The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Part 7

_Hor._ Two nights together, had these Gentlemen (_Marcellus_ and _Barnardo_) on their Watch In the dead wast and middle of the night[8]

Beene thus encountred. A figure like your Father,[9]

Arm'd at all points exactly, _Cap a Pe_,[10] [Sidenote: Armed at poynt]

Appeares before them, and with sollemne march Goes slow and stately: By them thrice he walkt, [Sidenote: stately by them; thrice]

By their opprest and feare-surprized eyes, Within his Truncheons length; whilst they bestil'd [Sidenote: they distill'd[11]]

Almost to Ielly with the Act of feare,[12]

Stand dumbe and speake not to him. This to me In dreadfull[13] secrecie impart they did, And I with them the third Night kept the Watch, Whereas[14] they had deliuer'd both in time,

[Footnote 1: _Dear_ is not unfrequently used as an intensive; but 'my dearest foe' is not 'the man who hates me most,' but 'the man whom most I regard as my foe.']

[Footnote 2: Note Hamlet's trouble: the marriage, not the death, nor the supplantation.]

[Footnote 3: --with a little surprise at Horatio's question.]

[Footnote 4: Said as if he must have misheard. Astonishment comes only with the next speech.]

[Footnote 5: _1st Q_. 'Ha, ha, the King my father ke you.']

[Footnote 6: Qualify.]

[Footnote 7: _1st Q_. 'an attentiue eare,'.]

[Footnote 8: Possibly, _dead vast_, as in _1st Q_.; but _waste_ as good, leaving also room to suppose a play in the word.]

[Footnote 9: Note the careful uncertainty.]

[Footnote 10: _1st Q. 'Capapea_.']

[Footnote 11: Either word would do: the _distilling_ off of the animal spirits would leave the man a jelly; the cold of fear would _bestil_ them and him to a jelly. _1st Q. distilled_. But I judge _bestil'd_ the better, as the truer to the operation of fear. Compare _The Winter's Tale_, act v. sc. 3:--

There's magic in thy majesty, which has

From thy admiring daughter took the spirits, Standing like stone with thee.]

[Footnote 12: Act: present influence.]

[Footnote 13: a secrecy more than solemn.]

[Footnote 14: 'Where, as'.]

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Forme of the thing; each word made true and good, The Apparition comes. I knew your Father: These hands are not more like.

_Ham_. But where was this?

_Mar_. My Lord, vpon the platforme where we watcht. [Sidenote: watch]

_Ham_. Did you not speake to it?

_Her_. My Lord, I did; But answere made it none: yet once me thought It lifted vp it head, and did addresse It selfe to motion, like as it would speake: But euen then, the Morning c.o.c.ke crew lowd; And at the sound it shrunke in hast away, And vanisht from our sight.

_Ham_. Tis very strange.

_Hor_. As I doe liue my honourd Lord 'tis true; [Sidenote: 14] And we did thinke it writ downe in our duty To let you know of it.

[Sidenote: 32,52] _Ham_. Indeed, indeed Sirs; but this troubles me.

[Sidenote: Indeede Sirs but]

Hold you the watch to Night?

_Both_. We doe my Lord. [Sidenote: _All_.]

_Ham_. Arm'd, say you?

_Both_. Arm'd, my Lord. [Sidenote: _All_.]

_Ham_. From top to toe?

_Both_. My Lord, from head to foote. [Sidenote: _All_.]

_Ham_. Then saw you not his face?

_Hor_. O yes, my Lord, he wore his Beauer vp.

_Ham_. What, lookt he frowningly?

[Sidenote: 54,174] _Hor_. A countenance more in sorrow then in anger.[1]

[Sidenote: 120] _Ham_. Pale, or red?

_Hor_. Nay very pale.

[Footnote 1: The mood of the Ghost thus represented, remains the same towards his wife throughout the play.]

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_Ham._ And fixt his eyes vpon you?

_Hor._ Most constantly.

_Ham._ I would I had beene there.

_Hor._ It would haue much amaz'd you.

_Ham._ Very like, very like: staid it long? [Sidenote: Very like, stayd]

_Hor._ While one with moderate hast might tell a hundred.

[Sidenote: hundreth]