Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,
With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts, –
O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power
So to seduce! – won to his shameful lust
The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen.
– William Shakespeare
Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 5. The Ghost of Hamlet’s father is talking about his brother Claudius, expressing deep anger towards him for marrying the old king’s widow and convincing a seemingly virtuous queen to give in to his shameful lust. The hypocrisy and falseness of Elsinore and its newly minted King Claudius are laid bare.