Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·Hamlet, Act III.iv ·Hamlet
"Hoisted by his own petard."
Not quite the line.
How it's usually quoted
"Hoisted by his own petard."
What Shakespeare actually wrote
"For 'tis the sport to have the engineer / Hoist with his own petard." Hamlet — Hamlet, Act III.iv
Why it matters
A "petard" was a small explosive — the engineer who lit it could be blown up ("hoist") by it. Modern "hoisted by" misses that it means blown up, not lifted up.
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