Fetch me that flower; the herb I show'd thee once; Puck. I'll put a girdle round about the earth In forty minutes. [Exit PUCK. Obe. Having once this juice, Enter DEMETRIUS, HELENA following him. Dem. I love thee not, therefore pursue me not. 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? 9 and wood within this wood,] Wood, or mad, wild. Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth The more you beat me, I will fawn on you: you. What worser place can I beg in your love, (And yet a place of high respect with me,) Than to be used as you use your dog? 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. Hel. Your virtue is my privilege for that." 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 --impeach your modesty-] i. e. bring it into question. for that. i. e. For leaving the city, &c. TYRWHITT. 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 hand3 I love so well. [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. 4 Obe. I pray thee, give it me. I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows, Where ox-lips and the nodding violet grows; Quite over-canopied with lush woodbine," With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine: There sleeps Titania, some time 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. 3 To die upon the hand, &c.] To die upon, &c. in our author's language, perhaps, means" to die by the hand." Where ox-lips-] The oxlip is the greater cowslip. 5 Quite over-canopied with lush woodbine,] All the old editions read-luscious woodbine; but both lush and luscious (says Mr. Henley) are words of the same origin. 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, Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong; 6a roundel;] Rounds, or roundels, were like the present country dances. 7 with rear-mice-] A rere-mouse is a bat, a mouse that rears itself from the ground by the aid of wings. 8 9 with double tongue,] our author means-forked. Newts, and blind-worms,] The newt is the eft, the blind worm is the Cecilia or slow-worm. CHORUS. Philomel, with melody, Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby; So, good night, with lullaby. II. 2 Fai. Weaving spiders, come not here: CHORUS. Philomel, with melody, &c. 2 Fai. Hence, away; now all is well: One, aloof, stand sentinel. [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: [Exit. 'Be it ounce,] The ounce is a small tiger, or tiger-cat. |