Hamlet

Well may it sort2 that this portentous figure

Comes armed through our watch, so like the king

That was and is the question4 of these wars.

HORATIO A mote5 it is to trouble the mind's eye.

In the most high and palmy6 state of Rome,

A little ere the mightiest Julius7 fell,

The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted8 dead

Did squeak9 and gibber in the Roman streets:

As stars with trains of fire10 and dews of blood,

Disasters in the sun, and the moist star11

Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands12

Was sick almost to doomsday13 with eclipse:

And even the like precurse14 of feared events,

As harbingers preceding still15 the fates

And prologue to the omen16 coming on,

Have heaven and earth together demonstrated

Unto our climatures18 and countrymen.--

Following 1.2.59:

wrung from me my slow leave

By laboursome petition20, and at last

Upon his will I sealed my hard21 consent.

Following 1.4.18:

This heavy-headed revel east and west22

Makes us traduced and taxed of23 other nations:

They clepe us drunkards, and with swinish phrase24

Soil our addition: and indeed it takes25

From our achievements, though performed at height26,

The pith and marrow of our attribute27.

So, oft it chances in particular men

That for some vicious mole29 of nature in them,