The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]Shakespeare, William
General
The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]
Shakespeare, William
English drama
_Ham._ Look here, upon this picture, and on this,
The counterfeit presentment of two brothers.
See what a grace was seated on this brow;[1476] 55
Hyperion's curls, the front of Jove himself,
An eye like Mars, to threaten and command;[1477]
A station like the herald Mercury
New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill;[1478]
A combination and a form indeed,[1479] 60
Where every god did seem to set his seal
To give the world assurance of a man:
This was your husband. Look you now, what follows:
Here is your husband; like a mildew'd ear,[1480]
Blasting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes?[1481] 65
Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed,
And batten on this moor? Ha! have you eyes?[1482]
You cannot call it love, for at your age
The hey-day in the blood is tame, it's humble,[1483]
And waits upon the judgement: and what judgement 70
Would step from this to this? Sense sure you have,[1484][1485]
Else could you not have motion: but sure that sense[1485][1486]
Is apoplex'd: for madness would not err,[1485]
Nor sense to ecstasy was ne'er so thrall'd[1485]
But it reserved some quantity of choice,[1485] 75
To serve in such a difference. What devil was't[1485]
That thus hath cozen'd you at hoodman-blind?[1487]
Eyes without feeling, feeling without sight,[1488]
Ears without hands or eyes, smelling sans all,[1488]
Or but a sickly part of one true sense[1488] 80
Could not so mope.[1488][1489]
O shame! where is thy blush? Rebellious hell,[1489][1490]
If thou canst mutine in a matron's bones,[1491]
To flaming youth let virtue be as wax
And melt in her own fire: proclaim no shame 85
When the compulsive ardour gives the charge,[1492]
Since frost itself as actively doth burn,
And reason panders will.[1493]
_Queen._ O Hamlet, speak no more:
Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul,[1494]
And there I see such black and grained spots[1495] 90
As will not leave their tinct.[1496]
_Ham._ Nay, but to live
In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,[1497]
Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love
Over the nasty sty,--
_Queen._ O, speak to me no more;[1498]
These words like daggers enter in my ears;[1499] 95
No more, sweet Hamlet!
_Ham._ A murderer and a villain;
A slave that is not twentieth part the tithe[1500]
Of your precedent lord; a vice of kings;
A cutpurse of the empire and the rule,[1501]
That from a shelf the precious diadem stole 100
And put it in his pocket!
_Queen._ No more![1502]
_Ham._ A king of shreds and patches--
_Enter_ Ghost.[1503]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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