long-standing friendship with Hamlet, in order to get their cooperation. When Polonius presents the idea to Claudius that Hamlet's madness is due to his daughter (Ophelia) rejecting Hamlet's affections, he reserves judgment on this notion. Claudius needs assurance, and recognizes an opportunity to get to the bottom of this situation. He proceeds to manipulate Polonius into spying on Hamlet. Together they use Opheila in a scheme intended to test Polonius' theory of rejection. The outcome of the test reveals to Claudius that his concern should be for something other than a rejected lover. Claudius says:
             O'er which his melancholy sits on brood;
             And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose
             Will be some danger: which for to prevent...
             ...