Hamlet Act 4 Scene 3
Another room in the castle.
The Original
Plain Modern English
Enter King Claudius, attended.
Claudius
I have sent to seek him, and to find the body.
How dangerous is it that this man goes loose!
Yet must not we put the strong law on him:
He's loved of the distracted multitude,
Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes;
And where tis so, the offender's scourge is weigh'd,
But never the offence. To bear all smooth and even,
This sudden sending him away must seem
Deliberate pause: diseases desperate grown
By desperate appliance are relieved,
Or not at all.
Claudius
I've sent men to find him, and to find the body.
How dangerous it is that this man is walking free!
And yet I can't bring the full force of the law down on him.
The confused masses love him,
and they judge with their eyes, not their minds.
When that's how it is, people weigh the punishment,
never the crime. To keep everything smooth,
this sudden sending him away has to look like
a considered decision. Diseases grown desperate
are cured by desperate measures,
or not at all.
Enter Rosencrantz.
Claudius
How now! what hath befall'n?
Claudius
Well? What's happened?
Rosencrantz
Where the dead body is bestow'd, my lord,
We cannot get from him.
Rosencrantz
Where the body has been put, my lord,
we can't get out of him.
Claudius
But where is he?
Claudius
But where is he?
Rosencrantz
Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure.
Rosencrantz
Outside, my lord — under guard, awaiting your orders.
Claudius
Bring him before us.
Claudius
Bring him in.
Rosencrantz
Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord.
Rosencrantz
Guildenstern! Bring in my lord.
Enter Hamlet and Guildenstern.
Claudius
Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius?
Claudius
Now then, Hamlet — where's Polonius?
Hamlet
At supper.
Hamlet
At supper.
Claudius
At supper! where?
Claudius
At supper? Where?
Hamlet
Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain
convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your
worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all
creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for
maggots: your fat king and your lean beggar is but
variable service, two dishes, but to one table:
that's the end.
Hamlet
Not where he's eating, but where he's being eaten. A certain
assembly of scheming worms is at him right now. The worm
is the only true emperor of eating. We fatten every
other creature to fatten ourselves, and we fatten ourselves for
maggots. A fat king and a thin beggar are just
two different courses at the same table.
That's the end of it.
Claudius
Alas, alas!
Claudius
Dear God.
Hamlet
A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a
king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.
Hamlet
A man might fish with the worm that ate a
king, then eat the fish that fed on that worm.
Claudius
What dost you mean by this?
Claudius
What do you mean by that?
Hamlet
Nothing but to show you how a king may go a
progress through the guts of a beggar.
Hamlet
Nothing — just showing you how a king can go on a
royal tour through a beggar's intestines.
Claudius
Where is Polonius?
Claudius
Where is Polonius?
Hamlet
In heaven; send hither to see: if your messenger
find him not there, seek him i' the other place
yourself. But indeed, if you find him not within
this month, you shall nose him as you go up the
stairs into the lobby.
Hamlet
In heaven. Send someone to check. If your messenger
doesn't find him there, look for him in the other place
yourself. But honestly, if you haven't found him within
a month, you'll smell him on your way up the
stairs to the hall.
Claudius
Go seek him there.
Claudius
Go and look for him there.
Hamlet
He will stay till you come.
Hamlet
He'll wait until you arrive.
Exeunt Attendants.
Claudius
Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety,—
Which we do tender, as we dearly grieve
For that which thou hast done,—must send thee hence
With fiery quickness: therefore prepare thyself;
The bark is ready, and the wind at help,
The associates tend, and every thing is bent
For England.
Claudius
Hamlet, this business — for your own safety,
which I value as deeply as I grieve
for what you've done — means you must leave
with the greatest speed. So get ready.
The ship is waiting, the wind is favourable,
your companions are standing by, and everything is set
for England.
Hamlet
For England!
Hamlet
For England?
Claudius
Ay, Hamlet.
Claudius
Yes, Hamlet.
Hamlet
Good.
Hamlet
Good.
Claudius
So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes.
Claudius
It is indeed — if you knew what I intend.
Hamlet
I see a cherub that sees them. But, come; for
England! Farewell, dear mother.
Hamlet
I see an angel who does know. — But come on, then:
England! — Farewell, dear mother.
Claudius
Thy loving father, Hamlet.
Claudius
Your loving father, Hamlet.
Hamlet
My mother: father and mother is man and wife;
man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother.
Come, for England!
Hamlet
My mother. Father and mother are husband and wife;
husband and wife are one flesh. So: my mother. (Airtight logic, and a deliberate insult.)
Come on — for England!
Exit Hamlet.
Claudius
Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard;
Delay it not; I'll have him hence to-night:
Away! for every thing is seal'd and done
That else leans on the affair: pray you, make haste.
Claudius
Follow him closely. Get him aboard quickly.
No delays — I'll have him gone tonight.
Go! Everything's sealed and settled
that this business depends on. Please, hurry.
Exeunt all but Claudius.
Claudius
And, England, if my love thou hold'st at aught—
As my great power thereof may give thee sense,
Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red
After the Danish sword, and thy free awe
Pays homage to us—thou mayst not coldly set
Our sovereign process; which imports at full,
By letters congruing to that effect,
The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England;
For like the hectic in my blood he rages,
And thou must cure me: till I know 'tis done,
Howe'er my haps, my joys were ne'er begun.
Claudius
And England, if you value my friendship at all —
as my great power should make you appreciate,
since the scar we gave you still looks raw and red
from the Danish sword, and your willing respect
pays us tribute — then you can't coolly ignore
my royal command, which orders in full,
by letters written for exactly that purpose,
the immediate death of Hamlet. Do it, England.
He burns in me like a fever,
and you must be my cure. Until I know it's done,
whatever else happens, I'll have no joy at all.
Exit.