Hamlet 5.2.205 (TLN 3672)
3672 Q2 Since no man of ought he leaues, knowes what i∫t to leaue betimes, let be.
F Since no man ha's ought of what he leaues. What is't to leaue betimes?
Q2 és problemàtic, si bé no impossible, en dos punts. Per una banda, el sentit és un tant obscur, i obliga a entendre “betimes” no com «At an early time» (OED adv 1), sinó com «In good time» (OED adv 2) o «In a short time» (OED adv. 3). Per altra banda, la forma “is't” sembla exigir oració interrogativa, però com indica Wilson (1934, p. 215) “Ay, marry is't” és afirmatiu. (En TLN 2890-2 hi ha un cas semblant de “is't” en oració acabada en punt, que els editors esmenen a interrogació). Per la seua banda, F1 és problemàtic en la puntuació forta de “leaues. What” –que Rowe va corregir– ja que “since no man…” esdevé una proposició subordinada de “the readiness is all".
Entre les variadíssimes interpretacions que han fet els editors (combinant Q2 i F, afegint o no “Let be”, podríem distingir 8 possibilitats bàsiques.
Q2: Fanego,
(“man, of…”) Wilson , Evans.
( “leaves knows what 'tis”) Q 1676, Q1683, Q1695, Q1703.
F: Harrison (“…has aught…”);
(“…has aught of what he leaves, what…”) Rowe, Pope, Theobald, Dyce, Globe, Wells & Taylor ;
(“… Let be”) Caldecott, White, Clark & Wright, Wright & Clark
Warburton “man, of ought he leaves, knows, what is't to leave betimes? Let be”:
Capell; (“…aught…”) Jennens, Malone, Steevens 1793, Collier, Hudson, Furness;
(“man of aught he leaves knows,”) Parrot & Craig, Sisson 1956, Farnham, Edwards, Hoy, Mowat & Werstine;
(“man of ought he leaves knows,”) Andrews.
Hanmer “man owes aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes?”:
(“… Let be”) Alexander .
Johnson “man knows aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes?”:
(“… Let be”) Steevens 1773, Rann, Chambers, Kittredge,, Hibbard.
Melchiori “man knows of aught he leaves, what is't to leave betimes? Let be”:
Spencer, Inst. Sh.
Jenkins “man, of aught he leaves, knows aught, what is't to leave betimes? Let be”.