Ham. In happy time. Lord. The queen desires you to use some gentle entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play. Ham. She well instructs me. [Exit Lord. Hor. You will lose this wager, my lord. Ham. I do not think so; since he went into France, I have been in contínual practice; I shall win at the odds. But thou wouldst not think, how ill all's here about my heart: but it is no matter. Hor. Nay, good my lord, Ham. It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of gain-giving, as would, perhaps, trouble a woman. Hor. If your mind dislike any thing, obey it: I will forestall their repair hither, and say, you are not fit. Ham. Not a whit; we defy augury; there is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows, what is't to leave betimes? Let be. Osr. A hit, a very palpable hit. Laer. Well,-again. King. Stay, give me drink: Hamlet, this pearl is thine; Here's to thy health.-Give him the cup. [Trumpets sound; and Cannon shot off within. Ham. I'll play this bout first, set it by a while. Enter KING, QUEEN, LAERTES, Lords, OSRIC, and Come.-Another hit; What say you? [They play. Attendants, with Foils, &c. King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me. [The KING puts the Hand of LAERTES into that of HAMLET. Ham. Give me your pardon, sir: I have done you wrong; But pardon it, as you are a gentleman. This presences knows, and you must needs have heard, How I am punish'd with a sore distraction. That might your nature, honor, and exception, Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil Laer. I am satisfied in nature, Your skill shall, like a star i' the darkest night, You mock me, sir. Ham. No, by this hand. King. Give them the foils, young Osric.-Cousin Hamlet, You know the wager? Hank Very well, my lord; Your grace hath laid the odds o' the weaker side. King. I do not fear it:-I have seen you both:But since he's better'd, we have therefore odds. Laer. This is too heavy, let me see another. Ham. This likes me well: These foils have all a length? [They prepare to play. Osr. Ay, my good lord. King. Set me the stoups of wine upon that He's fat, and scant of breath.Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows: The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. Ham. Good madam,King. Gertrude, do not drink. Queen. I will, my lord;-I pray you, pardon me. King. It is the poison'd cup; it is too late. [Aside. Ham. I dare not drink yet, madam; by-and-by. Queen. Come, let me wipe thy face. Laer. My lord, I'll hit hím now. King. I do not think it. Laer. And yet it is almost against my conscience, [Aside. Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes: You do but [LAERTES wounds HAMLET; then, in scuffling, they change Rapiers, and HAMLET wounds LAERTES. King. Osr. Osr. How is't, Laertes? Luer. Why, as a woodcock to my own springe, I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery. King. dear Hamlet!— The drink, the drink;-I am poison'd! [Dies. Envenom'd too!-then, venom, to thy work. Osr.& Lords. Treason! treason! Drink off this potion:-Is thy union here? KING dies. He is justly serv'd; It is a poison temper'd5 by himself.Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me! [Dies. Ham. Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee. I am more an antique Roman than a Dane, As thou'rt a man,- If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, [March afar off, and Shot within. What warlike noise is this? Osr. Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland, To the ambassadors of England gives And our affairs from England come too late: That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead: But let this same be presently perform'd, On plots and errors, happen. Let four captains Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss. Take up the bodies:-Such a sight as this Go, bid the soldiers shoot. [A Dead March. [Exeunt, bearing off the dead Bodies; after which, a Peal of Ordnance is shot off. Polish. So exactly at the time. SCENE, for the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, at a Sea-port in Cyprus. SCENE I-Venice. A Street. Enter RODERIGO and IAGO. ACT I. lago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city, In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, My mediators; for certes,3 says he, And what was he? Forsooth, a great arithmetician, One Michael Cassio, a Florentine, A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife; That never set a squadron in the field, More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric, As masterly as he mere prattle, without practice, cient. We cannot all be masters, nor all masters Whip me such honest knaves: Others there are, Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul; And such a one do I profess myself. It is as sure as you are Roderigo, Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago: In following him, I follow but myself; Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, But seeming so, for my peculiar end: For when my outward action doth demonstrate The native act and figure of my heart In compliment extern, 'tis not long after But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve Iago. Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. Iago. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire yell, As when, by night and negligence, the fire Is spied in populous cities. Rod. What ho! Brabantio! signior Brabantio, ho! Iago. Awake! what ho! Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags! Thieves thieves! BRABANTIO, above, at a Window: What is the matter there? Bra. What is the reason of this terrible summons? Rod. Signior, is all your family within? Bra. Why? wherefore ask you this? Iago. Zounds, sir, you are robb'd; for shame, put on your gown; Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul; • Own, possess. Rod. Sir, sir, sir, sir,But thou must needs be sure, Bra. My spirit, and my place, have in them power To make this bitter to thee. Patience, good sir. Rod. My house is not a grange. Bru. What profane wretch art thou? Iago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you, your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs. Bra. Thou art a villain. Iago. You are a senator. Bra. This thou shalt answer: I know thee, Roderigo. Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I beseech you, If't be your pleasure, and most wise consent, I thus would play and trifle with your reverence: self: If she be in her chamber, or your house, Let loose on me the justice of the state For thus deluding you. tapers: Raise all my kindred.-Are they married, think you? Rod. Truly, I think, they are. Bra. O heaven!-how got she out?-0 reason of the blood!— Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds Some one way, some another.-Do you know Rod. I think, I can discover him: if you please SCENE II-Another Street. [Exeunt. Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Attendants. lago. Though in the trade of war I have slain men, Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience, Oth. 'Tis better as it is. Nay, but he prated, And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms Against your honor, That with the little godliness I have, I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray, sir, your-I Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho! Give me a taper;-call up all my people:This accident is not unlike my dream; Belief of it oppresses me already Light, I say! light! [Exit from above. Iago. Farewell; for I must leave you: It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place, To be produced (as, if I stay, I shall) Against the Moor: For, I do know, the state,However this may gall him with some check,Cannot with safety cast him; for he's embark'd With such loud reason to the Cyprus' wars, (Which even now stand in act,) that, for their souls, Another of his fathom they have not, I must show out a flag and sign of love, find him, Oth. I would not my unhoused free condition For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come yonder? Enter CASSIO, at a distance, and certain Officers with Torches. Iago. These are the raised father, and his friends: You were best go in. Oth. Not I: I must be found; My parts, my title, and my perfect soul, Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they? Iago. By Janus, I think no. Oth. The servants of the duke, and my lieutenant. The goodness of the night upon you, friends! What is the news? Cas. The duke does greet you, general; And he requires your haste-post-haste appearance, Even on the instant. Oth. What is the matter, think you? Cas. Something from Cyprus, as I may divine; It is a business of some heat: the galleys Old age. Brabantio. Magnifico is his title as senator. • Demerits has the same meaning in Shakspeare as merits. |