Polonious was an ill-fated character in William Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Fictional biography[]
In Act 3, Scene 1, Polonius told Laertes, "This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man." (TNG - The Sky's the Limit short story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
In Act 3, Scene 4, Hamlet yelled "Dead for a ducat, dead!" at a hidden intruder, then stabbed through some curtains, his blade striking and killing Polonius. (TOS - The Yesterday Saga novel: Time for Yesterday)
Legacy[]
In 2683 BC, Zar nearly shouted as Hamlet did at some curtains hiding an intruder. Realizing it at least couldn't be the fictional Polonius, Zar discovered it actually was Wynn, his co-regent and new wife. (TOS - The Yesterday Saga novel: Time for Yesterday)
In 2294, Spock played Polonius in the Melpomene Players production at the Globe Theatre on Vulcan. (TOS novel: The Fearful Summons)
In 2371, Data discussed a realization with Dr. Sofia Borges that his emotion chip didn't define him, and that he should appreciate himself for who he was. To clarify, he quoted Polonius. (TNG - The Sky's the Limit short story: "Friends With the Sparrows")