Hamlet Act 4 Scene 3 William Shakespeare

SCENE III. Another room in the castle.

Enter KING CLAUDIUS, attended

KING CLAUDIUS
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 loved of the distracted multitude,
Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes;
And where tis so, the 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 relieved,
Or not at all.

Enter ROSENCRANTZ

How now! what hath befall'n?

ROSENCRANTZ
Where the dead body is bestow'd, my lord,
We cannot get from him.

KING CLAUDIUS
But where is he?
ROSENCRANTZ
Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure.

KING CLAUDIUS
Bring him before us.

ROSENCRANTZ
Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord.

Enter HAMLET and GUILDENSTERN

KING CLAUDIUS
Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius?

HAMLET
At supper.

KING CLAUDIUS
At supper! where?

HAMLET
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.