Act I Scene II. A room of state in the castle.
Enter King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Hamlet, Polonius, Laertes, Voltimand, Cornelius, Lords, and Attendants
King Claudius: [Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother’s death] {The memory be green}, and that {it 〘us〙 befitted} [To bear 〘our hearts in grief〙 and 〘our whole kingdom 〔To be contracted in one brow of woe〕〙],
注:it us befitted = it befitted us. of = about
{Yet so far hath(has) 【discretion】 fought with nature} [That we [with wisest sorrow] think on him],
Together with remembrance of ourselves.
Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen,
The imperial jointress 〔to this warlike state〕,
Have we, as ‘twere(it were) [with a defeated joy],– [With an auspicious and a dropping eye], [With mirth in funeral] and [with dirge in marriage], [In equal scale weighing delight and dole(悲伤)],– 〖Taken to wife〗:
nor have we herein barr’d(barred) Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone With this affair along. For all, our thanks.
Now follows, that you know, 【young Fortinbras】, [Holding a weak supposal of our worth], [Or thinking [by our late dear brother’s death] 〘Our state to be disjoint and out of frame〙],
〖Colleagued with the dream of his advantage〗, He hath(has) not fail’d [to pester us with message],
[Importing the surrender of those lands 〔Lost by his father, with all bonds of law, To our most valiant brother〕].
So much for him.
Now for ourself and for this time of meeting:
Thus much the business is: {we have here writ To 『Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras』},– 〔Who, 〔impotent and bed-rid〕, scarcely hears Of this his nephew’s purpose〕,–[to suppress His further gait herein; 〔in that the levies, The lists and full proportions, are all made Out of his subject〕]:
and we here dispatch You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltimand,
For bearers of this greeting to old Norway;
Giving [to you] 〘no further personal power〙 [To business with the king], [more than the scope 〔Of these delated articles allow〕].
Farewell, and let your haste 〈commend your duty〉.
Cornelius Voltimand: In that and all things {will we show our duty}.
King Claudius: We doubt it nothing: heartily farewell.
Exeunt Voltimand and Cornelius
And now, Laertes, what’s the news with you?
You told us of some suit; what is’t, Laertes?
You cannot speak of reason [to the Dane], And lose your voice:
what wouldst thou(you) beg, Laertes, That shall not be my offer, not thy(your) asking?
The head is not more native [to the heart], The hand more instrumental [to the mouth], Than is the throne of Denmark [to thy(your) father].
What wouldst thou(you) have, Laertes?
Laertes: My dread lord, Your leave(许可) and favour to return to France;
From whence though willingly I came to Denmark, To show my duty in your coronation,
Yet now, I must confess, that duty done,
【My thoughts and wishes】 〖bend again [toward France]〗 And 〖bow them [to your gracious leave and pardon]〗.
King Claudius: Have you 〘your father’s leave〙? What says Polonius?
Lord Polonius: He hath(has), my lord, 〖wrung [from me] 〘my slow leave〙〗 [By laboursome petition], and at last [Upon his will] {I seal’d my hard consent}:
I do beseech you, give him leave [to go].
King Claudius: Take thy(your) fair hour, Laertes; time be thine(yours),
And thy(your) best graces spend it [at thy(your) will]!
But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son,–
Hamlet: [Aside] A little more than kin, and less than kind.
King Claudius: How is it [that the clouds still hang on you]?
Hamlet: Not so, my lord; I am too much i’(in) the sun.
Queen Gertrude: Good Hamlet, cast thy(your) nighted colour off,
And let thine(your) eye 〈look [like a friend] on Denmark〉.
Do not for ever [with thy(your) vailed(放下的) lids(眼睑)] Seek for thy(your) noble father [in the dust]:
Thou(You) know’st 〘‘tis(it is) common〙; all that lives must die,
Passing through nature to eternity.
Hamlet: Ay, madam, it is common.
Queen Gertrude: If it be,
Why seems it so particular [with thee(you)]?
Hamlet: Seems, madam! nay it is; I know not ‘seems.’ ‘Tis(It is) not alone my inky cloak, good mother,
Nor customary suits of solemn black,
Nor windy suspiration of forced breath,
No, nor the fruitful river in the eye,
Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief,
That can denote me truly: these indeed ‘seem’,
For they are actions 〔that a man might play〕:
But I have that 〔[within which] passeth show〕;
These but 『the trappings and the suits』 of woe.
King Claudius: ‘Tis(It is) sweet and commendable [in your nature], Hamlet, To give these mourning duties [to your father]:
But, you must know, your father lost a father;
That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound In filial(孝顺) obligation [for some term] [To do obsequious sorrow]:
but 【to persever In obstinate condolement】 is a course Of impious(不敬的) stubbornness; ‘tis(it is) unmanly grief;
It shows a will 〔most incorrect [to heaven]〕,
A heart unfortified, a mind impatient,
An understanding 〔simple and unschool’d〕:
For 【what we know】 〖must be and is as common〗 [As any the most vulgar thing 〔to sense〕],
Why should we [in our peevish opposition] Take it to heart? Fie! ‘tis(it is) a fault 〔to heaven〕,
A fault 〔against the dead〕, a fault 〔to nature〕,
To reason most absurd: whose common theme Is death of fathers, and who still hath(has) cried, From the first corse till he 〔that died to-day〕,
‘This must be so.’ We pray you, throw [to earth] 〘This unprevailing woe〙, and think of us [As of a father].
For let the world take note, You are the most immediate [to our throne];
And [with no less 『nobility of love』 Than that 〔which dearest father bears his son〕], Do I impart(给予) [toward you].
For your intent 〔In 『going back to school in Wittenberg』〕,
It is most retrograde [to our desire]:
And we beseech you, bend you [to remain Here], [in the cheer and comfort of our eye, Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son].
Queen Gertrude: Let not thy(your) mother 〈lose her prayers〉, Hamlet:
I pray thee(you), stay with us; go not to Wittenberg.
Hamlet: I shall [in all my best] obey you, madam.
King Claudius: Why, ‘tis(it is) a loving and a fair reply:
Be as ourself in Denmark. Madam, come;
【This 『gentle and unforced』 accord of Hamlet】 Sits smiling [to my heart]:
in grace whereof(关于那个), No(每一个) jocund(欢乐的) health 〔that Denmark drinks to-day〕,
But 【the great cannon】 [to the clouds] shall tell,
And 【the king’s rouse】 〘the heavens 〔all〕〙 bruit(传播) again,
Re-speaking earthly thunder. Come away.
Exeunt all but Hamlet
Hamlet: O, that 【this too too solid flesh】 〖would melt Thaw(融化)〗 and 〖resolve itself into a dew〗!
Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d His canon(法规) [‘gainst(against) self-slaughter]! O God! God!
How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, 〖Seem to me〗 【all the uses of this world】!
Fie on’t! ah fie! ‘tis(it is) an unweeded garden,
That grows to seed; 【『things 〔rank and gross〕』 in nature】 〖Possess it merely〗.
That it should come to this! But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two:
So excellent a king; that was, to this, Hyperion to a satyr;
so loving to my mother [That he might not beteem 〘【the winds of heaven】 Visit her face too roughly〙]. Heaven and earth!
Must I remember? why, she would hang on him, As if increase of appetite had grown [By what it fed on]:
and yet, within a month– Let me not think on’t–
Frailty, thy(your) name is woman!– A little month, or ere(before) those shoes were old 〔With which she follow’d my poor father’s body〕, Like Niobe, all tears:–
why she, even she– O, God! {a beast, 〔that wants discourse of reason〕, Would have mourn’d longer} – married with my uncle,
My father’s brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules: within a month:
Ere yet 【the salt of most unrighteous tears】 Had left 〘the flushing in her galled eyes〙, She married.
O, most wicked speed, to post [With such dexterity] [to incestuous sheets]!
It is not {nor it cannot come to} good:
But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue.
Enter Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo
Horatio: Hail to your lordship!
Hamlet: I am glad to see you well:
Horatio,–or I do forget myself.
Horatio: The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever.
Hamlet: Sir, my good friend; I’ll change that name with you:
And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio? Marcellus?
Marcellus: My good lord–
Hamlet: I am very glad to see you. Good even, sir.
But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?
Horatio: A truant disposition, good my lord.
Hamlet: I would not hear your enemy say so,
Nor shall you do 〘mine ear〙 〘that violence〙, To make 〘it〙 〘truster of your own report 〔Against yourself〕〙:
I know 〘you are no truant〙.
But what is your affair [in Elsinore]?
We’ll teach you to drink [deep] [ere(before) you depart].
Horatio: My lord, I came to see your father’s funeral.
Hamlet: I pray thee(you), do not mock me, fellow-student;
I think 〘it was 〘to see my mother’s wedding〙〙.
Horatio: Indeed, my lord, it follow’d hard upon.
Hamlet: Thrift, thrift, Horatio! 【the funeral baked meats】 Did coldly furnish(布置) [forth] 〘the marriage tables〙.
Would I had met my dearest foe [in heaven] Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio!
My father!–methinks 〘I see my father〙.
Horatio: Where, my lord?
Hamlet: In my mind’s eye, Horatio.
Horatio: I saw him once; he was a goodly king.
Hamlet: He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look 〘upon his like〙 again.
Horatio: My lord, I think 〘I saw him yesternight〙.
Hamlet: Saw? who?
Horatio: My lord, the king your father.
Hamlet: The king my father!
Horatio: Season your admiration [for awhile] [With an attent ear], till I may deliver, [Upon the witness of these gentlemen], This marvel to you.
Hamlet: For God’s love, let me hear.
Horatio: Two nights together had these gentlemen, Marcellus and Bernardo, [on their watch],
[In the 『dead vast(广阔的) and middle』 of the night], Been thus encounter’d.
【A figure like your father】, 〔Armed at point exactly, cap-a-pie〕, 〖Appears before them〗, 〖and [with solemn march] Goes slow and stately by them〗:
thrice(三次) he walk’d [By their oppress’d and fear-surprised eyes], [Within his truncheon’s length];
whilst they, 〖distilled Almost to jelly〗 [with the act of fear], 〖Stand dumb and speak not to him〗.
〘This〙 [to me] [In dreadful secrecy] impart(告知) 【they】 did;
And I [with them] [the third night] kept the watch;
Where, [as they had deliver’d], [both in time, Form of the thing], each word made true and good,
The apparition comes: I knew your father;
These hands are not more like.
Hamlet: But where was this?
Marcellus: My lord, upon the platform 〔where we watch’d〕.
Hamlet: Did you not speak to it?
Horatio: My lord, I did;
But answer made it none: yet once methought 〘It lifted up its head and did address Itself to motion〙, [like as it would speak];
But even then the morning cock crew loud,
And [at the sound] it shrunk in haste away,
And vanish’d from our sight.
Hamlet: ‘Tis(It is) very strange.
Horatio: As I do live, my honour’d lord, ‘tis(it is) true;
And we did think 〘it writ down in our duty [To let you know of it]〙.
Hamlet: Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me.
Hold you the watch to-night?
Marcellus Bernardo: We do, my lord.
Hamlet: Arm’d, say you?
Marcellus Bernardo: Arm’d, my lord.
Hamlet: From top to toe?
Marcellus Bernardo: My lord, from head to foot.
Hamlet: Then saw 【you】 not his face?
Horatio: O, yes, my lord; he wore his beaver up.
Hamlet: What, look’d he frowningly?
Horatio: A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.
Hamlet: Pale or red?
Horatio: Nay, very pale.
Hamlet: And fix’d his eyes upon you?
Horatio: Most constantly.
Hamlet: I would 〘I had been there〙.
Horatio: It would have much amazed you.
Hamlet: Very like, very like. Stay’d it long?
Horatio: While one 〔with moderate haste〕 might tell a hundred.
Marcellus Bernardo: Longer, longer.
Horatio: Not when I saw’t.
Hamlet: His beard was grizzled–no?
Horatio: It was, as I have seen it [in his life], A sable silver’d.
Hamlet: I will watch to-night;
Perchance ‘twill(it will) walk again.
Horatio: I warrant it will.
Hamlet: If it assume my noble father’s person,
I’ll speak to it, though hell itself should gape And bid me 〈hold my peace〉.
I pray you all, If you have hitherto conceal’d this sight,
Let it be tenable [in your silence still];
And whatsoever else shall hap to-night,
Give it an understanding, but no tongue:
I will requite your loves. So, fare you well:
Upon the platform, ‘twixt eleven and twelve,
I’ll visit you.
All: Our duty to your honour.
Hamlet: Your loves, as mine to you: farewell.
Exeunt all but Hamlet
My father’s spirit in arms! all is not well;
I doubt 〘some foul play〙: would the night were come!
Till then sit still, my soul: foul deeds will rise,
Though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men’s eyes.
Exit