(Scene 3)

Enter Laertes and Ophelia, his sister.

LAERTES

My necessaries are packed on the ship. Farewell,

And, sister, as long as the winds give benefit

And ships do travel, please,

Make sure to send me news.

OPHELIA 5 Do you doubt that I will?

LAERTES

For Hamlet, and for his attention,

Think of it an excitement of his passion,

As a violet is a product of nature,

Gorgeous, not permanent, and sweet,

But not lasting, not even one minute,

10 In any way.

OPHELIA No more than just one minute?

LAERTES Think it of as no longer.

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For nature dictates our bones and tissue

15 do not grow alone, but, as time passes,

The mind and soul

build up their level of concern and unhappiness.

Perhaps he loves you now,

And nothing muddies or sullies

The authenticity of his feeling; but you must consider,

20 He has to obey his family, his will is not entirely his own,

His background requires him to follow along.

He may not, as normal people do,

Carve out things for himself, for upon his choice depends

The safety and the health of this whole country.

25 And therefore his choices are circumscribed

by the voice and authority of the monarchy,

Of which he is the future King. So if he says he loves

you,

Remember to only to believe it so far,

30 As he in his particular station,

May say something, which does not match

The voice of Denmark's crown as it needs to.

So weigh what loss of honor you may sustain

If with too careless an ear you enjoy his seductions,

35 Or fall deeply in love, or lose your chastity

To his wistful pursuits.

Fear it, Ophelia; fear it, my dear sister,

And keep a little of your own emotion,

Out of the shot and danger of desire.

40 The naivest maid is complicit enough,

If she reveals her beauty to everyone, in the night.

No one is safe from immorality.

The worm ruins the flower of the Spring,

Before they even blossom,

45 And, during the moist time of youth,

Contagious diseases take their lives.

Be wary, then; the best safety lies in fear.

Youth rebels naturally, if no one helps you.

OPHELIA

I will hold the wisdom of this lesson,

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50 next to my heart. But, my good brother,

Do not, as some bad preachers might,

Show me a steep and thorny way to reach heaven,

While, like a rough and reckless libertine,

You tread a primrose path of dalliance,

55 And don't practice what you preach.

LAERTES Oh no, don't worry about that.

Enter Polonius.

I have stayed too long. But here comes our father.

Two blessing is a double the grace for the trip.

Luck smiles upon my second departure date.

POLONIUS

60 You are still here, Laertes? Get aboard, get aboard, shame on you!

The wind is gusting in the direction of your trip,

And yet you are here. Here, I give your journey

my blessing.

And I'll give you a few points to hold in your memory

65 to keep up your good character. Hold your tongue about private thoughts,

Don't act on any sudden thought,

Be friendly, but by no means trust everyone.

The friends that you have, hold onto them

closely, as if they were bound to you in steel loops,

70 But do not even shake the hand

Of any new, unverified person. Be wary

Of getting into a quarrel, but if you find yourself,

in the midst of one, make sure you save your reputation.

Give every man your ear, but give advice to only a few.

75 Take each man's opinion, but reserve your judgment.

Buy the best close your purse allows you to purchase,

But not ones that are very fancy, or are gaudy.

For the clothes usually make the person,

And in France the best in rank and position

80 Are the most interested and selective of that.

You should neither borrow nor lend,

As a loan is often lost and along with the friend,

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And borrowing makes one reckless with money.

And remember this above all: to yourself be true,

85 And it will follow, as the night the day,

That you cannot then be inauthentic to any man.

Farewell. Hopefully my blessing now, helps you remember.

LAERTES

I am on my way, please excuse me, my lord.

POLONIUS

The time is perfect. Go on, your servants wait.

LAERTES

90 Farewell, Ophelia, and remember very well

What I have explained to you.

OPHELIA It's in my memory, locked away,

And you only have the key of it.

LAERTES Farewell. *Laertes exits.*

POLONIUS

95 What is it, Ophelia, he has said to you?

OPHELIA

If you'd like to know, something about the Lord

Hamlet.

POLONIUS Was that it, that's okay.

It has been told to me he has very often of late

100 Spent private time with you, and you

Have been open and

very acquiescing to his visits.

If that is true (as has been mentioned to me,

so as to warn me) I must tell you

105 You do not understand the issue so clearly,

As concerns my daughter, and her honor.

What is going on between you? Tell me the truth.

OPHELIA

He has my lord, lately, made many offers

Of his affection, to me.

POLONIUS

110 Affection, puh! You speak like a greenish girl

Unskilled in love affairs, ominous and sometimes perilous.

Do you believe his "offers," as you call them?

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OPHELIA

I do not know, my lord, what I should think.

POLONIUS

Well then, I will teach you. Think of yourself like a baby

115 For having taken these offers like honest ones,

They are not the real thing. Don't offer yourself for so little,

Or (not to overuse this poor phrase,

but I'm using it when I will) you'll have me valued as a fool.

OPHELIA

My lord, he has seduced me with love,

120 In a true and honest manner--

POLONIUS

Yes, "manner" you may call it. Come on, you need more!

OPHELIA

He has given support to his talks, my lord,

With, by now, almost all the heavenly vows.

POLONIUS

Sure, talks that are like traps to catch a bird. I do know,

125 That when a guy's blood burns, just how prodigally the soul

can lend its tongue fake vows. These blazes, my daughter,

Give more light than actual heat, and both will extinguish,

Even as these promises are being made.

You must not take these for the real fire of love. From now on,

130 Spend less time with him in courtship.

Set the rate of your reciprocations at a higher rate

Than a command for you to speak to him. For Lord Hamlet,

Believe me, he is young and naive as are you,

And it is with a larger tether that he may walk,

135 Than you can with what can be given to you. In short, Ophelia,

Do not believe his pleas, for they are dealers,

Not of the style which their good clothing shows,

But mere salesmen of unholy suits,

Speaking like holy and pious madams

140 Only the better to beguile and trick you.

This above all;

I would not, in plain terms,

from here on,

Have you waste any moment,

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To have a talk with the Lord Hamlet.

Do as I say. Now, come with me.

OPHELIA 145 Yes, my lord.

They Exit.