What! frighted with false fire?
– William Shakespeare
Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 2. Hamlet asks this of Claudius, when Ophelia announces "The king rises," just it gets to the part of the play where the Player King is poisoned. It is obvious Claudius is displeased and appears to betray his guilt in the poisoning of King Hamlet. The murder of the king in the play has startled Claudius enough for him to stop the play. Hamlet’s remark is ironic because he and the audience know exactly why Claudius is acting the way he is but Hamlet must play ignorant and continue to appear mad.