Reading Help A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
The moon, methinks, looks with a wat'ry eye; `
` And when she weeps, weeps every little flower; `
` Lamenting some enforced chastity. `
` Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently. Exeunt `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` SCENE II. `
` Another part of the wood `
` `
` Enter OBERON `
` `
` OBERON. 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! `
` 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 thickskin of that barren sort, `
` Who Pyramus presented, in their sport `
` Forsook his scene and ent'red in a brake; `
` When I did him at this advantage take, `
` An ass's nole I fixed on his head. `
` Anon his Thisby must be answered, `
` And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy, `
` As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, `
` 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; `
` 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, `
` 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; `
` When in that moment, so it came to pass, `
` Titania wak'd, and straightway lov'd an ass. `
` OBERON. This falls out better than I could devise. `
` But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes `
` 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. `
` `
` Enter DEMETRIUS and HERMIA `
` `
` OBERON. Stand close; this is the same Athenian. `
` PUCK. This is the woman, but not this the man. `
` DEMETRIUS. O, why rebuke you him that loves you so? `
` Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. `
` HERMIA. 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. `
` The sun was not so true unto the day `
` As he to me. Would he have stolen away `
` From sleeping Hermia? I'll believe as soon `
` This whole earth may be bor'd, and that the moon `
` May through the centre creep and so displease `
` Her brother's noontide with th' Antipodes. `
` It cannot be but thou hast murd'red him; `
` So should a murderer look- so dead, so grim. `
` DEMETRIUS. So should the murdered 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. `
` HERMIA. What's this to my Lysander? Where is he? `
` Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? `
` DEMETRIUS. I had rather give his carcass to my hounds. `
` HERMIA. Out, dog! out, cur! Thou driv'st me past the bounds `
` Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him, then? `
` Henceforth be never numb'red among men! `
` O, once tell true; tell true, even for my sake! `
` 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 tongue `
` Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung. `
` DEMETRIUS. 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. `
` HERMIA. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well. `
` DEMETRIUS. An if I could, what should I get therefore? `
` HERMIA. A privilege never to see me more. `
` And from thy hated presence part I so; `
` See me no more whether he be dead or no. Exit `
` DEMETRIUS. There is no following her in this fierce vein; `
` Here, therefore, for a while I will remain. `
` So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow `
` 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. [Lies down] `
` OBERON. What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite, `
` 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, `
` A million fail, confounding oath on oath. `
` OBERON. About the wood go swifter than the wind, `
` And Helena of Athens look thou find; `
` All fancy-sick she is and pale of cheer, `
` 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, `
` Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. Exit `
` OBERON. Flower of this purple dye, `
` 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 wak'st, if she be by, `
` Beg of her for remedy. `
` `
` Re-enter PUCK `
` `
` PUCK. Captain of our fairy band, `
` Helena is here at hand, `
` And the youth mistook by me `
` Pleading for a lover's fee; `
` Shall we their fond pageant see? `
` Lord, what fools these mortals be! `
` OBERON. Stand aside. The noise they make `
` Will cause Demetrius to awake. `
` PUCK. Then will two at once woo one. `
` That must needs be sport alone; `
` And those things do best please me `
` That befall prepost'rously. `
` `
` Enter LYSANDER and HELENA `
` `
` LYSANDER. 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. `
` How can these things in me seem scorn to you, `
` Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true? `
` HELENA. You do advance your cunning more and more. `
` 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, `
` Will even weigh; and both as light as tales. `
` LYSANDER. I hod no judgment when to her I swore. `
` HELENA. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er. `
` LYSANDER. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. `
` DEMETRIUS. [Awaking] O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! `
` To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? `
` Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show `
` Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! `
` That 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! `
` HELENA. 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. `
` 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: `
` 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. `
` 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 extort `
` A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport. `
` LYSANDER. 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; `
` And yours of Helena to me bequeath, `
` Whom I do love and will do till my death. `
` HELENA. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. `
` DEMETRIUS. 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 is it home return'd, `
` There to remain. `
` LYSANDER. Helen, it is not so. `
` DEMETRIUS. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, `
` Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear. `
`
` And when she weeps, weeps every little flower; `
` Lamenting some enforced chastity. `
` Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently. Exeunt `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` SCENE II. `
` Another part of the wood `
` `
` Enter OBERON `
` `
` OBERON. 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! `
` 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 thickskin of that barren sort, `
` Who Pyramus presented, in their sport `
` Forsook his scene and ent'red in a brake; `
` When I did him at this advantage take, `
` An ass's nole I fixed on his head. `
` Anon his Thisby must be answered, `
` And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy, `
` As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, `
` 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; `
` 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, `
` 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; `
` When in that moment, so it came to pass, `
` Titania wak'd, and straightway lov'd an ass. `
` OBERON. This falls out better than I could devise. `
` But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes `
` 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. `
` `
` Enter DEMETRIUS and HERMIA `
` `
` OBERON. Stand close; this is the same Athenian. `
` PUCK. This is the woman, but not this the man. `
` DEMETRIUS. O, why rebuke you him that loves you so? `
` Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. `
` HERMIA. 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. `
` The sun was not so true unto the day `
` As he to me. Would he have stolen away `
` From sleeping Hermia? I'll believe as soon `
` This whole earth may be bor'd, and that the moon `
` May through the centre creep and so displease `
` Her brother's noontide with th' Antipodes. `
` It cannot be but thou hast murd'red him; `
` So should a murderer look- so dead, so grim. `
` DEMETRIUS. So should the murdered 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. `
` HERMIA. What's this to my Lysander? Where is he? `
` Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? `
` DEMETRIUS. I had rather give his carcass to my hounds. `
` HERMIA. Out, dog! out, cur! Thou driv'st me past the bounds `
` Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him, then? `
` Henceforth be never numb'red among men! `
` O, once tell true; tell true, even for my sake! `
` 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 tongue `
` Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung. `
` DEMETRIUS. 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. `
` HERMIA. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well. `
` DEMETRIUS. An if I could, what should I get therefore? `
` HERMIA. A privilege never to see me more. `
` And from thy hated presence part I so; `
` See me no more whether he be dead or no. Exit `
` DEMETRIUS. There is no following her in this fierce vein; `
` Here, therefore, for a while I will remain. `
` So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow `
` 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. [Lies down] `
` OBERON. What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite, `
` 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, `
` A million fail, confounding oath on oath. `
` OBERON. About the wood go swifter than the wind, `
` And Helena of Athens look thou find; `
` All fancy-sick she is and pale of cheer, `
` 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, `
` Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. Exit `
` OBERON. Flower of this purple dye, `
` 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 wak'st, if she be by, `
` Beg of her for remedy. `
` `
` Re-enter PUCK `
` `
` PUCK. Captain of our fairy band, `
` Helena is here at hand, `
` And the youth mistook by me `
` Pleading for a lover's fee; `
` Shall we their fond pageant see? `
` Lord, what fools these mortals be! `
` OBERON. Stand aside. The noise they make `
` Will cause Demetrius to awake. `
` PUCK. Then will two at once woo one. `
` That must needs be sport alone; `
` And those things do best please me `
` That befall prepost'rously. `
` `
` Enter LYSANDER and HELENA `
` `
` LYSANDER. 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. `
` How can these things in me seem scorn to you, `
` Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true? `
` HELENA. You do advance your cunning more and more. `
` 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, `
` Will even weigh; and both as light as tales. `
` LYSANDER. I hod no judgment when to her I swore. `
` HELENA. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er. `
` LYSANDER. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. `
` DEMETRIUS. [Awaking] O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! `
` To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? `
` Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show `
` Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! `
` That 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! `
` HELENA. 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. `
` 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: `
` 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. `
` 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 extort `
` A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport. `
` LYSANDER. 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; `
` And yours of Helena to me bequeath, `
` Whom I do love and will do till my death. `
` HELENA. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. `
` DEMETRIUS. 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 is it home return'd, `
` There to remain. `
` LYSANDER. Helen, it is not so. `
` DEMETRIUS. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, `
` Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear. `
`