HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus. HERMIA, Daughter of Egeus, in love with Lysander. HELENA, in love with Demetrius. SCENE. Athens, and a Wood not far from it. Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants, Theseus. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace; four happy days bring in Another moon. But, O, methinks how slow This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires, Like to a step-dame, or a dowager, Long withering out a young man's revenue. Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights; Four nights will quickly dream away the time; And then the moon, like to a silver bow Now bent in heaven, shall behold the night Of our solemnities. The. Go, Philostrate, Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; [Exit PHILOSTRATE. Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword, Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and Demetrius. Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!1 thee? Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint With cunning hast thou filched my daughter's heart ; I beg the ancient privilege of Athens, The. What say you, Hermia? Be advised, fair maid. To you your father should be as a god; One that composed your beauties; yea, and one By him imprinted, and within his power 1 Duke, in our old language, was used for a leader or chief, as the Latin dux. 2 The old copies read, "This man hath bewitched." 3 Baubles, toys, trifles. To leave the figure, or disfigure it. The. In himself he is. But, in this kind, wanting your father's voice, Her. I would my father looked but with my eyes. I know not by what power I am made bold, In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts; The. Either to die the death, or to abjure Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, For aye to be in shady cloister mewed, Chanting faint hymns to the cold, fruitless moon. Than that, which, withering on the virgin thorn, Her. So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, Ere I will yield my virgin patent up Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke My soul consents not to give sovereignty. The. Take time to pause; and, by the next new moon, (The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, Or on Diana's altar to protest, For aye, austerity and single life. Dem. Relent, sweet Hermia ;-and, Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right. Lys. You have her father's love, Demetrius Let me have Hermia's. Do you marry him. ; Ege. Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love, I do estate unto Demetrius. Lys. I am, my lord, as well derived as he, And, which is more than all these boasts can be, Why should not I then prosecute my right? Upon this spotted1 and inconstant man. The. I must confess, that I have heard so much, And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; But, being over-full of self-affairs, My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come, I must employ you in some business Against our nuptial; and confer with you 1 As spotless is innocent, so spotted is wicked. |