As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,
Give me one poor request.
Horatio. What is't, my lord? We will. 890
Hamlet. Never make known what you have seen to-night.
Marcellus.[with Horatio] My lord, we will not.
Hamlet. Nay, but swear't.
Horatio. In faith,
My lord, not I. 895
Marcellus. Nor I, my lord- in faith.
Hamlet. Upon my sword.
Marcellus. We have sworn, my lord, already.
Hamlet. Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.
Ghost cries under the stage.
Father's Ghost. Swear.
Hamlet. Aha boy, say'st thou so? Art thou there, truepenny?
Come on! You hear this fellow in the cellarage.
Consent to swear.
Horatio. Propose the oath, my lord. 905
Hamlet. Never to speak of this that you have seen.
Swear by my sword.
Father's Ghost.[beneath] Swear.
Hamlet. Hic et ubique? Then we'll shift our ground.
Come hither, gentlemen, 910
And lay your hands again upon my sword.
Never to speak of this that you have heard:
Swear by my sword.
Father's Ghost.[beneath] Swear by his sword.
Hamlet. Well said, old mole! Canst work i' th' earth so fast? 915
A worthy pioner! Once more remove, good friends."
Horatio. O day and night, but this is wondrous strange!
Hamlet. And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. 920
But come!
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself
(As I perchance hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on), 925
That you, at such times seeing me, never shall,
With arms encumb'red thus, or this head-shake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
As 'Well, well, we know,' or 'We could, an if we would,'
Or 'If we list to speak,' or 'There be, an if they might,' 930
Or such ambiguous giving out, to note
That you know aught of me- this is not to do,
So grace and mercy at your most need help you,
Swear.
Father's Ghost.[beneath] Swear. 935
[They swear.]
Hamlet. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! So, gentlemen,