1 <?xml version="1.0"?> 2 <!DOCTYPE PLAY SYSTEM "play.dtd"> 3 4 <PLAY> 5 <TITLE>A Midsummer Night's Dream</TITLE> 6 7 <FM> 8 <P>Text placed in the public domain by Moby Lexical Tools, 1992.</P> 9 <P>SGML markup by Jon Bosak, 1992-1994.</P> 10 <P>XML version by Jon Bosak, 1996-1998.</P> 11 <P>This work may be freely copied and distributed worldwide.</P> 12 </FM> 13 14 15 <PERSONAE> 16 <TITLE>Dramatis Personae</TITLE> 17 18 <PERSONA>THESEUS, Duke of Athens.</PERSONA> 19 <PERSONA>EGEUS, father to Hermia.</PERSONA> 20 21 <PGROUP> 22 <PERSONA>LYSANDER</PERSONA> 23 <PERSONA>DEMETRIUS</PERSONA> 24 <GRPDESCR>in love with Hermia.</GRPDESCR> 25 </PGROUP> 26 27 <PERSONA>PHILOSTRATE, master of the revels to Theseus.</PERSONA> 28 <PERSONA>QUINCE, a carpenter.</PERSONA> 29 <PERSONA>SNUG, a joiner.</PERSONA> 30 <PERSONA>BOTTOM, a weaver.</PERSONA> 31 <PERSONA>FLUTE, a bellows-mender.</PERSONA> 32 <PERSONA>SNOUT, a tinker.</PERSONA> 33 <PERSONA>STARVELING, a tailor.</PERSONA> 34 <PERSONA>HIPPOLYTA, queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus.</PERSONA> 35 <PERSONA>HERMIA, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander.</PERSONA> 36 <PERSONA>HELENA, in love with Demetrius.</PERSONA> 37 <PERSONA>OBERON, king of the fairies.</PERSONA> 38 <PERSONA>TITANIA, queen of the fairies.</PERSONA> 39 <PERSONA>PUCK, or Robin Goodfellow.</PERSONA> 40 41 <PGROUP> 42 <PERSONA>PEASEBLOSSOM</PERSONA> 43 <PERSONA>COBWEB</PERSONA> 44 <PERSONA>MOTH</PERSONA> 45 <PERSONA>MUSTARDSEED</PERSONA> 46 <GRPDESCR>fairies.</GRPDESCR> 47 </PGROUP> 48 49 <PERSONA>Other fairies attending their King and Queen.</PERSONA> 50 <PERSONA>Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta.</PERSONA> 51 </PERSONAE> 52 53 <SCNDESCR>SCENE Athens, and a wood near it.</SCNDESCR> 54 55 <PLAYSUBT>A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM</PLAYSUBT> 56 57 <ACT><TITLE>ACT I</TITLE> 58 59 <SCENE><TITLE>SCENE I. Athens. The palace of THESEUS.</TITLE> 60 <STAGEDIR>Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and 61 Attendants</STAGEDIR> 62 63 <SPEECH> 64 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 65 <LINE>Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour</LINE> 66 <LINE>Draws on apace; four happy days bring in</LINE> 67 <LINE>Another moon: but, O, methinks, how slow</LINE> 68 <LINE>This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires,</LINE> 69 <LINE>Like to a step-dame or a dowager</LINE> 70 <LINE>Long withering out a young man revenue.</LINE> 71 </SPEECH> 72 73 <SPEECH> 74 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 75 <LINE>Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;</LINE> 76 <LINE>Four nights will quickly dream away the time;</LINE> 77 <LINE>And then the moon, like to a silver bow</LINE> 78 <LINE>New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night</LINE> 79 <LINE>Of our solemnities.</LINE> 80 </SPEECH> 81 82 <SPEECH> 83 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 84 <LINE>Go, Philostrate,</LINE> 85 <LINE>Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;</LINE> 86 <LINE>Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;</LINE> 87 <LINE>Turn melancholy forth to funerals;</LINE> 88 <LINE>The pale companion is not for our pomp.</LINE> 89 <STAGEDIR>Exit PHILOSTRATE</STAGEDIR> 90 <LINE>Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,</LINE> 91 <LINE>And won thy love, doing thee injuries;</LINE> 92 <LINE>But I will wed thee in another key,</LINE> 93 <LINE>With pomp, with triumph and with revelling.</LINE> 94 </SPEECH> 95 96 97 <STAGEDIR>Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS</STAGEDIR> 98 99 <SPEECH> 100 <SPEAKER>EGEUS</SPEAKER> 101 <LINE>Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!</LINE> 102 </SPEECH> 103 104 <SPEECH> 105 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 106 <LINE>Thanks, good Egeus: what's the news with thee?</LINE> 107 </SPEECH> 108 109 <SPEECH> 110 <SPEAKER>EGEUS</SPEAKER> 111 <LINE>Full of vexation come I, with complaint</LINE> 112 <LINE>Against my child, my daughter Hermia.</LINE> 113 <LINE>Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord,</LINE> 114 <LINE>This man hath my consent to marry her.</LINE> 115 <LINE>Stand forth, Lysander: and my gracious duke,</LINE> 116 <LINE>This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child;</LINE> 117 <LINE>Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,</LINE> 118 <LINE>And interchanged love-tokens with my child:</LINE> 119 <LINE>Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung,</LINE> 120 <LINE>With feigning voice verses of feigning love,</LINE> 121 <LINE>And stolen the impression of her fantasy</LINE> 122 <LINE>With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,</LINE> 123 <LINE>Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers</LINE> 124 <LINE>Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth:</LINE> 125 <LINE>With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart,</LINE> 126 <LINE>Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,</LINE> 127 <LINE>To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke,</LINE> 128 <LINE>Be it so she; will not here before your grace</LINE> 129 <LINE>Consent to marry with Demetrius,</LINE> 130 <LINE>I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,</LINE> 131 <LINE>As she is mine, I may dispose of her:</LINE> 132 <LINE>Which shall be either to this gentleman</LINE> 133 <LINE>Or to her death, according to our law</LINE> 134 <LINE>Immediately provided in that case.</LINE> 135 </SPEECH> 136 137 <SPEECH> 138 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 139 <LINE>What say you, Hermia? be advised fair maid:</LINE> 140 <LINE>To you your father should be as a god;</LINE> 141 <LINE>One that composed your beauties, yea, and one</LINE> 142 <LINE>To whom you are but as a form in wax</LINE> 143 <LINE>By him imprinted and within his power</LINE> 144 <LINE>To leave the figure or disfigure it.</LINE> 145 <LINE>Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.</LINE> 146 </SPEECH> 147 148 <SPEECH> 149 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 150 <LINE>So is Lysander.</LINE> 151 </SPEECH> 152 153 <SPEECH> 154 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 155 <LINE>In himself he is;</LINE> 156 <LINE>But in this kind, wanting your father's voice,</LINE> 157 <LINE>The other must be held the worthier.</LINE> 158 </SPEECH> 159 160 <SPEECH> 161 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 162 <LINE>I would my father look'd but with my eyes.</LINE> 163 </SPEECH> 164 165 <SPEECH> 166 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 167 <LINE>Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.</LINE> 168 </SPEECH> 169 170 <SPEECH> 171 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 172 <LINE>I do entreat your grace to pardon me.</LINE> 173 <LINE>I know not by what power I am made bold,</LINE> 174 <LINE>Nor how it may concern my modesty,</LINE> 175 <LINE>In such a presence here to plead my thoughts;</LINE> 176 <LINE>But I beseech your grace that I may know</LINE> 177 <LINE>The worst that may befall me in this case,</LINE> 178 <LINE>If I refuse to wed Demetrius.</LINE> 179 </SPEECH> 180 181 <SPEECH> 182 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 183 <LINE>Either to die the death or to abjure</LINE> 184 <LINE>For ever the society of men.</LINE> 185 <LINE>Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires;</LINE> 186 <LINE>Know of your youth, examine well your blood,</LINE> 187 <LINE>Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice,</LINE> 188 <LINE>You can endure the livery of a nun,</LINE> 189 <LINE>For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd,</LINE> 190 <LINE>To live a barren sister all your life,</LINE> 191 <LINE>Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.</LINE> 192 <LINE>Thrice-blessed they that master so their blood,</LINE> 193 <LINE>To undergo such maiden pilgrimage;</LINE> 194 <LINE>But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd,</LINE> 195 <LINE>Than that which withering on the virgin thorn</LINE> 196 <LINE>Grows, lives and dies in single blessedness.</LINE> 197 </SPEECH> 198 199 <SPEECH> 200 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 201 <LINE>So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,</LINE> 202 <LINE>Ere I will my virgin patent up</LINE> 203 <LINE>Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke</LINE> 204 <LINE>My soul consents not to give sovereignty.</LINE> 205 </SPEECH> 206 207 <SPEECH> 208 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 209 <LINE>Take time to pause; and, by the nest new moon--</LINE> 210 <LINE>The sealing-day betwixt my love and me,</LINE> 211 <LINE>For everlasting bond of fellowship--</LINE> 212 <LINE>Upon that day either prepare to die</LINE> 213 <LINE>For disobedience to your father's will,</LINE> 214 <LINE>Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would;</LINE> 215 <LINE>Or on Diana's altar to protest</LINE> 216 <LINE>For aye austerity and single life.</LINE> 217 </SPEECH> 218 219 <SPEECH> 220 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 221 <LINE>Relent, sweet Hermia: and, Lysander, yield</LINE> 222 <LINE>Thy crazed title to my certain right.</LINE> 223 </SPEECH> 224 225 <SPEECH> 226 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 227 <LINE>You have her father's love, Demetrius;</LINE> 228 <LINE>Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him.</LINE> 229 </SPEECH> 230 231 <SPEECH> 232 <SPEAKER>EGEUS</SPEAKER> 233 <LINE>Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love,</LINE> 234 <LINE>And what is mine my love shall render him.</LINE> 235 <LINE>And she is mine, and all my right of her</LINE> 236 <LINE>I do estate unto Demetrius.</LINE> 237 </SPEECH> 238 239 <SPEECH> 240 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 241 <LINE>I am, my lord, as well derived as he,</LINE> 242 <LINE>As well possess'd; my love is more than his;</LINE> 243 <LINE>My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd,</LINE> 244 <LINE>If not with vantage, as Demetrius';</LINE> 245 <LINE>And, which is more than all these boasts can be,</LINE> 246 <LINE>I am beloved of beauteous Hermia:</LINE> 247 <LINE>Why should not I then prosecute my right?</LINE> 248 <LINE>Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head,</LINE> 249 <LINE>Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,</LINE> 250 <LINE>And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes,</LINE> 251 <LINE>Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,</LINE> 252 <LINE>Upon this spotted and inconstant man.</LINE> 253 </SPEECH> 254 255 <SPEECH> 256 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 257 <LINE>I must confess that I have heard so much,</LINE> 258 <LINE>And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof;</LINE> 259 <LINE>But, being over-full of self-affairs,</LINE> 260 <LINE>My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come;</LINE> 261 <LINE>And come, Egeus; you shall go with me,</LINE> 262 <LINE>I have some private schooling for you both.</LINE> 263 <LINE>For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself</LINE> 264 <LINE>To fit your fancies to your father's will;</LINE> 265 <LINE>Or else the law of Athens yields you up--</LINE> 266 <LINE>Which by no means we may extenuate--</LINE> 267 <LINE>To death, or to a vow of single life.</LINE> 268 <LINE>Come, my Hippolyta: what cheer, my love?</LINE> 269 <LINE>Demetrius and Egeus, go along:</LINE> 270 <LINE>I must employ you in some business</LINE> 271 <LINE>Against our nuptial and confer with you</LINE> 272 <LINE>Of something nearly that concerns yourselves.</LINE> 273 </SPEECH> 274 275 <SPEECH> 276 <SPEAKER>EGEUS</SPEAKER> 277 <LINE>With duty and desire we follow you.</LINE> 278 </SPEECH> 279 280 281 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt all but LYSANDER and HERMIA</STAGEDIR> 282 283 <SPEECH> 284 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 285 <LINE>How now, my love! why is your cheek so pale?</LINE> 286 <LINE>How chance the roses there do fade so fast?</LINE> 287 </SPEECH> 288 289 <SPEECH> 290 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 291 <LINE>Belike for want of rain, which I could well</LINE> 292 <LINE>Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes.</LINE> 293 </SPEECH> 294 295 <SPEECH> 296 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 297 <LINE>Ay me! for aught that I could ever read,</LINE> 298 <LINE>Could ever hear by tale or history,</LINE> 299 <LINE>The course of true love never did run smooth;</LINE> 300 <LINE>But, either it was different in blood,--</LINE> 301 </SPEECH> 302 303 <SPEECH> 304 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 305 <LINE>O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low.</LINE> 306 </SPEECH> 307 308 <SPEECH> 309 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 310 <LINE>Or else misgraffed in respect of years,--</LINE> 311 </SPEECH> 312 313 <SPEECH> 314 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 315 <LINE>O spite! too old to be engaged to young.</LINE> 316 </SPEECH> 317 318 <SPEECH> 319 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 320 <LINE>Or else it stood upon the choice of friends,--</LINE> 321 </SPEECH> 322 323 <SPEECH> 324 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 325 <LINE>O hell! to choose love by another's eyes.</LINE> 326 </SPEECH> 327 328 <SPEECH> 329 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 330 <LINE>Or, if there were a sympathy in choice,</LINE> 331 <LINE>War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it,</LINE> 332 <LINE>Making it momentany as a sound,</LINE> 333 <LINE>Swift as a shadow, short as any dream;</LINE> 334 <LINE>Brief as the lightning in the collied night,</LINE> 335 <LINE>That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,</LINE> 336 <LINE>And ere a man hath power to say 'Behold!'</LINE> 337 <LINE>The jaws of darkness do devour it up:</LINE> 338 <LINE>So quick bright things come to confusion.</LINE> 339 </SPEECH> 340 341 <SPEECH> 342 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 343 <LINE>If then true lovers have been ever cross'd,</LINE> 344 <LINE>It stands as an edict in destiny:</LINE> 345 <LINE>Then let us teach our trial patience,</LINE> 346 <LINE>Because it is a customary cross,</LINE> 347 <LINE>As due to love as thoughts and dreams and sighs,</LINE> 348 <LINE>Wishes and tears, poor fancy's followers.</LINE> 349 </SPEECH> 350 351 <SPEECH> 352 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 353 <LINE>A good persuasion: therefore, hear me, Hermia.</LINE> 354 <LINE>I have a widow aunt, a dowager</LINE> 355 <LINE>Of great revenue, and she hath no child:</LINE> 356 <LINE>From Athens is her house remote seven leagues;</LINE> 357 <LINE>And she respects me as her only son.</LINE> 358 <LINE>There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee;</LINE> 359 <LINE>And to that place the sharp Athenian law</LINE> 360 <LINE>Cannot pursue us. If thou lovest me then,</LINE> 361 <LINE>Steal forth thy father's house to-morrow night;</LINE> 362 <LINE>And in the wood, a league without the town,</LINE> 363 <LINE>Where I did meet thee once with Helena,</LINE> 364 <LINE>To do observance to a morn of May,</LINE> 365 <LINE>There will I stay for thee.</LINE> 366 </SPEECH> 367 368 <SPEECH> 369 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 370 <LINE>My good Lysander!</LINE> 371 <LINE>I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow,</LINE> 372 <LINE>By his best arrow with the golden head,</LINE> 373 <LINE>By the simplicity of Venus' doves,</LINE> 374 <LINE>By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves,</LINE> 375 <LINE>And by that fire which burn'd the Carthage queen,</LINE> 376 <LINE>When the false Troyan under sail was seen,</LINE> 377 <LINE>By all the vows that ever men have broke,</LINE> 378 <LINE>In number more than ever women spoke,</LINE> 379 <LINE>In that same place thou hast appointed me,</LINE> 380 <LINE>To-morrow truly will I meet with thee.</LINE> 381 </SPEECH> 382 383 <SPEECH> 384 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 385 <LINE>Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena.</LINE> 386 </SPEECH> 387 388 389 <STAGEDIR>Enter HELENA</STAGEDIR> 390 391 <SPEECH> 392 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 393 <LINE>God speed fair Helena! whither away?</LINE> 394 </SPEECH> 395 396 <SPEECH> 397 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 398 <LINE>Call you me fair? that fair again unsay.</LINE> 399 <LINE>Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair!</LINE> 400 <LINE>Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue's sweet air</LINE> 401 <LINE>More tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear,</LINE> 402 <LINE>When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear.</LINE> 403 <LINE>Sickness is catching: O, were favour so,</LINE> 404 <LINE>Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go;</LINE> 405 <LINE>My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye,</LINE> 406 <LINE>My tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody.</LINE> 407 <LINE>Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated,</LINE> 408 <LINE>The rest I'd give to be to you translated.</LINE> 409 <LINE>O, teach me how you look, and with what art</LINE> 410 <LINE>You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart.</LINE> 411 </SPEECH> 412 413 <SPEECH> 414 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 415 <LINE>I frown upon him, yet he loves me still.</LINE> 416 </SPEECH> 417 418 <SPEECH> 419 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 420 <LINE>O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill!</LINE> 421 </SPEECH> 422 423 <SPEECH> 424 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 425 <LINE>I give him curses, yet he gives me love.</LINE> 426 </SPEECH> 427 428 <SPEECH> 429 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 430 <LINE>O that my prayers could such affection move!</LINE> 431 </SPEECH> 432 433 <SPEECH> 434 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 435 <LINE>The more I hate, the more he follows me.</LINE> 436 </SPEECH> 437 438 <SPEECH> 439 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 440 <LINE>The more I love, the more he hateth me.</LINE> 441 </SPEECH> 442 443 <SPEECH> 444 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 445 <LINE>His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine.</LINE> 446 </SPEECH> 447 448 <SPEECH> 449 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 450 <LINE>None, but your beauty: would that fault were mine!</LINE> 451 </SPEECH> 452 453 <SPEECH> 454 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 455 <LINE>Take comfort: he no more shall see my face;</LINE> 456 <LINE>Lysander and myself will fly this place.</LINE> 457 <LINE>Before the time I did Lysander see,</LINE> 458 <LINE>Seem'd Athens as a paradise to me:</LINE> 459 <LINE>O, then, what graces in my love do dwell,</LINE> 460 <LINE>That he hath turn'd a heaven unto a hell!</LINE> 461 </SPEECH> 462 463 <SPEECH> 464 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 465 <LINE>Helen, to you our minds we will unfold:</LINE> 466 <LINE>To-morrow night, when Phoebe doth behold</LINE> 467 <LINE>Her silver visage in the watery glass,</LINE> 468 <LINE>Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass,</LINE> 469 <LINE>A time that lovers' flights doth still conceal,</LINE> 470 <LINE>Through Athens' gates have we devised to steal.</LINE> 471 </SPEECH> 472 473 <SPEECH> 474 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 475 <LINE>And in the wood, where often you and I</LINE> 476 <LINE>Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lie,</LINE> 477 <LINE>Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet,</LINE> 478 <LINE>There my Lysander and myself shall meet;</LINE> 479 <LINE>And thence from Athens turn away our eyes,</LINE> 480 <LINE>To seek new friends and stranger companies.</LINE> 481 <LINE>Farewell, sweet playfellow: pray thou for us;</LINE> 482 <LINE>And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius!</LINE> 483 <LINE>Keep word, Lysander: we must starve our sight</LINE> 484 <LINE>From lovers' food till morrow deep midnight.</LINE> 485 </SPEECH> 486 487 <SPEECH> 488 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 489 <LINE>I will, my Hermia.</LINE> 490 <STAGEDIR>Exit HERMIA</STAGEDIR> 491 <LINE>Helena, adieu:</LINE> 492 <LINE>As you on him, Demetrius dote on you!</LINE> 493 </SPEECH> 494 495 496 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 497 498 <SPEECH> 499 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 500 <LINE>How happy some o'er other some can be!</LINE> 501 <LINE>Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.</LINE> 502 <LINE>But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;</LINE> 503 <LINE>He will not know what all but he do know:</LINE> 504 <LINE>And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,</LINE> 505 <LINE>So I, admiring of his qualities:</LINE> 506 <LINE>Things base and vile, folding no quantity,</LINE> 507 <LINE>Love can transpose to form and dignity:</LINE> 508 <LINE>Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;</LINE> 509 <LINE>And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind:</LINE> 510 <LINE>Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste;</LINE> 511 <LINE>Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste:</LINE> 512 <LINE>And therefore is Love said to be a child,</LINE> 513 <LINE>Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.</LINE> 514 <LINE>As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,</LINE> 515 <LINE>So the boy Love is perjured every where:</LINE> 516 <LINE>For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne,</LINE> 517 <LINE>He hail'd down oaths that he was only mine;</LINE> 518 <LINE>And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,</LINE> 519 <LINE>So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt.</LINE> 520 <LINE>I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight:</LINE> 521 <LINE>Then to the wood will he to-morrow night</LINE> 522 <LINE>Pursue her; and for this intelligence</LINE> 523 <LINE>If I have thanks, it is a dear expense:</LINE> 524 <LINE>But herein mean I to enrich my pain,</LINE> 525 <LINE>To have his sight thither and back again.</LINE> 526 </SPEECH> 527 528 529 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 530 </SCENE> 531 532 <SCENE><TITLE>SCENE II. Athens. QUINCE'S house.</TITLE> 533 <STAGEDIR>Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, and 534 STARVELING</STAGEDIR> 535 536 <SPEECH> 537 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 538 <LINE>Is all our company here?</LINE> 539 </SPEECH> 540 541 <SPEECH> 542 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 543 <LINE>You were best to call them generally, man by man,</LINE> 544 <LINE>according to the scrip.</LINE> 545 </SPEECH> 546 547 <SPEECH> 548 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 549 <LINE>Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is</LINE> 550 <LINE>thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our</LINE> 551 <LINE>interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his</LINE> 552 <LINE>wedding-day at night.</LINE> 553 </SPEECH> 554 555 <SPEECH> 556 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 557 <LINE>First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats</LINE> 558 <LINE>on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow</LINE> 559 <LINE>to a point.</LINE> 560 </SPEECH> 561 562 <SPEECH> 563 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 564 <LINE>Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy, and</LINE> 565 <LINE>most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.</LINE> 566 </SPEECH> 567 568 <SPEECH> 569 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 570 <LINE>A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a</LINE> 571 <LINE>merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your</LINE> 572 <LINE>actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.</LINE> 573 </SPEECH> 574 575 <SPEECH> 576 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 577 <LINE>Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.</LINE> 578 </SPEECH> 579 580 <SPEECH> 581 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 582 <LINE>Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed.</LINE> 583 </SPEECH> 584 585 <SPEECH> 586 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 587 <LINE>You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.</LINE> 588 </SPEECH> 589 590 <SPEECH> 591 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 592 <LINE>What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?</LINE> 593 </SPEECH> 594 595 <SPEECH> 596 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 597 <LINE>A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.</LINE> 598 </SPEECH> 599 600 <SPEECH> 601 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 602 <LINE>That will ask some tears in the true performing of</LINE> 603 <LINE>it: if I do it, let the audience look to their</LINE> 604 <LINE>eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in some</LINE> 605 <LINE>measure. To the rest: yet my chief humour is for a</LINE> 606 <LINE>tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to</LINE> 607 <LINE>tear a cat in, to make all split.</LINE> 608 <LINE>The raging rocks</LINE> 609 <LINE>And shivering shocks</LINE> 610 <LINE>Shall break the locks</LINE> 611 <LINE>Of prison gates;</LINE> 612 <LINE>And Phibbus' car</LINE> 613 <LINE>Shall shine from far</LINE> 614 <LINE>And make and mar</LINE> 615 <LINE>The foolish Fates.</LINE> 616 <LINE>This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players.</LINE> 617 <LINE>This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover is</LINE> 618 <LINE>more condoling.</LINE> 619 </SPEECH> 620 621 <SPEECH> 622 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 623 <LINE>Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.</LINE> 624 </SPEECH> 625 626 <SPEECH> 627 <SPEAKER>FLUTE</SPEAKER> 628 <LINE>Here, Peter Quince.</LINE> 629 </SPEECH> 630 631 <SPEECH> 632 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 633 <LINE>Flute, you must take Thisby on you.</LINE> 634 </SPEECH> 635 636 <SPEECH> 637 <SPEAKER>FLUTE</SPEAKER> 638 <LINE>What is Thisby? a wandering knight?</LINE> 639 </SPEECH> 640 641 <SPEECH> 642 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 643 <LINE>It is the lady that Pyramus must love.</LINE> 644 </SPEECH> 645 646 <SPEECH> 647 <SPEAKER>FLUTE</SPEAKER> 648 <LINE>Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming.</LINE> 649 </SPEECH> 650 651 <SPEECH> 652 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 653 <LINE>That's all one: you shall play it in a mask, and</LINE> 654 <LINE>you may speak as small as you will.</LINE> 655 </SPEECH> 656 657 <SPEECH> 658 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 659 <LINE>An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too, I'll</LINE> 660 <LINE>speak in a monstrous little voice. 'Thisne,</LINE> 661 <LINE>Thisne;' 'Ah, Pyramus, lover dear! thy Thisby dear,</LINE> 662 <LINE>and lady dear!'</LINE> 663 </SPEECH> 664 665 <SPEECH> 666 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 667 <LINE>No, no; you must play Pyramus: and, Flute, you Thisby.</LINE> 668 </SPEECH> 669 670 <SPEECH> 671 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 672 <LINE>Well, proceed.</LINE> 673 </SPEECH> 674 675 <SPEECH> 676 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 677 <LINE>Robin Starveling, the tailor.</LINE> 678 </SPEECH> 679 680 <SPEECH> 681 <SPEAKER>STARVELING</SPEAKER> 682 <LINE>Here, Peter Quince.</LINE> 683 </SPEECH> 684 685 <SPEECH> 686 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 687 <LINE>Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's mother.</LINE> 688 <LINE>Tom Snout, the tinker.</LINE> 689 </SPEECH> 690 691 <SPEECH> 692 <SPEAKER>SNOUT</SPEAKER> 693 <LINE>Here, Peter Quince.</LINE> 694 </SPEECH> 695 696 <SPEECH> 697 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 698 <LINE>You, Pyramus' father: myself, Thisby's father:</LINE> 699 <LINE>Snug, the joiner; you, the lion's part: and, I</LINE> 700 <LINE>hope, here is a play fitted.</LINE> 701 </SPEECH> 702 703 <SPEECH> 704 <SPEAKER>SNUG</SPEAKER> 705 <LINE>Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if it</LINE> 706 <LINE>be, give it me, for I am slow of study.</LINE> 707 </SPEECH> 708 709 <SPEECH> 710 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 711 <LINE>You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.</LINE> 712 </SPEECH> 713 714 <SPEECH> 715 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 716 <LINE>Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that I will</LINE> 717 <LINE>do any man's heart good to hear me; I will roar,</LINE> 718 <LINE>that I will make the duke say 'Let him roar again,</LINE> 719 <LINE>let him roar again.'</LINE> 720 </SPEECH> 721 722 <SPEECH> 723 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 724 <LINE>An you should do it too terribly, you would fright</LINE> 725 <LINE>the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek;</LINE> 726 <LINE>and that were enough to hang us all.</LINE> 727 </SPEECH> 728 729 <SPEECH> 730 <SPEAKER>ALL</SPEAKER> 731 <LINE>That would hang us, every mother's son.</LINE> 732 </SPEECH> 733 734 <SPEECH> 735 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 736 <LINE>I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the</LINE> 737 <LINE>ladies out of their wits, they would have no more</LINE> 738 <LINE>discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my</LINE> 739 <LINE>voice so that I will roar you as gently as any</LINE> 740 <LINE>sucking dove; I will roar you an 'twere any</LINE> 741 <LINE>nightingale.</LINE> 742 </SPEECH> 743 744 <SPEECH> 745 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 746 <LINE>You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a</LINE> 747 <LINE>sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a</LINE> 748 <LINE>summer's day; a most lovely gentleman-like man:</LINE> 749 <LINE>therefore you must needs play Pyramus.</LINE> 750 </SPEECH> 751 752 <SPEECH> 753 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 754 <LINE>Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best</LINE> 755 <LINE>to play it in?</LINE> 756 </SPEECH> 757 758 <SPEECH> 759 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 760 <LINE>Why, what you will.</LINE> 761 </SPEECH> 762 763 <SPEECH> 764 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 765 <LINE>I will discharge it in either your straw-colour</LINE> 766 <LINE>beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain</LINE> 767 <LINE>beard, or your French-crown-colour beard, your</LINE> 768 <LINE>perfect yellow.</LINE> 769 </SPEECH> 770 771 <SPEECH> 772 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 773 <LINE>Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and</LINE> 774 <LINE>then you will play bare-faced. But, masters, here</LINE> 775 <LINE>are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request</LINE> 776 <LINE>you and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night;</LINE> 777 <LINE>and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the</LINE> 778 <LINE>town, by moonlight; there will we rehearse, for if</LINE> 779 <LINE>we meet in the city, we shall be dogged with</LINE> 780 <LINE>company, and our devices known. In the meantime I</LINE> 781 <LINE>will draw a bill of properties, such as our play</LINE> 782 <LINE>wants. I pray you, fail me not.</LINE> 783 </SPEECH> 784 785 <SPEECH> 786 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 787 <LINE>We will meet; and there we may rehearse most</LINE> 788 <LINE>obscenely and courageously. Take pains; be perfect: adieu.</LINE> 789 </SPEECH> 790 791 <SPEECH> 792 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 793 <LINE>At the duke's oak we meet.</LINE> 794 </SPEECH> 795 796 <SPEECH> 797 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 798 <LINE>Enough; hold or cut bow-strings.</LINE> 799 </SPEECH> 800 801 802 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt</STAGEDIR> 803 </SCENE> 804 805 </ACT> 806 807 <ACT><TITLE>ACT II</TITLE> 808 809 <SCENE><TITLE>SCENE I. A wood near Athens.</TITLE> 810 <STAGEDIR>Enter, from opposite sides, a Fairy, and PUCK</STAGEDIR> 811 812 <SPEECH> 813 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 814 <LINE>How now, spirit! whither wander you?</LINE> 815 </SPEECH> 816 817 <SPEECH> 818 <SPEAKER>Fairy</SPEAKER> 819 <LINE>Over hill, over dale,</LINE> 820 <LINE>Thorough bush, thorough brier,</LINE> 821 <LINE>Over park, over pale,</LINE> 822 <LINE>Thorough flood, thorough fire,</LINE> 823 <LINE>I do wander everywhere,</LINE> 824 <LINE>Swifter than the moon's sphere;</LINE> 825 <LINE>And I serve the fairy queen,</LINE> 826 <LINE>To dew her orbs upon the green.</LINE> 827 <LINE>The cowslips tall her pensioners be:</LINE> 828 <LINE>In their gold coats spots you see;</LINE> 829 <LINE>Those be rubies, fairy favours,</LINE> 830 <LINE>In those freckles live their savours:</LINE> 831 <LINE>I must go seek some dewdrops here</LINE> 832 <LINE>And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear.</LINE> 833 <LINE>Farewell, thou lob of spirits; I'll be gone:</LINE> 834 <LINE>Our queen and all our elves come here anon.</LINE> 835 </SPEECH> 836 837 <SPEECH> 838 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 839 <LINE>The king doth keep his revels here to-night:</LINE> 840 <LINE>Take heed the queen come not within his sight;</LINE> 841 <LINE>For Oberon is passing fell and wrath,</LINE> 842 <LINE>Because that she as her attendant hath</LINE> 843 <LINE>A lovely boy, stolen from an Indian king;</LINE> 844 <LINE>She never had so sweet a changeling;</LINE> 845 <LINE>And jealous Oberon would have the child</LINE> 846 <LINE>Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild;</LINE> 847 <LINE>But she perforce withholds the loved boy,</LINE> 848 <LINE>Crowns him with flowers and makes him all her joy:</LINE> 849 <LINE>And now they never meet in grove or green,</LINE> 850 <LINE>By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen,</LINE> 851 <LINE>But, they do square, that all their elves for fear</LINE> 852 <LINE>Creep into acorn-cups and hide them there.</LINE> 853 </SPEECH> 854 855 <SPEECH> 856 <SPEAKER>Fairy</SPEAKER> 857 <LINE>Either I mistake your shape and making quite,</LINE> 858 <LINE>Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite</LINE> 859 <LINE>Call'd Robin Goodfellow: are not you he</LINE> 860 <LINE>That frights the maidens of the villagery;</LINE> 861 <LINE>Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern</LINE> 862 <LINE>And bootless make the breathless housewife churn;</LINE> 863 <LINE>And sometime make the drink to bear no barm;</LINE> 864 <LINE>Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?</LINE> 865 <LINE>Those that Hobgoblin call you and sweet Puck,</LINE> 866 <LINE>You do their work, and they shall have good luck:</LINE> 867 <LINE>Are not you he?</LINE> 868 </SPEECH> 869 870 <SPEECH> 871 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 872 <LINE>Thou speak'st aright;</LINE> 873 <LINE>I am that merry wanderer of the night.</LINE> 874 <LINE>I jest to Oberon and make him smile</LINE> 875 <LINE>When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile,</LINE> 876 <LINE>Neighing in likeness of a filly foal:</LINE> 877 <LINE>And sometime lurk I in a gossip's bowl,</LINE> 878 <LINE>In very likeness of a roasted crab,</LINE> 879 <LINE>And when she drinks, against her lips I bob</LINE> 880 <LINE>And on her wither'd dewlap pour the ale.</LINE> 881 <LINE>The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale,</LINE> 882 <LINE>Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me;</LINE> 883 <LINE>Then slip I from her bum, down topples she,</LINE> 884 <LINE>And 'tailor' cries, and falls into a cough;</LINE> 885 <LINE>And then the whole quire hold their hips and laugh,</LINE> 886 <LINE>And waxen in their mirth and neeze and swear</LINE> 887 <LINE>A merrier hour was never wasted there.</LINE> 888 <LINE>But, room, fairy! here comes Oberon.</LINE> 889 </SPEECH> 890 891 <SPEECH> 892 <SPEAKER>Fairy</SPEAKER> 893 <LINE>And here my mistress. Would that he were gone!</LINE> 894 </SPEECH> 895 896 897 <STAGEDIR>Enter, from one side, OBERON, with his train; 898 from the other, TITANIA, with hers</STAGEDIR> 899 900 <SPEECH> 901 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 902 <LINE>Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania.</LINE> 903 </SPEECH> 904 905 <SPEECH> 906 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 907 <LINE>What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, skip hence:</LINE> 908 <LINE>I have forsworn his bed and company.</LINE> 909 </SPEECH> 910 911 <SPEECH> 912 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 913 <LINE>Tarry, rash wanton: am not I thy lord?</LINE> 914 </SPEECH> 915 916 <SPEECH> 917 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 918 <LINE>Then I must be thy lady: but I know</LINE> 919 <LINE>When thou hast stolen away from fairy land,</LINE> 920 <LINE>And in the shape of Corin sat all day,</LINE> 921 <LINE>Playing on pipes of corn and versing love</LINE> 922 <LINE>To amorous Phillida. Why art thou here,</LINE> 923 <LINE>Come from the farthest Steppe of India?</LINE> 924 <LINE>But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon,</LINE> 925 <LINE>Your buskin'd mistress and your warrior love,</LINE> 926 <LINE>To Theseus must be wedded, and you come</LINE> 927 <LINE>To give their bed joy and prosperity.</LINE> 928 </SPEECH> 929 930 <SPEECH> 931 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 932 <LINE>How canst thou thus for shame, Titania,</LINE> 933 <LINE>Glance at my credit with Hippolyta,</LINE> 934 <LINE>Knowing I know thy love to Theseus?</LINE> 935 <LINE>Didst thou not lead him through the glimmering night</LINE> 936 <LINE>From Perigenia, whom he ravished?</LINE> 937 <LINE>And make him with fair AEgle break his faith,</LINE> 938 <LINE>With Ariadne and Antiopa?</LINE> 939 </SPEECH> 940 941 <SPEECH> 942 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 943 <LINE>These are the forgeries of jealousy:</LINE> 944 <LINE>And never, since the middle summer's spring,</LINE> 945 <LINE>Met we on hill, in dale, forest or mead,</LINE> 946 <LINE>By paved fountain or by rushy brook,</LINE> 947 <LINE>Or in the beached margent of the sea,</LINE> 948 <LINE>To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind,</LINE> 949 <LINE>But with thy brawls thou hast disturb'd our sport.</LINE> 950 <LINE>Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain,</LINE> 951 <LINE>As in revenge, have suck'd up from the sea</LINE> 952 <LINE>Contagious fogs; which falling in the land</LINE> 953 <LINE>Have every pelting river made so proud</LINE> 954 <LINE>That they have overborne their continents:</LINE> 955 <LINE>The ox hath therefore stretch'd his yoke in vain,</LINE> 956 <LINE>The ploughman lost his sweat, and the green corn</LINE> 957 <LINE>Hath rotted ere his youth attain'd a beard;</LINE> 958 <LINE>The fold stands empty in the drowned field,</LINE> 959 <LINE>And crows are fatted with the murrion flock;</LINE> 960 <LINE>The nine men's morris is fill'd up with mud,</LINE> 961 <LINE>And the quaint mazes in the wanton green</LINE> 962 <LINE>For lack of tread are undistinguishable:</LINE> 963 <LINE>The human mortals want their winter here;</LINE> 964 <LINE>No night is now with hymn or carol blest:</LINE> 965 <LINE>Therefore the moon, the governess of floods,</LINE> 966 <LINE>Pale in her anger, washes all the air,</LINE> 967 <LINE>That rheumatic diseases do abound:</LINE> 968 <LINE>And thorough this distemperature we see</LINE> 969 <LINE>The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts</LINE> 970 <LINE>Far in the fresh lap of the crimson rose,</LINE> 971 <LINE>And on old Hiems' thin and icy crown</LINE> 972 <LINE>An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds</LINE> 973 <LINE>Is, as in mockery, set: the spring, the summer,</LINE> 974 <LINE>The childing autumn, angry winter, change</LINE> 975 <LINE>Their wonted liveries, and the mazed world,</LINE> 976 <LINE>By their increase, now knows not which is which:</LINE> 977 <LINE>And this same progeny of evils comes</LINE> 978 <LINE>From our debate, from our dissension;</LINE> 979 <LINE>We are their parents and original.</LINE> 980 </SPEECH> 981 982 <SPEECH> 983 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 984 <LINE>Do you amend it then; it lies in you:</LINE> 985 <LINE>Why should Titania cross her Oberon?</LINE> 986 <LINE>I do but beg a little changeling boy,</LINE> 987 <LINE>To be my henchman.</LINE> 988 </SPEECH> 989 990 <SPEECH> 991 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 992 <LINE>Set your heart at rest:</LINE> 993 <LINE>The fairy land buys not the child of me.</LINE> 994 <LINE>His mother was a votaress of my order:</LINE> 995 <LINE>And, in the spiced Indian air, by night,</LINE> 996 <LINE>Full often hath she gossip'd by my side,</LINE> 997 <LINE>And sat with me on Neptune's yellow sands,</LINE> 998 <LINE>Marking the embarked traders on the flood,</LINE> 999 <LINE>When we have laugh'd to see the sails conceive</LINE> 1000 <LINE>And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind;</LINE> 1001 <LINE>Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait</LINE> 1002 <LINE>Following,--her womb then rich with my young squire,--</LINE> 1003 <LINE>Would imitate, and sail upon the land,</LINE> 1004 <LINE>To fetch me trifles, and return again,</LINE> 1005 <LINE>As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.</LINE> 1006 <LINE>But she, being mortal, of that boy did die;</LINE> 1007 <LINE>And for her sake do I rear up her boy,</LINE> 1008 <LINE>And for her sake I will not part with him.</LINE> 1009 </SPEECH> 1010 1011 <SPEECH> 1012 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 1013 <LINE>How long within this wood intend you stay?</LINE> 1014 </SPEECH> 1015 1016 <SPEECH> 1017 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 1018 <LINE>Perchance till after Theseus' wedding-day.</LINE> 1019 <LINE>If you will patiently dance in our round</LINE> 1020 <LINE>And see our moonlight revels, go with us;</LINE> 1021 <LINE>If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts.</LINE> 1022 </SPEECH> 1023 1024 <SPEECH> 1025 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 1026 <LINE>Give me that boy, and I will go with thee.</LINE> 1027 </SPEECH> 1028 1029 <SPEECH> 1030 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 1031 <LINE>Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away!</LINE> 1032 <LINE>We shall chide downright, if I longer stay.</LINE> 1033 </SPEECH> 1034 1035 1036 <STAGEDIR>Exit TITANIA with her train</STAGEDIR> 1037 1038 <SPEECH> 1039 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 1040 <LINE>Well, go thy way: thou shalt not from this grove</LINE> 1041 <LINE>Till I torment thee for this injury.</LINE> 1042 <LINE>My gentle Puck, come hither. Thou rememberest</LINE> 1043 <LINE>Since once I sat upon a promontory,</LINE> 1044 <LINE>And heard a mermaid on a dolphin's back</LINE> 1045 <LINE>Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath</LINE> 1046 <LINE>That the rude sea grew civil at her song</LINE> 1047 <LINE>And certain stars shot madly from their spheres,</LINE> 1048 <LINE>To hear the sea-maid's music.</LINE> 1049 </SPEECH> 1050 1051 <SPEECH> 1052 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 1053 <LINE>I remember.</LINE> 1054 </SPEECH> 1055 1056 <SPEECH> 1057 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 1058 <LINE>That very time I saw, but thou couldst not,</LINE> 1059 <LINE>Flying between the cold moon and the earth,</LINE> 1060 <LINE>Cupid all arm'd: a certain aim he took</LINE> 1061 <LINE>At a fair vestal throned by the west,</LINE> 1062 <LINE>And loosed his love-shaft smartly from his bow,</LINE> 1063 <LINE>As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts;</LINE> 1064 <LINE>But I might see young Cupid's fiery shaft</LINE> 1065 <LINE>Quench'd in the chaste beams of the watery moon,</LINE> 1066 <LINE>And the imperial votaress passed on,</LINE> 1067 <LINE>In maiden meditation, fancy-free.</LINE> 1068 <LINE>Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell:</LINE> 1069 <LINE>It fell upon a little western flower,</LINE> 1070 <LINE>Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound,</LINE> 1071 <LINE>And maidens call it love-in-idleness.</LINE> 1072 <LINE>Fetch me that flower; the herb I shew'd thee once:</LINE> 1073 <LINE>The juice of it on sleeping eye-lids laid</LINE> 1074 <LINE>Will make or man or woman madly dote</LINE> 1075 <LINE>Upon the next live creature that it sees.</LINE> 1076 <LINE>Fetch me this herb; and be thou here again</LINE> 1077 <LINE>Ere the leviathan can swim a league.</LINE> 1078 </SPEECH> 1079 1080 <SPEECH> 1081 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 1082 <LINE>I'll put a girdle round about the earth</LINE> 1083 <LINE>In forty minutes.</LINE> 1084 </SPEECH> 1085 1086 1087 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1088 1089 <SPEECH> 1090 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 1091 <LINE>Having once this juice,</LINE> 1092 <LINE>I'll watch Titania when she is asleep,</LINE> 1093 <LINE>And drop the liquor of it in her eyes.</LINE> 1094 <LINE>The next thing then she waking looks upon,</LINE> 1095 <LINE>Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull,</LINE> 1096 <LINE>On meddling monkey, or on busy ape,</LINE> 1097 <LINE>She shall pursue it with the soul of love:</LINE> 1098 <LINE>And ere I take this charm from off her sight,</LINE> 1099 <LINE>As I can take it with another herb,</LINE> 1100 <LINE>I'll make her render up her page to me.</LINE> 1101 <LINE>But who comes here? I am invisible;</LINE> 1102 <LINE>And I will overhear their conference.</LINE> 1103 </SPEECH> 1104 1105 1106 <STAGEDIR>Enter DEMETRIUS, HELENA, following him</STAGEDIR> 1107 1108 <SPEECH> 1109 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 1110 <LINE>I love thee not, therefore pursue me not.</LINE> 1111 <LINE>Where is Lysander and fair Hermia?</LINE> 1112 <LINE>The one I'll slay, the other slayeth me.</LINE> 1113 <LINE>Thou told'st me they were stolen unto this wood;</LINE> 1114 <LINE>And here am I, and wode within this wood,</LINE> 1115 <LINE>Because I cannot meet my Hermia.</LINE> 1116 <LINE>Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.</LINE> 1117 </SPEECH> 1118 1119 <SPEECH> 1120 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1121 <LINE>You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant;</LINE> 1122 <LINE>But yet you draw not iron, for my heart</LINE> 1123 <LINE>Is true as steel: leave you your power to draw,</LINE> 1124 <LINE>And I shall have no power to follow you.</LINE> 1125 </SPEECH> 1126 1127 <SPEECH> 1128 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 1129 <LINE>Do I entice you? do I speak you fair?</LINE> 1130 <LINE>Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth</LINE> 1131 <LINE>Tell you, I do not, nor I cannot love you?</LINE> 1132 </SPEECH> 1133 1134 <SPEECH> 1135 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1136 <LINE>And even for that do I love you the more.</LINE> 1137 <LINE>I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius,</LINE> 1138 <LINE>The more you beat me, I will fawn on you:</LINE> 1139 <LINE>Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me,</LINE> 1140 <LINE>Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave,</LINE> 1141 <LINE>Unworthy as I am, to follow you.</LINE> 1142 <LINE>What worser place can I beg in your love,--</LINE> 1143 <LINE>And yet a place of high respect with me,--</LINE> 1144 <LINE>Than to be used as you use your dog?</LINE> 1145 </SPEECH> 1146 1147 <SPEECH> 1148 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 1149 <LINE>Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;</LINE> 1150 <LINE>For I am sick when I do look on thee.</LINE> 1151 </SPEECH> 1152 1153 <SPEECH> 1154 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1155 <LINE>And I am sick when I look not on you.</LINE> 1156 </SPEECH> 1157 1158 <SPEECH> 1159 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 1160 <LINE>You do impeach your modesty too much,</LINE> 1161 <LINE>To leave the city and commit yourself</LINE> 1162 <LINE>Into the hands of one that loves you not;</LINE> 1163 <LINE>To trust the opportunity of night</LINE> 1164 <LINE>And the ill counsel of a desert place</LINE> 1165 <LINE>With the rich worth of your virginity.</LINE> 1166 </SPEECH> 1167 1168 <SPEECH> 1169 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1170 <LINE>Your virtue is my privilege: for that</LINE> 1171 <LINE>It is not night when I do see your face,</LINE> 1172 <LINE>Therefore I think I am not in the night;</LINE> 1173 <LINE>Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company,</LINE> 1174 <LINE>For you in my respect are all the world:</LINE> 1175 <LINE>Then how can it be said I am alone,</LINE> 1176 <LINE>When all the world is here to look on me?</LINE> 1177 </SPEECH> 1178 1179 <SPEECH> 1180 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 1181 <LINE>I'll run from thee and hide me in the brakes,</LINE> 1182 <LINE>And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts.</LINE> 1183 </SPEECH> 1184 1185 <SPEECH> 1186 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1187 <LINE>The wildest hath not such a heart as you.</LINE> 1188 <LINE>Run when you will, the story shall be changed:</LINE> 1189 <LINE>Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase;</LINE> 1190 <LINE>The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind</LINE> 1191 <LINE>Makes speed to catch the tiger; bootless speed,</LINE> 1192 <LINE>When cowardice pursues and valour flies.</LINE> 1193 </SPEECH> 1194 1195 <SPEECH> 1196 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 1197 <LINE>I will not stay thy questions; let me go:</LINE> 1198 <LINE>Or, if thou follow me, do not believe</LINE> 1199 <LINE>But I shall do thee mischief in the wood.</LINE> 1200 </SPEECH> 1201 1202 <SPEECH> 1203 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1204 <LINE>Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field,</LINE> 1205 <LINE>You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius!</LINE> 1206 <LINE>Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex:</LINE> 1207 <LINE>We cannot fight for love, as men may do;</LINE> 1208 <LINE>We should be wood and were not made to woo.</LINE> 1209 <STAGEDIR>Exit DEMETRIUS</STAGEDIR> 1210 <LINE>I'll follow thee and make a heaven of hell,</LINE> 1211 <LINE>To die upon the hand I love so well.</LINE> 1212 </SPEECH> 1213 1214 1215 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1216 1217 <SPEECH> 1218 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 1219 <LINE>Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove,</LINE> 1220 <LINE>Thou shalt fly him and he shall seek thy love.</LINE> 1221 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter PUCK</STAGEDIR> 1222 <LINE>Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer.</LINE> 1223 </SPEECH> 1224 1225 <SPEECH> 1226 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 1227 <LINE>Ay, there it is.</LINE> 1228 </SPEECH> 1229 1230 <SPEECH> 1231 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 1232 <LINE>I pray thee, give it me.</LINE> 1233 <LINE>I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,</LINE> 1234 <LINE>Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,</LINE> 1235 <LINE>Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,</LINE> 1236 <LINE>With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:</LINE> 1237 <LINE>There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,</LINE> 1238 <LINE>Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;</LINE> 1239 <LINE>And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,</LINE> 1240 <LINE>Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:</LINE> 1241 <LINE>And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes,</LINE> 1242 <LINE>And make her full of hateful fantasies.</LINE> 1243 <LINE>Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove:</LINE> 1244 <LINE>A sweet Athenian lady is in love</LINE> 1245 <LINE>With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes;</LINE> 1246 <LINE>But do it when the next thing he espies</LINE> 1247 <LINE>May be the lady: thou shalt know the man</LINE> 1248 <LINE>By the Athenian garments he hath on.</LINE> 1249 <LINE>Effect it with some care, that he may prove</LINE> 1250 <LINE>More fond on her than she upon her love:</LINE> 1251 <LINE>And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow.</LINE> 1252 </SPEECH> 1253 1254 <SPEECH> 1255 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 1256 <LINE>Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so.</LINE> 1257 </SPEECH> 1258 1259 1260 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt</STAGEDIR> 1261 </SCENE> 1262 1263 <SCENE><TITLE>SCENE II. Another part of the wood.</TITLE> 1264 <STAGEDIR>Enter TITANIA, with her train</STAGEDIR> 1265 1266 <SPEECH> 1267 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 1268 <LINE>Come, now a roundel and a fairy song;</LINE> 1269 <LINE>Then, for the third part of a minute, hence;</LINE> 1270 <LINE>Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds,</LINE> 1271 <LINE>Some war with rere-mice for their leathern wings,</LINE> 1272 <LINE>To make my small elves coats, and some keep back</LINE> 1273 <LINE>The clamorous owl that nightly hoots and wonders</LINE> 1274 <LINE>At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep;</LINE> 1275 <LINE>Then to your offices and let me rest.</LINE> 1276 <STAGEDIR>The Fairies sing</STAGEDIR> 1277 <LINE>You spotted snakes with double tongue,</LINE> 1278 <LINE>Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen;</LINE> 1279 <LINE>Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong,</LINE> 1280 <LINE>Come not near our fairy queen.</LINE> 1281 <LINE>Philomel, with melody</LINE> 1282 <LINE>Sing in our sweet lullaby;</LINE> 1283 <LINE>Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby:</LINE> 1284 <LINE>Never harm,</LINE> 1285 <LINE>Nor spell nor charm,</LINE> 1286 <LINE>Come our lovely lady nigh;</LINE> 1287 <LINE>So, good night, with lullaby.</LINE> 1288 <LINE>Weaving spiders, come not here;</LINE> 1289 <LINE>Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence!</LINE> 1290 <LINE>Beetles black, approach not near;</LINE> 1291 <LINE>Worm nor snail, do no offence.</LINE> 1292 <LINE>Philomel, with melody, &c.</LINE> 1293 </SPEECH> 1294 1295 <SPEECH> 1296 <SPEAKER>Fairy</SPEAKER> 1297 <LINE>Hence, away! now all is well:</LINE> 1298 <LINE>One aloof stand sentinel.</LINE> 1299 </SPEECH> 1300 1301 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt Fairies. TITANIA sleeps</STAGEDIR> 1302 <STAGEDIR>Enter OBERON and squeezes the flower on TITANIA's eyelids</STAGEDIR> 1303 1304 <SPEECH> 1305 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 1306 <LINE>What thou seest when thou dost wake,</LINE> 1307 <LINE>Do it for thy true-love take,</LINE> 1308 <LINE>Love and languish for his sake:</LINE> 1309 <LINE>Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,</LINE> 1310 <LINE>Pard, or boar with bristled hair,</LINE> 1311 <LINE>In thy eye that shall appear</LINE> 1312 <LINE>When thou wakest, it is thy dear:</LINE> 1313 <LINE>Wake when some vile thing is near.</LINE> 1314 </SPEECH> 1315 1316 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1317 <STAGEDIR>Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA</STAGEDIR> 1318 1319 <SPEECH> 1320 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 1321 <LINE>Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood;</LINE> 1322 <LINE>And to speak troth, I have forgot our way:</LINE> 1323 <LINE>We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good,</LINE> 1324 <LINE>And tarry for the comfort of the day.</LINE> 1325 </SPEECH> 1326 1327 <SPEECH> 1328 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 1329 <LINE>Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed;</LINE> 1330 <LINE>For I upon this bank will rest my head.</LINE> 1331 </SPEECH> 1332 1333 <SPEECH> 1334 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 1335 <LINE>One turf shall serve as pillow for us both;</LINE> 1336 <LINE>One heart, one bed, two bosoms and one troth.</LINE> 1337 </SPEECH> 1338 1339 <SPEECH> 1340 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 1341 <LINE>Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, my dear,</LINE> 1342 <LINE>Lie further off yet, do not lie so near.</LINE> 1343 </SPEECH> 1344 1345 <SPEECH> 1346 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 1347 <LINE>O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence!</LINE> 1348 <LINE>Love takes the meaning in love's conference.</LINE> 1349 <LINE>I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit</LINE> 1350 <LINE>So that but one heart we can make of it;</LINE> 1351 <LINE>Two bosoms interchained with an oath;</LINE> 1352 <LINE>So then two bosoms and a single troth.</LINE> 1353 <LINE>Then by your side no bed-room me deny;</LINE> 1354 <LINE>For lying so, Hermia, I do not lie.</LINE> 1355 </SPEECH> 1356 1357 <SPEECH> 1358 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 1359 <LINE>Lysander riddles very prettily:</LINE> 1360 <LINE>Now much beshrew my manners and my pride,</LINE> 1361 <LINE>If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied.</LINE> 1362 <LINE>But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy</LINE> 1363 <LINE>Lie further off; in human modesty,</LINE> 1364 <LINE>Such separation as may well be said</LINE> 1365 <LINE>Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid,</LINE> 1366 <LINE>So far be distant; and, good night, sweet friend:</LINE> 1367 <LINE>Thy love ne'er alter till thy sweet life end!</LINE> 1368 </SPEECH> 1369 1370 <SPEECH> 1371 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 1372 <LINE>Amen, amen, to that fair prayer, say I;</LINE> 1373 <LINE>And then end life when I end loyalty!</LINE> 1374 <LINE>Here is my bed: sleep give thee all his rest!</LINE> 1375 </SPEECH> 1376 1377 <SPEECH> 1378 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 1379 <LINE>With half that wish the wisher's eyes be press'd!</LINE> 1380 </SPEECH> 1381 1382 <STAGEDIR>They sleep</STAGEDIR> 1383 <STAGEDIR>Enter PUCK</STAGEDIR> 1384 1385 <SPEECH> 1386 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 1387 <LINE>Through the forest have I gone.</LINE> 1388 <LINE>But Athenian found I none,</LINE> 1389 <LINE>On whose eyes I might approve</LINE> 1390 <LINE>This flower's force in stirring love.</LINE> 1391 <LINE>Night and silence.--Who is here?</LINE> 1392 <LINE>Weeds of Athens he doth wear:</LINE> 1393 <LINE>This is he, my master said,</LINE> 1394 <LINE>Despised the Athenian maid;</LINE> 1395 <LINE>And here the maiden, sleeping sound,</LINE> 1396 <LINE>On the dank and dirty ground.</LINE> 1397 <LINE>Pretty soul! she durst not lie</LINE> 1398 <LINE>Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.</LINE> 1399 <LINE>Churl, upon thy eyes I throw</LINE> 1400 <LINE>All the power this charm doth owe.</LINE> 1401 <LINE>When thou wakest, let love forbid</LINE> 1402 <LINE>Sleep his seat on thy eyelid:</LINE> 1403 <LINE>So awake when I am gone;</LINE> 1404 <LINE>For I must now to Oberon.</LINE> 1405 </SPEECH> 1406 1407 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1408 <STAGEDIR>Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running</STAGEDIR> 1409 1410 <SPEECH> 1411 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1412 <LINE>Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius.</LINE> 1413 </SPEECH> 1414 1415 <SPEECH> 1416 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 1417 <LINE>I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus.</LINE> 1418 </SPEECH> 1419 1420 <SPEECH> 1421 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1422 <LINE>O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so.</LINE> 1423 </SPEECH> 1424 1425 <SPEECH> 1426 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 1427 <LINE>Stay, on thy peril: I alone will go.</LINE> 1428 </SPEECH> 1429 1430 1431 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1432 1433 <SPEECH> 1434 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1435 <LINE>O, I am out of breath in this fond chase!</LINE> 1436 <LINE>The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace.</LINE> 1437 <LINE>Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er she lies;</LINE> 1438 <LINE>For she hath blessed and attractive eyes.</LINE> 1439 <LINE>How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears:</LINE> 1440 <LINE>If so, my eyes are oftener wash'd than hers.</LINE> 1441 <LINE>No, no, I am as ugly as a bear;</LINE> 1442 <LINE>For beasts that meet me run away for fear:</LINE> 1443 <LINE>Therefore no marvel though Demetrius</LINE> 1444 <LINE>Do, as a monster fly my presence thus.</LINE> 1445 <LINE>What wicked and dissembling glass of mine</LINE> 1446 <LINE>Made me compare with Hermia's sphery eyne?</LINE> 1447 <LINE>But who is here? Lysander! on the ground!</LINE> 1448 <LINE>Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound.</LINE> 1449 <LINE>Lysander if you live, good sir, awake.</LINE> 1450 </SPEECH> 1451 1452 <SPEECH> 1453 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 1454 <LINE><STAGEDIR>Awaking</STAGEDIR> And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake.</LINE> 1455 <LINE>Transparent Helena! Nature shows art,</LINE> 1456 <LINE>That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart.</LINE> 1457 <LINE>Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word</LINE> 1458 <LINE>Is that vile name to perish on my sword!</LINE> 1459 </SPEECH> 1460 1461 <SPEECH> 1462 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1463 <LINE>Do not say so, Lysander; say not so</LINE> 1464 <LINE>What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though?</LINE> 1465 <LINE>Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content.</LINE> 1466 </SPEECH> 1467 1468 <SPEECH> 1469 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 1470 <LINE>Content with Hermia! No; I do repent</LINE> 1471 <LINE>The tedious minutes I with her have spent.</LINE> 1472 <LINE>Not Hermia but Helena I love:</LINE> 1473 <LINE>Who will not change a raven for a dove?</LINE> 1474 <LINE>The will of man is by his reason sway'd;</LINE> 1475 <LINE>And reason says you are the worthier maid.</LINE> 1476 <LINE>Things growing are not ripe until their season</LINE> 1477 <LINE>So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason;</LINE> 1478 <LINE>And touching now the point of human skill,</LINE> 1479 <LINE>Reason becomes the marshal to my will</LINE> 1480 <LINE>And leads me to your eyes, where I o'erlook</LINE> 1481 <LINE>Love's stories written in love's richest book.</LINE> 1482 </SPEECH> 1483 1484 <SPEECH> 1485 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 1486 <LINE>Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?</LINE> 1487 <LINE>When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?</LINE> 1488 <LINE>Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man,</LINE> 1489 <LINE>That I did never, no, nor never can,</LINE> 1490 <LINE>Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye,</LINE> 1491 <LINE>But you must flout my insufficiency?</LINE> 1492 <LINE>Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do,</LINE> 1493 <LINE>In such disdainful manner me to woo.</LINE> 1494 <LINE>But fare you well: perforce I must confess</LINE> 1495 <LINE>I thought you lord of more true gentleness.</LINE> 1496 <LINE>O, that a lady, of one man refused.</LINE> 1497 <LINE>Should of another therefore be abused!</LINE> 1498 </SPEECH> 1499 1500 1501 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1502 1503 <SPEECH> 1504 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 1505 <LINE>She sees not Hermia. Hermia, sleep thou there:</LINE> 1506 <LINE>And never mayst thou come Lysander near!</LINE> 1507 <LINE>For as a surfeit of the sweetest things</LINE> 1508 <LINE>The deepest loathing to the stomach brings,</LINE> 1509 <LINE>Or as tie heresies that men do leave</LINE> 1510 <LINE>Are hated most of those they did deceive,</LINE> 1511 <LINE>So thou, my surfeit and my heresy,</LINE> 1512 <LINE>Of all be hated, but the most of me!</LINE> 1513 <LINE>And, all my powers, address your love and might</LINE> 1514 <LINE>To honour Helen and to be her knight!</LINE> 1515 </SPEECH> 1516 1517 1518 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1519 1520 <SPEECH> 1521 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 1522 <LINE><STAGEDIR>Awaking</STAGEDIR> Help me, Lysander, help me! do thy best</LINE> 1523 <LINE>To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast!</LINE> 1524 <LINE>Ay me, for pity! what a dream was here!</LINE> 1525 <LINE>Lysander, look how I do quake with fear:</LINE> 1526 <LINE>Methought a serpent eat my heart away,</LINE> 1527 <LINE>And you sat smiling at his cruel pray.</LINE> 1528 <LINE>Lysander! what, removed? Lysander! lord!</LINE> 1529 <LINE>What, out of hearing? gone? no sound, no word?</LINE> 1530 <LINE>Alack, where are you speak, an if you hear;</LINE> 1531 <LINE>Speak, of all loves! I swoon almost with fear.</LINE> 1532 <LINE>No? then I well perceive you all not nigh</LINE> 1533 <LINE>Either death or you I'll find immediately.</LINE> 1534 </SPEECH> 1535 1536 1537 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1538 </SCENE> 1539 1540 </ACT> 1541 1542 <ACT><TITLE>ACT III</TITLE> 1543 1544 <SCENE><TITLE>SCENE I. The wood. TITANIA lying asleep.</TITLE> 1545 <STAGEDIR>Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, and 1546 STARVELING</STAGEDIR> 1547 1548 <SPEECH> 1549 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1550 <LINE>Are we all met?</LINE> 1551 </SPEECH> 1552 1553 <SPEECH> 1554 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1555 <LINE>Pat, pat; and here's a marvellous convenient place</LINE> 1556 <LINE>for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our</LINE> 1557 <LINE>stage, this hawthorn-brake our tiring-house; and we</LINE> 1558 <LINE>will do it in action as we will do it before the duke.</LINE> 1559 </SPEECH> 1560 1561 <SPEECH> 1562 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1563 <LINE>Peter Quince,--</LINE> 1564 </SPEECH> 1565 1566 <SPEECH> 1567 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1568 <LINE>What sayest thou, bully Bottom?</LINE> 1569 </SPEECH> 1570 1571 <SPEECH> 1572 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1573 <LINE>There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and</LINE> 1574 <LINE>Thisby that will never please. First, Pyramus must</LINE> 1575 <LINE>draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies</LINE> 1576 <LINE>cannot abide. How answer you that?</LINE> 1577 </SPEECH> 1578 1579 <SPEECH> 1580 <SPEAKER>SNOUT</SPEAKER> 1581 <LINE>By'r lakin, a parlous fear.</LINE> 1582 </SPEECH> 1583 1584 <SPEECH> 1585 <SPEAKER>STARVELING</SPEAKER> 1586 <LINE>I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is done.</LINE> 1587 </SPEECH> 1588 1589 <SPEECH> 1590 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1591 <LINE>Not a whit: I have a device to make all well.</LINE> 1592 <LINE>Write me a prologue; and let the prologue seem to</LINE> 1593 <LINE>say, we will do no harm with our swords, and that</LINE> 1594 <LINE>Pyramus is not killed indeed; and, for the more</LINE> 1595 <LINE>better assurance, tell them that I, Pyramus, am not</LINE> 1596 <LINE>Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver: this will put them</LINE> 1597 <LINE>out of fear.</LINE> 1598 </SPEECH> 1599 1600 <SPEECH> 1601 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1602 <LINE>Well, we will have such a prologue; and it shall be</LINE> 1603 <LINE>written in eight and six.</LINE> 1604 </SPEECH> 1605 1606 <SPEECH> 1607 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1608 <LINE>No, make it two more; let it be written in eight and eight.</LINE> 1609 </SPEECH> 1610 1611 <SPEECH> 1612 <SPEAKER>SNOUT</SPEAKER> 1613 <LINE>Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?</LINE> 1614 </SPEECH> 1615 1616 <SPEECH> 1617 <SPEAKER>STARVELING</SPEAKER> 1618 <LINE>I fear it, I promise you.</LINE> 1619 </SPEECH> 1620 1621 <SPEECH> 1622 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1623 <LINE>Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves: to</LINE> 1624 <LINE>bring in--God shield us!--a lion among ladies, is a</LINE> 1625 <LINE>most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful</LINE> 1626 <LINE>wild-fowl than your lion living; and we ought to</LINE> 1627 <LINE>look to 't.</LINE> 1628 </SPEECH> 1629 1630 <SPEECH> 1631 <SPEAKER>SNOUT</SPEAKER> 1632 <LINE>Therefore another prologue must tell he is not a lion.</LINE> 1633 </SPEECH> 1634 1635 <SPEECH> 1636 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1637 <LINE>Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must</LINE> 1638 <LINE>be seen through the lion's neck: and he himself</LINE> 1639 <LINE>must speak through, saying thus, or to the same</LINE> 1640 <LINE>defect,--'Ladies,'--or 'Fair-ladies--I would wish</LINE> 1641 <LINE>You,'--or 'I would request you,'--or 'I would</LINE> 1642 <LINE>entreat you,--not to fear, not to tremble: my life</LINE> 1643 <LINE>for yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it</LINE> 1644 <LINE>were pity of my life: no I am no such thing; I am a</LINE> 1645 <LINE>man as other men are;' and there indeed let him name</LINE> 1646 <LINE>his name, and tell them plainly he is Snug the joiner.</LINE> 1647 </SPEECH> 1648 1649 <SPEECH> 1650 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1651 <LINE>Well it shall be so. But there is two hard things;</LINE> 1652 <LINE>that is, to bring the moonlight into a chamber; for,</LINE> 1653 <LINE>you know, Pyramus and Thisby meet by moonlight.</LINE> 1654 </SPEECH> 1655 1656 <SPEECH> 1657 <SPEAKER>SNOUT</SPEAKER> 1658 <LINE>Doth the moon shine that night we play our play?</LINE> 1659 </SPEECH> 1660 1661 <SPEECH> 1662 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1663 <LINE>A calendar, a calendar! look in the almanac; find</LINE> 1664 <LINE>out moonshine, find out moonshine.</LINE> 1665 </SPEECH> 1666 1667 <SPEECH> 1668 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1669 <LINE>Yes, it doth shine that night.</LINE> 1670 </SPEECH> 1671 1672 <SPEECH> 1673 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1674 <LINE>Why, then may you leave a casement of the great</LINE> 1675 <LINE>chamber window, where we play, open, and the moon</LINE> 1676 <LINE>may shine in at the casement.</LINE> 1677 </SPEECH> 1678 1679 <SPEECH> 1680 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1681 <LINE>Ay; or else one must come in with a bush of thorns</LINE> 1682 <LINE>and a lanthorn, and say he comes to disfigure, or to</LINE> 1683 <LINE>present, the person of Moonshine. Then, there is</LINE> 1684 <LINE>another thing: we must have a wall in the great</LINE> 1685 <LINE>chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby says the story, did</LINE> 1686 <LINE>talk through the chink of a wall.</LINE> 1687 </SPEECH> 1688 1689 <SPEECH> 1690 <SPEAKER>SNOUT</SPEAKER> 1691 <LINE>You can never bring in a wall. What say you, Bottom?</LINE> 1692 </SPEECH> 1693 1694 <SPEECH> 1695 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1696 <LINE>Some man or other must present Wall: and let him</LINE> 1697 <LINE>have some plaster, or some loam, or some rough-cast</LINE> 1698 <LINE>about him, to signify wall; and let him hold his</LINE> 1699 <LINE>fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus</LINE> 1700 <LINE>and Thisby whisper.</LINE> 1701 </SPEECH> 1702 1703 <SPEECH> 1704 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1705 <LINE>If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down,</LINE> 1706 <LINE>every mother's son, and rehearse your parts.</LINE> 1707 <LINE>Pyramus, you begin: when you have spoken your</LINE> 1708 <LINE>speech, enter into that brake: and so every one</LINE> 1709 <LINE>according to his cue.</LINE> 1710 </SPEECH> 1711 1712 1713 <STAGEDIR>Enter PUCK behind</STAGEDIR> 1714 1715 <SPEECH> 1716 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 1717 <LINE>What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here,</LINE> 1718 <LINE>So near the cradle of the fairy queen?</LINE> 1719 <LINE>What, a play toward! I'll be an auditor;</LINE> 1720 <LINE>An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause.</LINE> 1721 </SPEECH> 1722 1723 <SPEECH> 1724 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1725 <LINE>Speak, Pyramus. Thisby, stand forth.</LINE> 1726 </SPEECH> 1727 1728 <SPEECH> 1729 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1730 <LINE>Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet,--</LINE> 1731 </SPEECH> 1732 1733 <SPEECH> 1734 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1735 <LINE>Odours, odours.</LINE> 1736 </SPEECH> 1737 1738 <SPEECH> 1739 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1740 <LINE>--odours savours sweet:</LINE> 1741 <LINE>So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear.</LINE> 1742 <LINE>But hark, a voice! stay thou but here awhile,</LINE> 1743 <LINE>And by and by I will to thee appear.</LINE> 1744 </SPEECH> 1745 1746 1747 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1748 1749 <SPEECH> 1750 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 1751 <LINE>A stranger Pyramus than e'er played here.</LINE> 1752 </SPEECH> 1753 1754 1755 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1756 1757 <SPEECH> 1758 <SPEAKER>FLUTE</SPEAKER> 1759 <LINE>Must I speak now?</LINE> 1760 </SPEECH> 1761 1762 <SPEECH> 1763 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1764 <LINE>Ay, marry, must you; for you must understand he goes</LINE> 1765 <LINE>but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again.</LINE> 1766 </SPEECH> 1767 1768 <SPEECH> 1769 <SPEAKER>FLUTE</SPEAKER> 1770 <LINE>Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue,</LINE> 1771 <LINE>Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier,</LINE> 1772 <LINE>Most brisky juvenal and eke most lovely Jew,</LINE> 1773 <LINE>As true as truest horse that yet would never tire,</LINE> 1774 <LINE>I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.</LINE> 1775 </SPEECH> 1776 1777 <SPEECH> 1778 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1779 <LINE>'Ninus' tomb,' man: why, you must not speak that</LINE> 1780 <LINE>yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all your</LINE> 1781 <LINE>part at once, cues and all Pyramus enter: your cue</LINE> 1782 <LINE>is past; it is, 'never tire.'</LINE> 1783 </SPEECH> 1784 1785 <SPEECH> 1786 <SPEAKER>FLUTE</SPEAKER> 1787 <LINE>O,--As true as truest horse, that yet would</LINE> 1788 <LINE>never tire.</LINE> 1789 </SPEECH> 1790 1791 1792 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter PUCK, and BOTTOM with an ass's head</STAGEDIR> 1793 1794 <SPEECH> 1795 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1796 <LINE>If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine.</LINE> 1797 </SPEECH> 1798 1799 <SPEECH> 1800 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1801 <LINE>O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted. Pray,</LINE> 1802 <LINE>masters! fly, masters! Help!</LINE> 1803 </SPEECH> 1804 1805 1806 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt QUINCE, SNUG, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING</STAGEDIR> 1807 1808 <SPEECH> 1809 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 1810 <LINE>I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round,</LINE> 1811 <LINE>Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier:</LINE> 1812 <LINE>Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,</LINE> 1813 <LINE>A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;</LINE> 1814 <LINE>And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn,</LINE> 1815 <LINE>Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.</LINE> 1816 </SPEECH> 1817 1818 1819 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1820 1821 <SPEECH> 1822 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1823 <LINE>Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them to</LINE> 1824 <LINE>make me afeard.</LINE> 1825 </SPEECH> 1826 1827 1828 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter SNOUT</STAGEDIR> 1829 1830 <SPEECH> 1831 <SPEAKER>SNOUT</SPEAKER> 1832 <LINE>O Bottom, thou art changed! what do I see on thee?</LINE> 1833 </SPEECH> 1834 1835 <SPEECH> 1836 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1837 <LINE>What do you see? you see an asshead of your own, do</LINE> 1838 <LINE>you?</LINE> 1839 </SPEECH> 1840 1841 <STAGEDIR>Exit SNOUT</STAGEDIR> 1842 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter QUINCE</STAGEDIR> 1843 1844 <SPEECH> 1845 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 1846 <LINE>Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art</LINE> 1847 <LINE>translated.</LINE> 1848 </SPEECH> 1849 1850 1851 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 1852 1853 <SPEECH> 1854 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1855 <LINE>I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me;</LINE> 1856 <LINE>to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir</LINE> 1857 <LINE>from this place, do what they can: I will walk up</LINE> 1858 <LINE>and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear</LINE> 1859 <LINE>I am not afraid.</LINE> 1860 <STAGEDIR>Sings</STAGEDIR> 1861 <LINE>The ousel cock so black of hue,</LINE> 1862 <LINE>With orange-tawny bill,</LINE> 1863 <LINE>The throstle with his note so true,</LINE> 1864 <LINE>The wren with little quill,--</LINE> 1865 </SPEECH> 1866 1867 <SPEECH> 1868 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 1869 <LINE><STAGEDIR>Awaking</STAGEDIR> What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?</LINE> 1870 </SPEECH> 1871 1872 <SPEECH> 1873 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1874 <LINE><STAGEDIR>Sings</STAGEDIR></LINE> 1875 <LINE>The finch, the sparrow and the lark,</LINE> 1876 <LINE>The plain-song cuckoo gray,</LINE> 1877 <LINE>Whose note full many a man doth mark,</LINE> 1878 <LINE>And dares not answer nay;--</LINE> 1879 <LINE>for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish</LINE> 1880 <LINE>a bird? who would give a bird the lie, though he cry</LINE> 1881 <LINE>'cuckoo' never so?</LINE> 1882 </SPEECH> 1883 1884 <SPEECH> 1885 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 1886 <LINE>I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again:</LINE> 1887 <LINE>Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note;</LINE> 1888 <LINE>So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;</LINE> 1889 <LINE>And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me</LINE> 1890 <LINE>On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.</LINE> 1891 </SPEECH> 1892 1893 <SPEECH> 1894 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1895 <LINE>Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason</LINE> 1896 <LINE>for that: and yet, to say the truth, reason and</LINE> 1897 <LINE>love keep little company together now-a-days; the</LINE> 1898 <LINE>more the pity that some honest neighbours will not</LINE> 1899 <LINE>make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion.</LINE> 1900 </SPEECH> 1901 1902 <SPEECH> 1903 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 1904 <LINE>Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.</LINE> 1905 </SPEECH> 1906 1907 <SPEECH> 1908 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1909 <LINE>Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough to get out</LINE> 1910 <LINE>of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn.</LINE> 1911 </SPEECH> 1912 1913 <SPEECH> 1914 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 1915 <LINE>Out of this wood do not desire to go:</LINE> 1916 <LINE>Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.</LINE> 1917 <LINE>I am a spirit of no common rate;</LINE> 1918 <LINE>The summer still doth tend upon my state;</LINE> 1919 <LINE>And I do love thee: therefore, go with me;</LINE> 1920 <LINE>I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee,</LINE> 1921 <LINE>And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep,</LINE> 1922 <LINE>And sing while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep;</LINE> 1923 <LINE>And I will purge thy mortal grossness so</LINE> 1924 <LINE>That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.</LINE> 1925 <LINE>Peaseblossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustardseed!</LINE> 1926 </SPEECH> 1927 1928 1929 <STAGEDIR>Enter PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and MUSTARDSEED</STAGEDIR> 1930 1931 <SPEECH> 1932 <SPEAKER>PEASEBLOSSOM</SPEAKER> 1933 <LINE>Ready.</LINE> 1934 </SPEECH> 1935 1936 <SPEECH> 1937 <SPEAKER>COBWEB</SPEAKER> 1938 <LINE>And I.</LINE> 1939 </SPEECH> 1940 1941 <SPEECH> 1942 <SPEAKER>MOTH</SPEAKER> 1943 <LINE>And I.</LINE> 1944 </SPEECH> 1945 1946 <SPEECH> 1947 <SPEAKER>MUSTARDSEED</SPEAKER> 1948 <LINE>And I.</LINE> 1949 </SPEECH> 1950 1951 <SPEECH> 1952 <SPEAKER>ALL</SPEAKER> 1953 <LINE>Where shall we go?</LINE> 1954 </SPEECH> 1955 1956 <SPEECH> 1957 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 1958 <LINE>Be kind and courteous to this gentleman;</LINE> 1959 <LINE>Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes;</LINE> 1960 <LINE>Feed him with apricocks and dewberries,</LINE> 1961 <LINE>With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries;</LINE> 1962 <LINE>The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees,</LINE> 1963 <LINE>And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs</LINE> 1964 <LINE>And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes,</LINE> 1965 <LINE>To have my love to bed and to arise;</LINE> 1966 <LINE>And pluck the wings from Painted butterflies</LINE> 1967 <LINE>To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes:</LINE> 1968 <LINE>Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.</LINE> 1969 </SPEECH> 1970 1971 <SPEECH> 1972 <SPEAKER>PEASEBLOSSOM</SPEAKER> 1973 <LINE>Hail, mortal!</LINE> 1974 </SPEECH> 1975 1976 <SPEECH> 1977 <SPEAKER>COBWEB</SPEAKER> 1978 <LINE>Hail!</LINE> 1979 </SPEECH> 1980 1981 <SPEECH> 1982 <SPEAKER>MOTH</SPEAKER> 1983 <LINE>Hail!</LINE> 1984 </SPEECH> 1985 1986 <SPEECH> 1987 <SPEAKER>MUSTARDSEED</SPEAKER> 1988 <LINE>Hail!</LINE> 1989 </SPEECH> 1990 1991 <SPEECH> 1992 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 1993 <LINE>I cry your worship's mercy, heartily: I beseech your</LINE> 1994 <LINE>worship's name.</LINE> 1995 </SPEECH> 1996 1997 <SPEECH> 1998 <SPEAKER>COBWEB</SPEAKER> 1999 <LINE>Cobweb.</LINE> 2000 </SPEECH> 2001 2002 <SPEECH> 2003 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 2004 <LINE>I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master</LINE> 2005 <LINE>Cobweb: if I cut my finger, I shall make bold with</LINE> 2006 <LINE>you. Your name, honest gentleman?</LINE> 2007 </SPEECH> 2008 2009 <SPEECH> 2010 <SPEAKER>PEASEBLOSSOM</SPEAKER> 2011 <LINE>Peaseblossom.</LINE> 2012 </SPEECH> 2013 2014 <SPEECH> 2015 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 2016 <LINE>I pray you, commend me to Mistress Squash, your</LINE> 2017 <LINE>mother, and to Master Peascod, your father. Good</LINE> 2018 <LINE>Master Peaseblossom, I shall desire you of more</LINE> 2019 <LINE>acquaintance too. Your name, I beseech you, sir?</LINE> 2020 </SPEECH> 2021 2022 <SPEECH> 2023 <SPEAKER>MUSTARDSEED</SPEAKER> 2024 <LINE>Mustardseed.</LINE> 2025 </SPEECH> 2026 2027 <SPEECH> 2028 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 2029 <LINE>Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well:</LINE> 2030 <LINE>that same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef hath</LINE> 2031 <LINE>devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise</LINE> 2032 <LINE>you your kindred had made my eyes water ere now. I</LINE> 2033 <LINE>desire your more acquaintance, good Master</LINE> 2034 <LINE>Mustardseed.</LINE> 2035 </SPEECH> 2036 2037 <SPEECH> 2038 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 2039 <LINE>Come, wait upon him; lead him to my bower.</LINE> 2040 <LINE>The moon methinks looks with a watery eye;</LINE> 2041 <LINE>And when she weeps, weeps every little flower,</LINE> 2042 <LINE>Lamenting some enforced chastity.</LINE> 2043 <LINE>Tie up my love's tongue bring him silently.</LINE> 2044 </SPEECH> 2045 2046 2047 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt</STAGEDIR> 2048 </SCENE> 2049 2050 <SCENE><TITLE>SCENE II. Another part of the wood.</TITLE> 2051 <STAGEDIR>Enter OBERON</STAGEDIR> 2052 2053 <SPEECH> 2054 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 2055 <LINE>I wonder if Titania be awaked;</LINE> 2056 <LINE>Then, what it was that next came in her eye,</LINE> 2057 <LINE>Which she must dote on in extremity.</LINE> 2058 <STAGEDIR>Enter PUCK</STAGEDIR> 2059 <LINE>Here comes my messenger.</LINE> 2060 <LINE>How now, mad spirit!</LINE> 2061 <LINE>What night-rule now about this haunted grove?</LINE> 2062 </SPEECH> 2063 2064 <SPEECH> 2065 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2066 <LINE>My mistress with a monster is in love.</LINE> 2067 <LINE>Near to her close and consecrated bower,</LINE> 2068 <LINE>While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,</LINE> 2069 <LINE>A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,</LINE> 2070 <LINE>That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,</LINE> 2071 <LINE>Were met together to rehearse a play</LINE> 2072 <LINE>Intended for great Theseus' nuptial-day.</LINE> 2073 <LINE>The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort,</LINE> 2074 <LINE>Who Pyramus presented, in their sport</LINE> 2075 <LINE>Forsook his scene and enter'd in a brake</LINE> 2076 <LINE>When I did him at this advantage take,</LINE> 2077 <LINE>An ass's nole I fixed on his head:</LINE> 2078 <LINE>Anon his Thisbe must be answered,</LINE> 2079 <LINE>And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy,</LINE> 2080 <LINE>As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,</LINE> 2081 <LINE>Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,</LINE> 2082 <LINE>Rising and cawing at the gun's report,</LINE> 2083 <LINE>Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky,</LINE> 2084 <LINE>So, at his sight, away his fellows fly;</LINE> 2085 <LINE>And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls;</LINE> 2086 <LINE>He murder cries and help from Athens calls.</LINE> 2087 <LINE>Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears</LINE> 2088 <LINE>thus strong,</LINE> 2089 <LINE>Made senseless things begin to do them wrong;</LINE> 2090 <LINE>For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch;</LINE> 2091 <LINE>Some sleeves, some hats, from yielders all</LINE> 2092 <LINE>things catch.</LINE> 2093 <LINE>I led them on in this distracted fear,</LINE> 2094 <LINE>And left sweet Pyramus translated there:</LINE> 2095 <LINE>When in that moment, so it came to pass,</LINE> 2096 <LINE>Titania waked and straightway loved an ass.</LINE> 2097 </SPEECH> 2098 2099 <SPEECH> 2100 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 2101 <LINE>This falls out better than I could devise.</LINE> 2102 <LINE>But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes</LINE> 2103 <LINE>With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?</LINE> 2104 </SPEECH> 2105 2106 <SPEECH> 2107 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2108 <LINE>I took him sleeping,--that is finish'd too,--</LINE> 2109 <LINE>And the Athenian woman by his side:</LINE> 2110 <LINE>That, when he waked, of force she must be eyed.</LINE> 2111 </SPEECH> 2112 2113 2114 <STAGEDIR>Enter HERMIA and DEMETRIUS</STAGEDIR> 2115 2116 <SPEECH> 2117 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 2118 <LINE>Stand close: this is the same Athenian.</LINE> 2119 </SPEECH> 2120 2121 <SPEECH> 2122 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2123 <LINE>This is the woman, but not this the man.</LINE> 2124 </SPEECH> 2125 2126 <SPEECH> 2127 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2128 <LINE>O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?</LINE> 2129 <LINE>Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.</LINE> 2130 </SPEECH> 2131 2132 <SPEECH> 2133 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2134 <LINE>Now I but chide; but I should use thee worse,</LINE> 2135 <LINE>For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse,</LINE> 2136 <LINE>If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,</LINE> 2137 <LINE>Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,</LINE> 2138 <LINE>And kill me too.</LINE> 2139 <LINE>The sun was not so true unto the day</LINE> 2140 <LINE>As he to me: would he have stolen away</LINE> 2141 <LINE>From sleeping Hermia? I'll believe as soon</LINE> 2142 <LINE>This whole earth may be bored and that the moon</LINE> 2143 <LINE>May through the centre creep and so displease</LINE> 2144 <LINE>Her brother's noontide with Antipodes.</LINE> 2145 <LINE>It cannot be but thou hast murder'd him;</LINE> 2146 <LINE>So should a murderer look, so dead, so grim.</LINE> 2147 </SPEECH> 2148 2149 <SPEECH> 2150 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2151 <LINE>So should the murder'd look, and so should I,</LINE> 2152 <LINE>Pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty:</LINE> 2153 <LINE>Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear,</LINE> 2154 <LINE>As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.</LINE> 2155 </SPEECH> 2156 2157 <SPEECH> 2158 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2159 <LINE>What's this to my Lysander? where is he?</LINE> 2160 <LINE>Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?</LINE> 2161 </SPEECH> 2162 2163 <SPEECH> 2164 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2165 <LINE>I had rather give his carcass to my hounds.</LINE> 2166 </SPEECH> 2167 2168 <SPEECH> 2169 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2170 <LINE>Out, dog! out, cur! thou drivest me past the bounds</LINE> 2171 <LINE>Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him, then?</LINE> 2172 <LINE>Henceforth be never number'd among men!</LINE> 2173 <LINE>O, once tell true, tell true, even for my sake!</LINE> 2174 <LINE>Durst thou have look'd upon him being awake,</LINE> 2175 <LINE>And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? O brave touch!</LINE> 2176 <LINE>Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?</LINE> 2177 <LINE>An adder did it; for with doubler tongue</LINE> 2178 <LINE>Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.</LINE> 2179 </SPEECH> 2180 2181 <SPEECH> 2182 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2183 <LINE>You spend your passion on a misprised mood:</LINE> 2184 <LINE>I am not guilty of Lysander's blood;</LINE> 2185 <LINE>Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.</LINE> 2186 </SPEECH> 2187 2188 <SPEECH> 2189 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2190 <LINE>I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.</LINE> 2191 </SPEECH> 2192 2193 <SPEECH> 2194 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2195 <LINE>An if I could, what should I get therefore?</LINE> 2196 </SPEECH> 2197 2198 <SPEECH> 2199 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2200 <LINE>A privilege never to see me more.</LINE> 2201 <LINE>And from thy hated presence part I so:</LINE> 2202 <LINE>See me no more, whether he be dead or no.</LINE> 2203 </SPEECH> 2204 2205 2206 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 2207 2208 <SPEECH> 2209 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2210 <LINE>There is no following her in this fierce vein:</LINE> 2211 <LINE>Here therefore for a while I will remain.</LINE> 2212 <LINE>So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow</LINE> 2213 <LINE>For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe:</LINE> 2214 <LINE>Which now in some slight measure it will pay,</LINE> 2215 <LINE>If for his tender here I make some stay.</LINE> 2216 </SPEECH> 2217 2218 2219 <STAGEDIR>Lies down and sleeps</STAGEDIR> 2220 2221 <SPEECH> 2222 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 2223 <LINE>What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite</LINE> 2224 <LINE>And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight:</LINE> 2225 <LINE>Of thy misprision must perforce ensue</LINE> 2226 <LINE>Some true love turn'd and not a false turn'd true.</LINE> 2227 </SPEECH> 2228 2229 <SPEECH> 2230 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2231 <LINE>Then fate o'er-rules, that, one man holding troth,</LINE> 2232 <LINE>A million fail, confounding oath on oath.</LINE> 2233 </SPEECH> 2234 2235 <SPEECH> 2236 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 2237 <LINE>About the wood go swifter than the wind,</LINE> 2238 <LINE>And Helena of Athens look thou find:</LINE> 2239 <LINE>All fancy-sick she is and pale of cheer,</LINE> 2240 <LINE>With sighs of love, that costs the fresh blood dear:</LINE> 2241 <LINE>By some illusion see thou bring her here:</LINE> 2242 <LINE>I'll charm his eyes against she do appear.</LINE> 2243 </SPEECH> 2244 2245 <SPEECH> 2246 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2247 <LINE>I go, I go; look how I go,</LINE> 2248 <LINE>Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow.</LINE> 2249 </SPEECH> 2250 2251 2252 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 2253 2254 <SPEECH> 2255 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 2256 <LINE>Flower of this purple dye,</LINE> 2257 <LINE>Hit with Cupid's archery,</LINE> 2258 <LINE>Sink in apple of his eye.</LINE> 2259 <LINE>When his love he doth espy,</LINE> 2260 <LINE>Let her shine as gloriously</LINE> 2261 <LINE>As the Venus of the sky.</LINE> 2262 <LINE>When thou wakest, if she be by,</LINE> 2263 <LINE>Beg of her for remedy.</LINE> 2264 </SPEECH> 2265 2266 2267 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter PUCK</STAGEDIR> 2268 2269 <SPEECH> 2270 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2271 <LINE>Captain of our fairy band,</LINE> 2272 <LINE>Helena is here at hand;</LINE> 2273 <LINE>And the youth, mistook by me,</LINE> 2274 <LINE>Pleading for a lover's fee.</LINE> 2275 <LINE>Shall we their fond pageant see?</LINE> 2276 <LINE>Lord, what fools these mortals be!</LINE> 2277 </SPEECH> 2278 2279 <SPEECH> 2280 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 2281 <LINE>Stand aside: the noise they make</LINE> 2282 <LINE>Will cause Demetrius to awake.</LINE> 2283 </SPEECH> 2284 2285 <SPEECH> 2286 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2287 <LINE>Then will two at once woo one;</LINE> 2288 <LINE>That must needs be sport alone;</LINE> 2289 <LINE>And those things do best please me</LINE> 2290 <LINE>That befal preposterously.</LINE> 2291 </SPEECH> 2292 2293 2294 <STAGEDIR>Enter LYSANDER and HELENA</STAGEDIR> 2295 2296 <SPEECH> 2297 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2298 <LINE>Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?</LINE> 2299 <LINE>Scorn and derision never come in tears:</LINE> 2300 <LINE>Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born,</LINE> 2301 <LINE>In their nativity all truth appears.</LINE> 2302 <LINE>How can these things in me seem scorn to you,</LINE> 2303 <LINE>Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?</LINE> 2304 </SPEECH> 2305 2306 <SPEECH> 2307 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2308 <LINE>You do advance your cunning more and more.</LINE> 2309 <LINE>When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!</LINE> 2310 <LINE>These vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er?</LINE> 2311 <LINE>Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:</LINE> 2312 <LINE>Your vows to her and me, put in two scales,</LINE> 2313 <LINE>Will even weigh, and both as light as tales.</LINE> 2314 </SPEECH> 2315 2316 <SPEECH> 2317 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2318 <LINE>I had no judgment when to her I swore.</LINE> 2319 </SPEECH> 2320 2321 <SPEECH> 2322 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2323 <LINE>Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er.</LINE> 2324 </SPEECH> 2325 2326 <SPEECH> 2327 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2328 <LINE>Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.</LINE> 2329 </SPEECH> 2330 2331 <SPEECH> 2332 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2333 <LINE><STAGEDIR>Awaking</STAGEDIR> O Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!</LINE> 2334 <LINE>To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?</LINE> 2335 <LINE>Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show</LINE> 2336 <LINE>Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow!</LINE> 2337 <LINE>That pure congealed white, high Taurus snow,</LINE> 2338 <LINE>Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow</LINE> 2339 <LINE>When thou hold'st up thy hand: O, let me kiss</LINE> 2340 <LINE>This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss!</LINE> 2341 </SPEECH> 2342 2343 <SPEECH> 2344 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2345 <LINE>O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent</LINE> 2346 <LINE>To set against me for your merriment:</LINE> 2347 <LINE>If you we re civil and knew courtesy,</LINE> 2348 <LINE>You would not do me thus much injury.</LINE> 2349 <LINE>Can you not hate me, as I know you do,</LINE> 2350 <LINE>But you must join in souls to mock me too?</LINE> 2351 <LINE>If you were men, as men you are in show,</LINE> 2352 <LINE>You would not use a gentle lady so;</LINE> 2353 <LINE>To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,</LINE> 2354 <LINE>When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.</LINE> 2355 <LINE>You both are rivals, and love Hermia;</LINE> 2356 <LINE>And now both rivals, to mock Helena:</LINE> 2357 <LINE>A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,</LINE> 2358 <LINE>To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes</LINE> 2359 <LINE>With your derision! none of noble sort</LINE> 2360 <LINE>Would so offend a virgin, and extort</LINE> 2361 <LINE>A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport.</LINE> 2362 </SPEECH> 2363 2364 <SPEECH> 2365 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2366 <LINE>You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so;</LINE> 2367 <LINE>For you love Hermia; this you know I know:</LINE> 2368 <LINE>And here, with all good will, with all my heart,</LINE> 2369 <LINE>In Hermia's love I yield you up my part;</LINE> 2370 <LINE>And yours of Helena to me bequeath,</LINE> 2371 <LINE>Whom I do love and will do till my death.</LINE> 2372 </SPEECH> 2373 2374 <SPEECH> 2375 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2376 <LINE>Never did mockers waste more idle breath.</LINE> 2377 </SPEECH> 2378 2379 <SPEECH> 2380 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2381 <LINE>Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none:</LINE> 2382 <LINE>If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone.</LINE> 2383 <LINE>My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourn'd,</LINE> 2384 <LINE>And now to Helen is it home return'd,</LINE> 2385 <LINE>There to remain.</LINE> 2386 </SPEECH> 2387 2388 <SPEECH> 2389 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2390 <LINE>Helen, it is not so.</LINE> 2391 </SPEECH> 2392 2393 <SPEECH> 2394 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2395 <LINE>Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,</LINE> 2396 <LINE>Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.</LINE> 2397 <LINE>Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear.</LINE> 2398 </SPEECH> 2399 2400 2401 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter HERMIA</STAGEDIR> 2402 2403 <SPEECH> 2404 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2405 <LINE>Dark night, that from the eye his function takes,</LINE> 2406 <LINE>The ear more quick of apprehension makes;</LINE> 2407 <LINE>Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,</LINE> 2408 <LINE>It pays the hearing double recompense.</LINE> 2409 <LINE>Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found;</LINE> 2410 <LINE>Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound</LINE> 2411 <LINE>But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?</LINE> 2412 </SPEECH> 2413 2414 <SPEECH> 2415 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2416 <LINE>Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go?</LINE> 2417 </SPEECH> 2418 2419 <SPEECH> 2420 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2421 <LINE>What love could press Lysander from my side?</LINE> 2422 </SPEECH> 2423 2424 <SPEECH> 2425 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2426 <LINE>Lysander's love, that would not let him bide,</LINE> 2427 <LINE>Fair Helena, who more engilds the night</LINE> 2428 <LINE>Than all you fiery oes and eyes of light.</LINE> 2429 <LINE>Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know,</LINE> 2430 <LINE>The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?</LINE> 2431 </SPEECH> 2432 2433 <SPEECH> 2434 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2435 <LINE>You speak not as you think: it cannot be.</LINE> 2436 </SPEECH> 2437 2438 <SPEECH> 2439 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2440 <LINE>Lo, she is one of this confederacy!</LINE> 2441 <LINE>Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three</LINE> 2442 <LINE>To fashion this false sport, in spite of me.</LINE> 2443 <LINE>Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid!</LINE> 2444 <LINE>Have you conspired, have you with these contrived</LINE> 2445 <LINE>To bait me with this foul derision?</LINE> 2446 <LINE>Is all the counsel that we two have shared,</LINE> 2447 <LINE>The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent,</LINE> 2448 <LINE>When we have chid the hasty-footed time</LINE> 2449 <LINE>For parting us,--O, is it all forgot?</LINE> 2450 <LINE>All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence?</LINE> 2451 <LINE>We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,</LINE> 2452 <LINE>Have with our needles created both one flower,</LINE> 2453 <LINE>Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,</LINE> 2454 <LINE>Both warbling of one song, both in one key,</LINE> 2455 <LINE>As if our hands, our sides, voices and minds,</LINE> 2456 <LINE>Had been incorporate. So we grow together,</LINE> 2457 <LINE>Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,</LINE> 2458 <LINE>But yet an union in partition;</LINE> 2459 <LINE>Two lovely berries moulded on one stem;</LINE> 2460 <LINE>So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;</LINE> 2461 <LINE>Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,</LINE> 2462 <LINE>Due but to one and crowned with one crest.</LINE> 2463 <LINE>And will you rent our ancient love asunder,</LINE> 2464 <LINE>To join with men in scorning your poor friend?</LINE> 2465 <LINE>It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:</LINE> 2466 <LINE>Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,</LINE> 2467 <LINE>Though I alone do feel the injury.</LINE> 2468 </SPEECH> 2469 2470 <SPEECH> 2471 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2472 <LINE>I am amazed at your passionate words.</LINE> 2473 <LINE>I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me.</LINE> 2474 </SPEECH> 2475 2476 <SPEECH> 2477 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2478 <LINE>Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,</LINE> 2479 <LINE>To follow me and praise my eyes and face?</LINE> 2480 <LINE>And made your other love, Demetrius,</LINE> 2481 <LINE>Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,</LINE> 2482 <LINE>To call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare,</LINE> 2483 <LINE>Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this</LINE> 2484 <LINE>To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander</LINE> 2485 <LINE>Deny your love, so rich within his soul,</LINE> 2486 <LINE>And tender me, forsooth, affection,</LINE> 2487 <LINE>But by your setting on, by your consent?</LINE> 2488 <LINE>What thought I be not so in grace as you,</LINE> 2489 <LINE>So hung upon with love, so fortunate,</LINE> 2490 <LINE>But miserable most, to love unloved?</LINE> 2491 <LINE>This you should pity rather than despise.</LINE> 2492 </SPEECH> 2493 2494 <SPEECH> 2495 <SPEAKER>HERNIA</SPEAKER> 2496 <LINE>I understand not what you mean by this.</LINE> 2497 </SPEECH> 2498 2499 <SPEECH> 2500 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2501 <LINE>Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,</LINE> 2502 <LINE>Make mouths upon me when I turn my back;</LINE> 2503 <LINE>Wink each at other; hold the sweet jest up:</LINE> 2504 <LINE>This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.</LINE> 2505 <LINE>If you have any pity, grace, or manners,</LINE> 2506 <LINE>You would not make me such an argument.</LINE> 2507 <LINE>But fare ye well: 'tis partly my own fault;</LINE> 2508 <LINE>Which death or absence soon shall remedy.</LINE> 2509 </SPEECH> 2510 2511 <SPEECH> 2512 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2513 <LINE>Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse:</LINE> 2514 <LINE>My love, my life my soul, fair Helena!</LINE> 2515 </SPEECH> 2516 2517 <SPEECH> 2518 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2519 <LINE>O excellent!</LINE> 2520 </SPEECH> 2521 2522 <SPEECH> 2523 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2524 <LINE>Sweet, do not scorn her so.</LINE> 2525 </SPEECH> 2526 2527 <SPEECH> 2528 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2529 <LINE>If she cannot entreat, I can compel.</LINE> 2530 </SPEECH> 2531 2532 <SPEECH> 2533 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2534 <LINE>Thou canst compel no more than she entreat:</LINE> 2535 <LINE>Thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers.</LINE> 2536 <LINE>Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do:</LINE> 2537 <LINE>I swear by that which I will lose for thee,</LINE> 2538 <LINE>To prove him false that says I love thee not.</LINE> 2539 </SPEECH> 2540 2541 <SPEECH> 2542 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2543 <LINE>I say I love thee more than he can do.</LINE> 2544 </SPEECH> 2545 2546 <SPEECH> 2547 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2548 <LINE>If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.</LINE> 2549 </SPEECH> 2550 2551 <SPEECH> 2552 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2553 <LINE>Quick, come!</LINE> 2554 </SPEECH> 2555 2556 <SPEECH> 2557 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2558 <LINE>Lysander, whereto tends all this?</LINE> 2559 </SPEECH> 2560 2561 <SPEECH> 2562 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2563 <LINE>Away, you Ethiope!</LINE> 2564 </SPEECH> 2565 2566 <SPEECH> 2567 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2568 <LINE>No, no; he'll</LINE> 2569 <LINE>Seem to break loose; take on as you would follow,</LINE> 2570 <LINE>But yet come not: you are a tame man, go!</LINE> 2571 </SPEECH> 2572 2573 <SPEECH> 2574 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2575 <LINE>Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! vile thing, let loose,</LINE> 2576 <LINE>Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent!</LINE> 2577 </SPEECH> 2578 2579 <SPEECH> 2580 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2581 <LINE>Why are you grown so rude? what change is this?</LINE> 2582 <LINE>Sweet love,--</LINE> 2583 </SPEECH> 2584 2585 <SPEECH> 2586 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2587 <LINE>Thy love! out, tawny Tartar, out!</LINE> 2588 <LINE>Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence!</LINE> 2589 </SPEECH> 2590 2591 <SPEECH> 2592 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2593 <LINE>Do you not jest?</LINE> 2594 </SPEECH> 2595 2596 <SPEECH> 2597 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2598 <LINE>Yes, sooth; and so do you.</LINE> 2599 </SPEECH> 2600 2601 <SPEECH> 2602 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2603 <LINE>Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee.</LINE> 2604 </SPEECH> 2605 2606 <SPEECH> 2607 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2608 <LINE>I would I had your bond, for I perceive</LINE> 2609 <LINE>A weak bond holds you: I'll not trust your word.</LINE> 2610 </SPEECH> 2611 2612 <SPEECH> 2613 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2614 <LINE>What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead?</LINE> 2615 <LINE>Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.</LINE> 2616 </SPEECH> 2617 2618 <SPEECH> 2619 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2620 <LINE>What, can you do me greater harm than hate?</LINE> 2621 <LINE>Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love!</LINE> 2622 <LINE>Am not I Hermia? are not you Lysander?</LINE> 2623 <LINE>I am as fair now as I was erewhile.</LINE> 2624 <LINE>Since night you loved me; yet since night you left</LINE> 2625 <LINE>me:</LINE> 2626 <LINE>Why, then you left me--O, the gods forbid!--</LINE> 2627 <LINE>In earnest, shall I say?</LINE> 2628 </SPEECH> 2629 2630 <SPEECH> 2631 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2632 <LINE>Ay, by my life;</LINE> 2633 <LINE>And never did desire to see thee more.</LINE> 2634 <LINE>Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt;</LINE> 2635 <LINE>Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest</LINE> 2636 <LINE>That I do hate thee and love Helena.</LINE> 2637 </SPEECH> 2638 2639 <SPEECH> 2640 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2641 <LINE>O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!</LINE> 2642 <LINE>You thief of love! what, have you come by night</LINE> 2643 <LINE>And stolen my love's heart from him?</LINE> 2644 </SPEECH> 2645 2646 <SPEECH> 2647 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2648 <LINE>Fine, i'faith!</LINE> 2649 <LINE>Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,</LINE> 2650 <LINE>No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear</LINE> 2651 <LINE>Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?</LINE> 2652 <LINE>Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you!</LINE> 2653 </SPEECH> 2654 2655 <SPEECH> 2656 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2657 <LINE>Puppet? why so? ay, that way goes the game.</LINE> 2658 <LINE>Now I perceive that she hath made compare</LINE> 2659 <LINE>Between our statures; she hath urged her height;</LINE> 2660 <LINE>And with her personage, her tall personage,</LINE> 2661 <LINE>Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.</LINE> 2662 <LINE>And are you grown so high in his esteem;</LINE> 2663 <LINE>Because I am so dwarfish and so low?</LINE> 2664 <LINE>How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak;</LINE> 2665 <LINE>How low am I? I am not yet so low</LINE> 2666 <LINE>But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.</LINE> 2667 </SPEECH> 2668 2669 <SPEECH> 2670 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2671 <LINE>I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen,</LINE> 2672 <LINE>Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;</LINE> 2673 <LINE>I have no gift at all in shrewishness;</LINE> 2674 <LINE>I am a right maid for my cowardice:</LINE> 2675 <LINE>Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think,</LINE> 2676 <LINE>Because she is something lower than myself,</LINE> 2677 <LINE>That I can match her.</LINE> 2678 </SPEECH> 2679 2680 <SPEECH> 2681 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2682 <LINE>Lower! hark, again.</LINE> 2683 </SPEECH> 2684 2685 <SPEECH> 2686 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2687 <LINE>Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me.</LINE> 2688 <LINE>I evermore did love you, Hermia,</LINE> 2689 <LINE>Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you;</LINE> 2690 <LINE>Save that, in love unto Demetrius,</LINE> 2691 <LINE>I told him of your stealth unto this wood.</LINE> 2692 <LINE>He follow'd you; for love I follow'd him;</LINE> 2693 <LINE>But he hath chid me hence and threaten'd me</LINE> 2694 <LINE>To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too:</LINE> 2695 <LINE>And now, so you will let me quiet go,</LINE> 2696 <LINE>To Athens will I bear my folly back</LINE> 2697 <LINE>And follow you no further: let me go:</LINE> 2698 <LINE>You see how simple and how fond I am.</LINE> 2699 </SPEECH> 2700 2701 <SPEECH> 2702 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2703 <LINE>Why, get you gone: who is't that hinders you?</LINE> 2704 </SPEECH> 2705 2706 <SPEECH> 2707 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2708 <LINE>A foolish heart, that I leave here behind.</LINE> 2709 </SPEECH> 2710 2711 <SPEECH> 2712 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2713 <LINE>What, with Lysander?</LINE> 2714 </SPEECH> 2715 2716 <SPEECH> 2717 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2718 <LINE>With Demetrius.</LINE> 2719 </SPEECH> 2720 2721 <SPEECH> 2722 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2723 <LINE>Be not afraid; she shall not harm thee, Helena.</LINE> 2724 </SPEECH> 2725 2726 <SPEECH> 2727 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2728 <LINE>No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part.</LINE> 2729 </SPEECH> 2730 2731 <SPEECH> 2732 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2733 <LINE>O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd!</LINE> 2734 <LINE>She was a vixen when she went to school;</LINE> 2735 <LINE>And though she be but little, she is fierce.</LINE> 2736 </SPEECH> 2737 2738 <SPEECH> 2739 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2740 <LINE>'Little' again! nothing but 'low' and 'little'!</LINE> 2741 <LINE>Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?</LINE> 2742 <LINE>Let me come to her.</LINE> 2743 </SPEECH> 2744 2745 <SPEECH> 2746 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2747 <LINE>Get you gone, you dwarf;</LINE> 2748 <LINE>You minimus, of hindering knot-grass made;</LINE> 2749 <LINE>You bead, you acorn.</LINE> 2750 </SPEECH> 2751 2752 <SPEECH> 2753 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2754 <LINE>You are too officious</LINE> 2755 <LINE>In her behalf that scorns your services.</LINE> 2756 <LINE>Let her alone: speak not of Helena;</LINE> 2757 <LINE>Take not her part; for, if thou dost intend</LINE> 2758 <LINE>Never so little show of love to her,</LINE> 2759 <LINE>Thou shalt aby it.</LINE> 2760 </SPEECH> 2761 2762 <SPEECH> 2763 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2764 <LINE>Now she holds me not;</LINE> 2765 <LINE>Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right,</LINE> 2766 <LINE>Of thine or mine, is most in Helena.</LINE> 2767 </SPEECH> 2768 2769 <SPEECH> 2770 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2771 <LINE>Follow! nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jole.</LINE> 2772 </SPEECH> 2773 2774 2775 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS</STAGEDIR> 2776 2777 <SPEECH> 2778 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2779 <LINE>You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you:</LINE> 2780 <LINE>Nay, go not back.</LINE> 2781 </SPEECH> 2782 2783 <SPEECH> 2784 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2785 <LINE>I will not trust you, I,</LINE> 2786 <LINE>Nor longer stay in your curst company.</LINE> 2787 <LINE>Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray,</LINE> 2788 <LINE>My legs are longer though, to run away.</LINE> 2789 </SPEECH> 2790 2791 2792 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 2793 2794 <SPEECH> 2795 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 2796 <LINE>I am amazed, and know not what to say.</LINE> 2797 </SPEECH> 2798 2799 2800 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 2801 2802 <SPEECH> 2803 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 2804 <LINE>This is thy negligence: still thou mistakest,</LINE> 2805 <LINE>Or else committ'st thy knaveries wilfully.</LINE> 2806 </SPEECH> 2807 2808 <SPEECH> 2809 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2810 <LINE>Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook.</LINE> 2811 <LINE>Did not you tell me I should know the man</LINE> 2812 <LINE>By the Athenian garment be had on?</LINE> 2813 <LINE>And so far blameless proves my enterprise,</LINE> 2814 <LINE>That I have 'nointed an Athenian's eyes;</LINE> 2815 <LINE>And so far am I glad it so did sort</LINE> 2816 <LINE>As this their jangling I esteem a sport.</LINE> 2817 </SPEECH> 2818 2819 <SPEECH> 2820 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 2821 <LINE>Thou see'st these lovers seek a place to fight:</LINE> 2822 <LINE>Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night;</LINE> 2823 <LINE>The starry welkin cover thou anon</LINE> 2824 <LINE>With drooping fog as black as Acheron,</LINE> 2825 <LINE>And lead these testy rivals so astray</LINE> 2826 <LINE>As one come not within another's way.</LINE> 2827 <LINE>Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue,</LINE> 2828 <LINE>Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong;</LINE> 2829 <LINE>And sometime rail thou like Demetrius;</LINE> 2830 <LINE>And from each other look thou lead them thus,</LINE> 2831 <LINE>Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep</LINE> 2832 <LINE>With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep:</LINE> 2833 <LINE>Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye;</LINE> 2834 <LINE>Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,</LINE> 2835 <LINE>To take from thence all error with his might,</LINE> 2836 <LINE>And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight.</LINE> 2837 <LINE>When they next wake, all this derision</LINE> 2838 <LINE>Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision,</LINE> 2839 <LINE>And back to Athens shall the lovers wend,</LINE> 2840 <LINE>With league whose date till death shall never end.</LINE> 2841 <LINE>Whiles I in this affair do thee employ,</LINE> 2842 <LINE>I'll to my queen and beg her Indian boy;</LINE> 2843 <LINE>And then I will her charmed eye release</LINE> 2844 <LINE>From monster's view, and all things shall be peace.</LINE> 2845 </SPEECH> 2846 2847 <SPEECH> 2848 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2849 <LINE>My fairy lord, this must be done with haste,</LINE> 2850 <LINE>For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast,</LINE> 2851 <LINE>And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger;</LINE> 2852 <LINE>At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there,</LINE> 2853 <LINE>Troop home to churchyards: damned spirits all,</LINE> 2854 <LINE>That in crossways and floods have burial,</LINE> 2855 <LINE>Already to their wormy beds are gone;</LINE> 2856 <LINE>For fear lest day should look their shames upon,</LINE> 2857 <LINE>They willfully themselves exile from light</LINE> 2858 <LINE>And must for aye consort with black-brow'd night.</LINE> 2859 </SPEECH> 2860 2861 <SPEECH> 2862 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 2863 <LINE>But we are spirits of another sort:</LINE> 2864 <LINE>I with the morning's love have oft made sport,</LINE> 2865 <LINE>And, like a forester, the groves may tread,</LINE> 2866 <LINE>Even till the eastern gate, all fiery-red,</LINE> 2867 <LINE>Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams,</LINE> 2868 <LINE>Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams.</LINE> 2869 <LINE>But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay:</LINE> 2870 <LINE>We may effect this business yet ere day.</LINE> 2871 </SPEECH> 2872 2873 2874 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 2875 2876 <SPEECH> 2877 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2878 <LINE>Up and down, up and down,</LINE> 2879 <LINE>I will lead them up and down:</LINE> 2880 <LINE>I am fear'd in field and town:</LINE> 2881 <LINE>Goblin, lead them up and down.</LINE> 2882 <LINE>Here comes one.</LINE> 2883 </SPEECH> 2884 2885 2886 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter LYSANDER</STAGEDIR> 2887 2888 <SPEECH> 2889 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2890 <LINE>Where art thou, proud Demetrius? speak thou now.</LINE> 2891 </SPEECH> 2892 2893 <SPEECH> 2894 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2895 <LINE>Here, villain; drawn and ready. Where art thou?</LINE> 2896 </SPEECH> 2897 2898 <SPEECH> 2899 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2900 <LINE>I will be with thee straight.</LINE> 2901 </SPEECH> 2902 2903 <SPEECH> 2904 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2905 <LINE>Follow me, then,</LINE> 2906 <LINE>To plainer ground.</LINE> 2907 </SPEECH> 2908 2909 <STAGEDIR>Exit LYSANDER, as following the voice</STAGEDIR> 2910 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter DEMETRIUS</STAGEDIR> 2911 2912 <SPEECH> 2913 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2914 <LINE>Lysander! speak again:</LINE> 2915 <LINE>Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?</LINE> 2916 <LINE>Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head?</LINE> 2917 </SPEECH> 2918 2919 <SPEECH> 2920 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2921 <LINE>Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars,</LINE> 2922 <LINE>Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars,</LINE> 2923 <LINE>And wilt not come? Come, recreant; come, thou child;</LINE> 2924 <LINE>I'll whip thee with a rod: he is defiled</LINE> 2925 <LINE>That draws a sword on thee.</LINE> 2926 </SPEECH> 2927 2928 <SPEECH> 2929 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2930 <LINE>Yea, art thou there?</LINE> 2931 </SPEECH> 2932 2933 <SPEECH> 2934 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2935 <LINE>Follow my voice: we'll try no manhood here.</LINE> 2936 </SPEECH> 2937 2938 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt</STAGEDIR> 2939 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter LYSANDER</STAGEDIR> 2940 2941 <SPEECH> 2942 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 2943 <LINE>He goes before me and still dares me on:</LINE> 2944 <LINE>When I come where he calls, then he is gone.</LINE> 2945 <LINE>The villain is much lighter-heel'd than I:</LINE> 2946 <LINE>I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly;</LINE> 2947 <LINE>That fallen am I in dark uneven way,</LINE> 2948 <LINE>And here will rest me.</LINE> 2949 <STAGEDIR>Lies down</STAGEDIR> 2950 <LINE>Come, thou gentle day!</LINE> 2951 <LINE>For if but once thou show me thy grey light,</LINE> 2952 <LINE>I'll find Demetrius and revenge this spite.</LINE> 2953 </SPEECH> 2954 2955 <STAGEDIR>Sleeps</STAGEDIR> 2956 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter PUCK and DEMETRIUS</STAGEDIR> 2957 2958 <SPEECH> 2959 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2960 <LINE>Ho, ho, ho! Coward, why comest thou not?</LINE> 2961 </SPEECH> 2962 2963 <SPEECH> 2964 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2965 <LINE>Abide me, if thou darest; for well I wot</LINE> 2966 <LINE>Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place,</LINE> 2967 <LINE>And darest not stand, nor look me in the face.</LINE> 2968 <LINE>Where art thou now?</LINE> 2969 </SPEECH> 2970 2971 <SPEECH> 2972 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 2973 <LINE>Come hither: I am here.</LINE> 2974 </SPEECH> 2975 2976 <SPEECH> 2977 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 2978 <LINE>Nay, then, thou mock'st me. Thou shalt buy this dear,</LINE> 2979 <LINE>If ever I thy face by daylight see:</LINE> 2980 <LINE>Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me</LINE> 2981 <LINE>To measure out my length on this cold bed.</LINE> 2982 <LINE>By day's approach look to be visited.</LINE> 2983 </SPEECH> 2984 2985 <STAGEDIR>Lies down and sleeps</STAGEDIR> 2986 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter HELENA</STAGEDIR> 2987 2988 <SPEECH> 2989 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 2990 <LINE>O weary night, O long and tedious night,</LINE> 2991 <LINE>Abate thy hour! Shine comforts from the east,</LINE> 2992 <LINE>That I may back to Athens by daylight,</LINE> 2993 <LINE>From these that my poor company detest:</LINE> 2994 <LINE>And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye,</LINE> 2995 <LINE>Steal me awhile from mine own company.</LINE> 2996 </SPEECH> 2997 2998 2999 <STAGEDIR>Lies down and sleeps</STAGEDIR> 3000 3001 <SPEECH> 3002 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 3003 <LINE>Yet but three? Come one more;</LINE> 3004 <LINE>Two of both kinds make up four.</LINE> 3005 <LINE>Here she comes, curst and sad:</LINE> 3006 <LINE>Cupid is a knavish lad,</LINE> 3007 <LINE>Thus to make poor females mad.</LINE> 3008 </SPEECH> 3009 3010 3011 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter HERMIA</STAGEDIR> 3012 3013 <SPEECH> 3014 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 3015 <LINE>Never so weary, never so in woe,</LINE> 3016 <LINE>Bedabbled with the dew and torn with briers,</LINE> 3017 <LINE>I can no further crawl, no further go;</LINE> 3018 <LINE>My legs can keep no pace with my desires.</LINE> 3019 <LINE>Here will I rest me till the break of day.</LINE> 3020 <LINE>Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray!</LINE> 3021 </SPEECH> 3022 3023 3024 <STAGEDIR>Lies down and sleeps</STAGEDIR> 3025 3026 <SPEECH> 3027 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 3028 <LINE>On the ground</LINE> 3029 <LINE>Sleep sound:</LINE> 3030 <LINE>I'll apply</LINE> 3031 <LINE>To your eye,</LINE> 3032 <LINE>Gentle lover, remedy.</LINE> 3033 <STAGEDIR>Squeezing the juice on LYSANDER's eyes</STAGEDIR> 3034 <LINE>When thou wakest,</LINE> 3035 <LINE>Thou takest</LINE> 3036 <LINE>True delight</LINE> 3037 <LINE>In the sight</LINE> 3038 <LINE>Of thy former lady's eye:</LINE> 3039 <LINE>And the country proverb known,</LINE> 3040 <LINE>That every man should take his own,</LINE> 3041 <LINE>In your waking shall be shown:</LINE> 3042 <LINE>Jack shall have Jill;</LINE> 3043 <LINE>Nought shall go ill;</LINE> 3044 <LINE>The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well.</LINE> 3045 </SPEECH> 3046 3047 3048 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 3049 </SCENE> 3050 3051 </ACT> 3052 3053 <ACT><TITLE>ACT IV</TITLE> 3054 3055 <SCENE><TITLE>SCENE I. The same. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA lying asleep.</TITLE> 3056 <STAGEDIR>Enter TITANIA and BOTTOM; PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, 3057 MUSTARDSEED, and other Fairies attending; OBERON 3058 behind unseen</STAGEDIR> 3059 3060 <SPEECH> 3061 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 3062 <LINE>Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed,</LINE> 3063 <LINE>While I thy amiable cheeks do coy,</LINE> 3064 <LINE>And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head,</LINE> 3065 <LINE>And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.</LINE> 3066 </SPEECH> 3067 3068 <SPEECH> 3069 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3070 <LINE>Where's Peaseblossom?</LINE> 3071 </SPEECH> 3072 3073 <SPEECH> 3074 <SPEAKER>PEASEBLOSSOM</SPEAKER> 3075 <LINE>Ready.</LINE> 3076 </SPEECH> 3077 3078 <SPEECH> 3079 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3080 <LINE>Scratch my head Peaseblossom. Where's Mounsieur Cobweb?</LINE> 3081 </SPEECH> 3082 3083 <SPEECH> 3084 <SPEAKER>COBWEB</SPEAKER> 3085 <LINE>Ready.</LINE> 3086 </SPEECH> 3087 3088 <SPEECH> 3089 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3090 <LINE>Mounsieur Cobweb, good mounsieur, get you your</LINE> 3091 <LINE>weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipped</LINE> 3092 <LINE>humble-bee on the top of a thistle; and, good</LINE> 3093 <LINE>mounsieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not fret</LINE> 3094 <LINE>yourself too much in the action, mounsieur; and,</LINE> 3095 <LINE>good mounsieur, have a care the honey-bag break not;</LINE> 3096 <LINE>I would be loath to have you overflown with a</LINE> 3097 <LINE>honey-bag, signior. Where's Mounsieur Mustardseed?</LINE> 3098 </SPEECH> 3099 3100 <SPEECH> 3101 <SPEAKER>MUSTARDSEED</SPEAKER> 3102 <LINE>Ready.</LINE> 3103 </SPEECH> 3104 3105 <SPEECH> 3106 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3107 <LINE>Give me your neaf, Mounsieur Mustardseed. Pray you,</LINE> 3108 <LINE>leave your courtesy, good mounsieur.</LINE> 3109 </SPEECH> 3110 3111 <SPEECH> 3112 <SPEAKER>MUSTARDSEED</SPEAKER> 3113 <LINE>What's your Will?</LINE> 3114 </SPEECH> 3115 3116 <SPEECH> 3117 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3118 <LINE>Nothing, good mounsieur, but to help Cavalery Cobweb</LINE> 3119 <LINE>to scratch. I must to the barber's, monsieur; for</LINE> 3120 <LINE>methinks I am marvellous hairy about the face; and I</LINE> 3121 <LINE>am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me,</LINE> 3122 <LINE>I must scratch.</LINE> 3123 </SPEECH> 3124 3125 <SPEECH> 3126 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 3127 <LINE>What, wilt thou hear some music,</LINE> 3128 <LINE>my sweet love?</LINE> 3129 </SPEECH> 3130 3131 <SPEECH> 3132 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3133 <LINE>I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let's have</LINE> 3134 <LINE>the tongs and the bones.</LINE> 3135 </SPEECH> 3136 3137 <SPEECH> 3138 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 3139 <LINE>Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat.</LINE> 3140 </SPEECH> 3141 3142 <SPEECH> 3143 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3144 <LINE>Truly, a peck of provender: I could munch your good</LINE> 3145 <LINE>dry oats. Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle</LINE> 3146 <LINE>of hay: good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow.</LINE> 3147 </SPEECH> 3148 3149 <SPEECH> 3150 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 3151 <LINE>I have a venturous fairy that shall seek</LINE> 3152 <LINE>The squirrel's hoard, and fetch thee new nuts.</LINE> 3153 </SPEECH> 3154 3155 <SPEECH> 3156 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3157 <LINE>I had rather have a handful or two of dried peas.</LINE> 3158 <LINE>But, I pray you, let none of your people stir me: I</LINE> 3159 <LINE>have an exposition of sleep come upon me.</LINE> 3160 </SPEECH> 3161 3162 <SPEECH> 3163 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 3164 <LINE>Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms.</LINE> 3165 <LINE>Fairies, begone, and be all ways away.</LINE> 3166 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt fairies</STAGEDIR> 3167 <LINE>So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle</LINE> 3168 <LINE>Gently entwist; the female ivy so</LINE> 3169 <LINE>Enrings the barky fingers of the elm.</LINE> 3170 <LINE>O, how I love thee! how I dote on thee!</LINE> 3171 </SPEECH> 3172 3173 <STAGEDIR>They sleep</STAGEDIR> 3174 <STAGEDIR>Enter PUCK</STAGEDIR> 3175 3176 <SPEECH> 3177 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 3178 <LINE><STAGEDIR>Advancing</STAGEDIR> Welcome, good Robin.</LINE> 3179 <LINE>See'st thou this sweet sight?</LINE> 3180 <LINE>Her dotage now I do begin to pity:</LINE> 3181 <LINE>For, meeting her of late behind the wood,</LINE> 3182 <LINE>Seeking sweet favours from this hateful fool,</LINE> 3183 <LINE>I did upbraid her and fall out with her;</LINE> 3184 <LINE>For she his hairy temples then had rounded</LINE> 3185 <LINE>With a coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers;</LINE> 3186 <LINE>And that same dew, which sometime on the buds</LINE> 3187 <LINE>Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls,</LINE> 3188 <LINE>Stood now within the pretty flowerets' eyes</LINE> 3189 <LINE>Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail.</LINE> 3190 <LINE>When I had at my pleasure taunted her</LINE> 3191 <LINE>And she in mild terms begg'd my patience,</LINE> 3192 <LINE>I then did ask of her her changeling child;</LINE> 3193 <LINE>Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent</LINE> 3194 <LINE>To bear him to my bower in fairy land.</LINE> 3195 <LINE>And now I have the boy, I will undo</LINE> 3196 <LINE>This hateful imperfection of her eyes:</LINE> 3197 <LINE>And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp</LINE> 3198 <LINE>From off the head of this Athenian swain;</LINE> 3199 <LINE>That, he awaking when the other do,</LINE> 3200 <LINE>May all to Athens back again repair</LINE> 3201 <LINE>And think no more of this night's accidents</LINE> 3202 <LINE>But as the fierce vexation of a dream.</LINE> 3203 <LINE>But first I will release the fairy queen.</LINE> 3204 <LINE>Be as thou wast wont to be;</LINE> 3205 <LINE>See as thou wast wont to see:</LINE> 3206 <LINE>Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower</LINE> 3207 <LINE>Hath such force and blessed power.</LINE> 3208 <LINE>Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen.</LINE> 3209 </SPEECH> 3210 3211 <SPEECH> 3212 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 3213 <LINE>My Oberon! what visions have I seen!</LINE> 3214 <LINE>Methought I was enamour'd of an ass.</LINE> 3215 </SPEECH> 3216 3217 <SPEECH> 3218 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 3219 <LINE>There lies your love.</LINE> 3220 </SPEECH> 3221 3222 <SPEECH> 3223 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 3224 <LINE>How came these things to pass?</LINE> 3225 <LINE>O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now!</LINE> 3226 </SPEECH> 3227 3228 <SPEECH> 3229 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 3230 <LINE>Silence awhile. Robin, take off this head.</LINE> 3231 <LINE>Titania, music call; and strike more dead</LINE> 3232 <LINE>Than common sleep of all these five the sense.</LINE> 3233 </SPEECH> 3234 3235 <SPEECH> 3236 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 3237 <LINE>Music, ho! music, such as charmeth sleep!</LINE> 3238 </SPEECH> 3239 3240 3241 <STAGEDIR>Music, still</STAGEDIR> 3242 3243 <SPEECH> 3244 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 3245 <LINE>Now, when thou wakest, with thine</LINE> 3246 <LINE>own fool's eyes peep.</LINE> 3247 </SPEECH> 3248 3249 <SPEECH> 3250 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 3251 <LINE>Sound, music! Come, my queen, take hands with me,</LINE> 3252 <LINE>And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be.</LINE> 3253 <LINE>Now thou and I are new in amity,</LINE> 3254 <LINE>And will to-morrow midnight solemnly</LINE> 3255 <LINE>Dance in Duke Theseus' house triumphantly,</LINE> 3256 <LINE>And bless it to all fair prosperity:</LINE> 3257 <LINE>There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be</LINE> 3258 <LINE>Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.</LINE> 3259 </SPEECH> 3260 3261 <SPEECH> 3262 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 3263 <LINE>Fairy king, attend, and mark:</LINE> 3264 <LINE>I do hear the morning lark.</LINE> 3265 </SPEECH> 3266 3267 <SPEECH> 3268 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 3269 <LINE>Then, my queen, in silence sad,</LINE> 3270 <LINE>Trip we after the night's shade:</LINE> 3271 <LINE>We the globe can compass soon,</LINE> 3272 <LINE>Swifter than the wandering moon.</LINE> 3273 </SPEECH> 3274 3275 <SPEECH> 3276 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 3277 <LINE>Come, my lord, and in our flight</LINE> 3278 <LINE>Tell me how it came this night</LINE> 3279 <LINE>That I sleeping here was found</LINE> 3280 <LINE>With these mortals on the ground.</LINE> 3281 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt</STAGEDIR> 3282 </SPEECH> 3283 3284 <STAGEDIR>Horns winded within</STAGEDIR> 3285 <STAGEDIR>Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and train</STAGEDIR> 3286 3287 <SPEECH> 3288 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3289 <LINE>Go, one of you, find out the forester;</LINE> 3290 <LINE>For now our observation is perform'd;</LINE> 3291 <LINE>And since we have the vaward of the day,</LINE> 3292 <LINE>My love shall hear the music of my hounds.</LINE> 3293 <LINE>Uncouple in the western valley; let them go:</LINE> 3294 <LINE>Dispatch, I say, and find the forester.</LINE> 3295 <STAGEDIR>Exit an Attendant</STAGEDIR> 3296 <LINE>We will, fair queen, up to the mountain's top,</LINE> 3297 <LINE>And mark the musical confusion</LINE> 3298 <LINE>Of hounds and echo in conjunction.</LINE> 3299 </SPEECH> 3300 3301 <SPEECH> 3302 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 3303 <LINE>I was with Hercules and Cadmus once,</LINE> 3304 <LINE>When in a wood of Crete they bay'd the bear</LINE> 3305 <LINE>With hounds of Sparta: never did I hear</LINE> 3306 <LINE>Such gallant chiding: for, besides the groves,</LINE> 3307 <LINE>The skies, the fountains, every region near</LINE> 3308 <LINE>Seem'd all one mutual cry: I never heard</LINE> 3309 <LINE>So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.</LINE> 3310 </SPEECH> 3311 3312 <SPEECH> 3313 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3314 <LINE>My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind,</LINE> 3315 <LINE>So flew'd, so sanded, and their heads are hung</LINE> 3316 <LINE>With ears that sweep away the morning dew;</LINE> 3317 <LINE>Crook-knee'd, and dew-lapp'd like Thessalian bulls;</LINE> 3318 <LINE>Slow in pursuit, but match'd in mouth like bells,</LINE> 3319 <LINE>Each under each. A cry more tuneable</LINE> 3320 <LINE>Was never holla'd to, nor cheer'd with horn,</LINE> 3321 <LINE>In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly:</LINE> 3322 <LINE>Judge when you hear. But, soft! what nymphs are these?</LINE> 3323 </SPEECH> 3324 3325 <SPEECH> 3326 <SPEAKER>EGEUS</SPEAKER> 3327 <LINE>My lord, this is my daughter here asleep;</LINE> 3328 <LINE>And this, Lysander; this Demetrius is;</LINE> 3329 <LINE>This Helena, old Nedar's Helena:</LINE> 3330 <LINE>I wonder of their being here together.</LINE> 3331 </SPEECH> 3332 3333 <SPEECH> 3334 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3335 <LINE>No doubt they rose up early to observe</LINE> 3336 <LINE>The rite of May, and hearing our intent,</LINE> 3337 <LINE>Came here in grace our solemnity.</LINE> 3338 <LINE>But speak, Egeus; is not this the day</LINE> 3339 <LINE>That Hermia should give answer of her choice?</LINE> 3340 </SPEECH> 3341 3342 <SPEECH> 3343 <SPEAKER>EGEUS</SPEAKER> 3344 <LINE>It is, my lord.</LINE> 3345 </SPEECH> 3346 3347 <SPEECH> 3348 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3349 <LINE>Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns.</LINE> 3350 <STAGEDIR>Horns and shout within. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, 3351 HELENA, and HERMIA wake and start up</STAGEDIR> 3352 <LINE>Good morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past:</LINE> 3353 <LINE>Begin these wood-birds but to couple now?</LINE> 3354 </SPEECH> 3355 3356 <SPEECH> 3357 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 3358 <LINE>Pardon, my lord.</LINE> 3359 </SPEECH> 3360 3361 <SPEECH> 3362 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3363 <LINE>I pray you all, stand up.</LINE> 3364 <LINE>I know you two are rival enemies:</LINE> 3365 <LINE>How comes this gentle concord in the world,</LINE> 3366 <LINE>That hatred is so far from jealousy,</LINE> 3367 <LINE>To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity?</LINE> 3368 </SPEECH> 3369 3370 <SPEECH> 3371 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 3372 <LINE>My lord, I shall reply amazedly,</LINE> 3373 <LINE>Half sleep, half waking: but as yet, I swear,</LINE> 3374 <LINE>I cannot truly say how I came here;</LINE> 3375 <LINE>But, as I think,--for truly would I speak,</LINE> 3376 <LINE>And now do I bethink me, so it is,--</LINE> 3377 <LINE>I came with Hermia hither: our intent</LINE> 3378 <LINE>Was to be gone from Athens, where we might,</LINE> 3379 <LINE>Without the peril of the Athenian law.</LINE> 3380 </SPEECH> 3381 3382 <SPEECH> 3383 <SPEAKER>EGEUS</SPEAKER> 3384 <LINE>Enough, enough, my lord; you have enough:</LINE> 3385 <LINE>I beg the law, the law, upon his head.</LINE> 3386 <LINE>They would have stolen away; they would, Demetrius,</LINE> 3387 <LINE>Thereby to have defeated you and me,</LINE> 3388 <LINE>You of your wife and me of my consent,</LINE> 3389 <LINE>Of my consent that she should be your wife.</LINE> 3390 </SPEECH> 3391 3392 <SPEECH> 3393 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 3394 <LINE>My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth,</LINE> 3395 <LINE>Of this their purpose hither to this wood;</LINE> 3396 <LINE>And I in fury hither follow'd them,</LINE> 3397 <LINE>Fair Helena in fancy following me.</LINE> 3398 <LINE>But, my good lord, I wot not by what power,--</LINE> 3399 <LINE>But by some power it is,--my love to Hermia,</LINE> 3400 <LINE>Melted as the snow, seems to me now</LINE> 3401 <LINE>As the remembrance of an idle gaud</LINE> 3402 <LINE>Which in my childhood I did dote upon;</LINE> 3403 <LINE>And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,</LINE> 3404 <LINE>The object and the pleasure of mine eye,</LINE> 3405 <LINE>Is only Helena. To her, my lord,</LINE> 3406 <LINE>Was I betroth'd ere I saw Hermia:</LINE> 3407 <LINE>But, like in sickness, did I loathe this food;</LINE> 3408 <LINE>But, as in health, come to my natural taste,</LINE> 3409 <LINE>Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,</LINE> 3410 <LINE>And will for evermore be true to it.</LINE> 3411 </SPEECH> 3412 3413 <SPEECH> 3414 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3415 <LINE>Fair lovers, you are fortunately met:</LINE> 3416 <LINE>Of this discourse we more will hear anon.</LINE> 3417 <LINE>Egeus, I will overbear your will;</LINE> 3418 <LINE>For in the temple by and by with us</LINE> 3419 <LINE>These couples shall eternally be knit:</LINE> 3420 <LINE>And, for the morning now is something worn,</LINE> 3421 <LINE>Our purposed hunting shall be set aside.</LINE> 3422 <LINE>Away with us to Athens; three and three,</LINE> 3423 <LINE>We'll hold a feast in great solemnity.</LINE> 3424 <LINE>Come, Hippolyta.</LINE> 3425 </SPEECH> 3426 3427 3428 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and train</STAGEDIR> 3429 3430 <SPEECH> 3431 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 3432 <LINE>These things seem small and undistinguishable,</LINE> 3433 </SPEECH> 3434 3435 <SPEECH> 3436 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 3437 <LINE>Methinks I see these things with parted eye,</LINE> 3438 <LINE>When every thing seems double.</LINE> 3439 </SPEECH> 3440 3441 <SPEECH> 3442 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 3443 <LINE>So methinks:</LINE> 3444 <LINE>And I have found Demetrius like a jewel,</LINE> 3445 <LINE>Mine own, and not mine own.</LINE> 3446 </SPEECH> 3447 3448 <SPEECH> 3449 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 3450 <LINE>Are you sure</LINE> 3451 <LINE>That we are awake? It seems to me</LINE> 3452 <LINE>That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think</LINE> 3453 <LINE>The duke was here, and bid us follow him?</LINE> 3454 </SPEECH> 3455 3456 <SPEECH> 3457 <SPEAKER>HERMIA</SPEAKER> 3458 <LINE>Yea; and my father.</LINE> 3459 </SPEECH> 3460 3461 <SPEECH> 3462 <SPEAKER>HELENA</SPEAKER> 3463 <LINE>And Hippolyta.</LINE> 3464 </SPEECH> 3465 3466 <SPEECH> 3467 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 3468 <LINE>And he did bid us follow to the temple.</LINE> 3469 </SPEECH> 3470 3471 <SPEECH> 3472 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 3473 <LINE>Why, then, we are awake: let's follow him</LINE> 3474 <LINE>And by the way let us recount our dreams.</LINE> 3475 </SPEECH> 3476 3477 3478 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt</STAGEDIR> 3479 3480 <SPEECH> 3481 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3482 <LINE><STAGEDIR>Awaking</STAGEDIR> When my cue comes, call me, and I will</LINE> 3483 <LINE>answer: my next is, 'Most fair Pyramus.' Heigh-ho!</LINE> 3484 <LINE>Peter Quince! Flute, the bellows-mender! Snout,</LINE> 3485 <LINE>the tinker! Starveling! God's my life, stolen</LINE> 3486 <LINE>hence, and left me asleep! I have had a most rare</LINE> 3487 <LINE>vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to</LINE> 3488 <LINE>say what dream it was: man is but an ass, if he go</LINE> 3489 <LINE>about to expound this dream. Methought I was--there</LINE> 3490 <LINE>is no man can tell what. Methought I was,--and</LINE> 3491 <LINE>methought I had,--but man is but a patched fool, if</LINE> 3492 <LINE>he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye</LINE> 3493 <LINE>of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not</LINE> 3494 <LINE>seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue</LINE> 3495 <LINE>to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream</LINE> 3496 <LINE>was. I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of</LINE> 3497 <LINE>this dream: it shall be called Bottom's Dream,</LINE> 3498 <LINE>because it hath no bottom; and I will sing it in the</LINE> 3499 <LINE>latter end of a play, before the duke:</LINE> 3500 <LINE>peradventure, to make it the more gracious, I shall</LINE> 3501 <LINE>sing it at her death.</LINE> 3502 </SPEECH> 3503 3504 3505 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 3506 </SCENE> 3507 3508 <SCENE><TITLE>SCENE II. Athens. QUINCE'S house.</TITLE> 3509 <STAGEDIR>Enter QUINCE, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING</STAGEDIR> 3510 3511 <SPEECH> 3512 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 3513 <LINE>Have you sent to Bottom's house? is he come home yet?</LINE> 3514 </SPEECH> 3515 3516 <SPEECH> 3517 <SPEAKER>STARVELING</SPEAKER> 3518 <LINE>He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt he is</LINE> 3519 <LINE>transported.</LINE> 3520 </SPEECH> 3521 3522 <SPEECH> 3523 <SPEAKER>FLUTE</SPEAKER> 3524 <LINE>If he come not, then the play is marred: it goes</LINE> 3525 <LINE>not forward, doth it?</LINE> 3526 </SPEECH> 3527 3528 <SPEECH> 3529 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 3530 <LINE>It is not possible: you have not a man in all</LINE> 3531 <LINE>Athens able to discharge Pyramus but he.</LINE> 3532 </SPEECH> 3533 3534 <SPEECH> 3535 <SPEAKER>FLUTE</SPEAKER> 3536 <LINE>No, he hath simply the best wit of any handicraft</LINE> 3537 <LINE>man in Athens.</LINE> 3538 </SPEECH> 3539 3540 <SPEECH> 3541 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 3542 <LINE>Yea and the best person too; and he is a very</LINE> 3543 <LINE>paramour for a sweet voice.</LINE> 3544 </SPEECH> 3545 3546 <SPEECH> 3547 <SPEAKER>FLUTE</SPEAKER> 3548 <LINE>You must say 'paragon:' a paramour is, God bless us,</LINE> 3549 <LINE>a thing of naught.</LINE> 3550 </SPEECH> 3551 3552 3553 <STAGEDIR>Enter SNUG</STAGEDIR> 3554 3555 <SPEECH> 3556 <SPEAKER>SNUG</SPEAKER> 3557 <LINE>Masters, the duke is coming from the temple, and</LINE> 3558 <LINE>there is two or three lords and ladies more married:</LINE> 3559 <LINE>if our sport had gone forward, we had all been made</LINE> 3560 <LINE>men.</LINE> 3561 </SPEECH> 3562 3563 <SPEECH> 3564 <SPEAKER>FLUTE</SPEAKER> 3565 <LINE>O sweet bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost sixpence a</LINE> 3566 <LINE>day during his life; he could not have 'scaped</LINE> 3567 <LINE>sixpence a day: an the duke had not given him</LINE> 3568 <LINE>sixpence a day for playing Pyramus, I'll be hanged;</LINE> 3569 <LINE>he would have deserved it: sixpence a day in</LINE> 3570 <LINE>Pyramus, or nothing.</LINE> 3571 </SPEECH> 3572 3573 3574 <STAGEDIR>Enter BOTTOM</STAGEDIR> 3575 3576 <SPEECH> 3577 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3578 <LINE>Where are these lads? where are these hearts?</LINE> 3579 </SPEECH> 3580 3581 <SPEECH> 3582 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 3583 <LINE>Bottom! O most courageous day! O most happy hour!</LINE> 3584 </SPEECH> 3585 3586 <SPEECH> 3587 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3588 <LINE>Masters, I am to discourse wonders: but ask me not</LINE> 3589 <LINE>what; for if I tell you, I am no true Athenian. I</LINE> 3590 <LINE>will tell you every thing, right as it fell out.</LINE> 3591 </SPEECH> 3592 3593 <SPEECH> 3594 <SPEAKER>QUINCE</SPEAKER> 3595 <LINE>Let us hear, sweet Bottom.</LINE> 3596 </SPEECH> 3597 3598 <SPEECH> 3599 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 3600 <LINE>Not a word of me. All that I will tell you is, that</LINE> 3601 <LINE>the duke hath dined. Get your apparel together,</LINE> 3602 <LINE>good strings to your beards, new ribbons to your</LINE> 3603 <LINE>pumps; meet presently at the palace; every man look</LINE> 3604 <LINE>o'er his part; for the short and the long is, our</LINE> 3605 <LINE>play is preferred. In any case, let Thisby have</LINE> 3606 <LINE>clean linen; and let not him that plays the lion</LINE> 3607 <LINE>pair his nails, for they shall hang out for the</LINE> 3608 <LINE>lion's claws. And, most dear actors, eat no onions</LINE> 3609 <LINE>nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath; and I</LINE> 3610 <LINE>do not doubt but to hear them say, it is a sweet</LINE> 3611 <LINE>comedy. No more words: away! go, away!</LINE> 3612 </SPEECH> 3613 3614 3615 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt</STAGEDIR> 3616 </SCENE> 3617 3618 </ACT> 3619 3620 <ACT><TITLE>ACT V</TITLE> 3621 3622 <SCENE><TITLE>SCENE I. Athens. The palace of THESEUS.</TITLE> 3623 <STAGEDIR>Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, Lords and 3624 Attendants</STAGEDIR> 3625 3626 <SPEECH> 3627 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 3628 <LINE>'Tis strange my Theseus, that these</LINE> 3629 <LINE>lovers speak of.</LINE> 3630 </SPEECH> 3631 3632 <SPEECH> 3633 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3634 <LINE>More strange than true: I never may believe</LINE> 3635 <LINE>These antique fables, nor these fairy toys.</LINE> 3636 <LINE>Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,</LINE> 3637 <LINE>Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend</LINE> 3638 <LINE>More than cool reason ever comprehends.</LINE> 3639 <LINE>The lunatic, the lover and the poet</LINE> 3640 <LINE>Are of imagination all compact:</LINE> 3641 <LINE>One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,</LINE> 3642 <LINE>That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,</LINE> 3643 <LINE>Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:</LINE> 3644 <LINE>The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,</LINE> 3645 <LINE>Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;</LINE> 3646 <LINE>And as imagination bodies forth</LINE> 3647 <LINE>The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen</LINE> 3648 <LINE>Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing</LINE> 3649 <LINE>A local habitation and a name.</LINE> 3650 <LINE>Such tricks hath strong imagination,</LINE> 3651 <LINE>That if it would but apprehend some joy,</LINE> 3652 <LINE>It comprehends some bringer of that joy;</LINE> 3653 <LINE>Or in the night, imagining some fear,</LINE> 3654 <LINE>How easy is a bush supposed a bear!</LINE> 3655 </SPEECH> 3656 3657 <SPEECH> 3658 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 3659 <LINE>But all the story of the night told over,</LINE> 3660 <LINE>And all their minds transfigured so together,</LINE> 3661 <LINE>More witnesseth than fancy's images</LINE> 3662 <LINE>And grows to something of great constancy;</LINE> 3663 <LINE>But, howsoever, strange and admirable.</LINE> 3664 </SPEECH> 3665 3666 <SPEECH> 3667 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3668 <LINE>Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth.</LINE> 3669 <STAGEDIR>Enter LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HERMIA, and HELENA</STAGEDIR> 3670 <LINE>Joy, gentle friends! joy and fresh days of love</LINE> 3671 <LINE>Accompany your hearts!</LINE> 3672 </SPEECH> 3673 3674 <SPEECH> 3675 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 3676 <LINE>More than to us</LINE> 3677 <LINE>Wait in your royal walks, your board, your bed!</LINE> 3678 </SPEECH> 3679 3680 <SPEECH> 3681 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3682 <LINE>Come now; what masques, what dances shall we have,</LINE> 3683 <LINE>To wear away this long age of three hours</LINE> 3684 <LINE>Between our after-supper and bed-time?</LINE> 3685 <LINE>Where is our usual manager of mirth?</LINE> 3686 <LINE>What revels are in hand? Is there no play,</LINE> 3687 <LINE>To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?</LINE> 3688 <LINE>Call Philostrate.</LINE> 3689 </SPEECH> 3690 3691 <SPEECH> 3692 <SPEAKER>PHILOSTRATE</SPEAKER> 3693 <LINE>Here, mighty Theseus.</LINE> 3694 </SPEECH> 3695 3696 <SPEECH> 3697 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3698 <LINE>Say, what abridgement have you for this evening?</LINE> 3699 <LINE>What masque? what music? How shall we beguile</LINE> 3700 <LINE>The lazy time, if not with some delight?</LINE> 3701 </SPEECH> 3702 3703 <SPEECH> 3704 <SPEAKER>PHILOSTRATE</SPEAKER> 3705 <LINE>There is a brief how many sports are ripe:</LINE> 3706 <LINE>Make choice of which your highness will see first.</LINE> 3707 </SPEECH> 3708 3709 3710 <STAGEDIR>Giving a paper</STAGEDIR> 3711 3712 <SPEECH> 3713 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3714 <LINE><STAGEDIR>Reads</STAGEDIR> 'The battle with the Centaurs, to be sung</LINE> 3715 <LINE>By an Athenian eunuch to the harp.'</LINE> 3716 <LINE>We'll none of that: that have I told my love,</LINE> 3717 <LINE>In glory of my kinsman Hercules.</LINE> 3718 <STAGEDIR>Reads</STAGEDIR> 3719 <LINE>'The riot of the tipsy Bacchanals,</LINE> 3720 <LINE>Tearing the Thracian singer in their rage.'</LINE> 3721 <LINE>That is an old device; and it was play'd</LINE> 3722 <LINE>When I from Thebes came last a conqueror.</LINE> 3723 <STAGEDIR>Reads</STAGEDIR> 3724 <LINE>'The thrice three Muses mourning for the death</LINE> 3725 <LINE>Of Learning, late deceased in beggary.'</LINE> 3726 <LINE>That is some satire, keen and critical,</LINE> 3727 <LINE>Not sorting with a nuptial ceremony.</LINE> 3728 <STAGEDIR>Reads</STAGEDIR> 3729 <LINE>'A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus</LINE> 3730 <LINE>And his love Thisbe; very tragical mirth.'</LINE> 3731 <LINE>Merry and tragical! tedious and brief!</LINE> 3732 <LINE>That is, hot ice and wondrous strange snow.</LINE> 3733 <LINE>How shall we find the concord of this discord?</LINE> 3734 </SPEECH> 3735 3736 <SPEECH> 3737 <SPEAKER>PHILOSTRATE</SPEAKER> 3738 <LINE>A play there is, my lord, some ten words long,</LINE> 3739 <LINE>Which is as brief as I have known a play;</LINE> 3740 <LINE>But by ten words, my lord, it is too long,</LINE> 3741 <LINE>Which makes it tedious; for in all the play</LINE> 3742 <LINE>There is not one word apt, one player fitted:</LINE> 3743 <LINE>And tragical, my noble lord, it is;</LINE> 3744 <LINE>For Pyramus therein doth kill himself.</LINE> 3745 <LINE>Which, when I saw rehearsed, I must confess,</LINE> 3746 <LINE>Made mine eyes water; but more merry tears</LINE> 3747 <LINE>The passion of loud laughter never shed.</LINE> 3748 </SPEECH> 3749 3750 <SPEECH> 3751 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3752 <LINE>What are they that do play it?</LINE> 3753 </SPEECH> 3754 3755 <SPEECH> 3756 <SPEAKER>PHILOSTRATE</SPEAKER> 3757 <LINE>Hard-handed men that work in Athens here,</LINE> 3758 <LINE>Which never labour'd in their minds till now,</LINE> 3759 <LINE>And now have toil'd their unbreathed memories</LINE> 3760 <LINE>With this same play, against your nuptial.</LINE> 3761 </SPEECH> 3762 3763 <SPEECH> 3764 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3765 <LINE>And we will hear it.</LINE> 3766 </SPEECH> 3767 3768 <SPEECH> 3769 <SPEAKER>PHILOSTRATE</SPEAKER> 3770 <LINE>No, my noble lord;</LINE> 3771 <LINE>It is not for you: I have heard it over,</LINE> 3772 <LINE>And it is nothing, nothing in the world;</LINE> 3773 <LINE>Unless you can find sport in their intents,</LINE> 3774 <LINE>Extremely stretch'd and conn'd with cruel pain,</LINE> 3775 <LINE>To do you service.</LINE> 3776 </SPEECH> 3777 3778 <SPEECH> 3779 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3780 <LINE>I will hear that play;</LINE> 3781 <LINE>For never anything can be amiss,</LINE> 3782 <LINE>When simpleness and duty tender it.</LINE> 3783 <LINE>Go, bring them in: and take your places, ladies.</LINE> 3784 </SPEECH> 3785 3786 3787 <STAGEDIR>Exit PHILOSTRATE</STAGEDIR> 3788 3789 <SPEECH> 3790 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 3791 <LINE>I love not to see wretchedness o'er charged</LINE> 3792 <LINE>And duty in his service perishing.</LINE> 3793 </SPEECH> 3794 3795 <SPEECH> 3796 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3797 <LINE>Why, gentle sweet, you shall see no such thing.</LINE> 3798 </SPEECH> 3799 3800 <SPEECH> 3801 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 3802 <LINE>He says they can do nothing in this kind.</LINE> 3803 </SPEECH> 3804 3805 <SPEECH> 3806 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3807 <LINE>The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing.</LINE> 3808 <LINE>Our sport shall be to take what they mistake:</LINE> 3809 <LINE>And what poor duty cannot do, noble respect</LINE> 3810 <LINE>Takes it in might, not merit.</LINE> 3811 <LINE>Where I have come, great clerks have purposed</LINE> 3812 <LINE>To greet me with premeditated welcomes;</LINE> 3813 <LINE>Where I have seen them shiver and look pale,</LINE> 3814 <LINE>Make periods in the midst of sentences,</LINE> 3815 <LINE>Throttle their practised accent in their fears</LINE> 3816 <LINE>And in conclusion dumbly have broke off,</LINE> 3817 <LINE>Not paying me a welcome. Trust me, sweet,</LINE> 3818 <LINE>Out of this silence yet I pick'd a welcome;</LINE> 3819 <LINE>And in the modesty of fearful duty</LINE> 3820 <LINE>I read as much as from the rattling tongue</LINE> 3821 <LINE>Of saucy and audacious eloquence.</LINE> 3822 <LINE>Love, therefore, and tongue-tied simplicity</LINE> 3823 <LINE>In least speak most, to my capacity.</LINE> 3824 </SPEECH> 3825 3826 3827 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter PHILOSTRATE</STAGEDIR> 3828 3829 <SPEECH> 3830 <SPEAKER>PHILOSTRATE</SPEAKER> 3831 <LINE>So please your grace, the Prologue is address'd.</LINE> 3832 </SPEECH> 3833 3834 <SPEECH> 3835 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3836 <LINE>Let him approach.</LINE> 3837 </SPEECH> 3838 3839 <STAGEDIR>Flourish of trumpets</STAGEDIR> 3840 <STAGEDIR>Enter QUINCE for the Prologue</STAGEDIR> 3841 3842 <SPEECH> 3843 <SPEAKER>Prologue</SPEAKER> 3844 <LINE>If we offend, it is with our good will.</LINE> 3845 <LINE>That you should think, we come not to offend,</LINE> 3846 <LINE>But with good will. To show our simple skill,</LINE> 3847 <LINE>That is the true beginning of our end.</LINE> 3848 <LINE>Consider then we come but in despite.</LINE> 3849 <LINE>We do not come as minding to contest you,</LINE> 3850 <LINE>Our true intent is. All for your delight</LINE> 3851 <LINE>We are not here. That you should here repent you,</LINE> 3852 <LINE>The actors are at hand and by their show</LINE> 3853 <LINE>You shall know all that you are like to know.</LINE> 3854 </SPEECH> 3855 3856 <SPEECH> 3857 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3858 <LINE>This fellow doth not stand upon points.</LINE> 3859 </SPEECH> 3860 3861 <SPEECH> 3862 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 3863 <LINE>He hath rid his prologue like a rough colt; he knows</LINE> 3864 <LINE>not the stop. A good moral, my lord: it is not</LINE> 3865 <LINE>enough to speak, but to speak true.</LINE> 3866 </SPEECH> 3867 3868 <SPEECH> 3869 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 3870 <LINE>Indeed he hath played on his prologue like a child</LINE> 3871 <LINE>on a recorder; a sound, but not in government.</LINE> 3872 </SPEECH> 3873 3874 <SPEECH> 3875 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3876 <LINE>His speech, was like a tangled chain; nothing</LINE> 3877 <LINE>impaired, but all disordered. Who is next?</LINE> 3878 </SPEECH> 3879 3880 3881 <STAGEDIR>Enter Pyramus and Thisbe, Wall, Moonshine, and Lion</STAGEDIR> 3882 3883 <SPEECH> 3884 <SPEAKER>Prologue</SPEAKER> 3885 <LINE>Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show;</LINE> 3886 <LINE>But wonder on, till truth make all things plain.</LINE> 3887 <LINE>This man is Pyramus, if you would know;</LINE> 3888 <LINE>This beauteous lady Thisby is certain.</LINE> 3889 <LINE>This man, with lime and rough-cast, doth present</LINE> 3890 <LINE>Wall, that vile Wall which did these lovers sunder;</LINE> 3891 <LINE>And through Wall's chink, poor souls, they are content</LINE> 3892 <LINE>To whisper. At the which let no man wonder.</LINE> 3893 <LINE>This man, with lanthorn, dog, and bush of thorn,</LINE> 3894 <LINE>Presenteth Moonshine; for, if you will know,</LINE> 3895 <LINE>By moonshine did these lovers think no scorn</LINE> 3896 <LINE>To meet at Ninus' tomb, there, there to woo.</LINE> 3897 <LINE>This grisly beast, which Lion hight by name,</LINE> 3898 <LINE>The trusty Thisby, coming first by night,</LINE> 3899 <LINE>Did scare away, or rather did affright;</LINE> 3900 <LINE>And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall,</LINE> 3901 <LINE>Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain.</LINE> 3902 <LINE>Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall,</LINE> 3903 <LINE>And finds his trusty Thisby's mantle slain:</LINE> 3904 <LINE>Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade,</LINE> 3905 <LINE>He bravely broach'd is boiling bloody breast;</LINE> 3906 <LINE>And Thisby, tarrying in mulberry shade,</LINE> 3907 <LINE>His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest,</LINE> 3908 <LINE>Let Lion, Moonshine, Wall, and lovers twain</LINE> 3909 <LINE>At large discourse, while here they do remain.</LINE> 3910 </SPEECH> 3911 3912 3913 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt Prologue, Thisbe, Lion, and Moonshine</STAGEDIR> 3914 3915 <SPEECH> 3916 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3917 <LINE>I wonder if the lion be to speak.</LINE> 3918 </SPEECH> 3919 3920 <SPEECH> 3921 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 3922 <LINE>No wonder, my lord: one lion may, when many asses do.</LINE> 3923 </SPEECH> 3924 3925 <SPEECH> 3926 <SPEAKER>Wall</SPEAKER> 3927 <LINE>In this same interlude it doth befall</LINE> 3928 <LINE>That I, one Snout by name, present a wall;</LINE> 3929 <LINE>And such a wall, as I would have you think,</LINE> 3930 <LINE>That had in it a crannied hole or chink,</LINE> 3931 <LINE>Through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisby,</LINE> 3932 <LINE>Did whisper often very secretly.</LINE> 3933 <LINE>This loam, this rough-cast and this stone doth show</LINE> 3934 <LINE>That I am that same wall; the truth is so:</LINE> 3935 <LINE>And this the cranny is, right and sinister,</LINE> 3936 <LINE>Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.</LINE> 3937 </SPEECH> 3938 3939 <SPEECH> 3940 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3941 <LINE>Would you desire lime and hair to speak better?</LINE> 3942 </SPEECH> 3943 3944 <SPEECH> 3945 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 3946 <LINE>It is the wittiest partition that ever I heard</LINE> 3947 <LINE>discourse, my lord.</LINE> 3948 </SPEECH> 3949 3950 3951 <STAGEDIR>Enter Pyramus</STAGEDIR> 3952 3953 <SPEECH> 3954 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3955 <LINE>Pyramus draws near the wall: silence!</LINE> 3956 </SPEECH> 3957 3958 <SPEECH> 3959 <SPEAKER>Pyramus</SPEAKER> 3960 <LINE>O grim-look'd night! O night with hue so black!</LINE> 3961 <LINE>O night, which ever art when day is not!</LINE> 3962 <LINE>O night, O night! alack, alack, alack,</LINE> 3963 <LINE>I fear my Thisby's promise is forgot!</LINE> 3964 <LINE>And thou, O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall,</LINE> 3965 <LINE>That stand'st between her father's ground and mine!</LINE> 3966 <LINE>Thou wall, O wall, O sweet and lovely wall,</LINE> 3967 <LINE>Show me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne!</LINE> 3968 <STAGEDIR>Wall holds up his fingers</STAGEDIR> 3969 <LINE>Thanks, courteous wall: Jove shield thee well for this!</LINE> 3970 <LINE>But what see I? No Thisby do I see.</LINE> 3971 <LINE>O wicked wall, through whom I see no bliss!</LINE> 3972 <LINE>Cursed be thy stones for thus deceiving me!</LINE> 3973 </SPEECH> 3974 3975 <SPEECH> 3976 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 3977 <LINE>The wall, methinks, being sensible, should curse again.</LINE> 3978 </SPEECH> 3979 3980 <SPEECH> 3981 <SPEAKER>Pyramus</SPEAKER> 3982 <LINE>No, in truth, sir, he should not. 'Deceiving me'</LINE> 3983 <LINE>is Thisby's cue: she is to enter now, and I am to</LINE> 3984 <LINE>spy her through the wall. You shall see, it will</LINE> 3985 <LINE>fall pat as I told you. Yonder she comes.</LINE> 3986 </SPEECH> 3987 3988 3989 <STAGEDIR>Enter Thisbe</STAGEDIR> 3990 3991 <SPEECH> 3992 <SPEAKER>Thisbe</SPEAKER> 3993 <LINE>O wall, full often hast thou heard my moans,</LINE> 3994 <LINE>For parting my fair Pyramus and me!</LINE> 3995 <LINE>My cherry lips have often kiss'd thy stones,</LINE> 3996 <LINE>Thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee.</LINE> 3997 </SPEECH> 3998 3999 <SPEECH> 4000 <SPEAKER>Pyramus</SPEAKER> 4001 <LINE>I see a voice: now will I to the chink,</LINE> 4002 <LINE>To spy an I can hear my Thisby's face. Thisby!</LINE> 4003 </SPEECH> 4004 4005 <SPEECH> 4006 <SPEAKER>Thisbe</SPEAKER> 4007 <LINE>My love thou art, my love I think.</LINE> 4008 </SPEECH> 4009 4010 <SPEECH> 4011 <SPEAKER>Pyramus</SPEAKER> 4012 <LINE>Think what thou wilt, I am thy lover's grace;</LINE> 4013 <LINE>And, like Limander, am I trusty still.</LINE> 4014 </SPEECH> 4015 4016 <SPEECH> 4017 <SPEAKER>Thisbe</SPEAKER> 4018 <LINE>And I like Helen, till the Fates me kill.</LINE> 4019 </SPEECH> 4020 4021 <SPEECH> 4022 <SPEAKER>Pyramus</SPEAKER> 4023 <LINE>Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true.</LINE> 4024 </SPEECH> 4025 4026 <SPEECH> 4027 <SPEAKER>Thisbe</SPEAKER> 4028 <LINE>As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you.</LINE> 4029 </SPEECH> 4030 4031 <SPEECH> 4032 <SPEAKER>Pyramus</SPEAKER> 4033 <LINE>O kiss me through the hole of this vile wall!</LINE> 4034 </SPEECH> 4035 4036 <SPEECH> 4037 <SPEAKER>Thisbe</SPEAKER> 4038 <LINE>I kiss the wall's hole, not your lips at all.</LINE> 4039 </SPEECH> 4040 4041 <SPEECH> 4042 <SPEAKER>Pyramus</SPEAKER> 4043 <LINE>Wilt thou at Ninny's tomb meet me straightway?</LINE> 4044 </SPEECH> 4045 4046 <SPEECH> 4047 <SPEAKER>Thisbe</SPEAKER> 4048 <LINE>'Tide life, 'tide death, I come without delay.</LINE> 4049 </SPEECH> 4050 4051 4052 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt Pyramus and Thisbe</STAGEDIR> 4053 4054 <SPEECH> 4055 <SPEAKER>Wall</SPEAKER> 4056 <LINE>Thus have I, Wall, my part discharged so;</LINE> 4057 <LINE>And, being done, thus Wall away doth go.</LINE> 4058 </SPEECH> 4059 4060 4061 <STAGEDIR>Exit</STAGEDIR> 4062 4063 <SPEECH> 4064 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4065 <LINE>Now is the mural down between the two neighbours.</LINE> 4066 </SPEECH> 4067 4068 <SPEECH> 4069 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4070 <LINE>No remedy, my lord, when walls are so wilful to hear</LINE> 4071 <LINE>without warning.</LINE> 4072 </SPEECH> 4073 4074 <SPEECH> 4075 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 4076 <LINE>This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard.</LINE> 4077 </SPEECH> 4078 4079 <SPEECH> 4080 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4081 <LINE>The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst</LINE> 4082 <LINE>are no worse, if imagination amend them.</LINE> 4083 </SPEECH> 4084 4085 <SPEECH> 4086 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 4087 <LINE>It must be your imagination then, and not theirs.</LINE> 4088 </SPEECH> 4089 4090 <SPEECH> 4091 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4092 <LINE>If we imagine no worse of them than they of</LINE> 4093 <LINE>themselves, they may pass for excellent men. Here</LINE> 4094 <LINE>come two noble beasts in, a man and a lion.</LINE> 4095 </SPEECH> 4096 4097 4098 <STAGEDIR>Enter Lion and Moonshine</STAGEDIR> 4099 4100 <SPEECH> 4101 <SPEAKER>Lion</SPEAKER> 4102 <LINE>You, ladies, you, whose gentle hearts do fear</LINE> 4103 <LINE>The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor,</LINE> 4104 <LINE>May now perchance both quake and tremble here,</LINE> 4105 <LINE>When lion rough in wildest rage doth roar.</LINE> 4106 <LINE>Then know that I, one Snug the joiner, am</LINE> 4107 <LINE>A lion-fell, nor else no lion's dam;</LINE> 4108 <LINE>For, if I should as lion come in strife</LINE> 4109 <LINE>Into this place, 'twere pity on my life.</LINE> 4110 </SPEECH> 4111 4112 <SPEECH> 4113 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4114 <LINE>A very gentle beast, of a good conscience.</LINE> 4115 </SPEECH> 4116 4117 <SPEECH> 4118 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4119 <LINE>The very best at a beast, my lord, that e'er I saw.</LINE> 4120 </SPEECH> 4121 4122 <SPEECH> 4123 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 4124 <LINE>This lion is a very fox for his valour.</LINE> 4125 </SPEECH> 4126 4127 <SPEECH> 4128 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4129 <LINE>True; and a goose for his discretion.</LINE> 4130 </SPEECH> 4131 4132 <SPEECH> 4133 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4134 <LINE>Not so, my lord; for his valour cannot carry his</LINE> 4135 <LINE>discretion; and the fox carries the goose.</LINE> 4136 </SPEECH> 4137 4138 <SPEECH> 4139 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4140 <LINE>His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his valour;</LINE> 4141 <LINE>for the goose carries not the fox. It is well:</LINE> 4142 <LINE>leave it to his discretion, and let us listen to the moon.</LINE> 4143 </SPEECH> 4144 4145 <SPEECH> 4146 <SPEAKER>Moonshine</SPEAKER> 4147 <LINE>This lanthorn doth the horned moon present;--</LINE> 4148 </SPEECH> 4149 4150 <SPEECH> 4151 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4152 <LINE>He should have worn the horns on his head.</LINE> 4153 </SPEECH> 4154 4155 <SPEECH> 4156 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4157 <LINE>He is no crescent, and his horns are</LINE> 4158 <LINE>invisible within the circumference.</LINE> 4159 </SPEECH> 4160 4161 <SPEECH> 4162 <SPEAKER>Moonshine</SPEAKER> 4163 <LINE>This lanthorn doth the horned moon present;</LINE> 4164 <LINE>Myself the man i' the moon do seem to be.</LINE> 4165 </SPEECH> 4166 4167 <SPEECH> 4168 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4169 <LINE>This is the greatest error of all the rest: the man</LINE> 4170 <LINE>should be put into the lanthorn. How is it else the</LINE> 4171 <LINE>man i' the moon?</LINE> 4172 </SPEECH> 4173 4174 <SPEECH> 4175 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4176 <LINE>He dares not come there for the candle; for, you</LINE> 4177 <LINE>see, it is already in snuff.</LINE> 4178 </SPEECH> 4179 4180 <SPEECH> 4181 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 4182 <LINE>I am aweary of this moon: would he would change!</LINE> 4183 </SPEECH> 4184 4185 <SPEECH> 4186 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4187 <LINE>It appears, by his small light of discretion, that</LINE> 4188 <LINE>he is in the wane; but yet, in courtesy, in all</LINE> 4189 <LINE>reason, we must stay the time.</LINE> 4190 </SPEECH> 4191 4192 <SPEECH> 4193 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 4194 <LINE>Proceed, Moon.</LINE> 4195 </SPEECH> 4196 4197 <SPEECH> 4198 <SPEAKER>Moonshine</SPEAKER> 4199 <LINE>All that I have to say, is, to tell you that the</LINE> 4200 <LINE>lanthorn is the moon; I, the man in the moon; this</LINE> 4201 <LINE>thorn-bush, my thorn-bush; and this dog, my dog.</LINE> 4202 </SPEECH> 4203 4204 <SPEECH> 4205 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4206 <LINE>Why, all these should be in the lanthorn; for all</LINE> 4207 <LINE>these are in the moon. But, silence! here comes Thisbe.</LINE> 4208 </SPEECH> 4209 4210 4211 <STAGEDIR>Enter Thisbe</STAGEDIR> 4212 4213 <SPEECH> 4214 <SPEAKER>Thisbe</SPEAKER> 4215 <LINE>This is old Ninny's tomb. Where is my love?</LINE> 4216 </SPEECH> 4217 4218 <SPEECH> 4219 <SPEAKER>Lion</SPEAKER> 4220 <LINE><STAGEDIR>Roaring</STAGEDIR> Oh--</LINE> 4221 </SPEECH> 4222 4223 4224 <STAGEDIR>Thisbe runs off</STAGEDIR> 4225 4226 <SPEECH> 4227 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4228 <LINE>Well roared, Lion.</LINE> 4229 </SPEECH> 4230 4231 <SPEECH> 4232 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4233 <LINE>Well run, Thisbe.</LINE> 4234 </SPEECH> 4235 4236 <SPEECH> 4237 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 4238 <LINE>Well shone, Moon. Truly, the moon shines with a</LINE> 4239 <LINE>good grace.</LINE> 4240 </SPEECH> 4241 4242 4243 <STAGEDIR>The Lion shakes Thisbe's mantle, and exit</STAGEDIR> 4244 4245 <SPEECH> 4246 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4247 <LINE>Well moused, Lion.</LINE> 4248 </SPEECH> 4249 4250 <SPEECH> 4251 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 4252 <LINE>And so the lion vanished.</LINE> 4253 </SPEECH> 4254 4255 <SPEECH> 4256 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4257 <LINE>And then came Pyramus.</LINE> 4258 </SPEECH> 4259 4260 4261 <STAGEDIR>Enter Pyramus</STAGEDIR> 4262 4263 <SPEECH> 4264 <SPEAKER>Pyramus</SPEAKER> 4265 <LINE>Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams;</LINE> 4266 <LINE>I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright;</LINE> 4267 <LINE>For, by thy gracious, golden, glittering gleams,</LINE> 4268 <LINE>I trust to take of truest Thisby sight.</LINE> 4269 <LINE>But stay, O spite!</LINE> 4270 <LINE>But mark, poor knight,</LINE> 4271 <LINE>What dreadful dole is here!</LINE> 4272 <LINE>Eyes, do you see?</LINE> 4273 <LINE>How can it be?</LINE> 4274 <LINE>O dainty duck! O dear!</LINE> 4275 <LINE>Thy mantle good,</LINE> 4276 <LINE>What, stain'd with blood!</LINE> 4277 <LINE>Approach, ye Furies fell!</LINE> 4278 <LINE>O Fates, come, come,</LINE> 4279 <LINE>Cut thread and thrum;</LINE> 4280 <LINE>Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!</LINE> 4281 </SPEECH> 4282 4283 <SPEECH> 4284 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4285 <LINE>This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would</LINE> 4286 <LINE>go near to make a man look sad.</LINE> 4287 </SPEECH> 4288 4289 <SPEECH> 4290 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 4291 <LINE>Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man.</LINE> 4292 </SPEECH> 4293 4294 <SPEECH> 4295 <SPEAKER>Pyramus</SPEAKER> 4296 <LINE>O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame?</LINE> 4297 <LINE>Since lion vile hath here deflower'd my dear:</LINE> 4298 <LINE>Which is--no, no--which was the fairest dame</LINE> 4299 <LINE>That lived, that loved, that liked, that look'd</LINE> 4300 <LINE>with cheer.</LINE> 4301 <LINE>Come, tears, confound;</LINE> 4302 <LINE>Out, sword, and wound</LINE> 4303 <LINE>The pap of Pyramus;</LINE> 4304 <LINE>Ay, that left pap,</LINE> 4305 <LINE>Where heart doth hop:</LINE> 4306 <STAGEDIR>Stabs himself</STAGEDIR> 4307 <LINE>Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.</LINE> 4308 <LINE>Now am I dead,</LINE> 4309 <LINE>Now am I fled;</LINE> 4310 <LINE>My soul is in the sky:</LINE> 4311 <LINE>Tongue, lose thy light;</LINE> 4312 <LINE>Moon take thy flight:</LINE> 4313 <STAGEDIR>Exit Moonshine</STAGEDIR> 4314 <LINE>Now die, die, die, die, die.</LINE> 4315 </SPEECH> 4316 4317 4318 <STAGEDIR>Dies</STAGEDIR> 4319 4320 <SPEECH> 4321 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4322 <LINE>No die, but an ace, for him; for he is but one.</LINE> 4323 </SPEECH> 4324 4325 <SPEECH> 4326 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 4327 <LINE>Less than an ace, man; for he is dead; he is nothing.</LINE> 4328 </SPEECH> 4329 4330 <SPEECH> 4331 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4332 <LINE>With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover, and</LINE> 4333 <LINE>prove an ass.</LINE> 4334 </SPEECH> 4335 4336 <SPEECH> 4337 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 4338 <LINE>How chance Moonshine is gone before Thisbe comes</LINE> 4339 <LINE>back and finds her lover?</LINE> 4340 </SPEECH> 4341 4342 <SPEECH> 4343 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4344 <LINE>She will find him by starlight. Here she comes; and</LINE> 4345 <LINE>her passion ends the play.</LINE> 4346 </SPEECH> 4347 4348 4349 <STAGEDIR>Re-enter Thisbe</STAGEDIR> 4350 4351 <SPEECH> 4352 <SPEAKER>HIPPOLYTA</SPEAKER> 4353 <LINE>Methinks she should not use a long one for such a</LINE> 4354 <LINE>Pyramus: I hope she will be brief.</LINE> 4355 </SPEECH> 4356 4357 <SPEECH> 4358 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4359 <LINE>A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus, which</LINE> 4360 <LINE>Thisbe, is the better; he for a man, God warrant us;</LINE> 4361 <LINE>she for a woman, God bless us.</LINE> 4362 </SPEECH> 4363 4364 <SPEECH> 4365 <SPEAKER>LYSANDER</SPEAKER> 4366 <LINE>She hath spied him already with those sweet eyes.</LINE> 4367 </SPEECH> 4368 4369 <SPEECH> 4370 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4371 <LINE>And thus she means, videlicet:--</LINE> 4372 </SPEECH> 4373 4374 <SPEECH> 4375 <SPEAKER>Thisbe</SPEAKER> 4376 <LINE>Asleep, my love?</LINE> 4377 <LINE>What, dead, my dove?</LINE> 4378 <LINE>O Pyramus, arise!</LINE> 4379 <LINE>Speak, speak. Quite dumb?</LINE> 4380 <LINE>Dead, dead? A tomb</LINE> 4381 <LINE>Must cover thy sweet eyes.</LINE> 4382 <LINE>These My lips,</LINE> 4383 <LINE>This cherry nose,</LINE> 4384 <LINE>These yellow cowslip cheeks,</LINE> 4385 <LINE>Are gone, are gone:</LINE> 4386 <LINE>Lovers, make moan:</LINE> 4387 <LINE>His eyes were green as leeks.</LINE> 4388 <LINE>O Sisters Three,</LINE> 4389 <LINE>Come, come to me,</LINE> 4390 <LINE>With hands as pale as milk;</LINE> 4391 <LINE>Lay them in gore,</LINE> 4392 <LINE>Since you have shore</LINE> 4393 <LINE>With shears his thread of silk.</LINE> 4394 <LINE>Tongue, not a word:</LINE> 4395 <LINE>Come, trusty sword;</LINE> 4396 <LINE>Come, blade, my breast imbrue:</LINE> 4397 <STAGEDIR>Stabs herself</STAGEDIR> 4398 <LINE>And, farewell, friends;</LINE> 4399 <LINE>Thus Thisby ends:</LINE> 4400 <LINE>Adieu, adieu, adieu.</LINE> 4401 </SPEECH> 4402 4403 4404 <STAGEDIR>Dies</STAGEDIR> 4405 4406 <SPEECH> 4407 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4408 <LINE>Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.</LINE> 4409 </SPEECH> 4410 4411 <SPEECH> 4412 <SPEAKER>DEMETRIUS</SPEAKER> 4413 <LINE>Ay, and Wall too.</LINE> 4414 </SPEECH> 4415 4416 <SPEECH> 4417 <SPEAKER>BOTTOM</SPEAKER> 4418 <LINE><STAGEDIR>Starting up</STAGEDIR> No assure you; the wall is down that</LINE> 4419 <LINE>parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the</LINE> 4420 <LINE>epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance between two</LINE> 4421 <LINE>of our company?</LINE> 4422 </SPEECH> 4423 4424 <SPEECH> 4425 <SPEAKER>THESEUS</SPEAKER> 4426 <LINE>No epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no</LINE> 4427 <LINE>excuse. Never excuse; for when the players are all</LINE> 4428 <LINE>dead, there needs none to be blamed. Marry, if he</LINE> 4429 <LINE>that writ it had played Pyramus and hanged himself</LINE> 4430 <LINE>in Thisbe's garter, it would have been a fine</LINE> 4431 <LINE>tragedy: and so it is, truly; and very notably</LINE> 4432 <LINE>discharged. But come, your Bergomask: let your</LINE> 4433 <LINE>epilogue alone.</LINE> 4434 <STAGEDIR>A dance</STAGEDIR> 4435 <LINE>The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve:</LINE> 4436 <LINE>Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time.</LINE> 4437 <LINE>I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn</LINE> 4438 <LINE>As much as we this night have overwatch'd.</LINE> 4439 <LINE>This palpable-gross play hath well beguiled</LINE> 4440 <LINE>The heavy gait of night. Sweet friends, to bed.</LINE> 4441 <LINE>A fortnight hold we this solemnity,</LINE> 4442 <LINE>In nightly revels and new jollity.</LINE> 4443 </SPEECH> 4444 4445 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt</STAGEDIR> 4446 <STAGEDIR>Enter PUCK</STAGEDIR> 4447 4448 <SPEECH> 4449 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 4450 <LINE>Now the hungry lion roars,</LINE> 4451 <LINE>And the wolf behowls the moon;</LINE> 4452 <LINE>Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,</LINE> 4453 <LINE>All with weary task fordone.</LINE> 4454 <LINE>Now the wasted brands do glow,</LINE> 4455 <LINE>Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,</LINE> 4456 <LINE>Puts the wretch that lies in woe</LINE> 4457 <LINE>In remembrance of a shroud.</LINE> 4458 <LINE>Now it is the time of night</LINE> 4459 <LINE>That the graves all gaping wide,</LINE> 4460 <LINE>Every one lets forth his sprite,</LINE> 4461 <LINE>In the church-way paths to glide:</LINE> 4462 <LINE>And we fairies, that do run</LINE> 4463 <LINE>By the triple Hecate's team,</LINE> 4464 <LINE>From the presence of the sun,</LINE> 4465 <LINE>Following darkness like a dream,</LINE> 4466 <LINE>Now are frolic: not a mouse</LINE> 4467 <LINE>Shall disturb this hallow'd house:</LINE> 4468 <LINE>I am sent with broom before,</LINE> 4469 <LINE>To sweep the dust behind the door.</LINE> 4470 </SPEECH> 4471 4472 4473 <STAGEDIR>Enter OBERON and TITANIA with their train</STAGEDIR> 4474 4475 <SPEECH> 4476 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 4477 <LINE>Through the house give gathering light,</LINE> 4478 <LINE>By the dead and drowsy fire:</LINE> 4479 <LINE>Every elf and fairy sprite</LINE> 4480 <LINE>Hop as light as bird from brier;</LINE> 4481 <LINE>And this ditty, after me,</LINE> 4482 <LINE>Sing, and dance it trippingly.</LINE> 4483 </SPEECH> 4484 4485 <SPEECH> 4486 <SPEAKER>TITANIA</SPEAKER> 4487 <LINE>First, rehearse your song by rote</LINE> 4488 <LINE>To each word a warbling note:</LINE> 4489 <LINE>Hand in hand, with fairy grace,</LINE> 4490 <LINE>Will we sing, and bless this place.</LINE> 4491 </SPEECH> 4492 4493 4494 <STAGEDIR>Song and dance</STAGEDIR> 4495 4496 <SPEECH> 4497 <SPEAKER>OBERON</SPEAKER> 4498 <LINE>Now, until the break of day,</LINE> 4499 <LINE>Through this house each fairy stray.</LINE> 4500 <LINE>To the best bride-bed will we,</LINE> 4501 <LINE>Which by us shall blessed be;</LINE> 4502 <LINE>And the issue there create</LINE> 4503 <LINE>Ever shall be fortunate.</LINE> 4504 <LINE>So shall all the couples three</LINE> 4505 <LINE>Ever true in loving be;</LINE> 4506 <LINE>And the blots of Nature's hand</LINE> 4507 <LINE>Shall not in their issue stand;</LINE> 4508 <LINE>Never mole, hare lip, nor scar,</LINE> 4509 <LINE>Nor mark prodigious, such as are</LINE> 4510 <LINE>Despised in nativity,</LINE> 4511 <LINE>Shall upon their children be.</LINE> 4512 <LINE>With this field-dew consecrate,</LINE> 4513 <LINE>Every fairy take his gait;</LINE> 4514 <LINE>And each several chamber bless,</LINE> 4515 <LINE>Through this palace, with sweet peace;</LINE> 4516 <LINE>And the owner of it blest</LINE> 4517 <LINE>Ever shall in safety rest.</LINE> 4518 <LINE>Trip away; make no stay;</LINE> 4519 <LINE>Meet me all by break of day.</LINE> 4520 </SPEECH> 4521 4522 4523 <STAGEDIR>Exeunt OBERON, TITANIA, and train</STAGEDIR> 4524 4525 <SPEECH> 4526 <SPEAKER>PUCK</SPEAKER> 4527 <LINE>If we shadows have offended,</LINE> 4528 <LINE>Think but this, and all is mended,</LINE> 4529 <LINE>That you have but slumber'd here</LINE> 4530 <LINE>While these visions did appear.</LINE> 4531 <LINE>And this weak and idle theme,</LINE> 4532 <LINE>No more yielding but a dream,</LINE> 4533 <LINE>Gentles, do not reprehend:</LINE> 4534 <LINE>if you pardon, we will mend:</LINE> 4535 <LINE>And, as I am an honest Puck,</LINE> 4536 <LINE>If we have unearned luck</LINE> 4537 <LINE>Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,</LINE> 4538 <LINE>We will make amends ere long;</LINE> 4539 <LINE>Else the Puck a liar call;</LINE> 4540 <LINE>So, good night unto you all.</LINE> 4541 <LINE>Give me your hands, if we be friends,</LINE> 4542 <LINE>And Robin shall restore amends.</LINE> 4543 </SPEECH> 4544 </SCENE> 4545 </ACT> 4546 </PLAY> 4547
