Act V, Scene 2
[Line 357]
HAMLET
Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damnéd Dane.
Drink off this potion! Is thy union here?!
[HAMLET forces CLAUDIUS to drink from the poisoned cup.]
Follow my mother.
[KING CLAUDIUS dies.]
LAERTES
He is justly served.
It is a poison tempered by himself.
Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet.
Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee;
Nor thine on me.
HAMLET
Heaven make thee free of it. I follow thee.—
I am dead, Horatio.—Wretched queen, adieu.—
You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
There are but mutes or audience to this act,
Had I but time (as this fell sergeant, Death,
Is strict in his arrest). O, I could tell you—
But let it be.—Horatio, I am dead.
Thou livest; report me and my cause aright
To the unsatisfied.
HORATIO
Never believe it! I am more
An antique Roman than a Dane.
Here’s some liquor yet!
[HORATIO picks up the poisoned cup.]
HAMLET
As thou art a man,
Give me the cup. Let go! By Heaven, I’ll have it.
O God, Horatio, what a wounded name.
Things standing thus unknown, shall I leave behind me!
If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart,
Absent thee from felicity awhile
And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain
To tell my story.
[A trumpeting march sounds from afar and shots are fired offstage.]
What warlike noise is this?
[Enter OSRIC.]
OSRIC
Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland,
To the ambassadors of England gives
This warlike volley.
HAMLET
O, I die, Horatio!
[Line 389] HAMLET
O, I die, Horatio!
The potent poison quite o’ercrows my spirit.
I cannot live to hear the news from England.
But I do prophesy th’ election lights
On Fortinbras. He has my dying voice.
So tell him, with the occurents, more and less,
Which have solicited—the rest is silence.
O, O, O, O!
[HAMLET dies]
[Line 396]