Where is Lysander, and fair Hermia? The one I'll slay, the other slayeth me. Thou told'st me, they were stol'n into this wood, Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more. Dem. Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? Tell you-I do not, nor I cannot love you? Hel. And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you: What worser place can I beg in your love Dem. Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit; For I am sick, when I do look on thee. Hel. And I am sick when I look not on you. Dem. You do impeach† your modesty too much, To leave the city, and commit yourself Into the hands of one that loves you not; Hel. Your virtue is my privilege for that. * Mad, raving. Dem. I'll run from thee, and hide me in the brakes, And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts. Hel. The wildest hath not such a heart as you. Run when you will, the story shall be chang'd; Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase; The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind Makes speed to catch the tiger: bootless speed! When cowardice pursues, and valour flies. Dem. I will not stay thy questions; let me go: Or, if thou follow me, do not believe But I shall do thee mischief in the wood. Hel. Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field, You do me mischief. Fye, Demetrius! Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex : We cannot fight for love, as men may do ; We should be woo'd, and were not made to woo. I'll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell, To die upon *the hand I love so well. t [Exeunt Dem. and Hel. Obe. Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove, Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love.— Re-enter Puck. Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer. Obe. And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes, * By. †The greater cowslip. ‡ Vigorous. Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove : With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes; SCENE III. Another part of the wood. Enter Titania, with her train. Tita. Come, now a roundel*, and a fairy song; Then, for the third part of a minute, hence; Some, to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds; Some, war with rear-mice + for their leathern wings, To make my small elves coats; and some keep back, The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots, and wonders At our quaint spirits: sing me now asleep; Then to your offices, and let me rest. SONG. 1 Fai. You spotted snakes, with double tongue, Chorus. Newts §, and blind-worms ||, do no wrong; Philomel, with melody, Sing in our sweet lullaby; Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby: Never harm, nor spell nor charm, Come our lovely lady nigh; II. 2 Fai. Weaving spiders, come not here; * A kind of dance. VOL. II. + Bats. + Sports. § Efts. Chorus. Beetles black, approach not near; 1 Fai. Hence, away; now all is well: [Exeunt Fairies. Titania sleeps. Enter Oberon. Obe. What thou seest when thou dost wake, [Squeezes the flower on Titania's eye-lids. Do it for thy true-love take; Love, and languish for his sake: Enter Lysander and Hermia. [Exit. Lys. Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood; And to speak truth, I have forgot our way; We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good, And tarry for the comfort of the day. Her. Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed, For I upon this bank will rest my head. Lys. One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth. Her. "Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, my dear, Lie further off yet, do not lie so near. : Lys. O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence; Love takes the meaning, in love's conference. I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit, So that but one heart we can make of it Two bosoms interchained with an oath; So then, two bosoms, and a single troth. Then, by your side no bed-room me deny ; For, lying so, Hermia, I do not lie. Her. Lysander riddles very prettily : * The small tiger. Now much beshrew my manners and my pride, Here is my bed sleep give thee all his rest! Her. With half that wish the wisher's eyes be [They sleep. press'd! Enter Puck. Puck. Through the forest have I gone, On whose eyes I might approve And here the maiden, sleeping sound, Pretty soul! she durst not lie Near this lack-love, kill-courtesy. Churl, upon thy eyes I throw All the power this charm doth owe* : When thou wak'st, let love forbid Sleep his seat on thy eye-lid. Enter Demetrius and Helena, running. [Exit. Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius. Dem. I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus. Hel. O, wilt thou darkling † leave me? do not so. |