By the o'ergrowth of some complexion,3 Oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason; Shall in the general censure take corruption Hor. Enter Ghost. Look, my lord, it comes! Ham. Angels and ministers of grace defend us!— Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd, Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell, Be thy intents wicked, or charitable, Thou com'st in such a questionable shape, That I will speak to thee; I'll call thee, Hamlet, King, father, royal Dane: O, answer me: Let me not burst in ignorance! but tell, Why thy canoniz'd bones, hearsed in death, Hath op'd his ponderous and marble jaws, 3 Humour. 4 Do out. 5 Conversable, Making night hideous; and we fools of nature, With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls ? As if it some impartment did desire To you Mar. alone. Look, with what courteous action It waves you to a more removed" ground: But do not go with it. Hor. No, by no means. Ham. It will not speak; then I will follow it. Ham. Why, what should be the fear? I do not set my life at a pin's fee;8 And, for my soul, what can it do to that, Being a thing immortal as itself? It waves me forth again;—I'll follow it. Hor. What, if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff, That beetles o'er his base into the sea? And there assume some other horrible form, And makes each petty artery in this body [Ghost beckons. Still am I call'd;-unhand me, gentlemen ; [Breaking from them. By heaven, I'll make a ghost of him that lets me :I say, away :-Go on, I'll follow thee. [Exeunt Ghost and HAMLET. Hor. He waxes desperate with imagination. Mar. Let's follow; 'tis not fit thus to obey him. Hor. Have after:-To what issue will this come? Mar. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Hor. Heaven will direct it. Re-enter Ghost and HAMLET. Ham. Whither wilt thou lead me? speak, I'll go no further. Ghost. My hour is almost come, When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames Must render up myself. Ham. Alas, poor ghost! Ghost. Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing To what I shall unfold. Ham. Speak, I am bound to hear. Ghost. So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear. Ham. What? Ghost. I am thy father's spirit; Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night; And, for the day, confin'd to fast in fires, I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul; freeze thy young blood; Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres ; Thy knotted and combined locks to part, But this eternal blazon3 must not be To ears of flesh and blood:-List, list, O list!- Ham. O heaven! Ghost. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Ham. Murder? Ghost. Murder most foul, as in the best it is; But this most foul, strange, and unnatural. 3 Display. Ham. Haste me to know it; that I, with wings as swift As meditation, or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge. Ghost. I find thee apt; And duller should'st thou be than the fat weed Would'st thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear: Is by a forged process of my death Rankly abus'd but know, thou noble youth, Ham. O, my prophetick soul! my uncle! But virtue, as it never will be mov'd, Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven; |