A dream itself is but a shadow.
– William Shakespeare
Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2. Hamlet makes this reply to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who suggest that his dreams are signs of his ambition. His two childhood pals are pretending to be his friend and they inquire what’s troubling him. But Hamlet realizes that they are insincere. They have in fact been send by Claudius to find out why Hamlet is acting so strangely and report back to the King.