7 ere before
7 Julius Julius Caesar, murdered by conspirators in 44 BC
8 sheeted shrouded
9 squeak ghosts were traditionally supposed to have thin high-pitched voices 10 As editors have speculated that a preceding line is missing 10 stars ... fire i.e. comets, signs of ill omen 11 Disasters unfavorable aspects (astrological term)
11 moist star i.e. the moon, which controls the tides 12 Neptune Roman god of the sea
12 stands depends
13 to doomsday as if it were Judgment Day (when, according to the Bible, the moon would grow dark) 14 even ... precurse exactly the same foreshadowing
15 As harbingers like forerunners
15 still always
16 omen calamity
18 climatures regions
20 petition entreaty
21 will plays on the sense of "legal document" (which Polonius fixed his seal on) 21 hard reluctant
22 east and west i.e. everywhere
23 traduced ... of dishonored and censured by
24 clepe call
24 with swinish phrase by calling us pigs
25 addition name, reputation
25 takes removes
26 though ... height even though they are outstanding
27 pith ... attribute very essence of our distinguished reputation 29 for because of
29 mole blemish
30 As for example
32 o'ergrowth ... complexion excessive growth of some natural trait 33 pales fences, safeguards
34 too much o'erleavens spoils (as too much leaven ruins dough) 35 plausive pleasing, praiseworthy
37 nature's livery uniform designating one's servitude to nature 38 virtues else other virtues
39 undergo sustain
40 general censure public opinion/view of the man as a whole 41 the ... scandal unclear; the general sense is "even a tiny portion (dram) of polluting matter can bring a noble substance into disrepute" (or perhaps "... corrupt a noble substance to its own shameful nature") 41 eale ale
44 toys wild thoughts
44 desperation the hopelessness or spiritual despair preceding suicide 46 fathoms a fathom is approximately six feet