Page:Midsummer Night's Dream (1918) Yale.djvu/22

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10
A Midsummer

Scene Two

[A Room in Quince's House]

Enter Quince the Carpenter, Snug the Joiner, Bottom the Weaver, Flute the Bellows-mender, Snout the Tinker, and Starveling the Tailor.

Quin. Is all our company here?

Bot. You were best to call them generally,
man by man, according to the scrip.3

Quin. Here is the scroll of every man's name,
which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play
in our interlude before the duke and the duchess
on his wedding-day at night.7

Bot. First, good Peter Quince, say what the
play treats on; then read the names of the
actors, and so grow to a point.10

Quin. Marry, our play is, The most lament-
able comedy, and most cruel death of, Pyramus
and Thisby.13

Bot. A very good piece of work, I assure you,
and a merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call
forth your actors by the scroll. Masters, spread
yourselves.17

Quin. Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom,
the weaver.

Bot. Ready. Name what part I am for, and
proceed.21

Quin. You, Nick Bottom, are set down for
Pyramus.

Bot. What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?

Quin. A lover, that kills himself most gal-
lantly for love.26

2 generally; cf. n.
3 scrip: written paper
11 Marry: an oath from the name of the Virgin Mary