THESEUS        Take time to pause, and by the next new moon,

The sealing day betwixt my love and me

For everlasting bond of fellowship,

Upon that day either prepare to die

For disobedience to your father’s will,

Or else to wed Demetrius as he would,

Or on Diana’s altar to protest,

For aye, austerity and single life.     (1.1.83-90)

Theseus can be magnanimous, and also, this is going nowhere, so time out: take time to pause, and by the next new moon—which is, as has been established already, is in four days’ time, the sealing day betwixt my love and me for everlasting bond of fellowship (and that can land with a dull thud, yay, matrimony, especially if Hippolyta has been looking at Hermia with obvious sympathy, and at Theseus with concern, or contempt), well: upon that day either prepare to die for disobedience to your father’s will, yes, that’s still VERY much on the table. Or else to wed Demetrius as he would—this is your BEST option, clearly, and it’s what he wants, still, absolutely—or on Diana’s altar to protest, for aye, austerity and single life. The vowing perpetual virginity—oh, and poverty—thing. Those are your three choices! Death! Marrying the man you explicitly don’t want to marry! Or becoming a nun! Obviously, take your time, BIG decision, but, obviously, the clock is ticking.