Act 4 — Scene IV. A plain in Denmark.

For. Go, captain, from me greet the Danish king;[1639] Tell him that by his license Fortinbras Craves the conveyance of a promised march[1640] Over his kingdom. You know the rendezvous.[1641] If that his majesty would aught with us, 5 We shall express our duty in his eye;[1642] And let him know so. Cap. I will do't, my lord. For. Go softly on.[1643]

Ham. Good sir, whose powers are these?[1643][1645] Cap. They are of Norway, sir.[1643][1645][1646] 10 Ham. How purposed, sir, I pray you?[1643][1645][1647] Cap. Against some part of Poland.[1643][1645][1648] Ham. Who commands them, sir?[1643][1645] Cap. The nephew to old Norway, Fortinbras.[1645][1649] Ham. Goes it against the main of Poland, sir,[1645] 15 Or for some frontier?[1645] Cap. Truly to speak, and with no addition,[1645][1650] We go to gain a little patch of ground[1645] That hath in it no profit but the name.[1645] To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it;[1645][1651] 20 Nor will it yield to Norway or the Pole[1645] A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee.[1645][1652] Ham. Why, then the Polack never will defend it.[1645] Cap. Yes, it is already garrison'd.[1645][1653] Ham. Two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats[1645][1654][1655] 25 Will not debate the question of this straw:[1645][1655] This is the imposthume of much wealth and peace,[1645] That inward breaks, and shows no cause without[1645] Why the man dies. I humbly thank you, sir.[1645] Cap. God be wi' you, sir. [Exit.[1645] Ros. Will't please you go, my lord?[1645][1656] 30 Ham. I'll be with you straight. Go a little before.[1645]

How all occasions do inform against me,[1645] And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,[1645] If his chief good and market of his time[1645] Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.[1645] 35 Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,[1645] Looking before and after, gave us not[1645] That capability and god-like reason[1645] To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be[1645][1658] Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple[1645] 40 Of thinking too precisely on the event,—[1645] A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom[1645] And ever three parts coward,—I do not know[1645][1659] Why yet I live to say 'this thing's to do,'[1645][1659] Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means,[1645] 45 To do't. Examples gross as earth exhort me:[1645] Witness this army, of such mass and charge,[1645] Led by a delicate and tender prince,[1645] Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd[1645] Makes mouths at the invisible event,[1645] 50 Exposing what is mortal and unsure[1645] To all that fortune, death and danger dare,[1645] Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great[1645][1660] Is not to stir without great argument,[1645][1660][1661] But greatly to find quarrel in a straw[1645] 55 When honour's at the stake. How stand I then,[1645] That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd,[1645] Excitements of my reason and my blood,[1645] And let all sleep, while to my shame I see[1645] The imminent death of twenty thousand men,[1645][1662] 60 That for a fantasy and trick of fame[1645] Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot[1645][1663] Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,[1645] Which is not tomb enough and continent[1645] To hide the slain? O, from this time forth,[1645][1664] 65 My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! [Exit.[1645]