One of Shakespeare's Famous Quotes
Quite a Good Read
"When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions."
In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Claudius expresses his feelings for Ophelia in Act 4, Scene 5, Lines 78-79, since she lost her father. Ophelia just bid Claudius good night and Claudius sent some people with her to watch her during her grieving, after Claudius said this, he expressed grief over the loss of Polonius, the fact that Hamlet was sent away, and that Ophelia was sad. They were talking in the castle. Claudius is saying this quote because he feels deep grief at the quantity of loss that is happening. The tone of the quote helps to set the general mood that Claudius feels and primes him to take action in the future. The quote means that loss does not occur in single, isolated incidents. It is saying that misfortune happens in large numbers, and it can be overwhelming.