Hamlet
Text Circles Dramatis Personae Synopsis All Definitions

Share
All
text
First folio
Modern text
Definitions
Key line
Enter Fortinbras with an Armie.Enter Fortinbras with his army over the stage Ham IV.iv.1
For. FORTINBRAS 
Go Captaine, from me greet the Danish King,Go, captain, from me greet the Danish King. Ham IV.iv.1
Tell him that by his license, FortinbrasTell him that by his licence Fortinbras Ham IV.iv.2
Claimes the conueyance of a promis'd MarchCraves the conveyance of a promised marchpromised (adj.)

old form: promis'd
previously agreed		Ham IV.iv.3
conveyance (n.)

old form: conueyance
escort, conduct, convoy
crave (v.)
beg, entreat, request
Ouer his Kingdome. You know the Rendeuous:Over his kingdom. You know the rendezvous. Ham IV.iv.4
If that his Maiesty would ought with vs,If that his majesty would aught with us,aught (n.)

old form: ought
anything, [with negative word] nothing		Ham IV.iv.5
We shall expresse our dutie in his eye,We shall express our duty in his eye.eye, in his
in front of him, in his presence		Ham IV.iv.6
And let him know so.And let him know so. Ham IV.iv.7.1
Cap. CAPTAIN 
I will doo't, my Lord.I will do't, my lord. Ham IV.iv.7.2
For. FORTINBRAS 
Go safely on. Exit.Go softly on.softly (adv.)
slowly, gently		Ham IV.iv.8
Exeunt all but the Captain Ham IV.iv.8
Enter Hamlet, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Ham IV.iv.9.1
attendants Ham IV.iv.9.2
HAMLET 
Good sir, whose powers are these?power (n.)
armed force, troops, host, army		Ham IV.iv.9
CAPTAIN 
They are of Norway, sir. Ham IV.iv.10
HAMLET 
How purposed, sir, I pray you?purpose (v.)
intend, plan		Ham IV.iv.11
CAPTAIN 
Against some part of Poland. Ham IV.iv.12
HAMLET 
Who commands them, sir? Ham IV.iv.13
CAPTAIN 
The nephew to old Norway, Fortinbras. Ham IV.iv.14
HAMLET 
Goes it against the main of Poland, sir,main (n.)
central part, chief part		Ham IV.iv.15
Or for some frontier?frontier (n.)
border fortress, frontier town		Ham IV.iv.16
CAPTAIN 
Truly to speak, and with no addition,addition (n.)
exaggeration, overstatement		Ham IV.iv.17
We go to gain a little patch of ground Ham IV.iv.18
That hath in it no profit but the name.name (n.)
reputation, fame, renown		Ham IV.iv.19
To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it;ducat (n.)
gold (sometimes silver) coin used in several European countries		Ham IV.iv.20
farm (v.)
lease out, rent out, let
Nor will it yield to Norway or the Pole Ham IV.iv.21
A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee.rank (adj.)
growing in abundance, excessively luxuriant [often unattractively]		Ham IV.iv.22
rank (adj.)
high, good, great
fee, in
in absolute possession, as freehold
HAMLET 
Why, then the Polack never will defend it.Polack (n.)
Poles, Polish people		Ham IV.iv.23
CAPTAIN 
Yes, it is already garrisoned. Ham IV.iv.24
HAMLET 
Two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats Ham IV.iv.25
Will not debate the question of this straw.straw (n.)
trivial matter, trifle		Ham IV.iv.26
debate (v.)
decide [by debate], resolve
This is th' imposthume of much wealth and peace,imposthume (n.)
abscess, putrid swelling		Ham IV.iv.27
wealth (n.)
welfare, well-being, prosperity
That inward breaks, and shows no cause withoutinward (adv.)
internally, inside		Ham IV.iv.28
without (adv.)
externally, on the outside
break (v.)
burst, rupture
Why the man dies. I humbly thank you, sir. Ham IV.iv.29
CAPTAIN 
God bye you, sir. Ham IV.iv.30.1
Exit Ham IV.iv.30
ROSENCRANTZ 
Will't please you go, my lord? Ham IV.iv.30.2
HAMLET 
I'll be with you straight. Go a little before.straight (adv.)
straightaway, immediately, at once		Ham IV.iv.31
Exeunt all but Hamlet Ham IV.iv.31
How all occasions do inform against meinform (v.)
provide evidence, bring a charge		Ham IV.iv.32
And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,dull (adj.)
dead, lifeless, sluggish, inactive		Ham IV.iv.33
If his chief good and market of his timemarket (n.)
marketing [i.e. profitable use]		Ham IV.iv.34
Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more. Ham IV.iv.35
Sure He that made us with such large discourse,discourse (n.)
rationality, faculty of understanding		Ham IV.iv.36
Looking before and after, gave us not Ham IV.iv.37
That capability and godlike reason Ham IV.iv.38
To fust in us unused. Now, whether it befust (v.)
become musty, grow mouldy		Ham IV.iv.39
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scrupleoblivion (n.)
forgetfulness, inability to recall		Ham IV.iv.40
scruple (n.)
scrupulousness, introspective doubt
craven (adj.)
cowardly, spineless, weak-hearted
Of thinking too precisely on th' event – event (n.)
outcome, issue, consequence		Ham IV.iv.41
A thought which, quartered, hath but one part wisdom Ham IV.iv.42
And ever three parts coward – I do not know Ham IV.iv.43
Why yet I live to say ‘ This thing's to do,’ Ham IV.iv.44
Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means Ham IV.iv.45
To do't. Examples gross as earth exhort me.gross (adj.)
heavy, weighty, bulky		Ham IV.iv.46
Witness this army of such mass and charge,mass (n.)
size, numbers, large amount		Ham IV.iv.47
charge (n.)
expense, cost, outlay
Led by a delicate and tender prince,delicate (adj.)
sensitive, tender, not robust		Ham IV.iv.48
Whose spirit, with divine ambition puffed,puffed (adj.)
increased, extended, stuffed		Ham IV.iv.49
Makes mouths at the invisible event,event (n.)
outcome, issue, consequence		Ham IV.iv.50
mouths, make
make faces, grimace, show scorn
invisible (adj.)
unforseeable, unseeable, hidden
Exposing what is mortal and unsure Ham IV.iv.51
To all that fortune, death, and danger dare,dare (v.)
present, deliver, inflict		Ham IV.iv.52
Even for an eggshell. Rightly to be greateggshell (n.)
something worthless		Ham IV.iv.53
Is not to stir without great argument,argument (n.)
cause, reason [for a dispute]		Ham IV.iv.54
But greatly to find quarrel in a strawquarrel (n.)
cause of complaint, reason for hostility, difference, claim		Ham IV.iv.55
greatly (adv.)
nobly, honourably
When honour's at the stake. How stand I then, Ham IV.iv.56
That have a father killed, a mother stained,stain (v.)
corrupt, spoil, taint		Ham IV.iv.57
Excitements of my reason and my blood,excitement (n.)
incentive, encouragement, exhortation		Ham IV.iv.58
reason (n.)
power of reason, judgement, common sense [often opposed to ‘passion’]
blood (n.)
passion, feeling, strong emotion [especially sexual]
And let all sleep, while to my shame I see Ham IV.iv.59
The imminent death of twenty thousand men Ham IV.iv.60
That for a fantasy and trick of fametrick (n.)
bauble, trifle, whim		Ham IV.iv.61
Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot Ham IV.iv.62
Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,try (v.)
contest, decide, fight out		Ham IV.iv.63
Which is not tomb enough and continentcontinent (n.)
container, receptacle, enclosure		Ham IV.iv.64
To hide the slain? O, from this time forth, Ham IV.iv.65
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! Ham IV.iv.66
Exit Ham IV.iv.66
 Previous Act IV, Scene IV Next  
x

Jump directly to