Transparent Helena! Nature shows her art, Is that vile name to perish on my sword! Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content. Bot. No, make it two more; let it be written in eight and eight. Snout. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion? Star. I fear it, I promise you. 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 it. [not a lion. Snout. Therefore, another prologue must tell he is 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 moon-light into a chamber: for you know, Pyramus and Thisby meet by moon-light. [play? Snug. Doth the moon shine that night we play our Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do, find out moon-shine, find out moon-shine. [Exit. In such disdainful manner me to woo. Are hated most of those they did deceive; Of all be hated; but the most of me! And all my powers address your love and might To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast! Bot. Peter Quince, Quin. What say'st 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'rlakin, a parlous fear. [all is done. Star. I believe we must leave the killing out, when 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. 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 lantern, and say, he comes to disfigure, or to present, the person of moonshine. Then there is another thing: we must have a wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby, says the story, did talk through the chink of a wall. Snug. 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 lome, 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 swag gering here, So near the cradle of the fairy queen? What, a play toward? I'll be an auditor; Quin. Speak, Pyramus:-Thisby, stand forth, 'Pyr. 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 play'd here! [Aside.-Exit. This. 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. [hue, 'This. Most radiant Pyramus, most lily white of Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier, Most brisky juvenal, and eke most lovely Jew, As true as truest horse that yet would never tire, I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.' Quin. Ninus' tomb, man: Why you must not speak that yet; that you answer to Pyramus; you speak all your part at once, cues and all.-Pyramus enter; your cue is past; it is, never tire. Re-enter Puck, and Bottom with an ass's head 'This. O,-As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire. Pyr. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine:'Quin. O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted. Re-enter Quince. Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated. [Exit. Bot. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of ae; to fright me if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid. [Sings. The woosel-cock, so black of hue, The throstle with his note so true, Tita. What angel wakes me from my flowery bed? Bot. The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, The plain-song cuckoo gray, 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? 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. 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, 1 Fai. Ready. 2 Fai, And I. 3 Fai. And I. 4 Fai. And I All. Where shall we go? Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman; Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes; Feed him with apricocks, and dewberries; With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries; The honey bags steal from the humble-bees, And, for night-tapers, crop their waxen thighs, And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes, To have my love to bed, and to arise; And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, To fan the moon-beams from his sleeping eyes: Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies. 1 Fai. Hail, mortal! 2 Fai, Hail! 3 Fai. Hail! 4 Fai. Hail! Bot. I cry your worship's mercy, heartily.-I beseech your worship's name. Cob. Cobweb. Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good master Cobweb: If I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you.-Your name, honest gentleman! Peas. Peas-blossom. Bot. I pray you, commend me to mistress Squash, your mother, and to master Peas-cod, your father. Good master Peas-blossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance too. -Your name, I beseech you, sir? Mus. Mustard-seed. Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your patience well: that same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you more acquaintance, good master Mustard-seed. Tita. Come, wait upon him; lead him to my bower. SCENE II.-Another part of the Wood. Obe. I wonder, if Titania be awak'd; Here comes my messenger.-How now, mad spirit? Made senseless things begin to do them wrong: Puck. I took him sleeping,-that is finish'd too,- Obe. Stand close; this is the same Athenian. Puck. This is the woman, but not this the man. Dem. O, why rebuke you him that loves you so? Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. Her. Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse; The sun was not so true unto the day, Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty: Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him then? Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well. [troth, [Lies down. Obe. 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 A million fail, confounding oath on oath. Cbe. About the wood go switter than the wind, And Helena of Athens look thou find: All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear. By some illusion see thou bring her here; I'll charm his eyes against she doth appear. Puck. I go, I go; look, how I go; Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. [Exit. Lys. Why should you think that I should woo in Dem. [Awaking.) O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? Lys. Helen, it is not so. Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear. Look, where thy love conies; yonder is thy dear. Enter Hermia. [go! Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function The ear more quick of apprehension makes;[takes, Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense, It pays the hearing double recompense: Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found; Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound. But why unkindly didst thou leave me so? Lys. Why should he stay whom love doth press to Her. What love could press Lysander from my side? Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide; Fair Helena; who more engilds the night Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light. [know, Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee The hate I bare thee made me leave thee so? Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be. Is all the counsel that we two have shar'd, Two lovely berries moulded on one stem: |