Bot. Peter Quince, Quin. What sayest thou, bully Bottom? Bot. There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisby that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies cannot abide. How answer you that? Snout. By'r lakin, a parlous fear. wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby, says the story, did talk through the chink of a wall. Snout. 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. 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. Enter PUCK behind. Puck. What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here, So near the cradle of the fairy queen? Star. I believe we must leave the killing out, What, a play toward! I'll be an auditor; when all is done. 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, 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. Bot. No, make it two more; let it be written in eight and eight. Snout. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion? 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 't. Snout. Therefore another prologue must tell he is not a lion. 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 '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. 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. 51 Snout. Doth the moon shine that night we play our play? Bot. A calendar, a calendar! look in the almanac; find out moonshine, find out moonshine. 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 casement. Quin. Ay; or else one must come in with a bush of thorns and a lanthorn, and say he comes to disfigure, or to present, the person of Moonshine. Then, there is another thing: we must have a An actor too perhaps, if I see cause. 80 Quin. Speak, Pyramus. Thisby, stand forth. Bot. Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet, Quin. Odours, odours. 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 played here. [Exit. 90 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. Flu. Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier, tire, I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb. Flu. O,-As true as truest horse, that yet Re-enter PUCK, and BOTTOM with an ass's head. Through bog, through bush, through brake, ΙΙΟ Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound, 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. 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;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? 141 Tita. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again: Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note; 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 have 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. 150 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: 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, And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep, And sing while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep: 160 And I will purge thy mortal grossness so seed! I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Cobweb: if I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you. Your name, honest gentle man? Peas. Peaseblossom. 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? The moon methinks looks with a watery eye; SCENE II. Another part of the wood. Obe. I wonder if Titania be awaked; Enter PUCK. Here comes my messenger. ΙΟ How now, mad spirit! 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, 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. 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, An ass's nole I fixed on his head: Anon his Thisbe must be answered, 20 And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy, He murder cries and help from Athens calls. Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus strong, Made senseless things begin to do them wrong; I led them on in this distracted fear, Obe. This falls out better than I could devise. Puck. I took him sleeping,—that is finish'd too, And the Athenian woman by his side; See me no more, whether he be dead or no. [Exit. Dem. There is no following her in this fierce Here therefore for a while I will remain. And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight: That, when he waked, of force she must be A million fail, confounding oath on oath. eyed. 40 50 The sun was not so true unto the day Pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty: Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me ? Dem. I had rather give his carcass to my hounds. Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou drivest me Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him, then? 70 Obe. About the wood go swifter than the And Helena of Athens look thou find: Hit with Cupid's archery, Sink in apple of his eye. When his love he doth espy, Let her shine as gloriously As the Venus of the sky. When thou wakest, if she be by, 100 110 And those things do best please me 120 Enter LYSANDER and HELENA. Why should you think that I should woo in scorn? Scorn and derision never come in tears: Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. Dem. [Awaking] O Helen, goddess, nymph, To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? If f you were civil and knew courtesy, To fashion this false sport, in spite of me. To bait me with this foul derision? 200 Is all the counsel that we two have shared, To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, your 160 To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes Lys. Helen, it is not so. 170 210 Two lovely berries moulded on one stem; Her. I am amazed at your passionate words. Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not But miserable most, to love unloved? know, Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear. Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear. Her. Dark night, that from the eye his func- 180 The ear more quick of apprehension makes; Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth Her. What love could press Lysander from my side? Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him Fair Helena, who more engilds the night The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so? 190 230 This you should pity rather than despise. Hel. Sweet, do not scorn her so. Dem. If she cannot entreat, I can compel. Lys. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat: Seem to break loose; take on as you would follow, But yet come not: you are a tame man, go! Lys. 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,- Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so. 270 Her. What, can you do me greater harm than hate? Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love! Since night you loved 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; And never did desire to see thee more. 280 Her. Ome! you juggler! you canker-blossom! You thief of love! what, have you come by night And stolen my love's heart from him? Hel. Fine, i'faith! Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear Impatient answers from my gentle tongue? Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you! Her. Puppet? why so? ay, that way goes the game. Now I perceive that she hath made compare 290 Let her not hurt me: I was never curst; 300 Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think, Because she is something lower than myself, That I can match her. Her. Lower! hark, again. But he hath chid me hence and threaten'd me Her. Why, get you gone: who is't that hinders you? Hel. A foolish heart, that I leave here behind. 320 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; Why will you suffer her to flout me thus? Dem. Lys. 330 Now she holds me not; Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right, Of thine or mine, is most in Helena. Dem. Follow! nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jole. [Exeunt Lysander and Demetrius. Her. You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you: Nay, go not back. Hel. I will not trust you, I, 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 amazed, and know not what to say. 340 [Exit. Obe. This is thy negligence: still thou mistakest, Or else committ'st thy knaveries wilfully. Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook. Did not you tell me I should know the man By the Athenian garment 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 As this their jangling I esteem a sport. 350 Obe. Thou see'st these lovers seek a place to fight: Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night; 361 |