DEMETRIUS   There is no following her in this fierce vein;

Here, therefore, for a while I will remain.

So sorrow’s heaviness doth heavier grow

For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe,

Which now in some slight measure it will pay,

If for his tender here I make some stay.

(Lie[s] down [and sleeps].)

[ OBERON and PUCK come forward.]

OBERON         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 turned, and not a false turned true.           (3.2.82-91)

All the fight, all the stuffing seems to go out of Demetrius (thank goodness, he’s been getting nasty): there is no following her in this fierce vein; here, therefore, for a while a will remain. I give up, she’s not going to listen, she clearly HATES me (well done), so I might as well just stay here for a bit. And I’m SO tired; maybe a nap will help? So sorrow’s heaviness doth heavier grow for debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe, which now in some slight measure it will pay, if for his tender here I make some stay. Everything looks worse when you’re exhausted, doesn’t it? Maybe if I get some sleep I’ll feel better, and things will be clearer? (YES, Demetrius, YES, everyone in regular contact with late adolescents in particular agrees.)

Puck knows it’s bad, he’s just waiting to see how bad it’s going to be. What has thou done? asks Oberon. Really? REALLY? You had ONE job. (Well, you had two; the other, obviously, SUPERB.) Thou hast mistaken quite, and laid the love-juice on some true love’s sight. You know what you’ve done, don’t you? You’ve enchanted the other guy, this—Lysander—and now he’s gone off who knows where (they don’t yet know that HE’s in pursuit of Helena, although that doesn’t matter here) and his girlfriend’s devastated and meanwhile this guy here, the nasty one, is STILL ‘in love’ with the wrong woman rather than the nice one who’s been in love with him for AGES. This is ALL your fault. I know it was a mistake, but still: of thy misprision, that mistaken identity, must perforce ensue some true love turned, and not a false turned true. You’ve split up love’s young dream, not given a happy ever after to the faithful (but misguided).