Scene II

[Elsinore. A room in the Castle.]

[Flourish. Enter King, Queen, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and attendants.]

KING:

Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
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 call it,(5)
Sith nor 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(10)
That, being of so young days brought up with him,
And sith so neighbour'd to his youth and haviour,
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(15)
So much as from occasion you may glean,
Whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus
That open'd lies within our remedy.

KING:

Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern!
In addition to the fact that we have wanted to see you for
A long time, the reason we need to see you made us
Send our hasty invitation. You must have heard
Something of Hamlet's transformation. I call it that,
Since neither the exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was. What the problem should be,
More than his father's death that has put him
So much from the understanding of himself,
I cannot dream of. I beg you both
That, being childhood friends and brought up with him,
And since you know well his youth and disposition,
That you will be pleased to rest here in our court
For a while, so that, with your company, you
Draw him on to enjoy himself, and to gather,
So much as from any occasion you may glean,
Whether anything, unknown to us, afflicts him like this,
That, once we know, we can make better.

QUEEN:

Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd of you,
And sure I am two men there are not living(20)
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 awhile
For the supply and profit of our hope,
Your visitation shall receive such thanks(25)
As fits a king's remembrance.

QUEEN:

Good gentlemen, he has much talked of you,
And I am sure that there are not living two men
With whom he feels close. If you will please
Show us so much gentry and goodwill
As to spend your time with us a while,
To help us find out what is troubling him,
Your visit shall receive such thanks
As only a King can give.

ROSENCRANTZ:

Both your Majesties
Might, by the sovereign power you have of us,
Put your dread pleasures more into command
Than to entreaty.(30)

ROSENCRANTZ:

Both your majesties
Might, by the sovereign power you have of us,
Put your huge request more into a command
Than to an entreaty.

GUILDENSTERN:

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

GUILDENSTERN:

We both obey,
And here we give up ourselves, without reservation,
To lay our service freely at your feet,
To be commanded.

KING:

Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern.(35)

KING:

Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern.

QUEEN:

Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz.
And I beseech you instantly to visit
My too much changed son. Go, some of you,
And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.

QUEEN:

Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz.
And I beg you instantly to visit
My too much changed son. Go, some of you,
And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.

GUILDENSTERN:

Heavens make our presence and our practices(40)
Pleasant and helpful to him!

GUILDENSTERN:

May the heavens make our presence and our practices
Pleasant and helpful to him!

QUEEN:

Ay, amen!

QUEEN:

Yes, amen!

Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Enter Polonius.

POLONIUS:

The ambassadors from Norway, my good lord,
Are joyfully return'd.

POLONIUS:

The ambassadors from Norway, my good lord,
Are joyfully returned.

KING:

Thou still hast been the father of good news.(45)

KING:

You have always been the father of good news.

POLONIUS:

Have I, my lord? Assure you, my good liege,
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(50)
As it hath used to do, that I have found
The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

POLONIUS:

Have I, my lord? I assure you, my good lord,
I believe my duty is, as I believe in my soul,
Both to my God and to my gracious king.
And I do think— or else this brain of mine
Doesn’t know the trail of policy as surely
As it used to do—, that I have found
The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

KING:

O, speak of that! That do I long to hear.

KING:

O, speak of that, I really want to hear about that.

POLONIUS:

Give first admittance to the ambassadors.
My news shall be the fruit to that great feast.(55)

POLONIUS:

First, talk to the ambassadors,
My news shall be the dessert to that great feast of news.

KING:

Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in.

[Exit Polonius.]

He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found
The head and source of all your son's distemper.

KING:

Introduce yourself to them, and bring them in.

He tells me, my sweet queen, he has found
The head and source of all your son's unhappiness.

QUEEN:

I doubt it is no other but the main,
His father's death and our o'erhasty marriage.(60)

QUEEN:

I doubt it is none other than the main reason,
His father's death and our overly hasty marriage.

KING:

Well, we shall sift him.

Enter [Polonius, Voltimand, and Cornelius, Ambassadors.]

Welcome, my good friends.
Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?

KING:

Well, we shall figure him out.

Welcome, my good friends!
Say, Voltimand, what news from our ally, Norway?

VOLTIMAND:

Most fair return of greetings and desires.
Upon our first, he sent out to suppress(65)
His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack,
But better look'd into, he truly found
It was against your Highness; whereat griev'd,
That so his sickness, age, and impotence(70)
Was falsely borne in hand, 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.(75)
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,(80)
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.

VOLTIMAND:

He returns your greetings and desires in a good way.
On our first visit, he sent out to suppress
His nephew's activities which seemed to him
To be a preparation against Poland.
But, better looked into, he truly found
It was against your highness. At that he was sorry
That his sickness, age, and impotence
Were lied about in public, and he sent out arrest warrants
For Fortinbras, who, in brief, obeys his uncle,
Receives a scolding from Norway, and, in the end,
Makes a vow before his uncle never more
To raise his armies against your majesty.
At this, old Norway, overcome with joy,
Gives him three thousand crowns in annual pay,
And his commission to employ those soldiers,
Enlisted as they were before, against Poland
With a petition to negotiate peace, herein further shown,
[Gives a paper.]
That it might please you to give them permission to cross
Through your dominions for this enterprise,
And such arrangements for their safety and some food
As therein are set down.

KING:

It likes us well;(85)
And at our more consider'd time we'll read,
Answer, and think upon this business.
Meantime we thank you for your well-took labour.
Go to your rest; at night we'll feast together.
Most welcome home!(90)

KING:

We really like this news,
And later when we have more time we'll read this
Request, answer, and think upon this business.
In the meantime, we thank you for a job well done.
Get some rest, tonight we'll feast together.
A great welcome home!

Exeunt Ambassadors.

POLONIUS:

This business is well ended.
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.(95)
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?(100)
But let that go.

POLONIUS:

This business is well ended.
My lord and madam, to lecture on
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night is night, and time is time,
Is only to waste night, day, and time.
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward decoration,
I will be brief: your noble son is crazy.
”Crazy” I call it, because to define true craziness,
What is it except to be nothing else but crazy?
But ignore that.

QUEEN:

More matter, with less art.

QUEEN:

Tell us more details, and use fewer clever words.

POLONIUS:

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!(105)
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.(110)
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.(115)

[The Letter.]

To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most beautified Ophelia—
That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase; ‘beautified’ is a vile
phrase.
But you shall hear.

[Reads.]

Thus in her excellent white bosom, these, &c.(120)

POLONIUS:

Madam, I swear I use no clever words at all.
That he’s crazy is true. That it’s true is a pity,
And that it’s a pity is true, a foolish figure of speech,
But goodbye to it, for I will use no clever words.
Let’s agree then that he’s crazy, and now it only remains
That we find out the cause of this effect,
Or rather say, the cause of this defect,
For this defective effect comes for a reason.
It remains like this, and the remainder like this.
Consider.
I have a daughter, have while she is mine,
Who, in her duty and obedience, listen,
Has given me this. Now listen and understand.

”To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most beautified
Ophelia, “
That's a bad phrase, a very bad phrase, “beautified” is a very bad
phrase, but you shall hear. Like this:

”In her excellent white bosom, these, et cetera. . .”

QUEEN:

Came this from Hamlet to her?

QUEEN:

This came to her from Hamlet?

POLONIUS:

Good madam, stay awhile. I will be faithful.

[Reads.] Letter.

Doubt thou the stars are fire;
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;(125)
But never doubt I love.
O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers; I have not art to reckon
my groans. But that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu.
Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst this machine is to him, Hamlet.
This, in obedience, hath my daughter shown me;(130)
And more above, hath his solicitings,
As they fell out by time, by means, and place,
All given to mine ear.

POLONIUS:

Good madam, have patience, I will be faithful.

”You may doubt you that the stars are fire,
”You may doubt that the sun does move,
”You may doubt truth to be a liar,
”But never doubt I love.

“O dear Ophelia, I am sick at the number of my sighs, I
don’t have the skill to calculate my groans. but that I love
you best, O most best, believe it. Adieu. Yours evermore,
most dear lady, while this brain is in him,
HAMLET.'
This my daughter has shown this to me in obedience,
And furthermore, has his gifts,
Which she has described to me by the time, by means,
and place they were received.