HERMIA         Little again? Nothing but low and little?

Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?

Let me come to her.

LYSANDER                 Get you gone, you dwarf,

You minimus, of hindering knot-grass made,

You bead, you acorn.

DEMETRIUS               You are too officious

In her behalf that scorns your services.

Let her alone. Speak not of Helena,

Take not her part. For if thou dost intend

Never so little show of love to her,

Thou shalt abye it.     (3.2.326-335)

Hermia is INCENSED: little again? Nothing but low and little? Now we can see your true colours, and the gloves are off (but also, perhaps: is that the best you can do?) She appeals, vainly, to Lysander, who is apparently restraining her, or else perhaps trying to prevent her clinging to him: why will you suffer her to flout me thus? are you really prepared for me to have to listen to this, to be insulted like this? are you condoning it? why won’t you DO something? Let me GO, let me come to her! let me AT her! Lysander’s had enough and, even worse, he joins in, with calculated cruelty. Get you gone, you dwarf, you minimus, of hindering knot-grass made, you bead, you acorn. YES YOU’RE SHORT, and ANNOYINGLY CLINGY too. I’m SICK of you. It’s not even CUTE anymore. Hermia’s presumably open-mouthed, horrified, destroyed, but it’s Demetrius who gets in first: back off, he says to Lysander, you are too officious in her behalf that scorns your services. Helena doesn’t need you defending her, or indeed attacking on your behalf, she couldn’t care less about YOU! Let her alone. (And she could be either Hermia or Helena here.) Speak not of Helena, take not her part. You’re not Helena’s champion (because I AM); don’t even presume to mention her name. For if thou dost intend never so little show of love to her, thou shalt abye it: if you make even the slightest gesture of love towards her, the smallest advance in her direction (because she’s MINE), you’ll know all about it, and face the consequences (from ME).