Well may it sort2 that this portentous figure
Comes armed through our watch, so like the king
That was and is the question4 of these wars.
HORATIO A mote5 it is to trouble the mind's eye.
In the most high and palmy6 state of Rome,
A little ere the mightiest Julius7 fell,
The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted8 dead
Did squeak9 and gibber in the Roman streets:
As stars with trains of fire10 and dews of blood,
Disasters in the sun, and the moist star11
Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands12
Was sick almost to doomsday13 with eclipse:
And even the like precurse14 of feared events,
As harbingers preceding still15 the fates
And prologue to the omen16 coming on,
Have heaven and earth together demonstrated
Unto our climatures18 and countrymen.--
Following 1.2.59:
wrung from me my slow leave
By laboursome petition20, and at last
Upon his will I sealed my hard21 consent.
Following 1.4.18:
This heavy-headed revel east and west22
Makes us traduced and taxed of23 other nations:
They clepe us drunkards, and with swinish phrase24
Soil our addition: and indeed it takes25
From our achievements, though performed at height26,
The pith and marrow of our attribute27.
So, oft it chances in particular men
That for some vicious mole29 of nature in them,