Pol. I did enact Julius Caesar; I was killed i' the
Capitol;[b 1] Brutus killed me.
Ham. It was a brute part of him to kill so capital
a calf[b 2] there.—Be the players ready? 115
Ros. Ay, my lord; they stay upon your patience.
Queen. Come hither, my dear[a 1] Hamlet, sit by me.
Ham. No, good mother, here's metal more
attractive.
Pol. [To the King.][a 2] Oh, ho! do you mark that? 120
Ham. Lady, shall I lie in your lap?
[Lying down at Ophelia's feet.[a 3]
Oph. No, my lord.
Ham. I mean, my head upon your lap?
Oph. Ay, my lord.[a 4]
Ham. Do you think I meant country[a 5] matters?[b 3] 125
Oph. I think nothing, my lord.
Ham. That 's a fair thought to lie between maids' legs.
Oph. What is, my lord?
Ham. Nothing.
Oph. You are merry, my lord. 130
Ham. Who, I?
Oph. Ay, my lord.
- ↑ 113. Capitol] The error as to the place of Cæsar's death appears in Chaucer, Monkes Tale, and in Shakespeare's Julius Cæsar. So Fletcher, The Noble Gentleman, V. i.
- ↑ 115. calf] dolt, as in V. i. 126.
- ↑ 125. country matters] rustic proceedings. Johnson conjectured country manners, as in King John, I. i. 156. I suspect that there is some indelicate suggestion in country. In Westward Hoe, V. i., I find: "Though we lie all night out of the city, they shall not find country wenches of us," meaning we will not wrong our husbands; and in Northward Hoe, III. i. (spoken of a harlot), "a good commonwealthes woman she was borne. For her country, and has borne her country."
