Midsummer Night's Dream (1918) Yale/Text/Act III
ACT THIRD
Scene One
[The Wood. Titania lying asleep]
Enter the Clowns [Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling].
Bot. Are we all met?
Quin. Pat, pat; and here's a marvellous con-
venient place for our rehearsal. This green plot
shall be our stage, this hawthorn-brake our4
tiring-house; and we will do it in action as we
will do it before the duke.
Bot. Peter Quince,—
Quin. What sayst thou, bully Bottom?8
Bot. There are things in this comedy of
Pyramus and Thisby that will never please.
First, Pyramus must draw a sword to kill him-
self, which the ladies cannot abide. How answer
you that?13
Snout. By 'r lakin, a parlous fear.
Star. I believe we must leave the killing out,
when all is done.16
Bot. Not a whit: I have a device to make all
well. Write me a prologue; and let the prologue
seem to say, we will do no harm with our swords,
and that Pyramus is not killed indeed; and,20
for the more better assurance, tell them that I,
Pyramus, am not Pyramus, but Bottom the
weaver: this will put them out of fear.
Quin. Well, we will have such a prologue, and
it shall be written in eight and six.25
Bot. No, make it two more: let it be written
in eight and eight.
Snout. Will not the ladies be afeard of the
lion?29
Star. I fear it, I promise you.
Bot. Masters, you ought to consider with
yourselves: to bring in,—God shield us!—a lion
among ladies, is a most dreadful thing; for there
is not a more fearful wild-fowl than your lion
living, and we ought to look to it.
Snout. Therefore, another prologue must tell
he is not a lion.37
Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and half
his face must be seen through the lion's neck;
and he himself must speak through, saying thus,
or to the same defect, 'Ladies,' or, 'Fair ladies,'
'I would wish you,' or, 'I would request you,' or,42
'I would entreat you, not to fear, not to tremble:
my life for yours. If you think I come hither as
a lion, it were pity of my life: no, I am no such
thing: I am a man as other men are'; and there
indeed let him name his name, and tell them
plainly he is Snug the joiner.48
Quin. Well, it shall be so. But there is two
hard things, that is, to bring the moonlight
into a chamber; for, you know, Pyramus and
Thisby meet by moonlight.52
Snug. Doth the moon shine that night we
play our play?
Bot. A calendar, a calendar! look in the
almanac; find out moonshine, find out moon-
shine.57
Quin. Yes, it doth shine that night.
Bot. Why, then may you leave a casement
of the great chamber-window, where we play,
open; and the moon may shine in at the case-
ment.62
Quin. Ay; or else one must come in with a
bush of thorns and a lantern, and say he comes
to disfigure, or to present, the person of Moon-
shine. Then, there is another thing: we must
have a wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus
and Thisby, says the story, did talk through the
chink of a wall.69
Snug. You can never bring in a wall. What
say you, Bottom?
Bot. Some man or other must present Wall;
and let him have some plaster, or some loam, or
some rough-cast about him, to signify wall; and
let him hold his fingers thus, and through that
cranny shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper.76
Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come,
sit down, every mother's son, and rehearse your
parts. Pyramus, you begin: when you have
spoken your speech, enter into that brake; and
so every one according to his cue.81
Enter Robin [behind].
Puck. What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here,
So near the cradle of the fairy queen?
What! a play toward; I'll be an auditor;84
An actor too perhaps, if I see cause.
Quin. Speak, Pyramus.—Thisby, stand forth.
Bot. Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet,—
Quin. Odorous, odorous.88
Bot. —odours savours sweet:
So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear.
But hark, a voice! stay thou but here awhile,
And by and by I will to thee appear.— Exit.
Puck. —A stranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here!
Flu. Must I speak now?
Quin. Ay, marry, must you; for you must
understand, he goes but to see a noise that he
heard, and is to come again.97
Flu. Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue,
Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier,
Most brisky juvenal, and eke most lovely Jew,
As true as truest horse that yet would never tire,101
I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.
Quin. 'Ninus' tomb,' man. Why, you must
not speak that yet; that you answer to Pyra-
mus: you speak all your part at once, cues and
all. Pyramus, enter: your cue is past; it is
'never tire.'
Flu. O!—As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire.108
[Enter Puck, and Bottom with an ass's head.]
Bot. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine.
Quin. O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted.
Pray, masters! fly, masters!—Help!
Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round,112
Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier:
Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn,116
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.
Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery
of them to make me afeard.
Enter Snout.
Snout. O Bottom, thou art changed! what do
I see on thee?121
Bot. What do you see? you see an ass-head
of your own, do you?[Exit Snout.]
Enter Peter Quince.
Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou
art translated.Exit.
Bot. I see their knavery: this is to make an
ass of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will127
not stir from this place, do what they can: I
will walk up and down here, and I will sing,
that they shall hear I am not afraid.
'The ousel-cock, so black of hue,
With orange-tawny bill,132
The throstle with his note so true,
The wren with little quill.'
Tita. [Awaking.] What angel wakes me from
my flowery bed?136
Bot.'The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,
The plain-song cuckoo gray,
Whose note full many a man doth mark,
And dares not answer, nay;'140
for indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a
bird? who would give a bird the lie, though he
cry 'cuckoo' never so?
Tita. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again:
Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note;145
So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;
And thy fair virtue's force, perforce, doth move me,
On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee.
Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have149
little reason for that: and yet, to say the truth,
reason and love keep little company together
now-a-days. The more the pity, that some
honest neighbours will not make them friends.
Nay, I can gleek upon occasion.154
Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
Bot. Not so, neither; but if I had wit enough
to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve
mine own turn.
Tita. Out of this wood do not desire to go:
Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.
I am a spirit of no common rate;161
The summer still doth tend upon my state;
And I do love thee: therefore, go with me;
I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee,164
And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep,
And sing, while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep:
And I will purge thy mortal grossness so
That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.168
Pease-blossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustard-seed!
Enter four Fairies.
Peas. Ready.
Cob.And I.
Moth.And I.
Mus.And I.
All Four.Where shall we go?
Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman;
Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes;172
Feed him with apricocks and dewberries,
With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries.
The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees,
And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs,176
And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes,
To have my love to bed, and to arise;
And pluck the wings from painted butterflies
To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes:180
Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.
Peas. Hail, mortal!
Cob. Hail!
Moth. Hail!184
Mus. Hail!
Bot. I cry your worships mercy, heartily: I
beseech your worship's name.
Cob. Cobweb.188
Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance,
good Master Cobweb: if I cut my finger, I shall
make bold with you. Your name, honest gen-
tleman?192
Peas. Pease-blossom.
Bot. I pray you, commend me to Mistress
Squash, your mother, and to Master Peascod,
your father. Good Master Pease-blossom, I
shall desire you of more acquaintance too.
Your name, I beseech you, sir?198
Mus. Mustard-seed.
Bot. Good Master Mustard-seed, I know your
patience well: that same cowardly, giant-like
ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of202
your house. I promise you, your kindred hath
made my eyes water ere now. I desire you of
more acquaintance, good Master Mustard-seed.
Tita. Come, wait upon him; lead him to my bower.206
The moon, methinks, looks with a watery eye;
And when she weeps, weeps every little flower,
Lamenting some enforced chastity.
Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently.210
Scene Two
[Another Part of the Wood]
Enter King of Fairies, solus.
Obe. I wonder if Titania be awak'd;
Then, what it was that next came in her eye,
Which she must dote on in extremity.
Enter Puck.
Here comes my messenger.
How now, mad spirit!4
What night-rule now about this haunted grove?
Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love.
Near to her close and consecrated bower,
While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,8
A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,
That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
Were met together to rehearse a play
Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day.12
The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort,
Who Pyramus presented in their sport,
Forsook his scene, and enter'd in a brake:
When I did him at this advantage take,16
An ass's nowl I fixed on his head:
Anon his Thisbe must be answered,
And forth my mimick comes. When they him spy,
As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,20
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
Rising and cawing at the gun's report,
Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky;
So, at his sight, away his fellows fly,24
And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls;
He murder cries, and help from Athens calls.
Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus strong,27
Made senseless things begin to do them wrong;
For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch;
Some sleeves, some hats, from yielders all things catch.
I led them on in this distracted fear,
And left sweet Pyramus translated there;32
When in that moment, so it came to pass,
Titania wak'd and straightway lov'd an ass.
Obe. This falls out better than I could devise.
But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes36
With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?
Puck. I took him sleeping,—that is finish'd too,—
And the Athenian woman by his side;
That, when he wak'd, of force she must be ey'd.40
Enter Demetrius and Hermia.
Obe. Stand close: this is the same Athenian.
Puck. This is the woman; but not this the man.
Dem. O! why rebuke you him that loves you so?
Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.44
Her. Now I but chide; but I should use thee worse,
For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse.
If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,
Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,
And kill me too.49
The sun was not so true unto the day
As he to me. Would he have stol'n away
From sleeping Hermia? I'll believe as soon52
This whole earth may be bor'd, and that the moon
May through the centre creep, and so displease
Her brother's noontide with the Antipodes.
It cannot be but thou hast murder'd him;56
So should a murderer look, so dead, so grim.
Dem. So should the murder'd look, and so should I,
Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty;
Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear,
As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.61
Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is he?
Ah! good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?
Dem. I had rather give his carcass to my hounds.64
Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'st me past the bounds
Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him then?
Henceforth be never number'd among men!
O! once tell true, tell true, e'en for my sake;68
Durst thou have look'd upon him being awake,
And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? O brave touch!
Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?
An adder did it; for with doubler tongue72
Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.
Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd mood:
I am not guilty of Lysander's blood,
Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.76
Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.
Dem. An if I could, what should I get therefore?
Her. A privilege never to see me more.
And from thy hated presence part I so;80
See me no more, whether he be dead or no.Exit.
Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein:
Here therefore for awhile I will remain.
So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow84
For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe;
Which now in some slight measure it will pay,
If for his tender here I make some stay.Lie down.
Obe. What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite,88
And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight:
Of thy misprision must perforce ensue
Some true-love turn'd, and not a false turn'd true.
Puck. Then fate o'er-rules, that, one man holding troth,92
A million fail, confounding oath on oath.
Obe. About the wood go swifter than the wind,
And Helena of Athens look thou find:
All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer96
With sighs of love, that costs the fresh blood dear.
By some illusion see thou bring her here:
I'll charm his eyes against she do appear.
Puck. I go, I go; look how I go;100
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow.Exit.
Puck.Obe. Flower of this purple dye,
Puck. Hit with Cupid's archery,
Puck. Sink in apple of his eye.104
Puck. When his love he doth espy,
Puck. Let her shine as gloriously
Puck. As the Venus of the sky.
Puck. When thou wak'st, if she be by,108
Puck. Beg of her for remedy.
Enter Puck.
Puck. Captain of our fairy band,
Puck. Helena is here at hand,
Puck. And the youth, mistook by me,112
Puck. Pleading for a lover's fee.
Puck. Shall we their fond pageant see?
Puck. Lord, what fools these mortals be!
Puck.Obe. Stand aside: the noise they make116
Puck. Will cause Demetrius to awake.
Puck. Then will two at once woo one;
Puck. That must needs be sport alone;
Puck. And those things do best please me120
Puck. That befall preposterously.
Enter Lysander and Helena.
Lys. Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?
Scorn and derision never come in tears:
Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born,
In their nativity all truth appears.125
How can these things in me seem scorn to you,
Bearing the badge of faith to prove them true?
Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more.128
When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!
These vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er?
Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:
Your vows, to her and me, put in two scales,132
Will even weigh, and both as light as tales.
Lys. I had no judgment when to her I swore.
Hel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er.
Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.136
Dem. [Awaking.] O Helen! goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!
To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?
Crystal is muddy. O! how ripe in show139
Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow;
This pure congealed white, high Taurus' snow,
Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow
When thou hold'st up thy hand. O! let me kiss
This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss.144
Hel. O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent
To set against me for your merriment:
If you were civil and knew courtesy,
You would not do me thus much injury.148
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
But you must join in souls to mock me too?
If you were men, as men you are in show,
You would not use a gentle lady so;152
To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,
When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.
You both are rivals, and love Hermia,
And now both rivals, to mock Helena:156
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes
With your derision! none of noble sort
Would so offend a virgin, and extort160
A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport.
Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so;
For you love Hermia; this you know I know:
And here, with all good will, with all my heart,
In Hermia's love I yield you up my part:165
And yours of Helena to me bequeath,
Whom I do love, and will do to my death.
Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath.
Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none:
If e'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone.
My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourn'd,
And now to Helen it is home return'd,172
There to remain.
Lys.Helen, it is not so.
Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,
Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear.
Look! where thy love comes: yonder is thy dear.
Enter Hermia.
Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes,177
The ear more quick of apprehension makes;
Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,
It pays the hearing double recompense.180
Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found;
Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound.
But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?
Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go?184
Her. What love could press Lysander from my side?
Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide,
Fair Helena, who more engilds the night
Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light.188
Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know,
The hate I bare thee made me leave thee so?
Her. You speak not as you think: it cannot be.
Hel. Lo! she is one of this confederacy.192
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three
To fashion this false sport in spite of me.
Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid!
Have you conspir'd, have you with these contriv'd196
To bait me with this foul derision?
Is all the counsel that we two have shar'd,
The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent,
When we have chid the hasty-footed time200
For parting us, O! is all forgot?
All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Have with our needles created both one flower,204
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,
Both warbling of one song, both in one key,
As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds,
Had been incorporate. So we grew together,208
Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,
But yet an union in partition;
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem;
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;212
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,
Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:217
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,
Though I alone do feel the injury.
Her. I am amazed at your passionate words.
I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me.
Hel. Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,
To follow me and praise my eyes and face,
And made your other love, Demetrius,—224
Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,—
To call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare,
Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
Deny your love, so rich within his soul,229
And tender me, forsooth, affection,
But by your setting on, by your consent?
What though I be not so in grace as you,232
So hung upon with love, so fortunate,
But miserable most, to love unlov'd?
This you should pity rather than despise.
Her. I understand not what you mean by this.236
Hel. Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,
Make mouths upon me when I turn my back;
Wink each at other; hold the sweet jest up:
This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.240
If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
You would not make me such an argument.
But, fare ye well: 'tis partly mine own fault,
Which death or absence soon shall remedy.244
Lys. Stay, gentle Helena! hear my excuse:
My love, my life, my soul, fair Helena!
Hel. O excellent!
Her.Sweet, do not scorn her so.
Dem. If she cannot entreat, I can compel.248
Lys. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat:
Thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers.
Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do:
I swear by that which I will lose for thee,252
To prove him false that says I love thee not.
Dem. I say I love thee more than he can do.
Lys. If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.
Dem. Quick, come!
Her.Lysander, whereto tends all this?
Lys. Away, you Ethiop!
Dem.No, no, he'll . . .257
Seem to break loose; take on, as you would follow,
But yet come not: you are a tame man, go!
Lys. [To Hermia.] Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! vile thing, let loose,260
Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent.
Her. Why are you grown so rude? what change is this?
Sweet love,—
Lys.Thy love! out, tawny Tartar, out!
Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence!264
Her. Do you not jest?
Hel.Yes, sooth; and so do you.
Lys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee.
Dem. I would I had your bond, for I perceive
A weak bond holds you: I'll not trust your word.
Lys. What! should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead?269
Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.
Her. What! can you do me greater harm than hate?
Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love?272
Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander?
I am as fair now as I was erewhile.
Since night you lov'd me; yet, since night you left me:
Why, then you left me,—O, the gods forbid!—
In earnest, shall I say?
Lys.Ay, by my life;277
And never did desire to see thee more.
Therefore be out of hope, of question, doubt;
Be certain, nothing truer: 'tis no jest,280
That I do hate thee and love Helena.
Her. O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!
You thief of love! what! have you come by night
And stol'n my love's heart from him?
Hel.Fine, i' faith!
Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,285
No touch of bashfulness? What! will you tear
Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?
Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet you!288
Her. Puppet! why, so: ay, that way goes the game.
Now I perceive that she hath made compare
Between our statures: she hath urg'd her height;
And with her personage, her tall personage,292
Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.
And are you grown so high in his esteem,
Because I am so dwarfish and so low?
How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak;
How low am I? I am not yet so low297
But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.
Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen,
Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;300
I have no gift at all in shrewishness;
I am a right maid for my cowardice:
Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think,
Because she is something lower than myself,304
That I can match her.
Her.Lower! hark, again.
Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me.
I evermore did love you, Hermia,
Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you;
Save that, in love unto Demetrius,309
I told him of your stealth unto this wood.
He follow'd you; for love I follow'd him;
But he hath chid me hence, and threaten'd me
To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too:313
And now, so you will let me quiet go,
To Athens will I bear my folly back,
And follow you no further: let me go:316
You see how simple and how fond I am.
Her. Why, get you gone. Who is 't that hinders you?
Hel. A foolish heart, that I leave here behind.
Her. What! with Lysander?
Hel.With Demetrius.
Lys. Be not afraid: she shall not harm thee, Helena.321
Dem. No, sir; she shall not, though you take her part.
Hel. O! when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd.
She was a vixen when she went to school:324
And though she be but little, she is fierce.
Her. 'Little' again! nothing but 'low' and 'little'!
Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?
Let me come to her.
Lys.Get you gone, you dwarf;328
You minimus, of hindering knot-grass made;
You bead, you acorn!
Dem.You are too officious
In her behalf that scorns your services.
Let her alone; speak not of Helena;332
Take not her part, for, if thou dost intend
Never so little show of love to her,
Thou shalt aby it.
Lys.Now she holds me not;
Now follow, if thou dar'st, to try whose right,
Or thine or mine, is most in Helena.337
Dem. Follow! nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jole.
Her. You, mistress, all this coil is long of you:
Nay, go not back.
Hel.I will not trust you, I,340
Nor longer stay in your curst company.
Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray,
My legs are longer though, to run away.[Exit.]
Her. I am amaz'd, and know not what to say.[Exit.]
Obe. This is thy negligence: still thou mistak'st,345
Or else commit'st thy knaveries wilfully.
Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook.
Did not you tell me I should know the man348
By the Athenian garments he had on?
And so far blameless proves my enterprise,
That I have 'nointed an Athenian's eyes;
And so far am I glad it so did sort,352
As this their jangling I esteem a sport.
Obe. Thou see'st these lovers seek a place to fight:
Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night;
The starry welkin cover thou anon356
With drooping fog as black as Acheron;
And lead these testy rivals so astray,
As one come not within another's way.
Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue,
Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong;361
And sometime rail thou like Demetrius;
And from each other look thou lead them thus,
Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep
With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep:
Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye;
Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,
To take from thence all error with his might,368
And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight.
When they next wake, all this derision
Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision;
And back to Athens shall the lovers wend,372
With league whose date till death shall never end.
Whiles I in this affair do thee employ,
I'll to my queen and beg her Indian boy;
And then I will her charmed eye release376
From monster's view, and all things shall be peace.
Puck. My fairy lord, this must be done with haste,
For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast,
And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger;380
At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there,
Troop home to churchyards: damned spirits all,
That in cross-ways and floods have burial,
Already to their wormy beds are gone;384
For fear lest day should look their shames upon,
They wilfully themselves exile from light,
And must for aye consort with black-brow'd night.
Obe. But we are spirits of another sort.388
I with the morning's love have oft made sport;
And, like a forester, the groves may tread,
Even till the eastern gate, all fiery-red,
Opening on Neptune, with fair blessed beams392
Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams.
But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay:
We may effect this business yet ere day.
Puck. Up and down, up and down;396
Puck. I will lead them up and down:
Puck. I am fear'd in field and town;
Puck. Goblin, lead them up and down.
Here comes one.400
Enter Lysander.
Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius? speak thou now.
Puck. Here, villain! drawn and ready. Where art thou?
Lys. I will be with thee straight.
Puck.Follow me, then,
To plainer ground.
Enter Demetrius.
Dem.Lysander! speak again.404
Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?
Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head?
Puck. Thou coward! art thou bragging to the stars,
Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars,
And wilt not come? Come, recreant; come, thou child;409
I'll whip thee with a rod: he is defil'd
That draws a sword on thee.
Dem.Yea, art thou there?
Puck. Follow my voice: we'll try no manhood here.
[Enter Lysander.]
Lys. He goes before me and still dares me on:
When I come where he calls, then he is gone.
The villain is much lighter-heel'd than I:
I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly;416
That fallen am I in dark uneven way,
And here will rest me.Lie down.
Come, thou gentle day!
For if but once thou show me thy grey light,
I'll find Demetrius and revenge this spite.420
Enter Robin and Demetrius.
Puck. Ho! ho! ho! Coward, why com'st thou not?
Dem. Abide me, if thou dar'st; for well I wot
Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place,
And dar'st not stand, nor look me in the face.
Where art thou now?
Puck.Come hither: I am here.
Dem. Nay then, thou mock'st me. Thou shalt buy this dear,
If ever I thy face by daylight see:
Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me428
To measure out my length on this cold bed:
By day's approach look to be visited.
Enter Helena.
Hel. O weary night! O long and tedious night,
Abate thy hours! shine, comforts, from the east!432
That I may back to Athens by daylight,
From these that my poor company detest:
And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye,
Steal me awhile from mine own company.436
Puck. Yet but three? Come one more;
Puck. Two of both kinds make up four.
Puck. Here she comes, curst and sad:
Puck. Cupid is a knavish lad,440
Puck. Thus to make poor females mad.
Enter Hermia.
Her. Never so weary, never so in woe,
Bedabbled with the dew and torn with briers,
I can no further crawl, no further go;444
My legs can keep no pace with my desires.
Here will I rest me till the break of day.
Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray!
Puck.On the ground448
Sleep sound:
I'll apply
To your eye,
Gentle lover, remedy.452
When thou wak'st,
Thou tak'st
True delight
In the sight456
Of thy former lady's eye:
And the country proverb known,
That every man should take his own,
In your waking shall be shown:460
Jack shall have Jill;
Nought shall go ill;
The man shall have his mare again,
And all shall be well.[Exit Puck.]
Footnotes to Act III
Scene One
Scene One S. d. Clowns: men of the lower class; also, comedians
5 tiring-house: dressing-room
8 bully: a friendly term equivalent to 'good old'
14 By 'r lakin: By Our Lady
parlous: perilous
25 eight and six: alternate verses of eight and six syllables
64 bush of thorns; cf. n.
82 hempen home-spuns: rude fellows
84 toward: in preparation
100 juvenal: an affected word for 'youth'
eke: also
115 fire: will o' the wisp
122, 123 you . . . own; cf. n.
131 ousel-cock: male blackbird
134 quill: note
138 plain-song; cf. n.
154 gleek: jest
169 Moth; cf. n.
186 cry . . . mercy: beg . . . pardon
195 Squash: unripe peapod
Peascod: peapod
209 enforced: violated
Scene Two
5 night-rule: diversion of the night
haunted: much frequented
7 close: secret
9 patches: clowns, fools
mechanicals: workingmen
13 barren sort: dull company
17 nowl: noddle, pate
21 russet-pated: grey-headed
choughs: jackdaws
25 our stamp; cf. n.
36 latch'd: moistened (?)
40 force: necessity
55 with: among
70 touch: exploit
71 worm: snake
74 on a mispris'd mood: in a mistaken anger (?)
87 tender: offer
90 misprision: mistake
96 cheer: face
97 costs . . . dear; cf. n.
99 against: in expectation of the time when
119 alone: having no equal
125 By their birth appear wholly true
129 Cf. n.
141 Taurus': lofty mountain range in Asiatic Turkey
157 trim: fine
160 extort: wrest away
175 aby: pay a penalty for
188 oes: small circular spangles; also, o's
194 spite: contempt
195 Injurious: insulting
203 artificial: skilled in constructive art
211 lovely: loving
213, 214 Cf. n.
215 rent: rend
237 sad: serious
239 hold . . . up: carry . . . on
242 argument: subject (of merriment)
257 Cf. n.
282 canker-blossom: worm that destroys the blossom
292 personage: figure
300 curst: savage
302 right: real
304 something: somewhat
329 minimus: diminutive creature
hindering knot-grass; cf. n.
333 intend: pretend
338 jole: jaw
339 coil: turmoil
long of: because of
352 sort: turn out
357 Acheron: one of the rivers of Hades
361 wrong: insult
367 virtuous: powerful
368 with his might: by its efficacy
389 the morning's love; cf. n.
402 drawn: with drawn sword
432 Abate: shorten
464 S. d. Act: intermission