Till then sit stilly my soul: foul deeds will rise, 256
Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes.
Exit.
Scene Three
[Polonius' Apartment in the Castle]
Enter Laertes and Ophelia.
Laer. My necessaries are embark'd; farewell:
And, sister, as the winds give benefit
And convoy is assistant, do not sleep,
But let me hear from you.
Oph. Do you doubt that? 4
Laer. For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favour,
Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,
A violet in the youth of primy nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting, 8
The perfume and suppliance of a minute;
No more.
Oph. No more but so?
Laer. Think it no more:
For nature, crescent, does not grow alone
In thews and bulk; but, as this temple waxes, 12
The inward service of the mind and soul
Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now,
And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch
The virtue of his will; but you must fear, 16
His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own,
For he himself is subject to his birth;
He may not, as unvalu'd persons do,
2 give benefit: are favorable
3 convoy: means of conveyance
6 fashion: mere form
toy in blood: passing amorous fancy
7 violet; cf. n.
primy: early
8 Forward: precocious
9 suppliance: diversion
11 crescent: growing
12 thews: bodily strength
temple: body
14 withal: also
15 soil: blemish
cautel: trickery
16 virtue of his will: his virtuous intentions
19 unvalu'd: of low rank
