First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
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| Enter Hamlet, Horatio, Marcellus. | Enter Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus | | Ham I.iv.1.1 | |
| Ham. | HAMLET | | | |
| The Ayre bites shrewdly: is it very cold? | The air bites shrewdly. It is very cold. | shrewdly (adv.) sharply, severely | Ham I.iv.1 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| It is a nipping and an eager ayre. | It is a nipping and an eager air. | eager (adj.)keen, biting | Ham I.iv.2 | |
| Ham. | HAMLET | | | |
| What hower now? | What hour now? | | Ham I.iv.3.1 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| I thinke it lacks of twelue. | I think it lacks of twelve. | lacks of, itit is a little before | Ham I.iv.3.2 | |
| Mar. | MARCELLUS | | | |
| No, it is strooke. | No, it is struck. | | Ham I.iv.4 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| Indeed I heard it not: then it drawes neere the season, | Indeed? I heard it not. It then draws near the season | season (n.)time, due time, occasion | Ham I.iv.5 | |
| Wherein the Spirit held his wont to walke. | Wherein the spirit held his wont to walk. | wont (n.)custom, habit, practice | Ham I.iv.6 | |
| A flourish of trumpets, and two pieces of ordnance go | piece (n.)cannon, piece of artillery, fire-arm | Ham I.iv.7.1 | |
| | ordnance, ordinance (n.)cannon, artillery | | |
| off | | Ham I.iv.7.2 | |
| What does this meane my Lord? | What does this mean, my lord? | | Ham I.iv.7 | |
| Ham. | HAMLET | | | |
| The King doth wake to night, and takes his rouse, | The King doth wake tonight and takes his rouse, | rouse (n.)full draught (of wine), brimful cup, carousing | Ham I.iv.8 | |
| | wake (v.)remain awake, stay up | | |
| Keepes wassels and the swaggering vpspring reeles, | Keeps wassail, and the swaggering upspring reels. | reels (n.)(plural) revels, revelry, merry-making | Ham I.iv.9 | |
| | upspring (adj.)newly introduced, trendy; or: a type of wild dance | | |
| | wassail (n.)drinking-party, carousal, revels | | |
| And as he dreines his draughts of Renish downe, | And as he drains his draughts of Rhenish down | Rhenish (n.)Rhineland wine | Ham I.iv.10 | |
| The kettle Drum and Trumpet thus bray out | The kettledrum and trumpet thus bray out | | Ham I.iv.11 | |
| The triumph of his Pledge. | The triumph of his pledge. | pledge (n.)toast, drinking of a health | Ham I.iv.12.1 | |
| Horat. | HORATIO | | | |
| Is it a custome? | Is it a custom? | | Ham I.iv.12.2 | |
| Ham. | HAMLET | | | |
| I marry ist; | Ay, marry, is't. | marry (int.)[exclamation] by Mary | Ham I.iv.13 | |
| And to my mind, though I am natiue heere, | But to my mind, though I am native here | | Ham I.iv.14 | |
| And to the manner borne: It is a Custome | And to the manner born, it is a custom | | Ham I.iv.15 | |
| More honour'd in the breach, then the obseruance. | More honoured in the breach than the observance. | honoured (adj.)honourable, dignified, virtuous | Ham I.iv.16 | |
| | breach (n.)disregarding, breaking | | |
| This heavy-headed revel east and west | | Ham I.iv.17 | |
| Makes us traduced and taxed of other nations. | traduce (v.)defame, slander, calumniate, dishonour | Ham I.iv.18 | |
| | tax (v.)censure, blame, take to task, disparage | | |
| They clepe us drunkards and with swinish phrase | phrase (n.)phrasing, language, manner of expression | Ham I.iv.19 | |
| | swinish (adj.)coarse, gross; or: comparing [one] to pigs | | |
| | clepe (v.), past forms clept, yclept[archaism] call, name, style | | |
| Soil our addition; and indeed it takes | take (v.)take away, detract, lessen | Ham I.iv.20 | |
| | soil (n.)blemish, stain, tarnish | | |
| | addition (n.)title, name | | |
| From our achievements, though performed at height, | height (n.)maximum, highest amount, utmost degree | Ham I.iv.21 | |
| The pith and marrow of our attribute. | attribute (n.)reputation, credit, honour | Ham I.iv.22 | |
| So oft it chances in particular men | oft (adv.)often | Ham I.iv.23 | |
| That – for some vicious mole of nature in them, | mole (n.)blemish, fault | Ham I.iv.24 | |
| | for (prep.)on account of | | |
| | vicious (adj.)defective, faulty, bad | | |
| As in their birth, wherein they are not guilty, | | Ham I.iv.25 | |
| Since nature cannot choose his origin – | | Ham I.iv.26 | |
| By the o'ergrowth of some complexion, | complexion (n.)natural trait, disposition, temperament, nature | Ham I.iv.27 | |
| Oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason, | pale (n.)fence, paling, enclosure | Ham I.iv.28 | |
| Or by some habit that too much o'erleavens | overleaven, over-leaven (v.)leaven too much, pervade, imbue to excess | Ham I.iv.29 | |
| | habit (n.)behaviour, bearing, demeanour | | |
| The form of plausive manners – that these men, | plausive (adj.)pleasing, praiseworthy, laudable | Ham I.iv.30 | |
| | form (n.)way of behaving, behaviour, code of conduct | | |
| Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect, | stamp (n.)impression, mark, imprint | Ham I.iv.31 | |
| Being nature's livery or fortune's star, | star (n.)sphere, fortune, rank | Ham I.iv.32 | |
| | livery (n.)uniform, costume, special clothing | | |
| His virtues else, be they as pure as grace, | else (adv.)(used after the noun) in addition | Ham I.iv.33 | |
| | virtue (n.)quality, accomplishment, ability | | |
| As infinite as man may undergo, | undergo (v.)support, sustain, bear | Ham I.iv.34 | |
| Shall in the general censure take corruption | corruption (n.)destruction, spoiling, contagion | Ham I.iv.35 | |
| | censure (n.)assessment, opinion, judgement, criticism | | |
| From that particular fault. The dram of evil | dram (n.)tiny amount, small quantity | Ham I.iv.36 | |
| Doth all the noble substance of a doubt, | | Ham I.iv.37 | |
| To his own scandal – | scandal (n.)shame, discredit, disgrace | Ham I.iv.38.1 | |
| Enter Ghost. | Enter the Ghost | | Ham I.iv.38 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| Looke my Lord, it comes. | Look, my lord, it comes. | | Ham I.iv.38.2 | |
| Ham. | HAMLET | | | |
| Angels and Ministers of Grace defend vs: | Angels and ministers of grace defend us! | minister (n.)messenger, agent, servant | Ham I.iv.39 | |
| Be thou a Spirit of health, or Goblin damn'd, | Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned, | health (n.)well-being, benevolence | Ham I.iv.40 | |
| Bring with thee ayres from Heauen, or blasts from Hell, | Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell, | air (n.)breeze, light wind | Ham I.iv.41 | |
| Be thy euents wicked or charitable, | Be thy intents wicked or charitable, | intent (n.)intention, purpose, aim | Ham I.iv.42 | |
| Thou com'st in such a questionable shape | Thou comest in such a questionable shape | questionable (adj.)inviting interrogation, of whom questions may be asked | Ham I.iv.43 | |
| | shape (n.)appearance, aspect, visible form | | |
| That I will speake to thee. Ile call thee Hamlet, | That I will speak to thee. I'll call thee Hamlet, | | Ham I.iv.44 | |
| King, Father, Royall Dane: Oh, oh, answer me, | King, father, royal Dane. O, answer me! | | Ham I.iv.45 | |
| Let me not burst in Ignorance; but tell | Let me not burst in ignorance. But tell | | Ham I.iv.46 | |
| Why thy Canoniz'd bones Hearsed in death, | Why thy canonized bones, hearsed in death, | hearsed (adj.)coffined, placed in a hearse | Ham I.iv.47 | |
| | canonized (v.)buried with the Church's rites, consecrated by Christian burial | | |
| Haue burst their cerments, why the Sepulcher | Have burst their cerements; why the sepulchre | cerements (n.)waxed shroud, grave-clothes, winding sheet | Ham I.iv.48 | |
| Wherein we saw thee quietly enurn'd, | Wherein we saw thee quietly interred | inurn (v.)entomb, bury, inter | Ham I.iv.49 | |
| Hath op'd his ponderous and Marble iawes, | Hath oped his ponderous and marble jaws | ope (v.)open | Ham I.iv.50 | |
| To cast thee vp againe? What may this meane? | To cast thee up again. What may this mean | | Ham I.iv.51 | |
| That thou dead Coarse againe in compleat steele, | That thou, dead corse, again in complete steel, | steel (n.)armour | Ham I.iv.52 | |
| | complete, compleat (adj.)fully equipped, with everything present | | |
| | corse (n.)corpse, dead body | | |
| Reuisits thus the glimpses of the Moone, | Revisits thus the glimpses of the moon, | | Ham I.iv.53 | |
| Making Night hidious? And we fooles of Nature, | Making night hideous, and we fools of nature | nature (n.)natural order, ungoverned state, way of the world [often personified] | Ham I.iv.54 | |
| | fool (n.)plaything, pawn, puppet | | |
| | hideous (adj.)terrifying, frightful, horrifying | | |
| So horridly to shake our disposition, | So horridly to shake our disposition | horridly (adv.)dreadfully, frightfully, terrifyingly | Ham I.iv.55 | |
| | disposition (n.)composure, state of mind, temperament | | |
| With thoughts beyond thee; reaches of our Soules, | With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls? | reach (n.)capacity, capability, power of attainment | Ham I.iv.56 | |
| Say, why is this? wherefore? what should we doe? | Say, why is this? Wherefore? What should we do? | | Ham I.iv.57 | |
| Ghost beckens Hamlet. | The Ghost beckons him | | Ham I.iv.58 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| It beckons you to goe away with it, | It beckons you to go away with it, | | Ham I.iv.58 | |
| As if it some impartment did desire | As if it some impartment did desire | impartment (n.)communication, imparting of information | Ham I.iv.59 | |
| To you alone. | To you alone. | | Ham I.iv.60.1 | |
| Mar. | MARCELLUS | | | |
| Looke with what courteous action | Look with what courteous action | | Ham I.iv.60.2 | |
| It wafts you to a more remoued ground: | It waves you to a more removed ground. | removed (adj.)remote, secluded, further away | Ham I.iv.61 | |
| But doe not goe with it. | But do not go with it. | | Ham I.iv.62.1 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| No, by no meanes. | No, by no means. | | Ham I.iv.62.2 | |
| Ham. | HAMLET | | | |
| It will not speake: then will I follow it. | It will not speak. Then I will follow it. | | Ham I.iv.63 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| Doe not my Lord. | Do not, my lord. | | Ham I.iv.64.1 | |
| Ham. | HAMLET | | | |
| Why, what should be the feare? | Why, what should be the fear? | | Ham I.iv.64.2 | |
| I doe not set my life at a pins fee; | I do not set my life at a pin's fee. | pin's fee, athe value of a trifle | Ham I.iv.65 | |
| | fee (n.)value, worth | | |
| And for my Soule, what can it doe to that? | And for my soul, what can it do to that, | | Ham I.iv.66 | |
| Being a thing immortall as it selfe: | Being a thing immortal as itself? | | Ham I.iv.67 | |
| It waues me forth againe; Ile follow it. | It waves me forth again. I'll follow it. | | Ham I.iv.68 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| What if it tempt you toward the Floud my Lord? | What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, | flood (n.)sea, deep, waves, rushing water | Ham I.iv.69 | |
| | toward (prep.)towards | | |
| Or to the dreadfull Sonnet of the Cliffe, | Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff | | Ham I.iv.70 | |
| That beetles o're his base into the Sea, | That beetles o'er his base into the sea, | beetle (v.)overhang, project [like threatening eyebrows] | Ham I.iv.71 | |
| And there assumes some other horrible forme, | And there assume some other, horrible form, | | Ham I.iv.72 | |
| Which might depriue your Soueraignty of Reason, | Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason | deprive (v.)take away, remove, carry off | Ham I.iv.73 | |
| | sovereignty (n.)control [of yourself], powers | | |
| And draw you into madnesse thinke of it? | And draw you into madness? Think of it. | | Ham I.iv.74 | |
| The very place puts toys of desperation, | toy (n.)fancy, fantastic thought | Ham I.iv.75 | |
| | desperation (n.)reckless despair, desperate thoughts [of self-destruction] | | |
| Without more motive, into every brain | | Ham I.iv.76 | |
| That looks so many fathoms to the sea | | Ham I.iv.77 | |
| And hears it roar beneath. | | Ham I.iv.78.1 | |
| Ham. | HAMLET | | | |
| It wafts me still: | It waves me still. – | | Ham I.iv.78.2 | |
| goe on, Ile follow thee. | Go on. I'll follow thee. | | Ham I.iv.79 | |
| Mar. | MARCELLUS | | | |
| You shall not goe my Lord. | You shall not go, my lord. | | Ham I.iv.80.1 | |
| Ham. | HAMLET | | | |
| Hold off your hand. | Hold off your hands. | | Ham I.iv.80.2 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| Be rul'd, you shall not goe. | Be ruled. You shall not go. | | Ham I.iv.81.1 | |
| Ham. | HAMLET | | | |
| My fate cries out, | My fate cries out | | Ham I.iv.81.2 | |
| And makes each petty Artire in this body, | And makes each petty artere in this body | petty (adj.)small, weak, inadequate, insignificant | Ham I.iv.82 | |
| | artere, artire (n.)[early spelling of ‘artery’] sinew, ligament, tendon | | |
| As hardy as the Nemian Lions nerue: | As hardy as the Nemean lion's nerve. | nerve (n.)sinew, ligament, muscle | Ham I.iv.83 | |
| | Nemean lionmonstrous lion, reputably invulnerable, from the region of Nemea; its destruction was one of the twelve labours of Hercules | | |
| Still am I cal'd? Vnhand me Gentlemen: | Still am I called. Unhand me, gentlemen. | | Ham I.iv.84 | |
| By Heau'n, Ile make a Ghost of him that lets me: | By heaven, I'll make a ghost of him that lets me! | let (v.)hinder, prevent, stand in the way | Ham I.iv.85 | |
| | ghost (n.)corpse, dead body | | |
| I say away, goe on, Ile follow thee. | I say, away! Go on. I'll follow thee. | | Ham I.iv.86 | |
| Exeunt Ghost & Hamlet. | Exeunt the Ghost and Hamlet | | Ham I.iv.86 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| He waxes desperate with imagination. | He waxes desperate with imagination. | wax (v.)grow, become, turn | Ham I.iv.87 | |
| Mar. | MARCELLUS | | | |
| Let's follow; 'tis not fit thus to obey him. | Let's follow. 'Tis not fit thus to obey him. | | Ham I.iv.88 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| Haue after, to what issue will this come? | Have after. To what issue will this come? | issue (n.)outcome, result, consequence(s) | Ham I.iv.89 | |
| | have after (v.)let's follow | | |
| Mar. | MARCELLUS | | | |
| Something is rotten in the State of Denmarke. | Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. | | Ham I.iv.90 | |
| Hor. | HORATIO | | | |
| Heauen will direct it. | Heaven will direct it. | | Ham I.iv.91.1 | |
| Mar. | MARCELLUS | | | |
| Nay, let's follow him. | Nay, let's follow him. | | Ham I.iv.91.2 | |
| Exeunt. | Exeunt | | Ham I.iv.91 | |