Page 281 - Hamlet: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

174 NOTES 2.8.
255.* your ambition No one seems hitherto to have
observed the significance of this talk about Ham.'s
ambition, continued for 14 lines, and then abruptly
broken off by Ham. The two 'friends' acting on the
K.'s suggestion are probing Ham. to 'gather so much as
from occasion' they may glean (2. 2. 16) of what is in
his mind. Ham. refuses to be drawn; but he has seen
the point, and makes use of it later. Cf. notes 3. 1. 125;
3. 2. 243, 341, 345. To the Eliz. 'ambition' (v. G.)
meant the ostentation of glory as well as the desire for it.
259. bad dreams Cf. Bright, p, 124, 'giuen to
fearefull and terrible dreames.'
266-67. Then are.. .shadows Ham. reduces the
argument to an absurdity: if ambition is but a shadow's
shadow, then kings and bombastic heroes, the very type
of ambition, are shadows, and their antitype, the beggars,
the only real men (after Herford).
268.* Shall we to th' court? i.e. this sort of hair-
splitting would do well enough at court, but is no
pastime for sensible persons.
269. wait upon you = accompany you. But 'wait
upon' also means 'watch' and 'lie in wait for,' as they
prob. show by a significant glance at each other. Ham.
pretends to take it in the sense of 'act as your servants.'
272. most dreadfully attended i.e. my retinue is a
sorry one. Cf. 'Beggar that I am' (1. 275) and note 1.
5.184. Generally taken as referring to the 'bad dreams'
(1. 259); but Ham. is speaking of his 'servants.'
272—73. in the beaten way of friendship i.e. as old
friends (ironical).
275. Beggar that I am Ham. identifies himself with
the real men ('bodies') of 1. 266.
2 am even oor
75~77' 1 P '' >t°° dear a halfpenny He
can only afford a ha'p'orth of thanks, and yet even that
is over-payment, since what they give in exchange is
worth nothing. Cf. A.T.L. 2. 3. 74 'too late a week.'
278. come, come (Q2) F l 'Come'