Ham. Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man
As e'er my conversation coped withal.[1163] 50
Hor. O, my dear lord,—[1164]
Ham. Nay, do not think I flatter;
For what advancement may I hope from thee,
That no revenue hast but thy good spirits,[1165]
To feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flatter'd?[1166]
No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp,[1167] 55
And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee[1168]
Where thrift may follow fawning. Dost thou hear?[1169]
Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice,[1170]
And could of men distinguish, her election[1171]
Hath seal'd thee for herself: for thou hast been[1171] 60
As one, in suffering all, that suffers nothing;
A man that fortune's buffets and rewards[1172]
Hast ta'en with equal thanks: and blest are those[1173]
Whose blood and judgement are so well commingled[1174]
That they are not a pipe for fortune's finger 65
To sound what stop she please. Give me that man[1175]
That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him
In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart,[1176]
As I do thee. Something too much of this.
There is a play to-night before the king; 70
One scene of it comes near the circumstance
Which I have told thee of my father's death:[1177]
I prithee, when thou seest that act a-foot,[1178]
Even with the very comment of thy soul[1179]
Observe my uncle: if his occulted guilt[1180] 75
Do not itself unkennel in one speech,[1181]
It is a damned ghost that we have seen,
And my imaginations are as foul
As Vulcan's stithy. Give him heedful note;[1182]
For I mine eyes will rivet to his face,[1183] 80
And after we will both our judgements join[1184]
In censure of his seeming.[1185]
Hor. Well, my lord:
If he steal aught the whilst this play is playing,[1186]
And 'scape detecting, I will pay the theft.[1187]
Ham. They are coming to the play: I must be idle:[1188] 85
Get you a place.
Danish march. A flourish. Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and other Lords attendant, with the Guard carrying torches.[1189]
King. How fares our cousin Hamlet?[1190]
Ham. Excellent, i' faith; of the chameleon's dish: I eat[1191][1192]
the air, promise-crammed: you cannot feed capons so.[1191]
King. I have nothing with this answer, Hamlet; these[1191] 90
words are not mine.[1191]
Ham. No, nor mine now. [To Polonius] My lord, you[1191][1193]
played once i' the university, you say?[1191][1194]