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Modern English
I have sent to seek him and to find the body. How dangerous is it that this man goes loose! Yet must not we put the strong law on him: He’s lov’d of the distracted multitude, Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes; And where’tis so, th’offender’s scourge is weigh’d, But never the offence. To bear all smooth and even, This sudden sending him away must seem Deliberate pause. Diseases desperate grown By desperate appliance are reliev’d, Or not at all.
I’ve sent to look for him and to find the body. How dangerous is it that this man is still free! But we can’t apply the full force of the law on him: He’s loved by the confused masses, Who rely on their eyes, not their judgment; And when that’s the case, the punishment is measured, But never the crime. To keep things calm and smooth, This sudden decision to send him away must look like A well-thought-out pause. Diseases that have become desperate Are treated with desperate measures, Or not treated at all.
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How now? What hath befall’n?
How’s it going? What’s happened?
Where the dead body is bestow’d, my lord, We cannot get from him.
We can’t get him to tell us where the dead body is, my lord, He won’t say.
But where is he?
But where is he?
Without, my lord, guarded, to know your pleasure.
He’s outside, my lord, being guarded, waiting for your orders.
Bring him before us.
Bring him to us.
Ho, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord.
Hey, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord.
Now, Hamlet, where’s Polonius?
Now, Hamlet, where is Polonius?
At supper.
He’s at supper.
At supper? Where?
At supper? Where?
Not where he eats, but where he is eaten. A certain convocation of politic worms are e’en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet. We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service,—two dishes, but to one table. That’s the end.
Not where he’s eating, but where he’s being eaten. A bunch of political worms are already on him. The worm is the only emperor for food. We fatten all other creatures to fatten us, and we fatten ourselves for the maggots. Your fat king and your skinny beggar are just different parts of the same system—two dishes, one table. That’s the end.
Alas, alas!
Oh, no!
A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.
A man can fish with the worm that has eaten a king, and eat the fish that has eaten that worm.
What dost thou mean by this?
What do you mean by that?
Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar.
Just showing you how a king can end up inside the guts of a beggar.
Where is Polonius?
Where is Polonius?
In heaven. Send thither to see. If your messenger find him not there, seek him i’th’other place yourself. But indeed, if you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby.
In heaven. Send someone there to check. If your messenger doesn’t find him, go to the other place yourself. But honestly, if you don’t find him within a month, you’ll smell him as you go up the stairs into the lobby.
[
] Go find him there.
] Go seek him there.
] Go find him there.
He will stay till you come.
He’ll wait until you get there.
Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety,— Which we do tender, as we dearly grieve For that which thou hast done,—must send thee hence With fiery quickness. Therefore prepare thyself; The bark is ready, and the wind at help, Th’associates tend, and everything is bent For England.
Hamlet, this action, for your own safety, Which we offer, because we are deeply sad About what you’ve done, must send you away Quickly. So get ready; The ship is ready, and the wind will help, The crew is waiting, and everything is set For England.
For England?
For England?
Ay, Hamlet.
Yes, Hamlet.
Good.
Good.
So is it, if thou knew’st our purposes.
It’s for the best, if you understood our plans.
I see a cherub that sees them. But, come; for England! Farewell, dear mother.
I see an angel who sees them. But, alright; for England! Goodbye, dear mother.
Thy loving father, Hamlet.
Your loving father, Hamlet.
My mother. Father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England.
My mother. Father and mother are husband and wife; husband and wife are one flesh; so, my mother. Alright, for England.
Follow him at foot. Tempt him with speed aboard; Delay it not; I’ll have him hence tonight. Away, for everything is seal’d and done That else leans on th’affair. Pray you make haste.
Follow him closely. Get him on board quickly; Don’t delay; I want him gone tonight. Hurry, for everything is sealed and done That depends on this plan. Please hurry.
And England, if my love thou hold’st at aught,— As my great power thereof may give thee sense, Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red After the Danish sword, and thy free awe Pays homage to us,—thou mayst not coldly set Our sovereign process, which imports at full, By letters conjuring to that effect, The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England; For like the hectic in my blood he rages, And thou must cure me. Till I know’tis done, Howe’er my haps, my joys were ne’er begun.
And England, if you care for me at all, As my power there might make you understand, Since your wound still looks fresh and raw From the Danish sword, and your respect Pays tribute to us,—you can’t just ignore Our royal decree, which fully states, Through letters urging that it must be done, The immediate death of Hamlet. Do it, England; For like a fever in my blood he burns, And you must cure me. Until I know it’s done, No matter what happens, my happiness never began.