appear'd again tonight?

Ber. I have seen nothing.

Mar. Horatio says, 'tis but our fantasy;
And will not let belief take hold of him,

Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us:
Therefore I have entreated him along,

With us to watch the minutes of this night;
That, if again this apparition come,

3

He may approve our eyes, and speak to it.
Hor. Tush! tush! 'twill not appear.

Sit down awhile;

Ber.
And let us once again assail your ears,

The rivals of my watch,] Rivals for partners.

3 approve our eyes,] He may make good the testimony of our eyes; be assured by his own experience of the truth of that which we have related, in consequence of having been eye-witnesses to it. To approve in Shakspeare's age, signified to make good, or establish.

That are so fortified against our story,

What we two nights have seen.

Hor.

Well, sit we down, And let us hear Bernardo speak of this.

Ber. Last night of all,

When yon same star, that's westward from the pole, Had made his course to illume that part of heaven Where now it burns, Marcellus, and myself,

The bell then beating one,

Mar. Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again!

Enter Ghost.

Ber. In the same figure, like the king that's dead. Mar. Thou art a scholar, speak to it, Horatio.* Ber. Looks it not like the king? mark it, Horatio.

Hor. Most like:-it harrows me with fear, and wonder.

Ber. It would be spoke to.

Mar.

Speak to it, Horatio.

Hor. What art thou, that usurp'st this time of

night,

Together with that fair and warlike form

In which the majesty of buried Denmark
Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee,

speak.

Mar. It is offended.

Ber.

See! it stalks away.

[Exit Ghost.

Hor. Stay; speak: speak I charge thee, speak.

Mar. 'Tis gone, and will not answer.

• Thou art a scholar, speak to it, Horatio.] It has always been a vulgar notion that spirits and supernatural beings can only be spoken to with propriety or effect by persons of learning.

5

it harrows me, &c.] To harrow is to conquer, to subdue. The word is of Saxon origin.

Ber. How now, Horatio? you tremble, and look

pale:

Is not this something more than fantasy?
What think you of it?

Hor. Before my God, I might not this believe, Without the sensible and true avouch

Of mine own eyes.

Mar.

Is it not like the king?

Hor. As thou art to thyself:

Such was the very armour he had on,

When he the ambitious Norway combated;
So frown'd he once, when, in an angry parle,
He smote the sledded" Polack on the ice.7

"Tis strange.

Mar. Thus, twice before, and jump at this dead hour,8

With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch.
Hor. In what particular thought to work, I know
not;

But, in the gross and scope1 of mine opinion,
This bodes some strange eruption to our state.

Mar. 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 cast of brazen cannon,
And foreign mart for implements of war;

6 sledded-] A sled, or sledge, is a carriage without wheels, made use of in the cold countries.

7 He smote the sledded Polack on the ice.] He speaks of a Prince of Poland whom he slew in battle. Polack was, in that age, the term for an inhabitant of Poland.

8

jump at this dead hour,] Jump and just were synonymous in the time of Shakspeare.

9 In what particular thought to work,] i. e. What particular train of thinking to follow.

1 gross and scope-] General thoughts, and tendency at large.