HORATIO
These are but wild and whirling words, my lord!
HAMLET
I am sorry they offend you, heartily;
Yes, faith, heartily.
HORATIO
There’s no offense, my lord.
HAMLET
Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,
And much offense too. Touching this vision here,
It is an honest ghost—that let me tell you.
For your desire to know what is between us,
O’ermaster it as you may. And now, good friends,
As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,
Give me one poor request.
HORATIO
What is it, my lord? We will.
HAMLET
Never make known what you have seen tonight.
HORATIO and MARCELLUS [Together]
My lord, we will not!
HAMLET
Nay, but swear it!
HORATIO
In faith, my lord, not I.
MARCELLUS
Nor I, my lord, in faith.
HAMLET
Upon my sword. [line 165]
MARCELLUS
We have sworn my lord, already.
HAMLET
Indeed, upon my sword, indeed!
GHOST [cries under the stage]
Swear!!
HAMLET
Haha, boy, sayst thou so? Art thou there, truepenny?
Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage?
Consent to swear.
HORATIO
Propose the oath, my lord.
HAMLET
Never to speak of this that you have seen,
Swear by my sword!
GHOST [cries under the stage]
Swear!!
HAMLET
Hic et ubique? Then we’ll shift our ground!
Come hither, gentlemen,
And lay your hands again upon my sword.
Swear by my sword
Never to speak of this that you have heard.
GHOST [cries under the stage]
Swear by his sword!
HAMLET
Well said, old mole! Canst work i’ the earth so fast?
A worthy pioner! Once more remove, good friends!!
HORATIO
O day and night, but this is wondrous strange!
HAMLET
And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But come!
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy!
How strange or odd some’er I bear myself
(As perchance hereafter shal think meet
To put an antic disposition on)
That you, at such times seeing me, never shall,
With arms encumbered thus, or this headshake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
As ‘Well, well, we know’, or ‘We could an if we would’
Or ‘If we list to speak’, of ‘There be an if they might’
Or such ambiguous giving-out, to note
That you know aught of me—this do swear,
So grace and mercy at your most need help you.
GHOST [cries under the stage]
Swear!!
HAMLET
Rest, rest perturbed spirit! So, gentlemen,
With all my love do I commend me to you,
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is
May do to express his love and friending to you,
God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together,
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.
The time is out of joint. O curséd spite
That ever I was born to set it right!
Nay, come, let’s go together.
[Exeunt]
End of Act I.