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 goes free! Yet we must not apply the full force of the law to him: he is loved by the confused crowd, who choose not with their judgement but with their eyes; and where that is the case, it is the punishment of the offender that is weighed, but never the offence. To keep everything smooth and steady, this sudden sending of him away must look like a carefully 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 my lord in.

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 with him right now. A worm is the one true emperor when it comes to diet. 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 — two dishes, but at one table. That's the end of it.

Alas, alas!

How sad, how sad!

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 from 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 make a royal journey 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 doesn't find him there, go look for him in the other place yourself. But truly, if you don't find him within this month, you'll 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'll wait until you get there.

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 special safety, which we value as deeply as we grieve for what you have done — must send you away from here with blazing 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 a cherub who sees them. But come; off to 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 husband and wife; husband and wife are one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, off to 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 close on his heels. Urge him to get aboard quickly; don't delay it; I want him gone tonight. Away — everything else connected with this business is sealed 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 make you appreciate, since your scar still looks raw and red after the Danish sword, and your fear of us freely pays us homage — you must not treat my royal command carelessly. That command sets out in full, in letters urging exactly this, the immediate death of Hamlet. Do it, England; for he rages like a fever in my blood, and you must cure me. Until I know it is done, whatever good fortune comes my way, my joys will never have begun.