OPHELIA Nay, 'tis twice two months, my lord.
HAMLET So long? Nay then, let the devil wear black, for I'll
have a suit of sables123. O heavens! Die two months ago, and not
forgotten yet? Then there's hope a great man's memory may
outlive his life half a year: but, by'r lady, he must build
churches, then, or else shall he suffer not thinking on126, with
the hobby-horse127, whose epitaph is 'For, O, for, O, the hobby-horse is forgot.'
Hautboys play. The dumb show enters
Enter a King and Queen very lovingly, the Queen embracing him. She kneels, and makes show of protestation unto him. He takes her up, and declines his head upon her neck: lays him down upon a bank of flowers: she, seeing him asleep, leaves him. Anon comes in a fellow, takes off his crown, kisses it, and pours poison in the King's ears, and exits. The Queen returns, finds the King dead, and makes passionate action. The Poisoner, with some two or three Mutes, comes in again, seeming to lament with her. The dead body is carried away. The Poisoner woos the Queen with gifts: she seems loath and unwilling awhile, but in the end accepts his love.
Exeunt
OPHELIA What means this, my lord?
HAMLET Marry, this is miching malicho130: that means mischief.
OPHELIA Belike this show imports the argument131 of the play.
HAMLET We shall know by these fellows: the players cannot
keep counsel133, they'll tell all.
OPHELIA Will they tell us what this show meant?
HAMLET Ay, or any show that you'll show him: be not you135
ashamed to show, he'll not shame to tell you what it means.
OPHELIA You are naught137, you are naught: I'll mark the play.
Enter Prologue
PROLOGUE For us, and for our tragedy,
Here stooping to your clemency,
We beg your hearing patiently.
[Exit]
HAMLET Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring141?
OPHELIA 'Tis brief, my lord.
HAMLET As woman's love.
Enter [two Players as] King and his Queen [Baptista]
PLAYER KING Full thirty times hath Phoebus' cart144 gone round
Neptune's salt wash and Tellus' orbed ground145,