HIPPOLYTA, queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus. HERMIA, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander. HELENA, in love with Demetrius. OBERON, king of the Fairies. TITANIA, queen of the Fairies. PUCK, or Robin-goodfellow, a Fairy. Thisbe, Wall, characters in the Interlude, performed by the Clowns. Moonshine, Lion, Other Fairies attending their King and Queen. SCENE, ATHENS, and a Wood not far from it. The enumeration of persons was first made by Mr. Rowe. STEEVENS. MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM ACT I. SCENE I. Athens. A Room in the Palace of Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants. Theseus. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Daws on apace; four happy days bring in This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires, Like to a step-dame, or a dowager, Long withering out a young man's revenue. Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights; Four nights will quickly dream away the time; And then the moon, like to a silver bow New bent in heaven, shall behold the night Of our solemnities. The. Go, Philostrate, Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; [Exit PHILOSTrate. Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling. Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANder, and Demetrius. Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke! Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint Stand forth, Lysander; — and, my gracious duke, To stubborn harshness:- And, my gracious duke, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens; The. What say you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair maid: To you your father should be as a god; One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one The. In himself he is: But, in this kind, wanting your father's voice, Her. I would, my father look'd but with my eyes. In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts: If I refuse to wed Demetrius. The. Either to die the death, or to abjure For ever the society of men. Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, Know of your youth3, examine well your blood, L Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. 4 But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd, Than that, which, withering on the virgin thorn, Her. So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, 2 To leave the figure, or disfigure it.] i. e. you owe to your father a being which he may at pleasure continue or destroy. 3 Know of your youth,] Consider your youth. But earthlier happy-perhaps, earlier; or, earthly happy. Ere I will yield my virgin patent up Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke The. Take time to pause; and, by the next new moon (The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, For everlasting bond of fellowship,) Or else, to wed Demetrius, as he would: For aye, austerity and single life. Dem. Relent, sweet Hermia; - And, Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right. Lys. You have her father's love, Demetrius; Let me have Hermia's : do you marry him. Ege. Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love, And what is mine my love shall render him; And she is mine; and all my right of her I do estate unto Demetrius. Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he, And, which is more than all these boasts can be, Why should not I then prosecute my right? Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena, Upon this spotted 5 and inconstant man. The. I must confess, that I have heard so much, And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; But, being over-full of self-affairs, My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come; 5 · spotted — ] As spotless is innocent, so spotted is wicked. |