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HAMLET Nay, but swear
’t.
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HAMLET No, you have to swear it.
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HORATIO In faith, my lord, not I.
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HORATIO I swear to God I won’t.
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MARCELLUS Nor I, my lord, in
faith.
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MARCELLUS Me too, I won’t, I swear to God.
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HAMLET Upon my sword.
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HAMLET Swear by my sword.
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MARCELLUS We have sworn, my lord, already.
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MARCELLUS But we already swore, sir.
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HAMLET
150Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.
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HAMLET Yes, but swear by my sword this time.
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GHOST
(cries under the stage)
Swear!
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GHOST
(calls out from under the stage)
Swear!
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HAMLET Ha, ha, boy! Sayst thou so? Art thou there, truepenny?
Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage.
Consent to swear.
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HAMLET Ha ha, is that what you say, kid? Are you down there, my
man?—Come on, you hear this guy down in the basement.
Agree to swear.
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HORATIO
155Propose the oath, my lord.
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HORATIO Tell us what to swear, sir.
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HAMLET Never to speak of this that you have seen.
Swear by my sword.
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HAMLET You swear never to mention what you’ve seen. Swear by
my sword.
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GHOST (beneath) Swear.
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GHOST
(from under the stage)
Swear.
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HAMLET
Hic et ubique? Then
we’ll shift our ground.
Come hither, gentlemen,
160And lay your hands again upon my sword.
Swear by my sword
Never to speak of this that you have heard.
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HAMLET You’re everywhere, aren’t you? Maybe we
should move. Come over here, gentlemen, and put your hands on my
sword again. Swear by my sword you’ll never mention what
you’ve heard.
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GHOST
(beneath) Swear by his
sword.
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GHOST
(from under the stage) Swear by his
sword.
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HAMLET Well said, old mole! Canst work i' th' earth
so fast?
165A worthy pioneer! Once more remove, good friends.
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HAMLET You said it right, old mole. You’re pretty busy down
there in the dirt, aren’t you? What a tunneler!
Let’s move again, my friends.
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