The Sources and Analogues of 'A Midsummer-Night's Dream'/The Legend of Pyramus and Thisbe
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The Legend of Pyramus and Thisbe
[edit]From Arthur Golding's translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses (1575), Book IV, ff. 52-3.
- Within the town (of whose huge walls so monstrous high and thick,
- The fame is given Semiramis for making them of brick)
- Dwelt hard together two young folk, in houses joined so near,
- That under all one roof well nigh both twain conveyéd were.
- The name of him was Pyramus, and Thisbe call'd was she,
- So fair a man in all the East was none alive as he.
- Nor ne'er a woman, maid, nor wife in beauty like to her.
- This neighbourhood bred acquaintance first, this neighbourhood first did stir
- The secret sparks: this neighbourhood first an entrance in did show
- For love, to come to that to which it afterward did grow.
- And if that right had taken place they had been man and wife,
- But still their parents went about to let[1] which (for their life)
- They could not let. For both their hearts with equal flame did burn.
- No man was privy to their thoughts. And for to serve their turn,
- Instead of talk they uséd signs: the closelier they suppressed
- The fire of love, the fiercer still it ragéd in their breast.
- The wall that parted house from house had riven therein a cranny,
- Which shrunk at making of the wall: this fault not marked of any
- Of many hundred years before (what doth not love espy?)
- These lovers first of all found out, and made a way whereby
- To talk together secretly, and through the same did go
- Their loving whisp'rings very light and safely to and fro.
- Now as at one side Pyramus, and Thisbe on the tother
- Stood often drawing one of them the pleasant breath from other:
- O spiteful wall (said they) why dost thou part us lovers thus?
- What matter were it if that thou permitted both of us
- In arms each other to embrace? or if thou think that this
- Were over-much, yet mightest thou at least make room to kiss.
- And yet thou shalt not find us churls: we think ourselves in debt
- For the same piece of courtesy, in vouching safe[2] to let
- Our sayings to our friendly ears thus freely come and go.
- Thus having where they stood in vain complainéd of their woe,
- When night drew near they bade adieu, and each gave kisses sweet
- Unto the parget[3] on their side the which did never meet.
- Next morning with her cheerful light had driven the stars aside,
- And Phoebus with his burning beams the dewy grass had dried,
- These lovers at their wonted place by fore-appointment met,
- Where after much complaint and moan they covenanted to get
- Away from such as watchéd them, and in the evening late
- To steal out of their fathers' house and eke the city gate.
- And to th' intent that in the fields they strayed not up and down,
- They did agree at Ninus' tomb to meet without the town,
- And tarry underneath a tree that by the same did grow;
- Which was a fair high mulberry with fruit as white as snow,
- Hard by a cool and trickling spring. This bargain pleased them both,
- And so daylight (which to their thought away but slowly go'th)
- Did in the Ocean fall to rest, and night from thence doth rise.
- As soon as darkness once was come, straight Thisbe did devise
- A shift to wind her out of doors, that none that were within
- Perceivéd her; and muffling her with clothes about her chin,
- That no man might discern her face, to Ninus' tomb she came
- Unto the tree, and set her down there underneath the same.
- Love made her bold. But see the chance, there comes besmeared with blood
- About the chaps, a lioness all foaming from the wood,
- From slaughter lately made of kine to staunch her bloody thirst
- With water of the foresaid spring. Whom Thisbe, spying first
- Afar by moonlight, thereupon with fearful steps gan fly
- And in a dark and irksome cave did hide herself thereby.
- And as she fled away for haste she let her mantle fall,
- The which for fear she left behind not looking back at all.
- Now when the cruel lioness her thirst had staunchéd well,
- In going to the wood she found the slender weed that fell
- From Thisbe, which with bloody teeth in pieces she did tear.
- The night was somewhat further spent ere Pyramus came there.
- Who seeing in this subtle sand the print of lion's paw,
- Waxed pale for fear. But when that he the bloody mantle saw
- All rent and torn; one night (he said) shall lovers two confound,
- Of which long life deservèd she of all that live on ground.
- My soul deserves of this mischance the peril for to bear.
- I, wretch, have been the death of thee, which to this place of fear
- Did cause thee in the night to come, and came not here before.
- My wicked limbs and wretched guts with cruel teeth therefore
- Devour ye, O ye lions all that in this rock do dwell.
- But cowards use to wish for death. The slender weed that fell
- From Thisbe up he takes, and straight doth bear it to the tree,
- Which was appointed erst the place of meeting for to be.
- And when he had bewept and kissed the garment which he knew,
- Receive thou my blood too (quoth he), and therewithal he drew
- His sword, the which among his guts he thrust, and by and by
- Did draw it from the bleeding wound, beginning for to die,
- And cast himself upon his back. The blood did spin on high
- As when a conduit pipe is cracked, the water bursting out
- Doth shoot itself a great way off, and pierce the air about.
- The leaves that were upon the tree besprinkled with his blood
- Were dyéd black. The root also, bestained as it stood
- A deep dark purple colour, straight upon the berries cast,
- Anon scarce ridded of her fear with which she was aghast,
- For doubt of disappointing him comes Thisbe forth in haste,
- And for her lover looks about, rejoicing for to tell
- How hardly she had 'scaped that night the danger that befell.
- And as she knew right well the place and fashion of the tree
- (As which she saw so late before) even so when she did see
- The colour of the berries turned, she was uncertain whether
- It were the tree at which they both agreed to meet together.
- While in this doubtful stound[4] she stood, she cast her eye aside,
- And there beweltered in his blood her lover she espied
- Lie sprawling with his dying limbs; at which she started back,
- And lookéd pale as any box; a shuddering through her strack,
- Even like the sea which suddenly with whissing noise doth move,
- When with a little blast of wind it is but touched above.
- But when approaching nearer him she knew it was her love,
- She beat her breast, she shriekéd out, she tare her golden hairs,
- And taking him between her arms did wash his wounds with tears;
- She meint[5] her weeping with his blood, and kissing all his face
- (Which now became aa cold as ice) she cried in woeful case:
- Alas! what chance, my Pyramus hath parted thee and me?
- Make answer, O my Pyramus: it is thy Thisbe, even she
- Whom thou dost love most heartily that speaketh unto thee:
- Give ear and raise thy heavy head. He, hearing Thisbe's name,
- Lift up his dying eyes, and, having seen her, closed the same.
- But when she knew her mantle there, and saw his scabbard lie
- Without the sword: Unhappy man, thy love had made thee die;
- Thy love (she said) hath made thee slay thyself. This hand of mine
- Is strong enough to do the like. My love no less than thine
- Shall give me force to work my wound. I will pursue thee dead,
- And, wretched woman as I am, it shall of me be said,
- That like as of thy death I was the only cause and blame,
- So am I thy companion eke and partner in the same.
- For death which only could, alas! asunder part us twain,
- Shall never so dissever us but we will meet again.
- And you the parents of us both, most wretched folk alive,
- Let this request that I shall make in both our names belyve[6]
- Entreat you to permit that we, whom chaste and steadfast love,
- And whom even death hath joined in one, may, as it doth behove,
- In one grave be together laid. And thou unhappy tree,
- Which shroudest now the corse of one, and shalt anon through me
- Shroud two, of this same slaughter hold the sicker[7] signs for ay
- Black be the colour of thy fruit and mourning-like alway,
- Such as the murder of us twain may evermore bewray.
- This said, she took the sword, yet warm with slaughter of her love,
- And setting it beneath her breast did to the heart it shove.
- Her prayer with the gods and with their parents took effect,
- For when the fruit is throughly ripe, the berry is bespect[8]
- With colour tending to a black. And that which after fire
- Remainéd, rested in one tomb as Thisbe did desire