The many possible interpretations of HamletTowards the end of the play, Hamlet has a brief exchange of words alone with Horatio, who seems destined to "prepare" the final meeting with Laertes , the Queen, Claudius, and the entire Court, and to make the nature of their involvement absolutely clear. The song exists in two good versions; the second Quarto of 1604 and the Folio of 1623, which is now thought to represent Shakespeare's revision of the earlier version.11 This second text adds fourteen lines in which Hamlet tries to justify, as "perfect conscience", his determination to kill Claudius . with one's "arm" - or rather "leave it," which also implies repaying it.12 He then wonders whether he would not be "damned" if he did nothing to eradicate "this cancer of our nature" (V.ii.68-70 ). But even this later addition to the play does not establish a "clear and simple faith."13 We note that Hamlet expresses himself with rhetorical questions that seem to qualify his momentary certainty. And only a few minutes later, as the last meeting approaches, his reluctance to tell all ("You wouldn't think how sick everything is here in my heart; but it doesn't matter", ll. 208-09) and a further intrusion of vigorous and disconcerting wordplay gather once again on these fundamental questions. Immediately before the king and queen enter the stage, Hamlet's words, spoken as he finds himself once again alone with Horatio, are so complicated – or perhaps deceptive: they have baffled the text's original composers and put modern editors at odds .14 ​​Neither the Quarto nor the Folio make sense and various amendments have been proposed. No/knows; has/must; leave/leaves; should/everyone; of what/to have to, everyone clashes and exchanges places in the different versions. Today a text might read: "Since no man, of all that he leaves, knows anything, what is not to leave early?" or "Since no man of duty leaves, he knows what it is not to leave...", or "...no one owes anything of what he leaves, of what is not..." or "... . no man knows nothing of what is . (Was the speech ever absolutely clear in Shakespeare's autograph manuscript, or in his head?) With Hamlet's next words, as trumpets and drums [page 24] announce the King's arrival, the The play's hero devises yet another evasion tactic, refusing to speak further with a surprisingly curt "Forget it.