Go and greet the Danish king from me. Tell him that with his permission, Fortinbras desires to take his army on the march across Denmark that he agreed to. You know where to rendezvous with me. If his majesty wants to see me, we shall go to him. Tell him that.

This is a scene of chaos. Oh proud Death, what feast is this in your eternal domain that you’ve slaughtered so many princes at one stroke?’

. Let four captains bear Hamlet to the platform like a soldier, because he was likely to have proved himself as king if he had been given the chance. And let that be accompanied by martial music and the rites of war. Take the bodies up. A sight like this is fitting for the battlefield but here, at the court, it shows things to be badly wrong. Go, tell the soldiers to fire a salute.