1

A Midsummer Night’s DreamACT I

SCENE I. Athens. The palace of THESEUS.

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, and attendants (TITANIA’S FAIRIES).

THESEUS001 Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour002 Draws on apace; four happy days bring in003 Another moon: but, O, methinks, how slow004 This old moon wanes!

HIPPOLYTA005 Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;006 Four nights will quickly dream away the time;007 And then the moon, like to a silver bow008 New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night009 Of our solemnities.

THESEUS010 We two royals shall011 Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;012 Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;013 Turn melancholy forth to funerals;014 The pale companion is not for our pomp.015 Hippolyta, I woo’d thee with my sword,016 And won thy love, doing thee injuries:017 But I will wed thee in another key,018 With pomp, with triumph, and with revealing.

Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS.

EGEUS019 Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!

THESEUS020 Thanks, good Egeus: what's the news with thee?

EGEUS021 Full of vexation come I, with complaint022 Against my child, my daughter Hermia.023 Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord,024 This man hath my consent to marry her.025 Stand forth, Lysander: and my gracious duke,

2026 This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child;027 Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,028 And interchanged love-tokens with my child:029 With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart,030 Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,031 To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke,032 Be it so she; will not here before your grace033 Consent to marry with Demetrius,034 I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,035 As she is mine, I may dispose of her:036 Which shall be either to this gentleman037 Or to her death, according to our law038 Immediately provided in that case.

THESEUS039 What say you, Hermia? be advised fair maid:040 To you your father should be as a god;041 Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.

HERMIA042 So is Lysander.

THESEUS043 In himself he is;044 But in this kind, wanting your father's voice,045 The other must be held the worthier.

HERMIA046 I would my father look'd but with my eyes.

THESEUS047 Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.

HERMIA048 I do entreat your grace to pardon me.049 But I beseech your grace that I may know050 The worst that may befall me in this case,051 If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

THESEUS052 Take time to pause; and, by the next new moon--053 The sealing-day betwixt my love and me,054 Upon that day either prepare to die055 For disobedience to your father's will,056 Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would;

3057 Or on Diana's altar to protest058 For aye austerity and single life.

DEMETRIUS059 Relent, sweet Hermia: and, Lysander, yield060 Thy crazed title to my certain right.

LYSANDER061 You have her father's love, Demetrius;062 Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him.

EGEUS063 Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love,064 And what is mine my love shall render him.065 And she is mine, and all my right of her066 I do estate unto Demetrius.

LYSANDER067 I am, my lord, as well derived as he,068 As well possess'd; my love is more than his;069 And, which is more than all these boasts can be,070 I am beloved of beauteous Hermia:071 Why should not I then prosecute my right?

THESEUS072 Demetrius and Egeus, go along:073 I must employ you in some business074 Against our nuptial and confer with you075 Of something nearly that concerns yourselves.076 For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself077 To fit your fancies to your father's will;078 Or else the law of Athens yields you up—079 Which by no means we may extenuate--080 To death, or to a vow of single life.081 Come, my Hippolyta: what cheer, my love?

EGEUS082 With duty and desire we follow you.

Exeunt all but LYSANDER and HERMIA.

HERMIA083 O hell, to choose love by another’s eyes!

LYSANDER084 Ay me! For aught that I could ever read,

4085 Could ever hear by tale or history,086 The course of true love never did run smooth.

HERMIA087 If then true lovers have been ever crossed,088 It stands as an edict in destiny.089 Then let us teach our trial patience,090 Because it is a customary cross,091 As due to love as thoughts and dreams and sighs,092 Wishes and tears, poor fancy’s followers.

LYSANDER093 A good persuasion. Therefore, hear me, Hermia.094 I have a widow aunt, a dowager095 Of great revenue, and she hath no child:096 From Athens is her house remote seven leagues;097 There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee;098 If thou lovest me then,099 Steal forth thy father's house to-morrow night;100 And in the wood, 101 There will I stay for thee.

HERMIA102 My good Lysander!103 In that same place thou hast appointed me,104 To-morrow truly will I meet with thee.

LYSANDER105 Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena.

Enter HELENA.

HERMIA106 God speed fair Helena! whither away?

HELENA107 Call you me fair? that fair again unsay.108 Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair!109 O, teach me how you look, and with what art110 You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart.

HERMIA111 I frown upon him, yet he loves me still.

HELENA112 Oh, that your frowns would teach my smiles such

5113 skill!

HERMIA114 I give him curses, yet he gives me love.

HELENA115 Oh, that my prayers could such affection move!

HERMIA116 The more I hate, the more he follows me.

HELENA117 The more I love, the more he hateth me.

HERMIA118 His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine.

HELENA119 None, but your beauty. Would that fault were mine!

HERMIA120 Take comfort: he no more shall see my face;121 Lysander and myself will fly this place.

LYSANDER122 Helen, to you our minds we will unfold:123 To-morrow night, when Phoebe doth behold124 Her silver visage in the watery glass,125 Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass,126 A time that lovers' flights doth still conceal,127 Through Athens' gates have we devised to steal.

HERMIA128 And in the wood, where often you and I129 Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lie,130 Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet,131 There my Lysander and myself shall meet;132 And thence from Athens turn away our eyes,133 To seek new friends and stranger companies.134 Farewell, sweet playfellow: pray thou for us;135 And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius!136 Keep word, Lysander: we must starve our sight137 From lovers' food till morrow deep midnight.

LYSANDER138 I will, my Hermia.

6

Exit HERMIA.

LYSANDER139 Helena, adieu:140 As you on him, Demetrius dote on you!

Exit.

HELENA141 How happy some o'er other some can be!142 Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.143 But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;144 He will not know what all but he do know:145 I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight:146 Then to the wood will he to-morrow night147 Pursue her; and for this intelligence148 If I have thanks, it is a dear expense:149 But herein mean I to enrich my pain,150 To have his sight thither and back again.

Exit.

The attendants (TITANIA’S FAIRIES), now alone, transform into their fairy forms and leave for the forest.

7ACT I

SCENE II. Athens. QUINCE'S house.

Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING.

QUINCE001 Is all our company here?

BOTTOM002 You were best to call them generally, man by man,003 according to the script.

QUINCE004 Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is005 thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our006 interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his007 wedding-day at night.

BOTTOM008 First, good Petra Quince, say what the play treats009 on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow010 to a point.

QUINCE011 Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy, and012 most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe.

BOTTOM013 A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a014 merry. Now, good Petra Quince, call forth your015 actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.

QUINCE016 Answer as I call you. Nic Bottom, the weaver.

BOTTOM017 Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed.

QUINCE018 You, Nic Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.

BOTTOM019 What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?

8QUINCE

020 A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.021 Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

FLUTE022 Here, Petra Quince.

QUINCE023 Flute, you must take Thisbe on you.

FLUTE024 What is Thisbe? a wandering knight?

QUINCE025 It is the lady that Pyramus must love.

FLUTE026 Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming.

BOTTOM027 Let me play Thisbe too, I'll028 speak in a monstrous little voice. 'Thisne,029 Thisne;' 'Ah, Pyramus, lover dear! thy Thisbe dear,030 and lady dear!'

QUINCE031 No, no; you must play Pyramus: and, Flute, you Thisbe.032 Robin Starveling, the tailor.

STARVELING033 Here, Petra Quince.

QUINCE034 Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe's mother.035 Tom Snout, the tinker?

SNOUT036 Here, Petra Quince.

QUINCE037 You, Pyramus' father: myself, Thisbe's father:038 Snug, the joiner; you, the lion's part: and, I039 hope, here is a play fitted.

9SNUG

040 Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if it041 be, give it me, for I am slow of study.

QUINCE042 You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.

BOTTOM043 Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that I will044 do any man's heart good to hear me; I will roar,045 that I will make the duke say 'Let him roar again,046 let him roar again.'

QUINCE047 An you should do it too terribly, you would fright048 the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek;049 and that were enough to hang us all.

ALL050 That would hang us, every mother’s son.

BOTTOM051 But I will aggravate my052 voice so that I will roar you as gently as any053 sucking dove; I will roar you an 'twere any054 nightingale.

QUINCE055 You can play no part but Pyramus;

BOTTOM056 Well, I will undertake it.

QUINCE057 But, masters, here058 are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request059 you and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night;060 and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the061 town, by moonlight;

BOTTOM062 We will meet; and there we may rehearse most063 obscenely and courageously. Take pains; be perfect: adieu.

Exeunt.

10ACT II

SCENE I. A wood near Athens.

Enter, from opposite sides, the TITANIA’S FAIRIES with THE YOUNG FAIRY and OBERON’S FAIRIES with PUCK.

The forest awakes, transforming into a dark, enchanting landscape.

PUCK001 How now, spirits! whither wander you?

TITANIA’S FAIRIES002 Over hill, over dale,003 Thorough bush, thorough brier,004 Over park, over pale,005 Thorough flood, thorough fire,006 I do wander everywhere,007 Swifter than the moon's sphere;008 And I serve the fairy queen,009 To dew her orbs upon the green.010 I must go seek some dewdrops here011 And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.012 Farewell, thou lob of spirits. I’ll be gone.013 Our queen and all our elves come here anon.

PUCK014 The king doth keep his revels here to-night:015 Take heed the queen come not within his sight;

OBERON’S FAIRIES016 For Oberon is passing fell and wrath,017 Because that she as her attendant hath018 A lovely child, stolen from an Indian king;019 She never had so sweet a changeling;020 And jealous Oberon would have the child021 Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild;022 But she perforce withholds the loved child,023 Crowns her with flowers and makes her all her joy:

PEASEBLOSSOM024 Either I mistake your shape and making quite,025 Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite

TITANIA’S FAIRIES026 Call'd Robin Goodfellow: are not you he

11027 That frights the maidens of the villagery;028 Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern029 And bootless make the breathless housewife churn;030 And sometime make the drink to bear no barm;031 Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?032 Those that Hobgoblin call you and sweet Puck,033 You do their work, and they shall have good luck:034 Are not you he?

PUCK035 Thou speak'st aright;036 I am that merry wanderer of the night.037 But, room, fairies! here comes Oberon.

PEASEBLOSSOM038 And here my mistress. Would that he were gone!

Enter, from one side, OBERON, from the other, TITANIA.

OBERON039 Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania.040 Fairest Juniper, Figspark, and Mossmuse –041 Give thy queen thy best, proper pleasantries.042 Cirro! Flix! Nidhogg! – snatch the changeling child!

OBERON’S FAIRIES advance. TITANIA’S FAIRIES prepare their attack. THE YOUNG FAIRY scares OBERON’S FAIRIES with a ferocious shrill scream. All fall back.

TITANIA043 What, jealous Oberon! 044 Why art thou even here?045 Come from the farthest Steppe of India?046 But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon,047 Your buskin'd mistress and your warrior love,048 To Theseus must be wedded, and you bound049 To give their bed joy and prosperity.050 Oh, how injured; how, lovestung Oberon.

OBERON051 How canst thou thus for shame, Titania,052 Glance at my credit with Hippolyta,053 Knowing I know thy love to Theseus?

TITANIA054 These are the forgeries of jealousy:

12OBERON

055 Why should Titania cross her Oberon?056 I do but beg the little changeling child,057 To be my henchman.

TITANIA058 Set your heart at rest:059 The fairy land buys not the child of me.060 Her mother was a votaress of my order:061 But she, being mortal, of that child did die;062 And for her sake do I rear up that child,063 And for her sake I will not part with her.

OBERON064 How long within this wood intend you stay?

TITANIA065 Perchance till after Theseus' wedding-day.066 If you will patiently dance in our round067 And see our moonlight revels, go with us;068 If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts.

OBERON069 Give me that child, and I will go with thee.

TITANIA070 Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away!071 We shall chide downright, if I longer stay.

Exit TITANIA with TITANIA’S FAIRIES. OBERON’S FAIRIES fly to the shadows.

OBERON072 Well, go thy way: thou shalt not from this grove073 Till I torment thee for this injury.074 My gentle Puck, come hither.075 Fetch me that flower; the herb I shew'd thee once:076 and be thou here again077 Ere the leviathan can swim a league.

PUCK078 I'll put a girdle round about the earth079 In forty minutes.

Exit.

13OBERON

080 Having once this juice,081 I'll watch Titania when she is asleep,082 And drop the liquor of it in her eyes.083 But who comes here? I am invisible;084 And I will overhear their conference.

Enter DEMETRIUS, HELENA, following him.

DEMETRIUS085 I love thee not, therefore pursue me not.086 Where is Lysander and fair Hermia?087 The one I'll slay, the other slayeth me.088 Thou told'st me they were stolen unto this wood;089 And here am I, and wood within this wood,090 Because I cannot meet my Hermia.091 Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.

HELENA092 You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant;093 But yet you draw not iron, for my heart094 Is true as steel: leave you your power to draw,095 And I shall have no power to follow you.

DEMETRIUS096 Do I entice you? do I speak you fair?097 Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth098 Tell you, I do not, nor I cannot love you?

HELENA099 And even for that do I love you the more.

DEMETRIUS100 Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;101 For I am sick when I do look on thee.

HELENA102 And I am sick when I look not on you.

DEMETRIUS103 I'll run from thee and hide me in the brakes,104 And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts.

HELENA105 The wildest hath not such a heart as you.

14DEMETRIUS

106 I will not stay thy questions; let me go:107 Or, if thou follow me, do not believe108 But I shall do thee mischief in the wood.

Exit.

HELENA109 I'll follow thee and make a heaven of hell,110 To die upon the hand I love so well.

Exit.

OBERON111 Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove,112 Thou shalt fly him and he shall seek thy love.

Re-enter PUCK.

OBERON113 Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer.

PUCK114 Ay, there it is.

OBERON115 There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,116 Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;117 And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes,118 And make her full of hateful fantasies.119 Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove:120 A sweet Athenian lady is in love121 With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes;122 But do it when the next thing he espies123 May be the lady: thou shalt know the man124 By the Athenian garments he hath on.125 Effect it with some care, that he may prove126 More fond on her than she upon her love:127 And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow.

PUCK128 Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so.

Exeunt.

15ACT II

SCENE II. Another part of the wood.

Enter TITANIA, with TITANIA’S FAIRIES.

TITANIA001 Come, now a roundel 002 Sing me now asleep;003 Then to your offices and let me rest.

TITANIA’S FAIRIES004 You spotted snakes with double tongue,005 Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen;006 Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong,007 Come not near our fairy queen.008 Philomel, with melody009 Sing in our sweet lullaby;010 Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby:011 Never harm,012 Nor spell nor charm,013 Come our lovely lady nigh;014 So, good night, with lullaby.

PEASEBLOSSOM015 Hence, away! now all is well:016 One aloof stand sentinel.

Exeunt TITANIA’S FAIRIES, leaving THE YOUNG FAIRY to stand guard. TITANIA sleeps. THE YOUNG FAIRY falls asleep.

Enter OBERON. He sees THE YOUNG FAIRY asleep. He kisses the child’s forehead. He then, now tiptoeing, goes to TITANIA and squeezes the flower on her eyelids.

OBERON017 What thou seest when thou dost wake,018 Do it for thy true-love take,019 Love and languish for his sake:020 Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,021 Pard, or boar with bristled hair,022 In thy eye that shall appear023 When thou wakest, it is thy dear:024 Wake when some vile thing is near.

Exit.

Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA.

16

LYSANDER025 Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood;026 And to speak troth, I have forgot our way:027 We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good,028 And tarry for the comfort of the day.

HERMIA029 Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed;030 For I upon this bank will rest my head.

LYSANDER031 One turf shall serve as pillow for us both;032 One heart, one bed, two bosoms and one troth.

HERMIA033 Lysander riddles very prettily.034 Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, my dear,035 Lie further off yet, do not lie so near.

LYSANDER036 Amen, amen to that fair prayer, say I.037 And then end life when I end loyalty.038 Here is my bed: sleep give thee all his rest!

HERMIA039 With half that wish the wisher's eyes be press'd!

They sleep. Enter PUCK.

PUCK040 Through the forest have I gone.041 But Athenian found I none,042 Who is here?043 Weeds of Athens he doth wear:044 This is he, my master said,045 Despised the Athenian maid;046 And here the maiden, sleeping sound,047 On the dank and dirty ground.048 Churl, upon thy eyes I throw049 For I must now to Oberon.

Exit.

Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running.

17HELENA

050 Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius.

DEMETRIUS051 I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus.

HELENA052 O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so.

DEMETRIUS053 Stay, on thy peril: I alone will go.

Exit.

HELENA054 O, I am out of breath in this fond chase!055 The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace.056 But who is here? Lysander! on the ground!057 Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound.058 Lysander if you live, good sir, awake.

LYSANDER059 [Awaking] And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake.060 Transparent Helena! Nature shows art,061 That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart.062 Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word063 Is that vile name to perish on my sword!

HELENA064 Do not say so, Lysander; say not so065 What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though?066 Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content.

LYSANDER067 Content with Hermia! No; I do repent068 The tedious minutes I with her have spent.069 Not Hermia but Helena I love:070 Who will not change a raven for a dove?

HELENA071 Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do,072 In such disdainful manner me to woo.073 But fare you well: perforce I must confess074 I thought you lord of more true gentleness.075 O, that a lady, of one man refused.076 Should of another therefore be abused!

Exit.

18

LYSANDER077 She sees not Hermia. Hermia, sleep thou there:078 And never mayst thou come Lysander near!079 For as a surfeit of the sweetest things080 The deepest loathing to the stomach brings,081 Or as tie heresies that men do leave082 Are hated most of those they did deceive,083 So thou, my surfeit and my heresy,084 Of all be hated, but the most of me!085 And, all my powers, address your love and might086 To honour Helen and to be her knight!

Exit.

HERMIA087 [Awaking] Help me, Lysander, help me! do thy best088 To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast!089 Ay me, for pity! what a dream was here!090 Lysander, look how I do quake with fear:091 No? then I well perceive you all not nigh092 Either death or you I'll find immediately.

Exit.

19ACT III

SCENE I. The wood. TITANIA lying asleep.

Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING.

BOTTOM001 Are we all met?

QUINCE002 Pat, pat; and here's a marvellous convenient place003 for our rehearsal.

BOTTOM004 Petra Quince,--

QUINCE005 What sayest thou, bully Bottom?

BOTTOM006 There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and007 Thisbe that will never please. First, Pyramus must008 draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies009 cannot abide. How answer you that?

SNOUT010 By'r lakin, a parlous fear.

STARVELING011 I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is done.

BOTTOM012 Not a whit: I have a device to make all well.013 Write me a prologue; and let the prologue seem to014 say, we will do no harm with our swords, and that015 Pyramus is not killed indeed; and, for the more016 better assurance, tell them that I, Pyramus, am not017 Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver: this will put them018 out of fear.

QUINCE019 Well, we will have such a prologue; and it shall be020 written in eight and six.

BOTTOM021 No, make it two more; let it be written in eight and eight.

20SNOUT

022 Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?

STARVELING023 I fear it, I promise you.

BOTTOM024 a lion among ladies, is a025 most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful026 wild-fowl than your lion living; and we ought to027 look to 't.

SNOUT028 Therefore another prologue must tell he is not a lion.

BOTTOM029 Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must030 be seen through the lion's neck: and he himself031 must speak through, saying thus, or to the same032 defect,--'Ladies,'--or 'Fair-ladies--I would wish033 You,'--or 'I would request you,'--or 'I would034 entreat you,--not to fear, not to tremble: my life035 for yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it036 were pity of my life: no I am no such thing; I am a037 man as other men are;'

QUINCE038 If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down,039 every mother's son, and rehearse your parts.040 Pyramus, you begin. Thisbe, stand forth.

Enter PUCK behind.

PUCK041 What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here,042 So near the cradle of the fairy queen?043 What, a play toward! I'll be an auditor;044 An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause.

QUINCE045 Speak, Pyramus!

BOTTOM046 Thisbe, the flowers of odious savours sweet,--

21QUINCE

047 Odours, odours.

BOTTOM048 --odours savours sweet:049 So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisbe dear.050 But hark, a voice! stay thou but here awhile,051 And by and by I will to thee appear.

Exit.

PUCK052 A stranger Pyramus than e'er played here.

Exit.

FLUTE053 Must I speak now?

QUINCE054 Ay, marry, must you; for you must understand he goes055 but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again.

FLUTE056 As true as truest horse that yet would never tire,057 I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.

QUINCE058 'Ninus' tomb,' man: why, you must not speak that059 yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all your060 part at once, cues and all Pyramus enter: your cue061 is past; it is, 'never tire.'

FLUTE062 O,--As true as truest horse, that yet would063 never tire.

Re-enter PUCK, and BOTTOM with an ass's head.

BOTTOM064 If I were fair, Thisbe, I were only thine.

QUINCE065 O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted. Pray,

masters! fly, masters! Help!

Exeunt QUINCE, SNUG, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING.

22BOTTOM

066 Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them tomake me afeard.

Re-enter SNOUT.

SNOUT067 O Bottom, thou art changed! what do I see on thee?

BOTTOM068 What do you see? you see an asshead of your own, do069 you?

Exit SNOUT. Re-enter QUINCE.

QUINCE070 Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art071 translated.

Exit.

BOTTOM072 I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me;073 to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir074 from this place, do what they can: I will walk up075 and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear076 I am not afraid.077 [Sings] The ousel cock so black of hue,078 With orange-tawny bill,079 The throstle with his note so true,080 The wren with little quill,--

TITANIA081 [Awaking] What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?

BOTTOM082 [Sings] The finch, the sparrow and the lark,083 The plain-song cuckoo gray,084 Whose note full many a man doth mark,085 And dares not answer nay;--

TITANIA086 I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again:087 Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note;088 So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;089 And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me090 On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.

23

BOTTOM091 Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason092 for that: and yet, to say the truth, reason and093 love keep little company together now-a-days;

TITANIA094 Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.

BOTTOM095 Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough to get out096 of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn.

TITANIA097 Out of this wood do not desire to go:098 Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.099 And I will purge thy mortal grossness so100 That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.101 Peaseblossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustardseed!

Enter PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and MUSTARDSEED.

PEASEBLOSSOM102 Ready.

COBWEB103 And I.

MOTH104 And I.

MUSTARDSEED105 And I.

ALL106 Where shall we go?

TITANIA107 Be kind and courteous to this gentleman;

PEASEBLOSSOM108 Hail, mortal!

COBWEB109 Hail!

24MOTH

110 Hail!

MUSTARDSEED111 Hail!

TITANIA112 Come, wait upon him; lead him to my bower.113 The moon methinks looks with a watery eye;114 And when she weeps, weeps every little flower,115 Lamenting some enforced chastity.116 Tie up my love's tongue bring him silently.

Exeunt all but PUCK.

PUCK117 My mistress with a monster is in love!

INTERMISSION (if needed)

25

ACT III

SCENE II. Another part of the wood.

Enter OBERON and PUCK.

PUCK118 When in that moment, so it came to pass,119 Titania waked and straightway loved an ass.

OBERON120 This falls out better than I could devise.121 But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes122 With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

PUCK123 I took him sleeping,--that is finish'd too,--

Enter HERMIA and DEMETRIUS.

OBERON124 Stand close: this is the same Athenian.

PUCK125 This is the woman, but not this the man.

DEMETRIUS126 O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?127 Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.

HERMIA128 Now I but chide; but I should use thee worse,129 For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse,130 If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,131 Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,132 And kill me too.133 where is he?134 Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?

DEMETRIUS135 You spend your passion on a misprised mood:136 I am not guilty of Lysander's blood;137 Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.

26HERMIA

138 I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.

DEMETRIUS139 An if I could, what should I get therefore?

HERMIA140 A privilege never to see me more.141 And from thy hated presence part I so:142 See me no more, whether he be dead or no.

Exit.

DEMETRIUS143 There is no following her in this fierce vein:144 Here therefore for a while I will remain.

Lies down and sleeps.

OBERON145 What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite146 And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight:

PUCK147 Then fate o’errules that, one man holding troth,148 A million fail, confounding oath on oath.

OBERON149 About the wood go swifter than the wind,150 And Helena of Athens look thou find:151 By some illusion see thou bring her here:152 I'll charm his eyes against she do appear.

PUCK153 I go, I go; look how I go,154 Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow.

Exit.

OBERON155 Flower of this purple dye,156 Hit with Cupid's archery,157 Sink in apple of his eye.

Re-enter PUCK.

PUCK158 Captain of our fairy band,159 Helena is here at hand;

27160 And the youth, mistook by me,161 Pleading for a lover's fee.162 Shall we their fond pageant see?163 Lord, what fools these mortals be!

OBERON164 Stand aside: the noise they make165 Will cause Demetrius to awake.

LYSANDER166 I had no judgment when to her I swore.

HELENA167 Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er.

LYSANDER168 Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.

DEMETRIUS169 [Awaking] O Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!170 To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?171 Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show172 Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow!

HELENA173 O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent174 To set against me for your merriment:

LYSANDER175 You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so;176 For you love Hermia; this you know I know:177 And here, with all good will, with all my heart,178 In Hermia's love I yield you up my part;179 And yours of Helena to me bequeath,180 Whom I do love and will do till my death.

HELENA181 Never did mockers waste more idle breath.

DEMETRIUS182 Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none:183 If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone.

LYSANDER184 Helen, it is not so.

28

DEMETRIUS185 Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,186 Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.187 Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear.

Re-enter HERMIA.

HERMIA188 Lysander, found;189 Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound190 But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?

LYSANDER191 Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go?

HERMIA192 What love could press Lysander from my side?

LYSANDER193 Lysander's love, that would not let him bide,194 Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know,195 The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?

HERMIA196 You speak not as you think: it cannot be.

HELENA197 Lo, she is one of this confederacy!198 Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three199 To fashion this false sport, in spite of me.200 Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid!201 Have you conspired, have you with these contrived202 To bait me with this foul derision?203 And will you rent our ancient love asunder,204 To join with men in scorning your poor friend?

HERMIA205 I am amazed at your passionate words.206 I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me.

HELENA207 Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,208 To follow me and praise my eyes and face?209 And made your other love, Demetrius,

29210 Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,211 To call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare,

HERMIA212 I understand not what you mean by this.

HELENA213 Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,214 Make mouths upon me when I turn my back;215 Wink each at other; hold the sweet jest up:

LYSANDER216 Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse:217 My love, my life my soul, fair Helena!

HELENA218 O excellent!

HERMIA219 Sweet, do not scorn her so.

LYSANDER220 Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do:221 I swear by that which I will lose for thee,222 To prove him false that says I love thee not.

DEMETRIUS223 I say I love thee more than he can do.

LYSANDER224 If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.

DEMETRIUS225 Quick, come!

HERMIA226 Lysander, whereto tends all this?

LYSANDER227 Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! vile thing, let loose,228 Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent!

HERMIA229 Why are you grown so rude? what change is this?230 Sweet love,--

30

LYSANDER231 Thy love! out, tawny Tartar, out!232 Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence!

HERMIA233 Do you not jest?

HELENA234 Yes, sooth; and so do you.

LYSANDER235 Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest236 That I do hate thee and love Helena.

HERMIA237 O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!238 You thief of love! what, have you come by night239 And stolen my love's heart from him?

HELENA240 Fie, fie! You counterfeit, you puppet, you!

HERMIA241 “Puppet?” Why so?—Ay, that way goes the game.242 Now I perceive that she hath made compare243 Between our statures.244 She hath urged her tall personable,245 She hath prevailed with him.246 How low am I, thou painted maypole? Speak.247 How low am I? I am not yet so low248 But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.

HELENA249 I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen,250 Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think,251 Because she is something lower than myself,252 That I can match her.

HERMIA253 “Lower”? Hark, again!

HELENA254 And though she be but little, she is fierce!

31HERMIA

255 “Little” again? Nothing but “low” and “little!”

LYSANDER256 Be not afraid; she shall not harm thee, Helena.257 Get you gone you dwarf, you bead, you acorn!

DEMETRIUS258 You are too officious259 In her behalf that scorns your services.260 Let her alone: speak not of Helena;261 Take not her part; for, if thou dost intend262 Never so little show of love to her,263 Thou shalt aby it.

LYSANDER264 Now she holds me not;265 Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right,266 Of thine or mine, is most in Helena.

DEMETRIUS267 Follow! nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jowl.

Exeunt LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS.

HERMIA268 You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you:

HELENA269 I will not trust you, I,270 Nor longer stay in your curst company.271 Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray,272 My legs are longer though, to run away.

Exit.

HERMIA273 I am amazed, and know not what to say.

Exit.

OBERON274 This is thy negligence: still thou mistakest,

Or else committ'st thy knaveries wilfully.

PUCK275 Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook.276 Did not you tell me I should know the man

32277 By the Athenian garments that he had on?278 And so far am I glad it so did sort279 As this their jangling I esteem a sport.

OBERON280 Thou see'st these lovers seek a place to fight:290 Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night;291 And lead these testy rivals so astray292 As one come not within another's way.293 Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye;294 Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,295 Whiles I in this affair do thee employ,296 I'll to my queen and beg her Indian boy;297 And then I will her charmed eye release298 From monster's view, and all things shall be peace.

Exit.

OBERON’S FAIRIES299 Up and down, up and down,

PUCK300 I will lead them up and down:301 I am fear'd in field and town:

OBERON’S FAIRIES302 Goblin, lead them up and down.

PUCK303 Here comes one.

Re-enter LYSANDER.

LYSANDER304 Where art thou, proud Demetrius? speak thou now.

PUCK305 Here, villain; drawn and ready. Where art thou?

LYSANDER306 I will be with thee straight.

PUCK307 Follow me, then,308 To plainer ground.

Exit LYSANDER, as following the voice. Re-enter DEMETRIUS.

33

DEMETRIUS309 Lysander! speak again:310 Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?311 Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head?

PUCK312 Come, recreant; come, thou child;313 I'll whip thee with a rod: he is defiled314 That draws a sword on thee.

DEMETRIUS315 Yea, art thou there?

PUCK316 Follow my voice: we'll try no manhood here.

Exeunt.

Re-enter LYSANDER.

LYSANDER317 The villain is much lighter-heel'd than I:318 I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly;319 That fallen am I in dark uneven way,320 And here will rest me.

Lies down321 Come, thou gentle day! [Sleeps.]

Re-enter PUCK and DEMETRIUS.

PUCK322 Come hither: I am here.

DEMETRIUS323 Nay, then, thou mock'st me. Thou shalt buy this dear,324 If ever I thy face by daylight see:325 Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me326 To measure out my length on this cold bed.327 By day's approach look to be visited.

Lies down and sleeps.

Re-enter HELENA.

34HELENA

328 O weary night, O long and tedious night,329 And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye,330 Steal me awhile from mine own company.

Lies down and sleeps.

PUCK331 Yet but three? Come one more;332 Two of both kinds make up four.333 Here she comes, curst and sad:334 Cupid is a knavish lad,335 Thus to make poor females mad.

Re-enter HERMIA.

HERMIA336 Never so weary, never so in woe,337 I can no further crawl, no further go;338 Here will I rest me till the break of day.339 Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray!

Lies down and sleeps.

PUCK340 On the ground341 Sleep sound:342 I'll apply343 To your eye,344 Gentle lover, remedy.

Squeezing the juice on LYSANDER's eyes. Exit.

35ACT IV

SCENE I. The same. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA.

Lying asleep.

Enter TITANIA and BOTTOM; TITANIA’S FAIRIES attend; OBERON behind unseen.

TITANIA001 Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed,002 While I thy amiable cheeks do coy,003 And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head,004 And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.

BOTTOM005 Where's Peaseblossom?

PEASEBLOSSOM006 Ready.

BOTTOM007 Scratch my head Peaseblossom. Where's Mounsieur Mustardseed?. 008 Pray you,009 leave your courtesy, good mounsieur.

MUSTARDSEED010 What's your Will?

BOTTOM011 Nothing, good mounsieur, but to help Cavalery Peasblossom012 to scratch. I must to the barber's, monsieur; for013 methinks I am marvellously hairy about the face; and I014 am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me,015 I must scratch.

TITANIA016 What, wilt thou hear some music,017 my sweet love?

BOTTOM018 I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let's have019 the tongs and the bones.020 But, I pray you, let none of your people stir me: I021 have an exposition of sleep come upon me.

36TITANIA

022 Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms.023 Fairies, begone, and be all ways away.

Exeunt fairies.

TITANIA024 So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle025 Gently entwist; the female ivy so026 Enrings the barky fingers of the elm.027 O, how I love thee! how I dote on thee!

They sleep. Enter PUCK.

OBERON028 [Advancing] Welcome, good Robin.029 See'st thou this sweet sight?030 Her dotage now I do begin to pity:031 And now I have the boy, I will undo032 This hateful imperfection of her eyes:033 And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp034 From off the head of this Athenian swain;035 That, he awaking when the other do,036 May all to Athens back again repair037 And think no more of this night's accidents038 But as the fierce vexation of a dream.039 But first I will release the fairy queen.

TITANIA040 My Oberon! what visions have I seen!041 Methought I was enamour'd of an ass.

OBERON042 There lies your love.

TITANIA043 How came these things to pass?

PUCK044 Fairy king, attend, and mark:045 I do hear the morning lark.

OBERON046 We the globe can compass soon,047 Swifter than the wandering moon.

37TITANIA

048 Come, my lord, and in our flight049 Tell me how it came this night050 That I sleeping here was found051 With these mortals on the ground.

Exeunt.

Horns winded within. Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, and EGEUS.

THESEUS052 Go, one of you, find out the forester.053 For now our observation is performed.054 And since we have the vaward of the day,055 My love shall hear the music of my hounds.056 My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind,057 So flew'd, so sanded, 058 But, soft! what nymphs are these?

EGEUS059 My lord, this is my daughter here asleep;060 And this, Lysander; this Demetrius is;061 This Helena, old Nedar's Helena:062 I wonder of their being here together.

THESEUS063 No doubt they rose up early to observe064 The rite of May, and hearing our intent,065 Came here in grace our solemnity.066 But speak, Egeus; is not this the day067 That Hermia should give answer of her choice?

EGEUS068 It is, my lord.

THESEUS069 Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns.

Horns and shout within. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA wake and start up.

THESEUS070 Good morrow, friends.

LYSANDER071 Pardon, my lord.

38THESEUS

072 I pray you all, stand up.073 I know you two are rival enemies:074 How comes this gentle concord in the world,075 That hatred is so far from jealousy,076 To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity?

LYSANDER077 My lord, I shall reply amazedly,078 Half sleep, half waking: but as yet, I swear,079 I cannot truly say how I came here;080 But, as I think,--for truly would I speak,081 And now do I bethink me, so it is,--082 I came with Hermia hither: our intent083 Was to be gone from Athens, where we might,084 Without the peril of the Athenian law.

EGEUS085 Enough, enough, my lord; you have enough:086 I beg the law, the law, upon his head.

DEMETRIUS087 My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth,088 Of this their purpose hither to this wood;089 And I in fury hither follow'd them,090 Fair Helena in fancy following me.091 But, my good lord, I wot not by what power,--092 But by some power it is,--my love to Hermia,093 Melted as the snow,094 The object and the pleasure of mine eye,095 Is only Helena.

THESEUS096 Egeus, I will overbear your will;097 For in the temple by and by with us098 These couples shall eternally be knit:099 And, for the morning now is something worn,100 Our purposed hunting shall be set aside.101 Away with us to Athens; three and three,102 We'll hold a feast in great solemnity.103 Come, Hippolyta.

Exeunt THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and train.

39ACT IV

SCENE II. Athens. QUINCE'S house.

Enter QUINCE, FLUTE, SNOUT, STARVELING, and SNUG.

QUINCE001 Masters, the duke is coming from the temple, and002 there is two or three lords and ladies more married:003 if our sport had gone forward, we had all been made004 men.

FLUTE005 O sweet bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost sixpence a006 day during his life;

Enter BOTTOM.

QUINCE007 Bottom! O most courageous day! O most happy hour!

BOTTOM008 Masters, I am to discourse wonders: but ask me not

what; for if I tell you, I am no true Athenian.

Exeunt.

40ACT V

SCENE I. Athens. The palace of THESEUS.

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PUCK (dressed as a philostrate), and lords and attendants (TITANIA’S FAIRIES and OBERON’S FAIRIES) in a procession.

HIPPOLYTA001 ‘Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of.002 And all their minds transfigured so together,003 More witnesseth than fancy’s images004 And grows to something of great constancy,005 But, howsoever, strange and admirable.

THESEUS006 Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend007 More than cool reason ever comprehends.008 [Reads] 'A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus009 And his love Thisbe; very tragical mirth.'010 Merry and tragical! tedious and brief!011 How shall we find the concord of this discord?

PUCK012 A play there is, my lord, some ten words long,013 Which is as brief as I have known a play;014 But by ten words, my lord, it is too long,015 Which makes it tedious; for in all the play016 There is not one word apt, one player fitted:017 And tragical, my noble lord, it is;018 For Pyramus therein doth kill himself.019 Which, when I saw rehearsed, I must confess,020 Made mine eyes water; but more merry tears021 The passion of loud laughter never shed.

THESEUS022 What are they that do play it?

PUCK023 Hard-handed men that work in Athens here,024 Which never labour'd in their minds till now,

THESEUS025 I will hear that play;026 For never anything can be amiss,027 When simpleness and duty tender it.028 The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing.

41

PUCK029 So please your grace, the Prologue is address'd.

THESEUS030 Let him approach.

Flourish of trumpets. Enter PROLOGUE (QUINCE) and WALL (SNOUT).

PROLOGUE031 If we offend, it is with our good will.032 That you should think, we come not to offend,033 But with good will. To show our simple skill,034 That is the true beginning of our end.

WALL035 In this same interlude it doth befall036 That I, one Snout by name, present a wall;037 And such a wall, as I would have you think,038 That had in it a crannied hole or chink,039 This loam, this rough-cast and this stone doth show040 That I am that same wall; the truth is so:041 And this the cranny is, right and sinister,042 Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.

THESEUS043 Would you desire lime and hair to speak better?

DEMETRIUS044 It is the wittiest partition that ever I heard045 discourse, my lord.

Enter PYRAMUS (BOTTOM).

THESEUS046 Pyramus draws near the wall: silence!

PYRAMUS047 O grim-look'd night! O night with hue so black!048 O night, which ever art when day is not!049 O night, O night! alack, alack, alack,050 I fear my Thisbe's promise is forgot!051 And thou, O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall,052 That stand'st between her father's ground and mine!

42053 Thou wall, O wall, O sweet and lovely wall,054 Show me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne!

[Holds up his fingers.]055 Thanks, courteous wall: Jove shield thee well for this!056 But what see I? No Thisbe do I see.057 O wicked wall, through whom I see no bliss!058 Cursed be thy stones for thus deceiving me!

THESEUS059 The wall, methinks, being sensible, should curse again.

PYRAMUS060 No, in truth, sir, he should not. 'Deceiving me'061 is Thisbe's cue: she is to enter now, and I am to062 spy her through the wall. You shall see, it will063 fall pat as I told you. Yonder she comes.

Enter THISBE (FLUTE).

THISBE064 O wall, full often hast thou heard my moans,065 For parting my fair Pyramus and me!066 My cherry lips have often kiss'd thy stones,067 Thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee.

PYRAMUS068 I see a voice: now will I to the chink,069 To spy an I can hear my Thisbe's face. Thisbe!

THISBE070 My love thou art, my love I think.

PYRAMUS071 Think what thou wilt, I am thy lover's grace;072 And, like Limander, am I trusty still.

THISBE073 And I like Helen, till the Fates me kill.

PYRAMUS074 O kiss me through the hole of this vile wall!

THISBE075 I kiss the wall's hole, not your lips at all.

43PYRAMUS

076 Wilt thou at Ninny's tomb meet me straightway?

THISBE077 'Tide life, 'tide death, I come without delay.

Exeunt Pyramus and Thisbe.

WALL078 Thus have I, Wall, my part discharged so;079 And, being done, thus Wall away doth go.

Exit.

THESEUS080 Now is the mural down between the two neighbours.

DEMETRIUS081 No remedy, my lord, when walls are so wilful to hear082 without warning.

HIPPOLYTA083 This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard.

THESEUS084 The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst085 are no worse, if imagination amend them.

HIPPOLYTA086 It must be your imagination then, and not theirs.

THESEUS087 If we imagine no worse of them than they of088 themselves, they may pass for excellent men. Here089 come two noble beasts in, a man and a lion.

Enter LION (SNUG) and Moonshine (STARVELING).

LION090 You, ladies, you, whose gentle hearts do fear091 The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor,092 May now perchance both quake and tremble here,093 When lion rough in wildest rage doth roar.094 Then know that I, one Snug the joiner, am095 A lion-fell, nor else no lion's dam;096 For, if I should as lion come in strife097 Into this place, 'twere pity on my life.

44

THESEUS098 A very gentle beast, of a good conscience.

DEMETRIUS099 The very best at a beast, my lord, that e'er I saw.

LYSANDER100 This lion is a very fox for his valour.

THESEUS101 True; and a goose for his discretion.

DEMETRIUS102 Not so, my lord; for his valour cannot carry his103 discretion; and the fox carries the goose.

THESEUS104 His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his valour;105 for the goose carries not the fox. It is well:106 leave it to his discretion, and let us listen to the moon.

MOONSHINE107 This lanthorn doth the horned moon present;108 Myself the man i' the moon do seem to be.

THESEUS109 This is the greatest error of all the rest: the man110 should be put into the lanthorn. How is it else the111 man i' the moon?

HIPPOLYTA112 I am aweary of this moon: would he would change!

THESEUS113 It appears, by his small light of discretion, that114 he is in the wane; but yet, in courtesy, in all115 reason, we must stay the time.

LYSANDER116 Proceed, Moon.

MOONSHINE117 All that I have to say, is, to tell you that the118 lanthorn is the moon; I, the man in the moon; this119 thorn-bush, my thorn-bush; and this dog, my dog.

45

DEMETRIUS120 Why, all these should be in the lanthorn; for all121 these are in the moon. But, silence! here comes Thisbe.

Enter THISBE (FLUTE).

THISBE122 This is old Ninny's tomb. Where is my love?

LION123 [Roaring] Oh—

THISBE (FLUTE) runs off.

DEMETRIUS124 Well roared, Lion.

THESEUS125 Well run, Thisbe.

HIPPOLYTA126 Well shone, Moon. Truly, the moon shines with a

good grace.

LION (SNUG) shakes THISBE’s (FLUTE's) mantle, and exits.

THESEUS127 Well moused, Lion.

LYSANDER128 And so the lion vanished.

DEMETRIUS129 And then came Pyramus.

Enter PYRAMUS (BOTTOM).

PYRAMUS130 Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams;131 I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright;132 For, by thy gracious, golden, glittering gleams,133 I trust to take of truest Thisbe sight.134 But stay, O spite!135 But mark, poor knight,

46136 What dreadful dole is here!137 O dainty duck! O dear!138 Thy mantle good,139 What, stain'd with blood!

PYRAMUS140 O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame?141 Since lion vile hath here deflower'd my dear:142 Which is--no, no--which was the fairest dame143 Come, tears, confound;144 Out, sword, and wound145 The pap of Pyramus;

Stabs himself.146 Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.147 Now am I dead,148 Now am I fled;149 My soul is in the sky:150 Tongue, lose thy light;151 Moon take thy flight:

Exit MOONSHINE (STARVELING).

PYRAMUS152 Now die, die, die, die, die.

Dies.

THISBE153 Asleep, my love?154 What, dead, my dove?155 O Pyramus, arise!156 Speak, speak. Quite dumb?157 Dead, dead? A tomb158 Must cover thy sweet eyes.159 Tongue, not a word:160 Come, trusty sword;161 Come, blade, my breast imbrue:

Stabs herself.162 And, farewell, friends;163 Thus Thisbe ends:164 Adieu, adieu, adieu.

Dies.

BOTTOM165 [Starting up] Will it please you to see the166 epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance between two167 of our company?

47THESEUS

168 No epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no169 excuse.170 The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve:171 Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time.172 I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn173 As much as we this night have overwatch'd.174 A fortnight hold we this solemnity,175 In nightly revels and new jollity.

Exeunt.

Enter PUCK.

PUCK176 Now it is the time of night177 That the graves all gaping wide,178 Every one lets forth his sprite.

Enter OBERON and TITANIA. TITANIA’S FAIRIES and OBERON’S FAIRIES transform from attendants into their fairy forms.

OBERON179 Through the house give gathering light,180 By the dead and drowsy fire:181 Every elf and fairy sprite182 Hop as light as bird from brier;183 And this ditty, after me,184 Sing, and dance it trippingly.

TITANIA185 First, rehearse your song by rote186 To each word a warbling note:187 Hand in hand, with fairy grace,188 Will we sing, and bless this place.

Exeunt OBERON, TITANIA, and TITANIA’S FAIRIES and OBERON’S FAIRIES.

PUCK189 If we shadows have offended,190 Think but this, and all is mended,191 That you have but slumber'd here192 While these visions did appear.

Enter LYSANDER, HERMIA, HELENA, and DEMETRIUS.

48LYSANDER, HERMIA, HELENA, AND DEMETRIUS

193 And this weak and idle theme,194 No more yielding but a dream,

Enter BOTTOM, QUINCE, FLUTE, SNOUT, SNUG, and STARVELING.

BOTTOM195 [Forgetting, but proud] Something! Say I something! Something, oh, I should say!

QUINCE, FLUTE, SNOUT, SNUG, AND STARVELING196 [Overlapped adlibs] Hang us, every mother’s son. / Woe is me … / 197 What hast thou done? / You ass! / [Face palm gesture.]

PUCK198 Gentles, do not reprehend.

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, and EGEUS.

THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, AND EGEUS199 If you pardon, we will mend.

PUCK200 And, as I am an honest Puck,

Enter OBERON, THE YOUNG FAIRY, and TITANIA.

OBERON, THE YOUNG FAIRY, AND TITANIA201 If we have unearned luck

Enter TITANIA’S FAIRIES and OBERON’S FAIRIES.

TITANIA’S FAIRIES AND OBERON’S FAIRIES202 Now to ‘scape the serpent’s tongue,203 We will make amends ere long.

PUCK204 Else the Puck a liar call.

ALL205 So good night unto you all.206 Give us your hands if we be friends,

PUCK207 And Robin shall restore amends.

The end.