HERMIA         Lysander riddles very prettily. Now much beshrew my manners and my pride If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied. But gentle friend, for love and courtesy, Lie further off, in human modesty: Such separation as may well be said Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid, So far be distant, and good night, sweet friend. Thy love ne’er alter till thy sweet […]

LYSANDER     O take the sense, sweet, of my innocence: Love takes the meaning in love’s conference. I mean that my heart unto yours it knit, So that but one heart we can make of it: Two bosoms interchained with an oath, So then two bosoms, and a single troth. Then by your side no bed-room me deny; For lying so, Hermia, I […]

Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA. LYSANDER     Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood, And to speak troth, I have forgot our way. We’ll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good, And tarry for the comfort of the day. HERMIA         Be it so, Lysander. Find you out a bed, For I upon this bank will rest my head. LYSANDER     One turf shall serve as pillow […]

[OBERON advances.] OBERON         [Squeezes the flower on Titania’s eyelids.] What thou seest when thou dost wake, Do it for thy true love take; Love and languish for his sake. Be it ounce or cat or bear, Pard, or boar with bristled hair In thy eye that shall appear When thou wak’st, it is thy dear. Wake when some vile thing is […]

1 FAIRY           You spotted snakes with double tongue, Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen. Newts and blindworms, do no wrong, Come not near our Fairy Queen. CHORUS         Philomel, with melody, Sing in our sweet lullaby, Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby. Never harm, nor spell, nor charm, Come our lovely lady nigh. So good night, with lullaby. 2 FAIRY           Weaving spiders, come not […]

Enter TITANIA with her train. TITANIA         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 rearmice 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 […]

OBERON         Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove: A sweet Athenian lady is in love With a disdainful youth. Anoint his eyes, But do it when the next thing he espies May be the lady. Thou shalt know the man By the Athenian garments he hath on. Effect it with some care, that he […]

Enter PUCK. OBERON         Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer. PUCK  Ay, there it is. OBERON                                 I pray thee give it me. I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine. There sleeps Titania sometime of the night, Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight; And there the […]

HELENA         Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius! Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex. We cannot fight for love as men may do; We should be wooed, and were not made to woo. I’ll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell, To die upon the hand I love so well. (Exit.) OBERON         Fare […]

HELENA         The wildest hath not such a heart as you. Run when you will, the story shall be changed: Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase; The dove pursues the griffon; the mild hind Makes speed to catch the tiger: bootless speed, When cowardice pursues, and valour flies. DEMETRIUS   I will not stay thy questions. Let me go; Or if thou follow me, do […]