Obe. Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this

Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA. grove,

Lys. Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood;
Tliou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love.-- And, to speak troth, I have forgot our way;
Re-enter Puck,

We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good,
Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer! And tarry for the comfort of the day.
Puck, Ay, there it is.

Her. Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed,
Obe. I pray thee, give it me.

For I upon this bank will rest my head.
Ihnow a bank, whereon the wild thyme blows, Lys. One turf shall serve as pillow for us both;
Where ox-lips and the nodding violet grows; One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth.
Quite over-canopied with lush woodbine,

Her. Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, my dear,
With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine:

Lie further ofl' yet, do not lie so near.
There sleeps Titania, some time of the night,

Lys, 0, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence;
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight; Love takes the meaning, in love's conference.
And there the snake throws her enamellid skin, I mean, that my heart unto your's is knit;
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in :

So that but one heart we can make of it:
And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes,

Two bosoms interchained with an oath; And make her full of hatef::l fantasies,

So then, two bosoms, and a single troth. Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove: Then, by your side no bed-room me deny; A sweet Athenian lady is in love

For, lying so, Hermia, I do not lie. With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes;

Iler. Lysander riddles very prettily.-But do it, when the next thing he espies

Now much beshrew my manners and my pride, May be the lady: thou shalt know the man

If Hermia meant to say, Lysander lied. By the Alhenian garments he hath on.

But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy Eirect it with some care, that he may prove

Lie further ofl'; in human modesty
Morefond on her, than she upon her love:

Such separation, as, may well be said,
And look, thou meet me ere the first cock crow! Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid:
Puck. Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so. So far be distant; and good night, sweet friend :

[Lxeunt. Thy love ne'er alter, tillthy sweet life end!
SCENE III. – Another part of the wood. Lys. Amen, amen to that fair prayer say I;
Enter Titania, with her train,

And then end life, when I end loyalty !
Tita. Come, now a roundel, and a fairy song! Here is my bed: Sleep give thee all his rest!
Then, for the third part of a minnte, hence!

Her. With half that wish the wisher's eyes be press'd!
Some, to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds;

[They sleep Some, war with rear-mice for their leathern wings,

Enter Puck,
To make my small elves coats; and some, keep back
The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots, and wonders Puck. Through the forest have I gone,

But Athenian found I none,
At our quaint spirits ! Sing me now asleep;

On whose eyes I might approve
Then to your offices, and let me rest!

This flower's force in stirring love.
SONG.

Night and silence! whois here? 1 Fai. You spotted snakes, with double tongue,

Weeds of Athens he doth wear:
Thorny hedge-hogs, be not seen;

This is he, my master said,
Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong;

Despised the Athenian maid;
Come not near our r fairy queen.

And here the maiden, sleeping sound,

On the dank and dirty ground.
Philomel, with melody,

Pretty soul! she durst not lie

Nearthis lack-love, kill-courtesy.
Sing in our sweet lullaby :
Lulla, lulla, lullaby ; lulla, lulla, lullaby:

Churl, upon thy eyes Ithrow
Never harm, nor spell nor charm,

All the power this charm doth owe:

When thou wak'st, let love forbid
Come our lovely lady nigh;
So, good night, with lullaby.

Sleep his seat on thy eye-lid.

So awake, when I am gone;
II.
For I must now to Oberon.

[Exit.
2 Fai. Weaving spiders, come not here!
llence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence!

Inter Demetrius and Helena, running.
Beetles black, approach not near!

Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius !
Worm, nor snail, do no offence!

Dem. I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus!
Hel. 0, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so.

Dem. Stay, on thy peril! I alone will go.
Philomel, with melody, ete.

(Exit Demetrius. 1 Fai. Hence, away! now all is well :

Hel. O, I am ont of breath in this fond chase!
One, aloof, stand centinel.

The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace.
(Exeunt Fairies. Titania sleeps. For she hath blessed and attractive eyes.

Happyis Hermia, wheresoe'er she lies;
Enter Oberon.

How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears:
Obe. What thou seest, when thou dost wake, If so, my eyes are oftener wash'd than hers.

{Squeezes the flower on Titania's eye-lids. No, no, Iam as ugly as a bear; Do it for thy true love take;

For beasts that meet me, run away for fear: Love, and languish for his sake :

Therefore, no marvel, though Demetrius! Beitounce, or cat, or bear,

Do, as a monster, fly my presencethus! Pard, or boar with bristled hair,

What wicked and dissembling glass of mine In thy eye that shall appear

Made me compare with llermia's sphery eyne?When thon wak’st, it is thy dear;

But who is here?-Lysander! on the ground ! Wake, when some vile thing is near. [Exit. Dead ? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound :

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Lysander, if you live, good sir, awakel !

and Thisby, that will never please. First, Pyramus Lys. And run through fire I will, for thy sweet sake, must draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies

Waking. cannot abide. How answer you that?
Transparent Helena! Nature here shows art,

Snout. By’rlakin, a parlous fear.
That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. Stcr. I believe, we must leave the killing out, when
Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word

all is done.
Is that vile name, to perish on my sword !

Bot. Not a whit: I have a device to make all well. Hel. Do not say so, Lysander; say not so! Write me a prologue: and let the prologue seem to say, What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what we will do no harm with our swords; and that Pyrathough?

mus is not killed indced: and, for the more better asYet Hermia still loves you: then be content ! surance, tell them, that I Pyramus am not Pyramus, Lys. Content with Hermia? No! I do repent but Bottom the weaver. This will put them out of fear. The tedious minutes I with her have spent.

Quin. Well, we will have such a prologue; and it Not Hermia, but Helena I love:

shall be written in eight and six. Who will not change a raven for a dove?

Bot. No, make it two more; let it be written in eight The will of man is by his reason sway'd;

and eight.
And reason says, you are the worthier maid.

Snout. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion ?
Things growing are not ripe until their season: Star. I fear it, I promise you.
So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason ;

Bot. Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves :
And touching now the point of human skill, to bring in, God shield us! a lion among ladies, is a
Reason becomes the marshall to my will,

most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful And leads me to your eyes; where I o'erlook wild-fowlthan your lion, living; and we ought to look Love's stories, written in love's richest book.

to it.
Hel. Wherefore was [to this keen mockery born? Snout. Therefore another prologue must tell, he is
When, at your hands, did I deserve this scorn? not a lion.
Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man,

Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and half his face
That I did never, no, nor never can,

must be seen throngh the lion's neck; and he himself Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius'eye,

must speak through, saying thus, or to the same But you must flout my insufficiency?

defect: Ladies, or fair ladies, I would wish you, or, Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do, I would request you, or, I would entreat you, not to In such disdainful manner me to woo.

fear, not to tremble; my life for yours. If you think But fare you well: perforce I must confess,

I come hither as a lion, it were pity of my life: no, I I thought you lord of more true gentleness.

am no such thing; I am a man as other men are. And O, that a lady, of one man refus’d,

there, indeed, let him name his name; and tell them
Should, of another, therefore be abus'd! [Exit. plainly, he is Snug the joiner.
Lys.She sees not Hermia:-Hermia,sleep thou there; Quin. Well, it shall be so. But there is two hard
And never may'st thou come Lysander near! things; that is, to bring the moon-light into a chamber:
For, as a surfeit of the sweetest things

for you know, Pyramus and Thisby meet by moon-
The deepest luathing to the stomach brings; light.
Or, as the heresies, that men do leave,

Snug. Doth the moon shine that night we play our Are hated most of those, they did deceive;

play? So thou, my surfeit, and my heresy,

Bot. A calendar, a calendar! look in the almanack; Of all be hated; but the most of me!

find out moon-shine, find out moon-shine! And all my powers, address your love and might, Quin. Yes, it doth shine that night. To honour Helen, and to be her knight! [Exit. Bot. Why, then you may leave a casement of the Her. [Starting.] Help me, Lysander, help me! do great chamber window, where we play, open; and the thy best,

moon may shine in at the casement. To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast! Quin. Ay; or else one must come in with a bush of Ah me, for pity!- what a dream was here!

thorns and a lanthorn, and say, he comes to disfigure, Lysander, look, how I do quake with fear!

or to present, the person of moon-shine. Then, there Methought a serpent eat my heart away,

is another thing: we must have a wall in the great And you sat smiling at his cruel prey :

chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby, says the story, did
Lysander ! what, remov'd? Lysander! lord ! talk through the chink of a wall.
What, ont of hearing? gone? no sound, no word ? Snug. You never can bring in a wall.—What say
Alack, where are you? speak, an if you hear;
Speak, of all loves; I swoon almost with fear!

Bot. Some man or other must present wall: and let
No ?—then I well perceive you are not nigh:

him have some plaster, or some lome, or some Either death, or you, I'll find immediately. [Exit. rough-cast about him, to signify wall; or let him hold

his fingers thus,and through that cranny shull Pyramus A CT

and Thisby whisper.

Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit
SCENE I.— The same. The Queen of Fairies lying down, every mother's son, and rehearse your parts !

asleep.
Enter Quince, Sxus, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and

Pyramus, you begin: when you have spoken your

speech,enter into that brake; and so every one accordSTARVELING. Bot. Are we all met?

ing to his cue.

Enter Puck behind. Quin. Pat, pat ; and here's a marvellous convenient Puck. What hempen home-spuns have we swagplace for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our

gering here, stage, this hawthorn

brake our tyring house; and we so near the cradle of the fairy queen? will do itin action, as we will do it before the duke.

What, a play toward ? I'll be an auditor;

An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause.
Quin. What say'st thou, bully Bottom?

Quin. Speak, Pyramus !—Thisby, stand forth!
Bot. There are things in this comedy of Pyramus! Þyr. Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet,-

a

a

a

yon, Bottom?

III.

Bot. Peter Quince,

a

a

Quin. Odours, odours !

them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion. Pyr. odours savours sweet :

Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
So doth thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear. Bot. Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough to get
But, hark, a voice! stay thou but here a while, out of this wood, I have enough to serve minc own turn.
And by and by I will to thee appear.

[Exit. Tita. Out of this wood do not desire to go; Puck. A stranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here! Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.

(Àside.-Exit. I am a spirit, of no common rate ; This. Must I speak now?

The summer still doth tend upon my state, Quin, Ay, marry, must yon: for you must under- And I do love thee: therefore, go with me; tand, he goes

to see a noise that he heard, and is I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee; to come again.

And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep,
This.Most radiant Pyramus,most lilye-white of hue, And sing, while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep:

Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier, And I will purge thy mortal grossness so,
Most briskly juvenal, and eke must lovely Jew,

That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.—
As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire, Peas-blossom ! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustard-seed !
I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.

Enter four Fairies.
Quin. Ninus tomb, man! Why, you must not speak 1 Fai. Ready.
that yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all 2 Fai. And I.
your part at once, cues and all. Pyramus, enter; your 3 Fai. And I.
cue is past; it is, never tire.

4 Fai. Where shall we go?
Re-enter Puck, and Bottom with an ass's head. Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman;
This. 0,-- As true as truest horse, that yet would Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes;
never tire.

Feed him with apricocks, and dewberries,
Pyr. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine :- With purple grapes, green sigs, and mulberries ;
Quin. O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted. The honey bags steal from the humble-bees,
Pray, masters! fly, masters! help! (Exeunt Clowns. And, for night tapers, crop their waxen thighs,
Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round, And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes,
Through bog, through bush, through brake, through To have my love to bed, and to arise;
brier;

And pluck the wings from painted butterflies,
Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,

To fan the moon-beams from his sleeping eyes:
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;

Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies !
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn, 1 Fai. Hail, mortal!
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.[Exit. 2 Fai. Hail !

Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery of 3 Fai. Hail!
them, to make me afeard.

4 Fai. Hail! Re-enter Srout.

Bot. I cry your worships mercy, heartily. – I be

seech, your worship's name. Snout. O, Bottom, thou art changed! what do I see

Cob. Cobweb. on thee? Bot. What do you see? you see an ass's head of your master Cobweb. If I cut my finger, I shall make bold

Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good own; do you?

with you. Your name, honest gentleman ? Re-enter Quince.

Peas. Peas-blossom. Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art trans- Bot. I pray you, commend me to Mrs Squash, your lated.

[Exit. mother, and to master Peas-cod, your father. Good Bot. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; master Peas-blossom, I shall desire you of more acto fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from quaintance too.-Your name, I beseech you,

sir? this place, do what they can: I will walk np and down Mus. Mustard-seed, here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your par afraid.

(Sings. tience well: that same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef

hath devoured many a gentleman of your house: I proThe ousel-cock, so black of hue, With orange tawney bill,

mise you, your

kindred hath made my eyes water ere The throstle with his note so true,

I desire you more acquaintance, good master

Mustardseed.
The wren with little quill;
Tita. Come, wait apon him; lead him to my

bower! Tita. What angel wakes me from my flowery bed? The moon, methinks, looks with a watery eye;

(Waking. And when she weeps, weeps every little fiower, Bot. The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,

Lamenting some enforced chastity.
The plain-song cuckoo gray,

Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently. (Exeunt.
Whose note full many a man doth mark,
And dares not answer, nay ;

SCENE II. – Another part of the wood.

Enter OBERON. for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? Obe. I wonder, if Titania be awak'd; who would give a bird the lie, though he cry cuckoo Then, what it was that next came in her eye, never so?

Which she must dote on in extremity. Tita. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again!

Enter Pock. Mine earis much enamour'd of thy note,

Here comes my messenger. — Ilow now, mad spirit,
So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;

What night-rnlenow about this haunted grove?
And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me, Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love.
On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee. Near to her close and consecrated bower,

Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little rea- While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,
son for that: and yet, to say the truth, reason and love A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,
keep little company together now-a-days. The more That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
the pity, that some honest neighbours will not make Were met together to rehearse a play,

now.

Their sense,

Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day.

Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein:
The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort, Here, therefore, for a while I will remain.
Who Pyramus presented, in their sport

So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow
Forsook his scene, and enter'd in a brake;

For debt, that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe;
When I did him at this advantage toke,

Which now, in some slight measure it will pay,
An ass's nowlI fixed on his head;

If for his tender here I make some stay. (Lies down.
Anon, his Thisbe must be answered,

Obe.What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite,
And forth my mimic comes: when they him spy, And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight :
As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,

Of thy misprision must perforce ensue
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,

Some true-love turn'd, and not a false turn'd true.
Rising and cawing at the gun's report,

Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; that, one man holding Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky:

troth,
So, at his sight, away his fellows fly;

A million fail, confounding oath on oath.
And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls; Obe. About the wood go swifter than the wind,
He murder cries, and help from Athens calls.

And Helena of Athens look thou find:
thus weak, lost with their fears, thus All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer
strong,

With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear :
Made senseless things begin to do them wrong: By some illusion see thou bring her here:
For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch;

I'll charm his eyes, against she do appear.
Some, sleeves; some, hats; from yielders all things Puck. I go, I go,; look, how I go;
I led them on in this distracted fear,

catch. Swister than arrow from the Tartar's bow. [Exit. And left sweet Pyramus translated there:

Obe. Flower of this purple die,
When in that moment (so it came to pass,)

Hit with Cupid's archery,
Titania wak’d, and straightway lov'd an ass.

Sink in apple of his eye!
Obe. This falls out better than I could devise.

When his love he doth espy,
But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes

Let her shine as gloriously,
With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

As the Venus of the sky.-
Puck. I took him sleeping, – that is finish'd too,- When thou wak'st, if she be by,
And the Athenian woman by his side;

Beg of her for remedy.
That, when he wak’d, of force she must be ey’d.

Re-enter Puck.
Enter DEMETRIUs and Hermia.

Puck. Captain of our fairy band,
Ohe. Stand close; this is the same Athenian.

Helena is here at hand;
Puck. This is the woman, but not this the man.

And the youth, mistook by me,
Dem. 0, why rebuke you him that loves you so ? Pleading for a lover's fee:
Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.

Shall we their fond pageant see?
Her. Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse;

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to`curse.

Obe. Stand aside: the noise, they make,
If thou hast slain Lysanderin his sleep,

Will cause Demetrius to awake.
Being o’er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,

Puck. Then willtwo at once woo one;
And kill me too.

That must needs be sport alone;
The sun was not so true unto the day,

And those things do best please me,
As he to me: would he have stol'n away

That befal preposterously.
From sleeping Hermia ? I'll believe as soon,

Enter LYSANDER and Helera.
This whole earth may be bor'd, and that the moon Lys. Why should you think, that I should woo in
May through the center creep, and so displease

scorn?
Her brother's noon-tide with the Antipodes.

Scorn and derision never come in tears :
It cannot be, but thou hast murder'd him;

Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born,
So should a murderer look; so dead, so grim! In their nativity all truth appears.
Dem. So should the murder'd look; and so should I, How can these thingsin me seem scorn to you,
Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty : Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?
Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear, Tel. You do advance your cunning more and more.
As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.

When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!
Her. What's this to my Lysander? Where is he? These vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er?
Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?

Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:
Dem. I had rather give his carcase to my hounds. Your vows, to her and me, putin two scales,
Her. Out, dog! out, cur ! thou driv’st me past the Will even weigh: and doth as light, as tales.
bounds

Lys. I had no judgment, when to her I swore.
Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him then? llel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er.
Henceforth be never number'd among men!

Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.
0! once tell true, tell true, even for my sake; Dem. (Awaking.] 0, Helen, goddess, nymph, per-
Durst thou have look'd upon him, being awake,

fect, divine
And hast thou kill'd him sleeping ? 0 brave touch! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?
Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?

Crystal is muddy: 0, how ripe in show
An adder did it; for with doubler tongue

Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow!
Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.

That pure congealed white, high Taurus’ snow,
Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris’d mood: Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow,
I am not guilty of Lysander's blood;

When thou hold'st up thy hand: 0, let me kiss
Noris he dead, for aught that I can tell.

This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss !
Her. I pray thee, tell me then, that he is well. Hel. o, spite ! O hell! I see you all are bent
Dem. An if I could, what should I get therefore?

To set against me, for your merriment.
Her. A privilege, never to see me more. —

If you were civil, and knew courtesy,
And from thy hated presence part I so:

You would not do me thus much injury.
See me no more, whether he be dead or no.

[Exit. Can you not hate me, as I know you do,

а

But you must join, in souls, to mock me too? Though I alone do feel the injury.
If you were men, as men you are in show,

Her. I am amazed at your passionate words:
You would not use a gentle lady so :

I scorn you not; it seems, that you scorn me. To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, Hel. Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn, When, I am sure, you hate me with your hearts. To follow me, and praise my eyes and face? You both are rivals, and love Hermia;

And made your other love, Demetrius, And now both rivals, to mock Helena:

(Who even but now did spurn me with his foot) Atrim exploit, a manly enterprise,

To call me goddess, nymph, divine, and rare, To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eye's,

Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks hethis With yourderision! none, of noble sort,

To her he hates ? and wherefore doth Lysander
Would so offend a virgin, and extort

Deny your love, so rich within his soul,
A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport. And tender me, forsooth, affection,
Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius ; bendt so; But by your setting on, by your consent?
For you love Hermia; this, you know, I know; What though I be not so in grace as you,
And here, with all good will, with all my heart, So huug upon with love, so fortunate;
In Hermia's love I yield you up my part;

But miserable most, to love unlov'd ?
And yours of Helena to me bequeath,

This you should pity, rather than despite.
Whom I do lore, and will do to my death.

Her. I understand not what you mean by this.
Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. Hel. Ay, do persever, counterfeit sad looks,
Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia! I will none: Make mows upon me, when I turn my back;
If e'er I lov’d her, all that love is gone.

Wink at each other; hold the sweet jest up:
My heart with her but, as guest-wise, sojourn'd; This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.
And now to Helen is it home return'd,

If you have any pity, grace, or manners, There to remain.

You would not make me such an argument. Lys. Helen, it is not so.

But, fare ye well : 'tis partly mine own fault;
Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Which death, or absence, soon shall remedy.
Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear. -

Lys. Stay, gentle Helena, hear my excuse;
Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear. My love, my life, my soul, fair Helena!
Enter HERMIA.

Hel. O excellent!
Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function Her. Sweet, do not scorn her so!

takes, Dem. If she cannot entreat, I can compel.
The ear more quick of apprehension makes; Lys. Thou canst compel no more, than she entreat;
Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,

Thy threats have no more strength, than her weak
It pays the hearing double recompense:

prayers. -
Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found; Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do;
Mine ear, I thankit, brought me to thy sound. I swear by that, which I will lose for thee,
But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?

To prove him false, that says I love thee not. Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press Dem. I say, I love thee more, than he can do. to go ?

Lys. If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.
Her. What love could press Lysander from my side? Dem. Quick, come-
Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide, Her. Lysander, whereto tends all this?
Fair Helena; who more engilds the night

Lys. Away, you Ethiop!
Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light.

Dem. No, no, sir;—he will
Why seek'st thou me?could not this make thee know, Seem to break loose; take on, as you would follow;
The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?

But yet come not! You are a tame man, go!
Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be. Lys. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr: vile thing, let
Hel. Lo, she is one of this confederacy!

loose!
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd, all three, Or I will shake thee from me, like a serpent.
To fashion this false sport in spite of me.

Her. Why are you grown so rude? what change is Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid !

this, Have you conspir’d, have you with these contrir'd Sweet love? To bait me with this foul derision?

Lys. Thy love? ont, tawny Tartar, out!
Is all the counsel, that we two have shar'd,

Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence!
The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent, Her. Do you not jest?
When we have chid the hasty-footed time

Hel. Yes, sooth; and so do you.
For parting us,-0, and is all forgot?

Dys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence ? Dem. I would, I had your bond; for I perceive, We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,

A weak bond holds you; I'll not trust your word.
Have with our neelds created both one flower, Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,

dead?
Both warbling of one song, both in one key; Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.
As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds Her. What, can you do me greater harm, than hate?
Had been incorporate. So we grew together, Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love?
Like to a double cherry, seeming paried;

Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander?
But yet a union in partition,

I am as fair now, as I was erewhile. Two lovely berries moulded on one stem :

Since night you lov'd me; yet, since night you left me : So, with two seerning bodies, but one heart; Why, then you left me,-0, the gods forbid ! Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,

In earnest, shall I say? Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.

Lys. Ay, by my life;
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,

And never did desire to see thee more.
To join with men in scorning your poor friend? Therefore, be out of hope, of question, doubt,
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:

Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest,
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it;

That I do hate thee, and love Helena

Andr Το Α And You Her Hel. Her, Hel.

Held