…for within the hollow crown
That rounds the mortal temples of a king
Keeps Death his court and there the antic sits,
Scoffing his state and grinning at his pomp,
Allowing him a breath, a little scene,
To monarchize, be fear'd and kill with looks,
Infusing him with self and vain conceit,
As if this flesh which walls about our life,
Were brass impregnable, and humour'd thus
Comes at the last and with a little pin
Bores through his castle wall, and farewell king！
…王のこめかみを覆う、空ろな王冠のなかでは、
死神という道化者がふんぞり返り、
王の権威とその栄華を嘲っている。
そしてほんの束の間、一幕芝居を演じさせるのだ。
そこで全能の王として君臨し、畏れられ、
一睨みで人を殺せると自惚れに浸る。
肉体という脆い命の壁を、
難攻不落の城壁であるとまで慢心を極めると、
いざ、時が来たとばかりに、
奴は小さな針でその城壁にぷすりと穴を開け、
「王さま、さようなら！」と嘲笑うのだ。