Oph. Could beauty, my lord, have better com-
merce than with honesty?
Ham. Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will
sooner transform honesty from what it is to a
bawd than the force of honesty can translate
beauty into his likeness: this was sometime a
paradox, but now the time gives it proof. I did
love you once. 117
Oph. Indeed, my lord, you made me believe
so.
Ham. You should not have believed me; for
virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we
shall relish of it: I loved you not.
Oph. I was the more deceived. 123
Ham. Get thee to a nunnery: why wouldst
thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself
indifferent honest; but yet I could accuse me of
such things that it were better my mother had
not borne me. I am very proud, revengeful,
ambitious; with more offences at my beck than
I have thoughts to put them in, imagination
to give them shape, or time to act them in.
What should such fellows as I do crawling
between heaven and earth? We are arrant
knaves, all; believe none of us. Go thy ways to
a nunnery. Where's your father? 135
Oph. At home, my lord.
Ham. Let the doors be shut upon him, that
he may play the fool nowhere but in 's own
house. Farewell.
Oph. O! help him, you sweet heavens! 140
Ham. If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this
110 commerce: intercourse
116 time: present age
121 inoculate: engraft
122 relish: taste
126 indifferent: tolerably
129 beck: command
