ACT IV

SCENE I. The same. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA

PUCK:

1

lying asleep.

1

Enter TITANIA and BOTTOM, PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARDSEED, and other Fairies attending, OBERON behind unseen

TITANIA:

2

Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed,

3

While I thy amiable cheeks do coy,

amiable: charming,/ coy: caress (from falconry)

4

And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head,

5

And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.

BOTTOM:

6

Where's Peaseblossom?

PEASEBLOSSOM:

7

Ready.

BOTTOM:

8

Scratch my head Peaseblossom. Where's Mounsieur Cobweb?

COBWEB:

9

Ready.

BOTTOM:

10

Mounsieur Cobweb, good mounsieur, get you your

11

weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipped

12

humble-bee on the top of a thistle, and, good

13

mounsieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not fret

14

yourself too much in the action, mounsieur, and,

15

good mounsieur, have a care the honey-bag break not,

16

I would be loath to have you overflown with a

overflown with: submerged in or flowed over, and perhaps suffocated

17

honey-bag, signior. Where's Mounsieur Mustardseed?

MUSTARDSEED:

18

Ready.

BOTTOM:

19

Give me your neaf, Mounsieur Mustardseed. Pray you,

neaf: fist

20

leave your courtesy, good mounsieur.

leave your courtesy: perhaps means to stop bowing or Do not stand bareheaded (out of respectful good manners)

MUSTARDSEED:

21

What's your Will?

BOTTOM:

22

Nothing, good mounsieur, but to help Cavalery Cobweb

Cavalery: Cavalier which is defined by Johnson as a “gay sprightly military man”/ Cobweb has been sent off already, and so this referenc is considered an error by many editors. Some suggest “Peaseblossom” should be subsituted for “Cobweb” but it is impossible to know how exactly to correct the “error”

23

to scratch. I must to the barber's, monsieur, for

24

methinks I am marvellous hairy about the face, and I

25

am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me,

26

I must scratch.

TITANIA:

27

What, wilt thou hear some music,

28

my sweet love?

BOTTOM:

29

I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let's have

30

the tongs and the bones.

The tongs and bones: instruments used in burlesque or rustic music (Tongs were played by hitting pieces of metal, like a modern triangle. Bones were pieces of bones clicked together.

TITANIA:

31

Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat.

BOTTOM:

32

Truly, a peck of provender: I could munch your good

provender: hay, feed for cattle

33

dry oats. Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle

bottle: bundle or truss; the amount of feed one would give a horse

34

of hay: good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow.

fellow: no equal or nothing like it

TITANIA:

35

I have a venturous fairy that shall seek

36

The squirrel's hoard, and fetch thee new nuts.

BOTTOM:

37

I had rather have a handful or two of dried peas.

38

But, I pray you, let none of your people stir me: I

39

have an exposition of sleep come upon me.

exposition of: Bottom’s error for “disposition to”

TITANIA:

40

Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms.

41

Fairies, begone, and be all ways away.

all ways: i.e., to be off in every direction

Exeunt fairies

TITANIA:

42

So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle

43

Gently entwist, the female ivy so

44

Enrings the barky fingers of the elm.

45

O, how I love thee! how I dote on thee!

They sleep

Enter PUCK

OBERON:

46

[Advancing] Welcome, good Robin.

47

See'st thou this sweet sight?

48

Her dotage now I do begin to pity:

dotage: infatuation

49

For, meeting her of late behind the wood,

50

Seeking sweet favours from this hateful fool,

51

I did upbraid her and fall out with her,

52

For she his hairy temples then had rounded

53

With a coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers,

54

And that same dew, which sometime on the buds

sometime: formerly

55

Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls,

orient: bright, lustrous or from the East and of the purest water

56

Stood now within the pretty flowerets' eyes

flowerets: i.e., little flowers

57

Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail.

58

When I had at my pleasure taunted her

59

And she in mild terms begg'd my patience,

60

I then did ask of her her changeling child,

61

Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent

straight: straightway, immediately

62

To bear him to my bower in fairy land.

63

And now I have the boy, I will undo

64

This hateful imperfection of her eyes:

65

And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp

66

From off the head of this Athenian swain,

67

That, he awaking when the other do,

other: others

68

May all to Athens back again repair

May: i.e., they may / repair: go, travel or more specifically, to return

69

And think no more of this night's accidents

incidents, events

70

But as the fierce vexation of a dream.

vexation: agitation

71

But first I will release the fairy queen.

72

Be as thou wast wont to be,

was wont to: i.e., used to

73

See as thou wast wont to see:

74

Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower

Dian’s bud…power: Oberon earlier explains (at 2.1.191 and 3.2.387-92) that he has in his possession a second flower that can undo the effect of the flower he calls “love-in-idleness” Here, as he applies the juice to Titania’s eyes, he links the curative flower to Diana (Dian’s bud), the goddess of chastity, and love-in-idleness to Cupid, god of love.

75

Hath such force and blessed power.

76

Now, my Titania, wake you, my sweet queen.

TITANIA:

77

My Oberon! what visions have I seen!

78

Methought I was enamour'd of an ass.

OBERON:

79

There lies your love.

TITANIA:

80

How came these things to pass?

81

O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now!

visage: appearance, face

OBERON:

82

Silence awhile. Robin, take off this head.

83

Titania, music call, and strike more dead

84

Than common sleep of all these five the sense.

these five: i.e., Bottom and the four lovers

TITANIA:

85

Music, ho! music, such as charmeth sleep!

Music, still

PUCK:

86

Now, when thou wakest, with thine

87

own fool's eyes peep.

OBERON:

88

Sound, music! Come, my queen, take hands with me,

89

And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be.

90

Now thou and I are new in amity,

91

And will to-morrow midnight solemnly

solemnly: ceremoniously or in a spirit of festive ritual

92

Dance in Duke Theseus' house triumphantly,

triumphantly: festively or as in a festive triumph

93

And bless it to all fair prosperity:

prosperity: Oberon and Titania can now fulfil the purpose which brought him to Athens: to endow Theseus and Hippolyta’s marriage with joy and prosperity

94

There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be

95

Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.

PUCK:

96

Fairy king, attend, and mark:

i.e. pay attention, notice

97

I do hear the morning lark.

OBERON:

98

Then, my queen, in silence sad,

sad: serious or sober silence

99

Trip we after the night's shade:

100

We the globe can compass soon,

101

Swifter than the wandering moon.

TITANIA:

102

Come, my lord, and in our flight

103

Tell me how it came this night

104

That I sleeping here was found

105

With these mortals on the ground.

Exeunt

Horns winded within

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and train

THESEUS:

106

Go, one of you, find out the forester,

forester: the official in charge of the forest land and responsible for the wild animals of the forest

107

For now our observation is perform'd,

our observation: i.e., our observance of May Day rites

108

And since we have the vaward of the day,

since…day: i.e., since it is still early/ vaward: vanguard or command the foremost place

109

My love shall hear the music of my hounds.

music of the hounds: The cry of a pack of hounds in pursuit of hunted animals was compared to orchestral or vocal music, and its sound was much prized. At line 127, Theseus suggest that his hounds’ music is more important to him than their speed.

110

Uncouple in the western valley, let them go:

uncouple: i.e., unleash the hounds

111

Dispatch, I say, and find the forester.

Exit an Attendant

THESEUS:

112

We will, fair queen, up to the mountain's top,

113

And mark the musical confusion

mark…conjunction: i.e., listen to the sound created by the coming together of the cry of the hounds and its echo from the mountain

114

Of hounds and echo in conjunction.

HIPPOLYTA:

115

I was with Hercules and Cadmus once,

Hercules: a hero in Greek and Roman mythology: Cadmus: legendary founder of the city of Thebes; Shakespeare uses him even though historically he lived before Theseus and Hercules

116

When in a wood of Crete they bay'd the bear

bay’d: brought to bay or drove to bay with barking hounds/ Crete: where Theseus slew the Minotaur and, thanks to Ariadne’s thread, escaped from the labyrinth (see Sources essay for more info)

117

With hounds of Sparta: never did I hear

hounds of Sparta: Spartan hounds, celebrated for their hunting abilities

118

Such gallant chiding: for, besides the groves,

chiding: i.e., barking or the angry noise of hounds. This is the OED’s earliest use of this word.

119

The skies, the fountains, every region near

120

Seem'd all one mutual cry: I never heard

mutual: common is the most frequent definition of the word in Shakespeare

121

So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.

THESEUS:

122

My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind,

kind: strain or lineage

123

So flew'd, so sanded, and their heads are hung

So: i.e., like those of Sparta / flew’d: with large folds of flesh about the mouth/ sanded: i.e., sandy-colored OED first use of this word

124

With ears that sweep away the morning dew,

125

Crook-knee'd, and dew-lapp'd like Thessalian bulls,

dew-lapped: i.e., with folds of skin under their necks

126

Slow in pursuit, but match'd in mouth like bells,

matched…each: i.e., their cry was like a set of bells, each voice chiming in tune with the others

127

Each under each. A cry more tuneable

Each under each: i.e., like notes on a scale / cry: used to denote the pack of dogs when barking / tuneable: i.e., tuneful; harmonious; to a huntsman’s ear, melodious

128

Was never holla'd to, nor cheer'd with horn,

cheer’d: encouraged, animated

129

In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly:

Hippolyta’s pack includes dogs from Crete and Sparta.

130

Judge when you hear. But, soft! what nymphs are these?

soft: i.e. stop a minute

EGEUS:

131

My lord, this is my daughter here asleep,

132

And this, Lysander, this Demetrius is,

133

This Helena, old Nedar's Helena:

134

I wonder of their being here together.

of: at

THESEUS:

135

No doubt they rose up early to observe

observe…The Rite of May: i.e., celebrate May Day

136

The rite of May, and hearing our intent,

137

Came here in grace our solemnity.

grace: to honor / solemnity: observance (i.e., of May Day rites)

138

But speak, Egeus, is not this the day

139

That Hermia should give answer of her choice?

EGEUS:

140

It is, my lord.

THESEUS:

141

Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns.

Horns and shout within. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA wake and start up

THESEUS:

142

Good morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past:

Saint Valentine: i.e., Valentine’s Day (when birds proverbially chose their mates)

143

Begin these wood-birds but to couple now?

LYSANDER:

144

Pardon, my lord.

In some texts, there is a stage direction that precedes this line, “The lovers kneel”. Kneeling and rising were common in Elizabethan social rituals. Here it may suggest the lovers’ desire for mercy and to be given a chance to be heard.

THESEUS:

145

I pray you all, stand up.

146

I know you two are rival enemies:

147

How comes this gentle concord in the world,

148

That hatred is so far from jealousy,

jealousy: suspicion, mistrust

149

To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity?

LYSANDER:

150

My lord, I shall reply amazedly,

amazedly: i.e., in a state of bewilderment (as if lost in a maze)

151

Half sleep, half waking: but as yet, I swear,

152

I cannot truly say how I came here,

153

But, as I think,--for truly would I speak,

truly…speak: i.e., I wish to speak the truth

154

And now do I bethink me, so it is,--

155

I came with Hermia hither: our intent

156

Was to be gone from Athens, where we might,

157

Without the peril of the Athenian law.

Without: outside of; beyond

EGEUS:

158

Enough, enough, my lord, you have enough:

159

I beg the law, the law, upon his head.

160

They would have stolen away, they would, Demetrius,

161

Thereby to have defeated you and me,

defeated: defrauded

162

You of your wife and me of my consent,

163

Of my consent that she should be your wife.

DEMETRIUS:

164

My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth,

165

Of this their purpose hither to this wood,

hither: i.e., to come here

166

And I in fury hither follow'd them,

hither: here

167

Fair Helena in fancy following me.

in fancy: i.e., drawn by her love

168

But, my good lord, I wot not by what power,--

wot: know

169

But by some power it is,--my love to Hermia,

170

Melted as the snow, seems to me now

171

As the remembrance of an idle gaud

idle gaud: worthless trinket

172

Which in my childhood I did dote upon,

173

And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,

faith…heart: his heart’s orientation to fidelity and virtue/ virtue: power or special quality

174

The object and the pleasure of mine eye,

175

Is only Helena. To her, my lord,

176

Was I betroth'd ere I saw Hermia:

177

But, like in sickness, did I loathe this food,

like a sickness: i.e., like one who is sick

178

But, as in health, come to my natural taste,

179

Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,

180

And will for evermore be true to it.

THESEUS:

181

Fair lovers, you are fortunately met:

182

Of this discourse we more will hear anon.

183

Egeus, I will overbear your will,

overbear: i.e., overrule

184

For in the temple by and by with us

185

These couples shall eternally be knit:

186

And, for the morning now is something worn,

for: i.e., because / something: somewhat

187

Our purposed hunting shall be set aside.

188

Away with us to Athens, three and three,

189

We'll hold a feast in great solemnity.

in great solemnity: i.e., with great ceremony

190

Come, Hippolyta.

Exeunt THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and train

DEMETRIUS:

191

These things seem small and undistinguishable,

HERMIA:

192

Methinks I see these things with parted eye,

parted: divided

193

When every thing seems double.

HELENA:

194

So methinks:

195

And I have found Demetrius like a jewel,

like a jewel…own: i.e., as if I had found a jewel whom someone else might claim

196

Mine own, and not mine own.

DEMETRIUS:

197

Are you sure

198

That we are awake? It seems to me

199

That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think

200

The duke was here, and bid us follow him?

HERMIA:

201

Yea, and my father.

HELENA:

202

And Hippolyta.

LYSANDER:

203

And he did bid us follow to the temple.

DEMETRIUS:

204

Why, then, we are awake: let's follow him

205

And by the way let us recount our dreams.

Exeunt

BOTTOM:

206

[Awaking] When my cue comes, call me, and I will

207

answer: my next is, 'Most fair Pyramus.' Heigh-ho!

next: i.e., my next line / Heigh ho!: This may signal either a call or a big yawn.

208

Peter Quince! Flute, the bellows-mender! Snout,

Some editors keep the question mark in Q1 so that Bottom is asking if Quince is present.

209

the tinker! Starveling! God's my life, stolen

God’s: i.e., perhaps, may God save or Good Lord! OED first use of this phrase

210

hence, and left me asleep! I have had a most rare

211

vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to

wit of man: power of the human mind

212

say what dream it was: man is but an ass, if he go

go about: i.e., try or should start trying

213

about to expound this dream. Methought I was--there

214

is no man can tell what. Methought I was,--and

215

methought I had,--but man is but a patched fool, if

patched: i.e., dressed in motley, such as a professional fool would wear; the fool usually wore a child’s full length coat that had various colors arranged in simple patterns, stripes, or checks.

216

he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye

The eye…dream was: This seems to be Bottom’s confused memory of I Corinthian 2.9, where St. Paul writes: “The eye hath not seen, and the ear hath not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (as translated in the Bishops’ Bible [1585]).

217

of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not

218

seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue

219

to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream

220

was. I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of

ballad: a topical narrative set to a popular tune, like those printed as black-letter broadsides.

221

this dream: it shall be called Bottom's Dream,

222

because it hath no bottom, and I will sing it in the

because it hath no bottom: St Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians continues (I Corinthians 2:10): …the spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God,” words that again may be confusingly echoed in Bottom’s reflection on the bottomlessness of his vision.

223

latter end of a play, before the duke:

224

peradventure, to make it the more gracious, I shall

gracious: appealing

225

sing it at her death.

Exit