Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 3

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 lov’d of the distracted multitude, Who like not in their judgement, but their eyes; And where ’tis so, th’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 reliev’d, Or not at all.

I have sent people to look for him and to find the body. How dangerous it is that this man is at large! Yet we must not apply the full force of the law to him: he is loved by the confused crowd, who choose with their eyes and not their judgement; and where that is the case, it is the punishment of the offender that is weighed, and never the offence. To make it all go smoothly and evenly, this sudden sending him away must look like a considered decision. Diseases that have grown desperate are cured by desperate remedies, or not at all.

How now? What hath befall’n?

Well? What has happened?

Where the dead body is bestow’d, my lord, We cannot get from him.

Where the dead body has been put, my lord, we cannot get out of him.

But where is he?

But where is he?

Without, my lord, guarded, to know your pleasure.

Outside, my lord, under guard, waiting to learn what you want.

Bring him before us.

Bring him in front of us.

Ho, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord.

Hey, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord.

Now, Hamlet, where’s Polonius?

Now, Hamlet, where is Polonius?

At supper.

At supper.

At supper? Where?

At supper? Where?

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.

Not where he is eating, but where he is being eaten. A certain gathering of crafty worms is busy at him right now. A worm is the one true emperor when it comes to eating. We fatten every other creature to fatten ourselves, and we fatten ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your thin beggar are only different courses — two dishes, but for the one table. That is the end of it.

Alas, alas!

Oh dear, oh dear!

A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.

A man may fish with the worm that has eaten of a king, and eat the fish that has fed on that worm.

What dost thou mean by this?

What do you mean by this?

Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar.

Nothing, except to show you how a king may travel in state through the guts of a beggar.

Where is Polonius?

Where is Polonius?

In heaven. Send thither to see. If your messenger find him not there, seek him i’ th’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.

In heaven. Send someone there to look. If your messenger does not find him there, look for him in the other place yourself. But truly, if you do not find him within this month, you will smell him as you go up the stairs into the lobby.

[To some Attendants.] Go seek him there.

[To some Attendants.] Go and look for him there.

He will stay till you come.

He will wait until you come.

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, Th’associates tend, and everything is bent For England.

Hamlet, this deed, for your own particular safety — which we care about, just as we deeply grieve for what you have done — must send you away from here with flaming speed. So get yourself ready; the ship is waiting, the wind is favourable, your companions are standing by, and everything is set for England.

For England?

For England?

Ay, Hamlet.

Yes, Hamlet.

Good.

Good.

So is it, if thou knew’st our purposes.

So it is, if you knew what we intend.

I see a cherub that sees them. But, come; for England! Farewell, dear mother.

I see an angel who does see your intentions. But come — for England! Goodbye, dear mother.

Thy loving father, Hamlet.

Your loving father, Hamlet.

My mother. Father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England.

My mother. Father and mother are man and wife; man and wife are one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England.

Follow him at foot. Tempt him with speed aboard; Delay it not; I’ll have him hence tonight. Away, for everything is seal’d and done That else leans on th’affair. Pray you make haste.

Follow right at his heels. Get him quickly aboard; do not put it off. I will have him gone from here tonight. Away — everything else that bears on this business is signed and finished. Please hurry.

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 conjuring 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.

And England, if you value my friendship at all — as my great power may well make you feel you should, since your scar still looks raw and red after the Danish sword, and your fear freely pays us homage — you had better not treat my royal command carelessly, a command which fully requires, by letters urgently pressing that demand, the immediate death of Hamlet. Do it, England; for he rages in me like a fever in my blood, and you must cure me. Until I know it is done, whatever my fortunes may be, my happiness will never have begun.