Hamlet — Act 5, Scene 2

original text and modern English, side by side

A hall in the Castle · Hamlet, Horatio, Osric, Lord, King, Laertes, Queen, Fortinbras, First Ambassador

Hamlet tells Horatio how he discovered Claudius's order for his execution at sea and forged a replacement condemning Rosencrantz and Guildenstern instead. He accepts Claudius's fencing wager against Laertes, ignoring a premonition, and in the duel Gertrude drinks the poisoned wine while Hamlet and Laertes are both cut with the envenomed sword. Laertes confesses the plot before dying; Hamlet kills Claudius, gives his dying vote to Fortinbras, and charges Horatio with telling his story.

Enter Hamlet and Horatio.

Hamlet

So much for this, sir.

So much for that, sir.

Now let me see the other;

Now let me tell you the rest.

You do remember all the circumstance?

You remember all the circumstances?

Horatio

Remember it, my lord!

Remember them, my lord!

Hamlet

Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting

That would not let me sleep.

Sir, there was a kind of battle going on in my chest that wouldn't let me sleep.

Methought I lay

Worse than the mutinies in the bilboes.

I felt worse off than mutineers in leg-irons.

Rashly,

And prais’d be rashness for it,—let us know,

Our indiscretion sometime serves us well,

When our deep plots do pall; and that should teach us

There’s a divinity that shapes our ends,

Rough-hew them how we will.

On impulse — and thank God for impulse, because it's worth knowing that our recklessness sometimes serves us well when our carefully laid schemes collapse, and that should teach us there's a divine power shaping the outcome of our lives, however roughly we cut them out ourselves —

Horatio

That is most certain.

That's certainly true.

Hamlet

Up from my cabin,

My sea-gown scarf’d about me, in the dark

Grop’d I to find out them;

— up I got out of my cabin, my sailor's coat thrown round me, and groped through the dark to find them.

had my desire,

Finger’d their packet, and in fine, withdrew

To mine own room again,

I got what I wanted: I lifted their packet, and finally went back to my own room,

making so bold,

My fears forgetting manners, to unseal

Their grand commission;

and was bold enough — fear making me forget my manners — to break the seal on their official commission.

where I found, Horatio,

Oh royal knavery! an exact command,

Larded with many several sorts of reasons,

Importing Denmark’s health, and England’s too,

With ho! such bugs and goblins in my life,

That on the supervise, no leisure bated,

No, not to stay the grinding of the axe,

My head should be struck off.

And there, Horatio, I found — oh, royal villainy! — an exact order, dressed up with all sorts of reasons about the security of Denmark and of England too, and full of dire warnings about what a monster I was, that on reading it, without any delay at all, not even long enough to sharpen the axe, my head should be cut off.

Horatio

Is’t possible?

Is that possible?

Hamlet

Here’s the commission, read it at more leisure.

Here's the document — read it at your leisure.

But wilt thou hear me how I did proceed?

But do you want to hear what I did next?

Horatio

I beseech you.

Please.

Hamlet

Being thus benetted round with villanies,—

Or I could make a prologue to my brains,

They had begun the play,—I sat me down,

Devis’d a new commission, wrote it fair:

Being caught in a net of villainy like that — before I could even brief my own brain, it had started the play — I sat down and drafted a new commission, and wrote it out in a fine clerk's hand.

I once did hold it, as our statists do,

A baseness to write fair, and labour’d much

How to forget that learning;

I used to think, like our statesmen do, that neat handwriting was beneath me, and I worked hard to unlearn it.

but, sir, now

It did me yeoman’s service.

But this time, sir, it did me solid service.

Wilt thou know

The effect of what I wrote?

Do you want to know what I wrote?

Horatio

Ay, good my lord.

Yes, my good lord.

Hamlet

An earnest conjuration from the King,

A solemn plea from the King of Denmark,

As England was his faithful tributary,

given that England was his loyal tributary state,

As love between them like the palm might flourish,

given that the friendship between them should flourish like the palm tree,

As peace should still her wheaten garland wear

And stand a comma ’tween their amities,

given that peace should keep wearing her wheat-sheaf crown and stand as a link joining their two nations —

And many such-like ‘as’es of great charge,

and plenty more heavy-weighted 'givens' like that —

That on the view and know of these contents,

Without debatement further, more or less,

He should the bearers put to sudden death,

Not shriving-time allow’d.

that on reading and understanding these contents, the bearers should be put to immediate death without any further discussion at all, and not even given time to confess their sins.

Horatio

How was this seal’d?

How did you seal it?

Hamlet

Why, even in that was heaven ordinant.

Even in that, heaven was arranging things.

I had my father’s signet in my purse,

Which was the model of that Danish seal:

I had my father's signet ring in my purse, which is the original of the Danish state seal.

Folded the writ up in the form of the other,

Subscrib’d it: gave’t th’impression; plac’d it safely,

The changeling never known.

I folded the letter the same way as the other one, signed it, stamped it, and put it back safely — the swap never noticed.

Now, the next day

Was our sea-fight, and what to this was sequent

Thou know’st already.

The next day was our sea-battle, and you already know what followed from that.

Horatio

So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to’t.

So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are going to their deaths.

Hamlet

Why, man, they did make love to this employment.

Man, they courted this job.

They are not near my conscience;

They're nowhere near my conscience.

their defeat

Does by their own insinuation grow.

Their destruction came out of their own meddling.

’Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes

Between the pass and fell incensed points

Of mighty opposites.

It's dangerous when small men get in between the lunges and the murderous sword-points of great opponents.

Horatio

Why, what a king is this!

What a king this is!

Hamlet

Does it not, thinks’t thee, stand me now upon,—

So don't you think it's now up to me?

He that hath kill’d my king, and whor’d my mother,

Popp’d in between th’election and my hopes,

Thrown out his angle for my proper life,

And with such cozenage—

He killed my king, made a whore of my mother, cut in between the election and my hopes of the throne, cast his line to catch my own life, and used this kind of trickery to do it.

is’t not perfect conscience

To quit him with this arm?

Isn't it a perfectly clear conscience to settle with him by my own hand?

And is’t not to be damn’d

To let this canker of our nature come

In further evil?

And wouldn't it be damnable to let this disease in human form go on doing more harm?

Horatio

It must be shortly known to him from England

What is the issue of the business there.

He'll soon hear from England what the outcome of that business was.

Hamlet

It will be short.

It will be soon.

The interim is mine;

But the time until then is mine —

And a man’s life’s no more than to say ‘One’.

and a man's life is over in the time it takes to say 'one'.

But I am very sorry, good Horatio,

That to Laertes I forgot myself;

Still, I'm very sorry, good Horatio, that I lost control of myself with Laertes.

For by the image of my cause I see

The portraiture of his.

Looking at my own situation, I can see the shape of his.

I’ll court his favours.

I'll try to win him round.

But sure the bravery of his grief did put me

Into a tow’ring passion.

But it was the showiness of his grief that threw me into such a towering rage.

Horatio

Peace, who comes here?

Quiet — who's this?

Enter Osric.

Osric

Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark.

Your lordship is very welcome back to Denmark.

Hamlet

I humbly thank you, sir.

I thank you humbly, sir.

Dost know this waterfly?

— Do you know this water-fly?

Horatio

No, my good lord.

Hamlet

Thy state is the more gracious; for ’tis a vice to know him.

You're the better for it, because knowing him is a bad habit.

He hath

much land, and fertile;

He owns a lot of land, and good land too.

let a beast be lord of beasts, and his crib

shall stand at the king’s mess;

Make an animal lord over other animals and his feeding trough will be set at the king's own table.

’tis a chough;

He's a jackdaw —

but, as I say, spacious

in the possession of dirt.

but as I say, he has a vast holding of dirt.

Osric

Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should impart a thing

to you from his Majesty.

Sweet lord, if your lordship has a moment, I have something to convey to you from his Majesty.

Hamlet

I will receive it with all diligence of spirit.

I'll take it in with complete attention.

Put your bonnet to his

right use; ’tis for the head.

Put your hat to its proper use — it's for your head.

Osric

I thank your lordship, ’tis very hot.

Thank you, your lordship, but it's very hot.

Hamlet

No, believe me, ’tis very cold, the wind is northerly.

No, believe me, it's very cold. The wind's from the north.

Osric

It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.

It is rather cold, my lord, indeed.

Hamlet

Methinks it is very sultry and hot for my complexion.

And yet it seems close and hot to me, for my constitution.

Osric

Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry,—as ’twere—I cannot tell how.

Extremely so, my lord — it's very close, as if — I can't quite say how.

But, my lord, his Majesty bade me signify to you that he has laid a

great wager on your head.

But my lord, his Majesty asked me to tell you that he's placed a large bet on you.

Sir, this is the matter,—

Sir, this is the matter —

Hamlet

I beseech you, remember,—

Please, remember —

Hamlet moves him to put on his hat.

Osric

Nay, in good faith; for mine ease, in good faith.

No, honestly, I'm more comfortable this way, honestly.

Sir, here is newly

come to court Laertes;

Sir, Laertes has just arrived at court —

believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most

excellent differences, of very soft society and great showing.

and believe me, he's the complete gentleman, full of the finest qualities, wonderfully easy company and very impressive.

Indeed,

to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of gentry;

Really, to speak of him with any feeling, he's the map and calendar of good breeding:

for

you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see.

you'll find in him the whole continent of everything a gentleman would want to see.

Hamlet

Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you,

Sir, his description loses nothing in your hands —

though I know, to

divide him inventorially would dizzy th’arithmetic of memory, and yet

but yaw neither, in respect of his quick sail.

although I know that itemising him would dizzy memory's arithmetic, and even then it would only be yawing off course, given how fast he sails.

But, in the verity of

extolment, I take him to be a soul of great article and his infusion of

such dearth and rareness as, to make true diction of him, his semblable

is his mirror and who else would trace him his umbrage, nothing more.

But in the honesty of praise, I take him to be a soul of great substance, and his make-up of such rare and scarce quality that, to describe him truly, his only match is his own reflection, and anyone else who tried to follow him would be his shadow, nothing more.

Osric

Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him.

Your lordship speaks of him with perfect accuracy.

Hamlet

The concernancy, sir?

But what's the relevance, sir?

Why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer

breath?

Why are we wrapping the gentleman up in our own coarser breath?

Osric

Sir?

Horatio

Is’t not possible to understand in another tongue?

Isn't it possible to understand him if you speak another language?

You will do’t, sir,

really.

You can manage it, sir, really.

Hamlet

What imports the nomination of this gentleman?

What's the point of bringing up this gentleman's name?

Osric

Of Laertes?

Laertes's?

Horatio

His purse is empty already, all’s golden words are spent.

His purse is empty; he's spent all his golden words.

Hamlet

Of him, sir.

His, sir.

Osric

I know you are not ignorant,—

I know you are not unaware —

Hamlet

I would you did, sir; yet in faith if you did, it would not much

approve me.

I wish you did know, sir — though even if you did, it wouldn't say much for me.

Well, sir?

Osric

You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is,—

You are not unaware of how excellent Laertes is —

Hamlet

I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in excellence;

I don't dare admit that, in case I seem to be comparing myself with him in excellence —

but to know a man well were to know himself.

but to know another man well you'd have to know yourself.

Osric

I mean, sir, for his weapon;

I mean, sir, with a weapon.

but in the imputation laid on him, by them

in his meed he’s unfellowed.

By the reputation given him by those who serve alongside him, he has no equal.

Hamlet

What’s his weapon?

What's his weapon?

Osric

Rapier and dagger.

Hamlet

That’s two of his weapons.

That's two of his weapons.

But well.

But never mind.

Osric

The King, sir, hath wager’d with him six Barbary horses, against the

which he has imponed, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards,

with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so.

The King, sir, has bet six Barbary horses against six French rapiers and daggers that Laertes has staked, with all their fittings — belts, straps and so on.

Three of the carriages,

in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most

delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit.

Three of the carriages, honestly, are lovely to look at, very well suited to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very elegant design.

Hamlet

What call you the carriages?

What do you mean, carriages?

Horatio

I knew you must be edified by the margin ere you had done.

I knew you'd need the footnotes before you were through.

Osric

The carriages, sir, are the hangers.

Hamlet

The phrase would be more german to the matter if we could carry cannon

by our sides.

The word would be more appropriate if we carried cannon at our sides.

I would it might be hangers till then.

Until then, I'd rather they were hangers.

But on.

But go on.

Six

Barbary horses against six French swords, their assigns, and three

liberal conceited carriages: that’s the French bet against the Danish.

Six Barbary horses against six French swords with their fittings and three elegantly designed carriages — that's the French bet against the Danish.

Why is this all imponed, as you call it?

Why is all this staked, as you call it?

Osric

The King, sir, hath laid that in a dozen passes between you and him, he

shall not exceed you three hits.

The King, sir, has bet that in a dozen exchanges between you and Laertes, he won't beat you by more than three hits.

He hath laid on twelve for nine.

He's wagered on twelve to nine.

And

it would come to immediate trial if your lordship would vouchsafe the

answer.

And it could be tried immediately, if your lordship would give an answer.

Hamlet

How if I answer no?

What if my answer is no?

Osric

I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person in trial.

I mean, my lord, that you'd meet him in person for the trial.

Hamlet

Sir, I will walk here in the hall.

Sir, I'll be walking here in the hall.

If it please his Majesty, it is the

breathing time of day with me.

If it suits his Majesty, this is my exercise time of day.

Let the foils be brought, the gentleman

willing, and the King hold his purpose, I will win for him if I can; if

not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits.

Have the swords brought in, and if the gentleman is willing and the King holds to his plan, I'll win for him if I can; if not, all I'll get out of it is my shame and a few extra hits.

Osric

Shall I re-deliver you e’en so?

Shall I report you in those words?

Hamlet

To this effect, sir; after what flourish your nature will.

To that effect, sir — with whatever flourishes come naturally to you.

Osric

I commend my duty to your lordship.

I commend my service to your lordship.

Hamlet

Yours, yours.

Exit Osric.

Hamlet

He does well to commend it himself, there are no tongues else for’s

turn.

He does well to commend it himself; there's no other tongue that will do it for him.

Horatio

This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head.

This chick runs off with the eggshell still on his head.

Hamlet

He did comply with his dug before he suck’d it.

He was flattering his mother's breast before he'd suck it.

Thus has he,—and many

more of the same bevy that I know the drossy age dotes on,— only got

the tune of the time and outward habit of encounter; a kind of yeasty

collection, which carries them through and through the most fanned and

winnowed opinions;

This is how he — and plenty of others out of the same flock, the ones I know this shallow age dotes on — has picked up only the fashionable tune and the outward manners of polite company: a kind of frothy compound that carries them right through even the most refined and carefully sifted opinions.

and do but blow them to their trial, the bubbles are

out.

But just blow on them to test them, and the bubbles are gone.

Enter a Lord.

Lord

My lord, his Majesty commended him to you by young Osric, who brings

back to him that you attend him in the hall.

My lord, his Majesty sent his greetings by young Osric, who reports back that you're waiting for him in the hall.

He sends to know if your

pleasure hold to play with Laertes or that you will take longer time.

He wants to know whether you still intend to fence with Laertes, or would rather take more time.

Hamlet

I am constant to my purposes, they follow the King’s pleasure.

I don't change my mind; it follows the King's pleasure.

If his

fitness speaks, mine is ready.

If he's ready, I am.

Now or whensoever, provided I be so able

as now.

Now or whenever, provided I'm as fit as I am at this moment.

Lord

The King and Queen and all are coming down.

The King and Queen and all the rest are coming down.

Hamlet

In happy time.

Good timing.

Lord

The Queen desires you to use some gentle entertainment to Laertes

before you fall to play.

The Queen asks you to say something friendly to Laertes before you begin.

Hamlet

She well instructs me.

That's good advice.

Exit Lord.

Horatio

You will lose this wager, my lord.

You'll lose this bet, my lord.

Hamlet

I do not think so.

I don't think so.

Since he went into France, I have been in continual

practice.

Since he went to France, I've been practising constantly.

I shall win at the odds.

I'll win at those odds.

But thou wouldst not think how ill

all’s here about my heart:

But you wouldn't believe how uneasy I feel here, around my heart.

but it is no matter.

It doesn't matter, though.

Horatio

Nay, good my lord.

No, my good lord —

Hamlet

It is but foolery;

It's only foolishness —

but it is such a kind of gain-giving as would

perhaps trouble a woman.

but it's the kind of misgiving that might worry a woman.

Horatio

If your mind dislike anything, obey it.

If something in your mind objects, listen to it.

I will forestall their repair

hither, and say you are not fit.

I'll go and head them off, and say you're not up to it.

Hamlet

Not a whit,

Not at all.

we defy augury.

We don't believe in omens.

There’s a special providence in the fall of

a sparrow.

There's a special providence in the fall of a single sparrow.

If it be now, ’tis not to come;

If it's going to happen now, it isn't going to happen later;

if it be not to come, it

will be now;

if it isn't going to happen later, it will happen now;

if it be not now, yet it will come.

if it isn't now, it will still come.

The readiness is all.

Being ready is everything.

Since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is’t to leave betimes?

Since no man knows anything of what he leaves behind, what does it matter to leave early?

Enter King, Queen, Laertes, Lords, Osric and Attendants with foils &c.

King

Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me.

Come, Hamlet, come — take this hand from me.

The King puts Laertes’s hand into Hamlet’s.

Hamlet

Give me your pardon, sir.

Forgive me, sir.

I have done you wrong;

I have wronged you.

But pardon’t as you are a gentleman.

But pardon it, as a gentleman.

This presence knows, and you must needs have heard,

How I am punish’d with sore distraction.

Everyone here knows, and you must have heard, how badly I've been afflicted with mental illness.

What I have done

That might your nature, honour, and exception

Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness.

What I did that might roughly have shaken your nature, your honour and your sense of grievance, I declare here was madness.

Was’t Hamlet wrong’d Laertes?

Was it Hamlet who wronged Laertes?

Never Hamlet.

If Hamlet from himself be ta’en away,

And when he’s not himself does wrong Laertes,

Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it.

If Hamlet is taken away from himself, and while he's not himself does Laertes wrong, then Hamlet isn't the one doing it — Hamlet disowns the act.

Who does it, then?

His madness.

If’t be so,

Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong’d;

And if that's so, Hamlet is on the side of the wronged:

His madness is poor Hamlet’s enemy.

his madness is poor Hamlet's enemy.

Sir, in this audience,

Let my disclaiming from a purpos’d evil

Free me so far in your most generous thoughts

That I have shot my arrow o’er the house

And hurt my brother.

Sir, in front of all these people, let my denial of any deliberate wrong clear me in your generous thoughts — as though I had shot an arrow over the roof of the house and hit my own brother.

Laertes

I am satisfied in nature,

Whose motive in this case should stir me most

To my revenge.

As far as my feelings go, I'm satisfied, and feeling is what should drive me hardest toward revenge here.

But in my terms of honour

I stand aloof, and will no reconcilement

Till by some elder masters of known honour

I have a voice and precedent of peace

To keep my name ungor’d.

But where honour is concerned, I keep my distance, and I won't be reconciled until some older authorities on honour give me a ruling and a precedent for peace that leaves my name unstained.

But till that time

I do receive your offer’d love like love,

And will not wrong it.

Until then, I take your offered friendship as friendship, and I won't abuse it.

Hamlet

I embrace it freely,

And will this brother’s wager frankly play.—

I accept that gladly, and I'll play this brotherly wager honestly.

Give us the foils; come on.

— Give us the swords. Come on.

Laertes

Come, one for me.

Yes, one for me.

Hamlet

I’ll be your foil, Laertes;

I'll set off your skill, Laertes.

in mine ignorance

Your skill shall like a star i’ th’ darkest night,

Stick fiery off indeed.

Against my clumsiness, yours will stand out like a star burning in the darkest night.

Laertes

You mock me, sir.

You're mocking me, sir.

Hamlet

No, by this hand.

No — I swear it.

King

Give them the foils, young Osric.

Give them the swords, young Osric.

Cousin Hamlet,

You know the wager?

Cousin Hamlet, you know the terms of the bet?

Hamlet

Very well, my lord.

Your Grace has laid the odds o’ the weaker side.

Your Grace has given the odds to the weaker fencer.

King

I do not fear it.

I'm not worried.

I have seen you both;

I've seen you both.

But since he is better’d, we have therefore odds.

But since he has improved, we get the odds.

Laertes

This is too heavy.

This one's too heavy.

Let me see another.

Hamlet

This likes me well.

This one suits me.

These foils have all a length?

Are these swords all the same length?

They prepare to play.

Osric

Ay, my good lord.

Yes, my good lord.

King

Set me the stoups of wine upon that table.

Set the wine jugs on that table.

If Hamlet give the first or second hit,

Or quit in answer of the third exchange,

Let all the battlements their ordnance fire;

If Hamlet scores the first or second hit, or evens the score in the third exchange, let every cannon on the battlements fire.

The King shall drink to Hamlet’s better breath,

And in the cup an union shall he throw

Richer than that which four successive kings

In Denmark’s crown have worn.

The King will drink to Hamlet's stamina, and he'll drop a pearl into the cup worth more than the one four successive Danish kings have worn in the crown.

Give me the cups;

Give me the cups.

And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,

The trumpet to the cannoneer without,

The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to earth,

‘Now the King drinks to Hamlet.’

And let the kettledrum speak to the trumpet, the trumpet to the gunner outside, the cannon to the heavens and the heavens back to earth: 'Now the King drinks to Hamlet.'

Come, begin.

And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.

And you, the judges, keep a careful eye.

Hamlet

Come on, sir.

Laertes

Come, my lord.

Come on, my lord.

They play.

Hamlet

One.

Laertes

No.

Hamlet

Judgement.

Judges' ruling.

Osric

A hit, a very palpable hit.

A hit — a very obvious hit.

Laertes

Well; again.

All right. Again.

King

Stay, give me drink.

Wait — give me a drink.

Hamlet, this pearl is thine;

Hamlet, this pearl is yours.

Here’s to thy health.

Here's to your health.

Trumpets sound, and cannon shot off within.

King

Give him the cup.

Hamlet

I’ll play this bout first; set it by awhile.

I'll fight this round first. Set it aside for a moment.

They play.

Hamlet

Come.

Come on.

Another hit; what say you?

Another hit — what do you say?

Laertes

A touch, a touch, I do confess.

A touch, a touch, I admit it.

King

Our son shall win.

Our son will win.

Queen

He’s fat, and scant of breath.

He's out of condition and short of breath.

Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows.

Here, Hamlet, take my handkerchief and wipe your forehead.

The Queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet.

The Queen drinks to your success, Hamlet.

Hamlet

Good madam.

Thank you, madam.

King

Gertrude, do not drink.

Gertrude, don't drink.

Queen

I will, my lord;

I will, my lord.

I pray you pardon me.

Please excuse me.

Aside.

King

It is the poison’d cup; it is too late.

[Aside] That's the poisoned cup. It's too late.

Hamlet

I dare not drink yet, madam.

I don't dare drink yet, madam.

By and by.

In a moment.

Queen

Come, let me wipe thy face.

Come, let me wipe your face.

Laertes

My lord, I’ll hit him now.

My lord, I'll hit him this time.

King

I do not think’t.

[Aside] I doubt it.

Aside.

Laertes

And yet ’tis almost ’gainst my conscience.

And yet it goes almost against my conscience.

Hamlet

Come for the third, Laertes.

Come for the third round, Laertes.

You do but dally.

You're only toying with me.

I pray you pass with your best violence.

Please, come at me with everything you've got.

I am afeard you make a wanton of me.

I'm afraid you're treating me like a spoiled child.

Laertes

Say you so?

You think so?

Come on.

They play.

Osric

Nothing neither way.

Nothing either way.

Laertes

Have at you now.

Take that.

Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in scuffling, they change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes.

King

Part them; they are incens’d.

Separate them — they've lost their tempers.

Hamlet

Nay, come again!

No, come on again!

The Queen falls.

Osric

Look to the Queen there, ho!

Look to the Queen there!

Horatio

They bleed on both sides.

They're both bleeding.

How is it, my lord?

How are you, my lord?

Osric

How is’t, Laertes?

How are you, Laertes?

Laertes

Why, as a woodcock to my own springe, Osric.

Caught like a bird in my own snare, Osric.

I am justly kill’d with mine own treachery.

I've been justly killed by my own treachery.

Hamlet

How does the Queen?

How is the Queen?

King

She swoons to see them bleed.

She's fainted at the sight of the blood.

Queen

No, no, the drink, the drink!

No, no — the drink, the drink!

O my dear Hamlet!

Oh, my dear Hamlet!

The drink, the drink!

The drink, the drink —

I am poison’d.

I've been poisoned.

Dies.

Hamlet

O villany!

Villainy!

Ho! Let the door be lock’d:

Lock the doors!

Treachery! Seek it out.

Treachery — find out where it came from!

Laertes falls.

Laertes

It is here, Hamlet.

It's here, Hamlet.

Hamlet, thou art slain.

Hamlet, you're a dead man.

No medicine in the world can do thee good.

No medicine in the world can help you.

In thee there is not half an hour of life;

You have less than half an hour of life left in you.

The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,

Unbated and envenom’d.

The treacherous weapon is in your own hand — unblunted and poisoned.

The foul practice

Hath turn’d itself on me.

The foul scheme has turned back on me.

Lo, here I lie,

Never to rise again.

Look, here I lie, never to get up again.

Thy mother’s poison’d.

Your mother has been poisoned.

I can no more.

I can't say any more.

The King, the King’s to blame.

The King — the King is to blame.

Hamlet

The point envenom’d too!

The point poisoned as well!

Then, venom, to thy work.

Then, poison, get to work.

Stabs the King.

Hamlet

OSRIC and LORDS.

Treason! treason!

OSRIC and LORDS: Treason! Treason!

King

O yet defend me, friends. I am but hurt.

Defend me, friends — I'm only wounded.

Hamlet

Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane,

Drink off this potion.

Here, you incestuous, murdering, damned Dane — drink this down.

Is thy union here?

Is your pearl in there?

Follow my mother.

Go after my mother.

King dies.

Laertes

He is justly serv’d.

He got what he deserved.

It is a poison temper’d by himself.

It was a poison he mixed himself.

Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet.

Let's exchange forgiveness, noble Hamlet.

Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee,

Nor thine on me.

May my death and my father's not be charged against you, nor yours against me.

Dies.

Hamlet

Heaven make thee free of it!

Heaven clear you of it.

I follow thee.

I'm coming after you.

I am dead, Horatio.

— I'm dying, Horatio.

Wretched Queen, adieu.

Wretched Queen, goodbye.

You that look pale and tremble at this chance,

That 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.

And you who look pale and shake at what's happened, who are only silent extras and spectators at this scene — if I had the time, but this brutal officer, death, makes his arrest without delay — oh, I could tell you — but let it go.

Horatio, I am dead,

Thou liv’st;

Horatio, I'm dying; you're alive.

report me and my cause aright

To the unsatisfied.

Report me and my cause truthfully to those who don't understand.

Horatio

Never believe it.

Never.

I am more an antique Roman than a Dane.

I'm more an ancient Roman than a Dane —

Here’s yet some liquor left.

there's still some liquid left here.

Hamlet

As th’art a man,

Give me the cup.

As you're a man, give me the cup.

Let go;

Let go.

by Heaven, I’ll have’t.

By heaven, I'll have it.

O good Horatio, what a wounded name,

Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me.

Oh, good Horatio, what a damaged reputation I'll leave behind me if things stay unexplained like this.

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.

If you ever held me in your heart, keep yourself away from the peace of death a while longer, and go on breathing painfully in this harsh world, to tell my story.

March afar off, and shot within.

Hamlet

What warlike noise is this?

What's that warlike noise?

Osric

Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland,

To the ambassadors of England gives

This warlike volley.

Young Fortinbras, back victorious from Poland, is firing this military salute for the ambassadors from England.

Hamlet

O, I die, Horatio.

Oh, I'm dying, Horatio.

The potent poison quite o’er-crows my spirit:

The powerful poison is overwhelming my spirit.

I cannot live to hear the news from England,

I won't live to hear the news from England,

But I do prophesy th’election lights

On Fortinbras.

but I predict the election will fall on Fortinbras.

He has my dying voice.

He has my dying vote.

So tell him, with the occurrents more and less,

Which have solicited.

Tell him that, along with the details, large and small, that brought this about.

The rest is silence.

Dies.

Horatio

Now cracks a noble heart.

Now a noble heart breaks.

Good night, sweet prince,

And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

Good night, sweet prince, and may flights of angels sing you to your rest.

Why does the drum come hither?

— Why is that drum coming this way?

March within.

Enter Fortinbras, the English Ambassadors and others.

Fortinbras

Where is this sight?

Where is this scene?

Horatio

What is it you would see?

What is it you want to see?

If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search.

If it's anything sorrowful or astonishing, stop looking — you've found it.

Fortinbras

This quarry cries on havoc.

This heap of dead cries out for slaughter.

O proud death,

What feast is toward in thine eternal cell,

That thou so many princes at a shot

So bloodily hast struck?

Oh, proud Death, what feast is being prepared in your eternal chamber, that you've struck down so many princes at one bloody blow?

First Ambassador

The sight is dismal;

And our affairs from England come too late.

The sight is grim, and our news from England has come too late.

The ears are senseless that should give us hearing,

To tell him his commandment is fulfill’d,

That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead.

The ears that should hear us are past hearing — we came to tell him that his order has been carried out, that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead.

Where should we have our thanks?

Who is going to thank us now?

Horatio

Not from his mouth,

Had it th’ability of life to thank you.

Not his mouth, even if it had life enough left to thank you.

He never gave commandment for their death.

He never ordered their deaths.

But since, so jump upon this bloody question,

You from the Polack wars, and you from England

Are here arriv’d, give order that these bodies

High on a stage be placed to the view,

But since you've both arrived so exactly at this bloody moment — you from the Polish wars and you from England — give orders for these bodies to be laid out high on a platform where everyone can see them,

And let me speak to th’ yet unknowing world

How these things came about.

and let me tell the world, which knows nothing yet, how all this came about.

So shall you hear

Of carnal, bloody and unnatural acts,

Of accidental judgements, casual slaughters,

Of deaths put on by cunning and forc’d cause,

And, in this upshot, purposes mistook

Fall’n on the inventors’ heads.

You'll hear of acts that were carnal, bloody and unnatural, of judgements that fell by accident, of killings that happened by chance, of deaths brought on by cunning and by pressure — and, in this final act, of plots that misfired and came down on the heads of the men who devised them.

All this can I

Truly deliver.

All of this I can report truthfully.

Fortinbras

Let us haste to hear it,

And call the noblest to the audience.

Let's hurry to hear it, and call the nobility to listen.

For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune.

As for me, I take up my fortune with sorrow.

I have some rights of memory in this kingdom,

Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.

I have some remembered claims on this kingdom, which my position now invites me to press.

Horatio

Of that I shall have also cause to speak,

And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more.

I'll have reason to speak of that too, and to pass on the vote of a man whose voice will bring more with it.

But let this same be presently perform’d,

Even while men’s minds are wild, lest more mischance

On plots and errors happen.

But let this be done at once, while people's minds are still wild, in case any more disaster comes of plots and mistakes.

Fortinbras

Let four captains

Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage,

For he was likely, had he been put on,

To have prov’d most royally;

Let four captains carry Hamlet up onto the platform like a soldier, because if he'd been given the chance to rule, he would very likely have proved a great king.

and for his passage,

The soldiers’ music and the rites of war

Speak loudly for him.

And for his funeral, let military music and the rites of war speak loudly on his behalf.

Take up the bodies.

— Take up the bodies.

Such a sight as this

Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss.

A sight like this belongs on a battlefield; here it looks all wrong.

Go, bid the soldiers shoot.

Go, order the soldiers to fire.

A dead march.

Exeunt, bearing off the bodies, after which a peal of ordnance is shot off.

Hamlet Act 5, Scene 2 summary

Who appears in this scene

Hamlet, Horatio, Osric, Lord, King, Laertes, Queen, Fortinbras, First Ambassador — A hall in the Castle.

Famous lines in Hamlet Act 5, Scene 2, explained

“There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, / Rough-hew them how we will.” (line 10): Hamlet's account of the sea voyage leads him to conclude that some higher power finishes what we only block out crudely, like a carpenter shaping timber that has been roughly cut. It is the clearest sign of the change in him: the man who agonised over whether to act now believes that acting on impulse worked because something was directing it. Whether this counts as spiritual growth or as a convenient surrender of responsibility — he has just sent two former friends to their deaths — is left for the reader to weigh.
“There’s a special providence in the fall of / a sparrow. If it be now, ’tis not to come; if it be not to come, it / will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all.” (line 194): Echoing Christ's words in Matthew's gospel that not even a sparrow falls without God's notice, Hamlet dismisses his own bad feeling about the duel. His logic circles: death comes whenever it comes, so the only thing within his control is being prepared for it. This is the resolution of the 'To be, or not to be' problem — not an answer to it, but an end to the asking, and he walks into the trap knowingly calm.
“O good Horatio, what a wounded name, / Things standing thus unknown, shall live 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.” (line 338): Dying, Hamlet stops Horatio from drinking the poison and asks him to stay alive and explain what happened, because otherwise he will be remembered as a murderer and a madman. It is the play's answer to what Hamlet finally wants — not revenge, which he has already taken, but an accurate account. He is asking his friend to give up peace and suffer on, purely so the truth survives; the play we have just watched is that account.
“The rest is silence.” (line 354): Hamlet's last words, after nine thousand of the most talkative lines in drama. The man who has narrated his own mind without pause simply stops, and what he has always feared — the unknown state after death — arrives without another report. Readers hear it as everything from bleak nothingness to peace at last; the point is that the play refuses to say, and gives its most articulate character no final explanation.
“Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, / And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.” (line 355): Horatio's farewell is the play's verdict on Hamlet, delivered by the only character who never wanted anything from him. Against the Ghost's purgatory and Hamlet's own terror of the undiscovered country, Horatio simply wishes him angels — a blessing rather than a judgement. It has become the standard English eulogy for someone brilliant who died too soon.

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About this translation: the original text follows the public-domain Project Gutenberg Globe edition; the modern English translation was written in-house for Polytranslator and is reviewed on an ongoing basis (last revised August 2026). Free to print and photocopy for classroom use. Cite as: “Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2. Polytranslator side-by-side translation, polytranslator.com/shakespeare/hamlet/act-5-scene-2.”

Studying the language itself? Our Shakespearean English course teaches thou/thee, the verbs, and the meter — free through Unit 2. Or try the Shakespearean English translator.