And the ill counsel of a desert place, When all the world is here to look on me? 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 changed: 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, and field, You do me mischief. Fie, 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, [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. Puck. Ay, there it is. Obe. I pray thee, give it me. I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where ox-lips and the nodding violet grows; Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine: There sleeps Titania, sometime of the night, Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight; And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin, Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in : And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes, And make her full of hateful fantasies. Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove : A sweet Athenian lady is in love With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes; May be the lady. Thou shalt know the man Effect it with some care; that he may prove do so. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-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. I. 1 Fai. You spotted snakes, with double tongue, Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong; Chorus. Philomel, with melody Sing in our sweet lullaby; So, good night, with lullaby. II. 1 Fai. Weaving spiders, come not here: Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence: Chorus. Philomel, with melody, &c. 2 Fai. Hence, away; now all is well : [Exeunt Fairies. TITANIA sleeps. Enter OBERON. Obe. What thou see'st, when thou dost wake, [Squeezes the flower on TITANIA's eyelids. Do it for thy true-love take; When thou wak'st, it is thy dear; Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA. [Exit. Lys. Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood; And, to speak troth, 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 :- So far be distant; and good night, sweet friend: Her. With half that wish the wisher's eyes be press'd! Enter PUCK. [They sleep. Puck. Through the forest have I gone, On whose eyes I might approve All the power this charm doth owe: Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running. [Exit. Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Deme trius. Dem. I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus. Hel. O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so. Dem. Stay, on thy peril; I alone will go. [Exit DEMEtrius. Hel. O, I am out of breath in this fond chase! The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace. Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er she lies; For she hath blessed and attractive eyes. How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears: |