Reading Help A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
of sleep come upon me. `
` TITANIA. Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms. `
` Fairies, be gone, and be all ways away. Exeunt FAIRIES `
` So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle `
` Gently entwist; the female ivy so `
` Enrings the barky fingers of the elm. `
` O, how I love thee! how I dote on thee! [They sleep] `
` `
` Enter PUCK `
` `
` OBERON. [Advancing] Welcome, good Robin. Seest thou this sweet `
` sight? `
` Her dotage now I do begin to pity; `
` For, meeting her of late behind the wood, `
` Seeking sweet favours for this hateful fool, `
` I did upbraid her and fall out with her. `
` For she his hairy temples then had rounded `
` With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers; `
` And that same dew which sometime on the buds `
` Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls `
` Stood now within the pretty flowerets' eyes, `
` Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail. `
` When I had at my pleasure taunted her, `
` And she in mild terms begg'd my patience, `
` I then did ask of her her changeling child; `
` Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent `
` To bear him to my bower in fairy land. `
` And now I have the boy, I will undo `
` This hateful imperfection of her eyes. `
` And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp `
` From off the head of this Athenian swain, `
` That he awaking when the other do `
` May all to Athens back again repair, `
` And think no more of this night's accidents `
` But as the fierce vexation of a dream. `
` But first I will release the Fairy Queen. `
` [Touching her eyes] `
` Be as thou wast wont to be; `
` See as thou was wont to see. `
` Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower `
` Hath such force and blessed power. `
` Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen. `
` TITANIA. My Oberon! What visions have I seen! `
` Methought I was enamour'd of an ass. `
` OBERON. There lies your love. `
` TITANIA. How came these things to pass? `
` O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now! `
` OBERON. Silence awhile. Robin, take off this head. `
` Titania, music call; and strike more dead `
` Than common sleep of all these five the sense. `
` TITANIA. Music, ho, music, such as charmeth sleep! `
` PUCK. Now when thou wak'st with thine own fool's eyes peep. `
` OBERON. Sound, music. Come, my Queen, take hands with me, `
` [Music] `
` And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be. `
` Now thou and I are new in amity, `
` And will to-morrow midnight solemnly `
` Dance in Duke Theseus' house triumphantly, `
` And bless it to all fair prosperity. `
` There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be `
` Wedded, with Theseus, an in jollity. `
` PUCK. Fairy King, attend and mark; `
` I do hear the morning lark. `
` OBERON. Then, my Queen, in silence sad, `
` Trip we after night's shade. `
` We the globe can compass soon, `
` Swifter than the wand'ring moon. `
` TITANIA. Come, my lord; and in our flight, `
` Tell me how it came this night `
` That I sleeping here was found `
` With these mortals on the ground. Exeunt `
` `
` To the winding of horns, enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, `
` EGEUS, and train `
` `
` THESEUS. Go, one of you, find out the forester; `
` For now our observation is perform'd, `
` And since we have the vaward of the day, `
` My love shall hear the music of my hounds. `
` Uncouple in the western valley; let them go. `
` Dispatch, I say, and find the forester. Exit an ATTENDANT `
` We will, fair Queen, up to the mountain's top, `
` And mark the musical confusion `
` Of hounds and echo in conjunction. `
` HIPPOLYTA. I was with Hercules and Cadmus once `
` When in a wood of Crete they bay'd the bear `
` With hounds of Sparta; never did I hear `
` Such gallant chiding, for, besides the groves, `
` The skies, the fountains, every region near `
` Seem'd all one mutual cry. I never heard `
` So musical a discord, such sweet thunder. `
` THESEUS. My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind, `
` So flew'd, so sanded; and their heads are hung `
` With ears that sweep away the morning dew; `
` Crook-knee'd and dew-lapp'd like Thessalian bulls; `
` Slow in pursuit, but match'd in mouth like bells, `
` Each under each. A cry more tuneable `
` Was never holla'd to, nor cheer'd with horn, `
` In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly. `
` Judge when you hear. But, soft, what nymphs are these? `
` EGEUS. My lord, this is my daughter here asleep, `
` And this Lysander, this Demetrius is, `
` This Helena, old Nedar's Helena. `
` I wonder of their being here together. `
` THESEUS. No doubt they rose up early to observe `
` The rite of May; and, hearing our intent, `
` Came here in grace of our solemnity. `
` But speak, Egeus; is not this the day `
` That Hermia should give answer of her choice? `
` EGEUS. It is, my lord. `
` THESEUS. Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns. `
` [Horns and shout within. The sleepers `
` awake and kneel to THESEUS] `
` Good-morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past; `
` Begin these wood-birds but to couple now? `
` LYSANDER. Pardon, my lord. `
` THESEUS. I pray you all, stand up. `
` I know you two are rival enemies; `
` How comes this gentle concord in the world `
` That hatred is so far from jealousy `
` To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity? `
` LYSANDER. My lord, I shall reply amazedly, `
` Half sleep, half waking; but as yet, I swear, `
` I cannot truly say how I came here, `
` But, as I think- for truly would I speak, `
` And now I do bethink me, so it is- `
` I came with Hermia hither. Our intent `
` Was to be gone from Athens, where we might, `
` Without the peril of the Athenian law- `
` EGEUS. Enough, enough, my Lord; you have enough; `
` I beg the law, the law upon his head. `
` They would have stol'n away, they would, Demetrius, `
` Thereby to have defeated you and me: `
` You of your wife, and me of my consent, `
` Of my consent that she should be your wife. `
` DEMETRIUS. My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth, `
` Of this their purpose hither to this wood; `
` And I in fury hither followed them, `
` Fair Helena in fancy following me. `
` But, my good lord, I wot not by what power- `
` But by some power it is- my love to Hermia, `
` Melted as the snow, seems to me now `
` As the remembrance of an idle gaud `
` Which in my childhood I did dote upon; `
` And all the faith, the virtue of my heart, `
` The object and the pleasure of mine eye, `
` Is only Helena. To her, my lord, `
` Was I betroth'd ere I saw Hermia. `
` But, like a sickness, did I loathe this food; `
` But, as in health, come to my natural taste, `
` Now I do wish it, love it, long for it, `
` And will for evermore be true to it. `
` THESEUS. Fair lovers, you are fortunately met; `
` Of this discourse we more will hear anon. `
` Egeus, I will overbear your will; `
` For in the temple, by and by, with us `
` These couples shall eternally be knit. `
` And, for the morning now is something worn, `
` Our purpos'd hunting shall be set aside. `
` Away with us to Athens, three and three; `
` We'll hold a feast in great solemnity. `
` Come, Hippolyta. `
` Exeunt THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and train `
` DEMETRIUS. These things seem small and undistinguishable, `
` Like far-off mountains turned into clouds. `
` HERMIA. Methinks I see these things with parted eye, `
` When every thing seems double. `
` HELENA. So methinks; `
` And I have found Demetrius like a jewel, `
` Mine own, and not mine own. `
` DEMETRIUS. Are you sure `
` That we are awake? It seems to me `
` That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think `
` The Duke was here, and bid us follow him? `
` HERMIA. Yea, and my father. `
` HELENA. And Hippolyta. `
` LYSANDER. And he did bid us follow to the temple. `
` DEMETRIUS. Why, then, we are awake; let's follow him; `
` And by the way let us recount our dreams. Exeunt `
` BOTTOM. [Awaking] When my cue comes, call me, and I will `
` answer. My `
` next is 'Most fair Pyramus.' Heigh-ho! Peter Quince! Flute, `
` the `
` bellows-mender! Snout, the tinker! Starveling! God's my life, `
` stol'n hence, and left me asleep! I have had a most rare `
` vision. `
` I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it `
` was. `
` Man is but an ass if he go about to expound this dream. `
` Methought `
` I was- there is no man can tell what. Methought I was, and `
` methought I had, but man is but a patch'd fool, if he will `
` offer `
` to say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, `
` the `
` ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, `
` his `
` tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream `
` was. I `
` will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of this dream. It `
` shall `
`
` TITANIA. Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms. `
` Fairies, be gone, and be all ways away. Exeunt FAIRIES `
` So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle `
` Gently entwist; the female ivy so `
` Enrings the barky fingers of the elm. `
` O, how I love thee! how I dote on thee! [They sleep] `
` `
` Enter PUCK `
` `
` OBERON. [Advancing] Welcome, good Robin. Seest thou this sweet `
` sight? `
` Her dotage now I do begin to pity; `
` For, meeting her of late behind the wood, `
` Seeking sweet favours for this hateful fool, `
` I did upbraid her and fall out with her. `
` For she his hairy temples then had rounded `
` With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers; `
` And that same dew which sometime on the buds `
` Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls `
` Stood now within the pretty flowerets' eyes, `
` Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail. `
` When I had at my pleasure taunted her, `
` And she in mild terms begg'd my patience, `
` I then did ask of her her changeling child; `
` Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent `
` To bear him to my bower in fairy land. `
` And now I have the boy, I will undo `
` This hateful imperfection of her eyes. `
` And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp `
` From off the head of this Athenian swain, `
` That he awaking when the other do `
` May all to Athens back again repair, `
` And think no more of this night's accidents `
` But as the fierce vexation of a dream. `
` But first I will release the Fairy Queen. `
` [Touching her eyes] `
` Be as thou wast wont to be; `
` See as thou was wont to see. `
` Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower `
` Hath such force and blessed power. `
` Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen. `
` TITANIA. My Oberon! What visions have I seen! `
` Methought I was enamour'd of an ass. `
` OBERON. There lies your love. `
` TITANIA. How came these things to pass? `
` O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now! `
` OBERON. Silence awhile. Robin, take off this head. `
` Titania, music call; and strike more dead `
` Than common sleep of all these five the sense. `
` TITANIA. Music, ho, music, such as charmeth sleep! `
` PUCK. Now when thou wak'st with thine own fool's eyes peep. `
` OBERON. Sound, music. Come, my Queen, take hands with me, `
` [Music] `
` And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be. `
` Now thou and I are new in amity, `
` And will to-morrow midnight solemnly `
` Dance in Duke Theseus' house triumphantly, `
` And bless it to all fair prosperity. `
` There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be `
` Wedded, with Theseus, an in jollity. `
` PUCK. Fairy King, attend and mark; `
` I do hear the morning lark. `
` OBERON. Then, my Queen, in silence sad, `
` Trip we after night's shade. `
` We the globe can compass soon, `
` Swifter than the wand'ring moon. `
` TITANIA. Come, my lord; and in our flight, `
` Tell me how it came this night `
` That I sleeping here was found `
` With these mortals on the ground. Exeunt `
` `
` To the winding of horns, enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, `
` EGEUS, and train `
` `
` THESEUS. Go, one of you, find out the forester; `
` For now our observation is perform'd, `
` And since we have the vaward of the day, `
` My love shall hear the music of my hounds. `
` Uncouple in the western valley; let them go. `
` Dispatch, I say, and find the forester. Exit an ATTENDANT `
` We will, fair Queen, up to the mountain's top, `
` And mark the musical confusion `
` Of hounds and echo in conjunction. `
` HIPPOLYTA. I was with Hercules and Cadmus once `
` When in a wood of Crete they bay'd the bear `
` With hounds of Sparta; never did I hear `
` Such gallant chiding, for, besides the groves, `
` The skies, the fountains, every region near `
` Seem'd all one mutual cry. I never heard `
` So musical a discord, such sweet thunder. `
` THESEUS. My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind, `
` So flew'd, so sanded; and their heads are hung `
` With ears that sweep away the morning dew; `
` Crook-knee'd and dew-lapp'd like Thessalian bulls; `
` Slow in pursuit, but match'd in mouth like bells, `
` Each under each. A cry more tuneable `
` Was never holla'd to, nor cheer'd with horn, `
` In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly. `
` Judge when you hear. But, soft, what nymphs are these? `
` EGEUS. My lord, this is my daughter here asleep, `
` And this Lysander, this Demetrius is, `
` This Helena, old Nedar's Helena. `
` I wonder of their being here together. `
` THESEUS. No doubt they rose up early to observe `
` The rite of May; and, hearing our intent, `
` Came here in grace of our solemnity. `
` But speak, Egeus; is not this the day `
` That Hermia should give answer of her choice? `
` EGEUS. It is, my lord. `
` THESEUS. Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns. `
` [Horns and shout within. The sleepers `
` awake and kneel to THESEUS] `
` Good-morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past; `
` Begin these wood-birds but to couple now? `
` LYSANDER. Pardon, my lord. `
` THESEUS. I pray you all, stand up. `
` I know you two are rival enemies; `
` How comes this gentle concord in the world `
` That hatred is so far from jealousy `
` To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity? `
` LYSANDER. My lord, I shall reply amazedly, `
` Half sleep, half waking; but as yet, I swear, `
` I cannot truly say how I came here, `
` But, as I think- for truly would I speak, `
` And now I do bethink me, so it is- `
` I came with Hermia hither. Our intent `
` Was to be gone from Athens, where we might, `
` Without the peril of the Athenian law- `
` EGEUS. Enough, enough, my Lord; you have enough; `
` I beg the law, the law upon his head. `
` They would have stol'n away, they would, Demetrius, `
` Thereby to have defeated you and me: `
` You of your wife, and me of my consent, `
` Of my consent that she should be your wife. `
` DEMETRIUS. My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth, `
` Of this their purpose hither to this wood; `
` And I in fury hither followed them, `
` Fair Helena in fancy following me. `
` But, my good lord, I wot not by what power- `
` But by some power it is- my love to Hermia, `
` Melted as the snow, seems to me now `
` As the remembrance of an idle gaud `
` Which in my childhood I did dote upon; `
` And all the faith, the virtue of my heart, `
` The object and the pleasure of mine eye, `
` Is only Helena. To her, my lord, `
` Was I betroth'd ere I saw Hermia. `
` But, like a sickness, did I loathe this food; `
` But, as in health, come to my natural taste, `
` Now I do wish it, love it, long for it, `
` And will for evermore be true to it. `
` THESEUS. Fair lovers, you are fortunately met; `
` Of this discourse we more will hear anon. `
` Egeus, I will overbear your will; `
` For in the temple, by and by, with us `
` These couples shall eternally be knit. `
` And, for the morning now is something worn, `
` Our purpos'd hunting shall be set aside. `
` Away with us to Athens, three and three; `
` We'll hold a feast in great solemnity. `
` Come, Hippolyta. `
` Exeunt THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and train `
` DEMETRIUS. These things seem small and undistinguishable, `
` Like far-off mountains turned into clouds. `
` HERMIA. Methinks I see these things with parted eye, `
` When every thing seems double. `
` HELENA. So methinks; `
` And I have found Demetrius like a jewel, `
` Mine own, and not mine own. `
` DEMETRIUS. Are you sure `
` That we are awake? It seems to me `
` That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think `
` The Duke was here, and bid us follow him? `
` HERMIA. Yea, and my father. `
` HELENA. And Hippolyta. `
` LYSANDER. And he did bid us follow to the temple. `
` DEMETRIUS. Why, then, we are awake; let's follow him; `
` And by the way let us recount our dreams. Exeunt `
` BOTTOM. [Awaking] When my cue comes, call me, and I will `
` answer. My `
` next is 'Most fair Pyramus.' Heigh-ho! Peter Quince! Flute, `
` the `
` bellows-mender! Snout, the tinker! Starveling! God's my life, `
` stol'n hence, and left me asleep! I have had a most rare `
` vision. `
` I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it `
` was. `
` Man is but an ass if he go about to expound this dream. `
` Methought `
` I was- there is no man can tell what. Methought I was, and `
` methought I had, but man is but a patch'd fool, if he will `
` offer `
` to say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, `
` the `
` ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, `
` his `
` tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream `
` was. I `
` will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of this dream. It `
` shall `
`