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=====02-038=====

[[File:Second_quarto_delated.jpg|right|Second Quarto word "delated"]] [[File:First_folio_dilated.jpg|right|First Folio word "dilated"]]

[[File:Second_quarto_delated.jpg|right|Second Quarto word "delated"]]

[[File:First_folio_dilated.jpg|right|First Folio word "dilated"]]

''Of these 'delated' articles allow;''

''Of these 'delated' articles allow;''

Unfortunately, Cornelius and Voltemand do not.  They don't know the word ''delated.''  The closest word they know is ''dilated.'' That's what they think Claudius said.  They take ''dilated'' to mean "expanded," which is what it does mean.  They think Claudius just gave them permission to expand on what he wrote to the King of Norway.  They think Claudius has told them they can go beyond what his letter says.  Claudius did not mean to tell them that.

Unfortunately, Cornelius and Voltemand do not.  They don't know the word ''delated.''  The closest word they know is ''dilated.'' That's what they think Claudius said.  They take ''dilated'' to mean "expanded," which is what it does mean.  They think Claudius just gave them permission to expand on what he wrote to the King of Norway.  They think Claudius has told them they can go beyond what his letter says.  Claudius did not mean to tell them that.

We know this from what the ambassadors report later when they return.  The agreement they have then, that they happily tell Claudius about in that later passage, is highly contrary to what he expressly tells them here.  How could they happily report back with something very different from what he expressly told them?  They must have misunderstood somehow.  This is it, the point where they misunderstood.  After hearing this word, they think they have authority to "expand" on what Claudius wrote, in any direction, for the sake of getting an agreement.

We know this from what the ambassadors report later when they return.  The agreement they have then, that they happily tell Claudius about in that later passage, is highly contrary to what he expressly tells them here.  How could they happily report back with something very different from what he expressly told them?  They must have misunderstood somehow.  This is it, the point where they misunderstood.  After hearing this word, they think they have authority to "expand" on what Claudius wrote, for the sake of getting an agreement.

Claudius, trying to sound smart, has just misled his ambassadors about what he wants them to do.  That is not smart.  (And Shakespeare knew all about being smart, or not smart, with words, we can be certain.)  I'll note in connection with that later passage why Claudius doesn't notice anything wrong.  Well, it's because Polonius just mentioned he's found out something about Hamlet, and Claudius is so distracted by that, he isn't focusing on the ambassadors.

Claudius, trying to sound smart, has just misled his ambassadors about what he wants them to do.  That is not smart.  Shakespeare knew all about being smart, or not smart, with words, we can be certain.