A Midsummer Night's Dream

2300 of 2300 lines

ACT I

SCENE I. Athens. The palace of THESEUS.

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants

THESEUS:

1.1.1
Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour
1.1.2
Draws on apace, four happy days bring in

This reference to the moon is both a literal way in which the time is marked and a metaphorical way in which to establish the imagery of passage into the dream stage. The beginning of the play takes place prior to the new moon, but by the end of the events, after all of the confusion and intrigue is past, a new phase is in effect and sees the celebration of a blessed new marriage taking place under its celestial canopy.

1.1.3
Another moon: but, O, methinks, how slow
1.1.4
This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires
1.1.5
Like to a step-dame or a dowager
1.1.6
Long withering out a young man revenue.

HIPPOLYTA:

1.1.7
Four days will quickly steep themselves in night,
1.1.8
Four nights will quickly dream away the time,

You must read this pdf to learn more.

Felix Bartholody Mendelssohn
Felix Bartholody Mendelssohn
1.1.9
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
1.1.10
New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night
1.1.11
Of our solemnities.

THESEUS:

1.1.12
Go, Philostrate,
1.1.13
Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments,
1.1.14
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth,
1.1.15
Turn melancholy forth to funerals,
1.1.16
The pale companion is not for our pomp.

Exit PHILOSTRATE

THESEUS:

1.1.17
Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,

These lines are in reference to Theseus overwhelming the Amazons in battle and subsequently marrying Hippolyta

1.1.18
And won thy love, doing thee injuries,
1.1.19
But I will wed thee in another key,
1.1.20
With pomp, with triumph and with revelling.

Ryan McKinny as Theseus, Tamara Mumford as Hippolyta Metropolitan Opera, 1996

Ryan McKinny as Theseus and Tamara Mumford as Hippolyta
Ryan McKinny as Theseus and Tamara Mumford as Hippolyta

Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS

EGEUS:

1.1.21
Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!

THESEUS:

1.1.22
Thanks, good Egeus: what's the news with thee?

EGEUS:

1.1.23
Full of vexation come I, with complaint
1.1.24
Against my child, my daughter Hermia.
1.1.25
Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord,
1.1.26
This man hath my consent to marry her.
1.1.27
Stand forth, Lysander: and my gracious duke,
1.1.28
This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child,
1.1.29
Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,
1.1.30
And interchanged love-tokens with my child:
1.1.31
Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung,
1.1.32
With feigning voice verses of feigning love,
1.1.33
And stolen the impression of her fantasy
1.1.34
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,

A gawd is an ornament or a trinket.

1.1.35
Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers

Sweetmeats are foods rich in sugar such as candied or crystalized fruits.

1.1.36
Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth:
1.1.37
With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart,
1.1.38
Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,
1.1.39
To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke,
1.1.40
Be it so she, will not here before your grace
1.1.41
Consent to marry with Demetrius,

As Hermia’s father, the ancient privilege of Athens states that she may be put to death if she does not obey her father’s wishes for her marriage.

1.1.42
I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,
1.1.43
As she is mine, I may dispose of her:
1.1.44
Which shall be either to this gentleman
1.1.45
Or to her death, according to our law
1.1.46
Immediately provided in that case.

THESEUS:

1.1.47
What say you, Hermia? be advised fair maid:
1.1.48
To you your father should be as a god,
1.1.49
One that composed your beauties, yea, and one
1.1.50
To whom you are but as a form in wax

A wax form may refer here to a pattern of wax that, when invested and burned out or otherwise eliminated, will produce a mold in which a casting may be made.

1.1.51
By him imprinted and within his power

Thesus here tells Hermia that she must think of her father as a god who has the power to give and take away her beauty as a wax molding creates a form of an image and can easily be changed or disfigured

1.1.52
To leave the figure or disfigure it.
1.1.53
Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.

HERMIA:

1.1.54
So is Lysander.

THESEUS:

1.1.55
In himself he is,
1.1.56
But in this kind, wanting your father's voice,
1.1.57
The other must be held the worthier.

HERMIA:

1.1.58
I would my father look'd but with my eyes.

THESEUS:

1.1.59
Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.

Thesus argues to Hermia that she must look more objectively and see the men as her father does.

HERMIA:

1.1.60
I do entreat your grace to pardon me.
1.1.61
I know not by what power I am made bold,
1.1.62
Nor how it may concern my modesty,
1.1.63
In such a presence here to plead my thoughts,
1.1.64
But I beseech your grace that I may know
1.1.65
The worst that may befall me in this case,
1.1.66
If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

THESEUS:

1.1.67
Either to die the death or to abjure
1.1.68
For ever the society of men.
1.1.69
Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires,
1.1.70
Know of your youth, examine well your blood,
1.1.71
Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice,

This script generates a number of usually pronounceable and frequently amusing fake words loosely based on a specific language. They can be used, for example, to name characters in games and whatnot. Maybe you need to name a town or an NPC in your next campaign?

1.1.72
You can endure the livery of a nun,

A livery being literally defined as a distinctive dress as that of a nun or servant (Mirriam-Webster) in this context is in reference to the chaste life of abstinence that Theseus will subject Hermia to should she not marry Demetrius as he wishes.

Roman Catholic Religious Dress
Roman Catholic Religious Dress
1.1.73
For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd,

Mew’d in this context means to be shut up or confined.

1.1.74
To live a barren sister all your life,
1.1.75
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.
1.1.76
Thrice-blessed they that master so their blood,
1.1.77
To undergo such maiden pilgrimage,
1.1.78
But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd,
1.1.79
Than that which withering on the virgin thorn
1.1.80
Grows, lives and dies in single blessedness.

HERMIA:

1.1.81
So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,
1.1.82
Ere I will my virgin patent up

Here, Hermia speaks of her virgin patent as a priviledge or license to be given up. She does not want to lose her virginity to someone she does not care for.

1.1.83
Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke
1.1.84
My soul consents not to give sovereignty.

THESEUS:

1.1.85
Take time to pause, and, by the nest new moon--
1.1.86
The sealing-day betwixt my love and me,

The sealing-day spoken of here is in reference to marriage.

1.1.87
For everlasting bond of fellowship--
1.1.88
Upon that day either prepare to die
1.1.89
For disobedience to your father's will,
1.1.90
Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would,
1.1.91
Or on Diana's altar to protest

Diana is the “goddess of the hunt” and presides over the woodland, nature, and the moon.

The Hunt of Diana
The Hunt of Diana
1.1.92
For aye austerity and single life.

DEMETRIUS:

1.1.93
Relent, sweet Hermia: and, Lysander, yield
1.1.94
Thy crazed title to my certain right.

LYSANDER:

1.1.95
You have her father's love, Demetrius,
1.1.96
Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him.

EGEUS:

1.1.97
Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love,
1.1.98
And what is mine my love shall render him.
1.1.99
And she is mine, and all my right of her
1.1.100
I do estate unto Demetrius.

LYSANDER:

1.1.101
I am, my lord, as well derived as he,
1.1.102
As well possess'd, my love is more than his,
1.1.103
My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd,
1.1.104
If not with vantage, as Demetrius',
1.1.105
And, which is more than all these boasts can be,
1.1.106
I am beloved of beauteous Hermia:
1.1.107
Why should not I then prosecute my right?
1.1.108
Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head,

Avouch means here to vouch for, to confess, or to avow.

1.1.109
Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,

There is much debate about the true identity of Nedar, the father of Helena. However, prominent Shakespeare scholar Terence Hawkes speculates that it could be an anagram for Arden, a noble family name linked to Shakespeare’s mother’s family. Others believe that the name originates from a Hebrew derivitive meaning “missing” or “absent” which would account for the character Nedar’s glaring absence in the play.

1.1.110
And won her soul, and she, sweet lady, dotes,
1.1.111
Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,
1.1.112
Upon this spotted and inconstant man.

THESEUS:

1.1.113
I must confess that I have heard so much,
1.1.114
And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof,
1.1.115
But, being over-full of self-affairs,
1.1.116
My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come,
1.1.117
And come, Egeus, you shall go with me,
1.1.118
I have some private schooling for you both.
1.1.119
For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself
1.1.120
To fit your fancies to your father's will,
1.1.121
Or else the law of Athens yields you up--
1.1.122
Which by no means we may extenuate--
1.1.123
To death, or to a vow of single life.
1.1.124
Come, my Hippolyta: what cheer, my love?
1.1.125
Demetrius and Egeus, go along:
1.1.126
I must employ you in some business
1.1.127
Against our nuptial and confer with you
1.1.128
Of something nearly that concerns yourselves.

EGEUS:

1.1.129
With duty and desire we follow you.

Exeunt all but LYSANDER and HERMIA

LYSANDER:

1.1.130
How now, my love! why is your cheek so pale?
1.1.131
How chance the roses there do fade so fast?

HERMIA:

1.1.132
Belike for want of rain, which I could well

The archaic term belike, circa 1500, was most-likely used to mean “probably.”

1.1.133
Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes.

To *beteem here means to allow or to permit.

LYSANDER:

1.1.134
Ay me! for aught that I could ever read,
1.1.135
Could ever hear by tale or history,
1.1.136
The course of true love never did run smooth,
1.1.137
But, either it was different in blood,--

HERMIA:

1.1.138
O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low.

LYSANDER:

1.1.139
Or else misgraffed in respect of years,--

Misgraffed here means that which is wrongly grafted or badly matched.

HERMIA:

1.1.140
O spite! too old to be engaged to young.

LYSANDER:

1.1.141
Or else it stood upon the choice of friends,--

HERMIA:

1.1.142
O hell! to choose love by another's eyes.

LYSANDER:

1.1.143
Or, if there were a sympathy in choice,
1.1.144
War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it,
1.1.145
Making it momentany as a sound,

Momentany is an obsolete use of “momentary.”

1.1.146
Swift as a shadow, short as any dream,
1.1.147
Brief as the lightning in the collied night,
1.1.148
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,

Spleen here is in reference to a sudden impulse or whim.

1.1.149
And ere a man hath power to say 'Behold!'
1.1.150
The jaws of darkness do devour it up:
1.1.151
So quick bright things come to confusion.

HERMIA:

1.1.152
If then true lovers have been ever cross'd,
1.1.153
It stands as an edict in destiny:
1.1.154
Then let us teach our trial patience,
1.1.155
Because it is a customary cross,
1.1.156
As due to love as thoughts and dreams and sighs,
1.1.157
Wishes and tears, poor fancy's followers.

LYSANDER:

1.1.158
A good persuasion: therefore, hear me, Hermia.
1.1.159
I have a widow aunt, a dowager

Lysander has a well thought out plan for his escape with Hermia. Not only will they receive a friendly greeting upon arrival, they will be provided for once they settle there.

1.1.160
Of great revenue, and she hath no child:
1.1.161
From Athens is her house remote seven leagues,
1.1.162
And she respects me as her only son.
1.1.163
There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee,
1.1.164
And to that place the sharp Athenian law
1.1.165
Cannot pursue us. If thou lovest me then,
1.1.166
Steal forth thy father's house to-morrow night,
1.1.167
And in the wood, a league without the town,
1.1.168
Where I did meet thee once with Helena,
1.1.169
To do observance to a morn of May,
1.1.170
There will I stay for thee.

HERMIA:

1.1.171
My good Lysander!
1.1.172
I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow,

Cupid is the mythological son of Venus, the mischievous young nymph who manipulates situations of love and passion as described by Helena

Venus and Cupid
Venus and Cupid
1.1.173
By his best arrow with the golden head,
1.1.174
By the simplicity of Venus' doves,

Venus is the goddess of love and the mother of Cupid

The Birth of Venus
The Birth of Venus
1.1.175
By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves,
1.1.176
And by that fire which burn'd the Carthage queen,

This line is in reference to Dido, queen of Carthage, who committed suicide after being abandoned by Aneas.

Aeneas's Farewell to Dido in Carthago
Aeneas's Farewell to Dido in Carthago
1.1.177
When the false Troyan under sail was seen,

This line is in reference to the Trojan horse, a lengthy account of which is given in Virgil’s Aneid.

The Procession of the Trojan Horse in Troy
The Procession of the Trojan Horse in Troy
1.1.178
By all the vows that ever men have broke,
1.1.179
In number more than ever women spoke,
1.1.180
In that same place thou hast appointed me,
1.1.181
To-morrow truly will I meet with thee.

LYSANDER:

1.1.182
Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena.

Enter HELENA

HERMIA:

1.1.183
God speed fair Helena! whither away?

HELENA:

1.1.184
Call you me fair? that fair again unsay.
1.1.185
Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair!
1.1.186
Your eyes are lode-stars, and your tongue's sweet air

A lode-star is an archaic term for a star that leads or guides, specifically the North Star.

1.1.187
More tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear,
1.1.188
When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear.
1.1.189
Sickness is catching: O, were favour so,
1.1.190
Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go,
1.1.191
My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye,
1.1.192
My tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody.
1.1.193
Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated,

Bated is an obsolete verb meaning here to diminish or decrease.

1.1.194
The rest I'd give to be to you translated.
1.1.195
O, teach me how you look, and with what art
1.1.196
You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart.

HERMIA:

1.1.197
I frown upon him, yet he loves me still.

HELENA:

1.1.198
O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill!

HERMIA:

1.1.199
I give him curses, yet he gives me love.

HELENA:

1.1.200
O that my prayers could such affection move!

HERMIA:

1.1.201
The more I hate, the more he follows me.

HELENA:

1.1.202
The more I love, the more he hateth me.

HERMIA:

1.1.203
His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine.

HELENA:

1.1.204
None, but your beauty: would that fault were mine!

HERMIA:

1.1.205
Take comfort: he no more shall see my face,
1.1.206
Lysander and myself will fly this place.
1.1.207
Before the time I did Lysander see,
1.1.208
Seem'd Athens as a paradise to me:
1.1.209
O, then, what graces in my love do dwell,
1.1.210
That he hath turn'd a heaven unto a hell!

LYSANDER:

1.1.211
Helen, to you our minds we will unfold:
1.1.212
To-morrow night, when Phoebe doth behold

Phoebe, better known by her more formal title Diana, is the “goddess of the hunt” and presides over the woodland, nature, and the moon. (See Diana)

1.1.213
Her silver visage in the watery glass,
1.1.214
Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass,

“Liquid pearl” here references the dew on the grass.

1.1.215
A time that lovers' flights doth still conceal,
1.1.216
Through Athens' gates have we devised to steal.

HERMIA:

1.1.217
And in the wood, where often you and I
1.1.218
Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lie,
1.1.219
Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet,
1.1.220
There my Lysander and myself shall meet,
1.1.221
And thence from Athens turn away our eyes,
1.1.222
To seek new friends and stranger companies.
1.1.223
Farewell, sweet playfellow: pray thou for us,
1.1.224
And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius!
1.1.225
Keep word, Lysander: we must starve our sight
1.1.226
From lovers' food till morrow deep midnight.

“Lovers’ food” may here be in reference to feasting their eyes on one another until a later time when they are able to meet again.

LYSANDER:

1.1.227
I will, my Hermia.

Exit HERMIA

LYSANDER:

1.1.228
Helena, adieu:
1.1.229
As you on him, Demetrius dote on you!

To dote means to be lavish or excessive in one’s attention, fondness, or affection.

Exit

HELENA:

1.1.230
How happy some o'er other some can be!
1.1.231
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
1.1.232
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so,
1.1.233
He will not know what all but he do know:
1.1.234
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,
1.1.235
So I, admiring of his qualities:
1.1.236
Things base and vile, folding no quantity,
1.1.237
Love can transpose to form and dignity:
1.1.238
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
1.1.239
And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind:

Cupid is the mythological son of Venus, the mischievous young nymph who manipulates situations of love and passion as described by Helena

Venus and Cupid
Venus and Cupid
1.1.240
Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste,
1.1.241
Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste:
1.1.242
And therefore is Love said to be a child,
1.1.243
Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.
1.1.244
As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,

A wag is a young man or a chap; To forswear means here to reject or renounce under oath.

1.1.245
So the boy Love is perjured every where:

To be purjured means to make a perjurer of (oneself), which is one guilty of false swearing.

1.1.246
For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne,

Here, the term eyne refers to her eyes.

1.1.247
He hail'd down oaths that he was only mine,
1.1.248
And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,
1.1.249
So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt.
1.1.250
I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight:
1.1.251
Then to the wood will he to-morrow night
1.1.252
Pursue her, and for this intelligence
1.1.253
If I have thanks, it is a dear expense:
1.1.254
But herein mean I to enrich my pain,
1.1.255
To have his sight thither and back again.

Thither here means being on the other and farther side.

Exit

SCENE II. Athens. QUINCE'S house.

Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING

QUINCE:

1.2.1
Is all our company here?

Carpenter not just buildings and houses, they had a knowledge of wood in general. Known as an elite tradesman.

BOTTOM:

1.2.2
You were best to call them generally, man by man,
1.2.3
according to the scrip.

Scrip meaning a text or a script.

QUINCE:

1.2.4
Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is
1.2.5
thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our
1.2.6
interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his
1.2.7
wedding-day at night.

BOTTOM:

1.2.8
First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats
1.2.9
on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow
1.2.10
to a point.

QUINCE:

1.2.11
Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy, and

Marry meaning an expression of (real or playful) impatience.

1.2.12
most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.

Pyramus and Thisbe The story of Pyramus and Thisbe, the story that set the stage for Romeo and Juliet.

BOTTOM:

1.2.13
A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a
1.2.14
merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your

Merry meaning hilarious, uproarious, or hysterical.

1.2.15
actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.

QUINCE:

1.2.16
Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.

Weaver notorious for giving short measure, and cheating the customer.

BOTTOM:

1.2.17
Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed.

QUINCE:

1.2.18
You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.

BOTTOM:

1.2.19
What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?

QUINCE:

1.2.20
A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.

Gallant meaning showy, ostentacious, or fancy.

BOTTOM:

1.2.21
That will ask some tears in the true performing of
1.2.22
it: if I do it, let the audience look to their
1.2.23
eyes, I will move storms, I will condole in some

Condole meaning to lament, grieve, or express great sorrow

1.2.24
measure. To the rest: yet my chief humour is for a
1.2.25
tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to
1.2.26
tear a cat in, to make all split.
1.2.27
The raging rocks

The Raging Rocks Quite possibly, this speech given by Bottom was a way for Shakespeare to poke fun at translations of Seneca’s Hercules.

PERFORMANCE TIP: Strong, perfomative, and confident

1.2.28
And shivering shocks
1.2.29
Shall break the locks
1.2.30
Of prison gates,
1.2.31
And Phibbus' car
1.2.32
Shall shine from far
1.2.33
And make and mar
1.2.34
The foolish Fates.
1.2.35
This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players.
1.2.36
This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein, a lover is
1.2.37
more condoling.

QUINCE:

1.2.38
Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

Bellows Mender a bellow was a tool used to blow air into a fire. Made from wood covered partially in leather. Francis would be the person who fixes this tool most likely.

FLUTE:

1.2.39
Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE:

1.2.40
Flute, you must take Thisby on you.

FLUTE:

1.2.41
What is Thisby? a wandering knight?

Wandering Knight or Knight-Errant was in fact a wandering knight looking for adventures to exhibit one’s skills, prowess, and generosity.

QUINCE:

1.2.42
It is the lady that Pyramus must love.

FLUTE:

1.2.43
Nay, faith, let me not play a woman, I have a beard coming.

QUINCE:

1.2.44
That's all one: you shall play it in a mask, and
1.2.45
you may speak as small as you will.

Shakespeare and Gender During this period of time, female characters were played by men. Within this play, Flute would perform as Thisbe in a mask.

BOTTOM:

1.2.46
An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too, I'll
1.2.47
speak in a monstrous little voice. 'Thisne,
1.2.48
Thisne,' 'Ah, Pyramus, lover dear! thy Thisby dear,
1.2.49
and lady dear!'

QUINCE:

1.2.50
No, no, you must play Pyramus: and, Flute, you Thisby.

BOTTOM:

1.2.51
Well, proceed.

QUINCE:

1.2.52
Robin Starveling, the tailor.

Tailor similar to a weaver. Clearly someone who works on making a fixing garments.

STARVELING:

1.2.53
Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE:

1.2.54
Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's mother.
1.2.55
Tom Snout, the tinker.

Tinker an archaic term for someone who worked as a tinsmith. Mostly mending household utensils.

SNOUT:

1.2.56
Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE:

1.2.57
You, Pyramus' father: myself, Thisby's father:
1.2.58
Snug, the joiner, you, the lion's part: and, I

Joiner most furniture during this time was made with wood planks and nails. Once proper joints started becoming a regular part of furniture, the men who specialized in this were called joiners.

1.2.59
hope, here is a play fitted.

SNUG:

1.2.60
Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if it
1.2.61
be, give it me, for I am slow of study.

Slow of study meaning that Snug is declaring himself a person who does not learn things quickly.

QUINCE:

1.2.62
You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.

Extempore meaning without preparation, improvised, for the occasion.

BOTTOM:

1.2.63
Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that I will

PERFORMANCE TIP: Bottom is a goof. Like most of his dialogue, this statement is among one of the many goofy things he says. Lean into the sillyness with a clear confidence.

1.2.64
do any man's heart good to hear me, I will roar,
1.2.65
that I will make the duke say 'Let him roar again,
1.2.66
let him roar again.'

QUINCE:

1.2.67
An you should do it too terribly, you would fright
1.2.68
the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek,
1.2.69
and that were enough to hang us all.

ALL:

1.2.70
That would hang us, every mother's son.

BOTTOM:

1.2.71
I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the
1.2.72
ladies out of their wits, they would have no more
1.2.73
discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my
1.2.74
voice so that I will roar you as gently as any
1.2.75
sucking dove, I will roar you an 'twere any

Nighengales were birds that lived in England in the summers. They ate cucumber sandwiches and loved when the smell of rain presaged a storm.

1.2.76
nightingale.

QUINCE:

1.2.77
You can play no part but Pyramus, for Pyramus is a
1.2.78
sweet-faced man, a proper man, as one shall see in a

Nighengales were birds that lived in England in the summers. They ate cucumber sandwiches and loved when the smell of rain presaged a storm.

1.2.79
summer's day, a most lovely gentleman-like man:
1.2.80
therefore you must needs play Pyramus.

BOTTOM:

1.2.81
Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best
1.2.82
to play it in?

QUINCE:

1.2.83
Why, what you will.

BOTTOM:

1.2.84
I will discharge it in either your straw-colour

Straw coloured blonde most likely.

1.2.85
beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain
1.2.86
beard, or your French-crown-colour beard, your

French-crown-colour refering to the top of the head of a frenchman.

1.2.87
perfect yellow.

Perfect Yellow a crown was a coin that had either the king or queen stamoped on it. They were made of gold therefore the perfect yellow.

QUINCE:

1.2.88
Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and
1.2.89
then you will play bare-faced. But, masters, here
1.2.90
are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request
1.2.91
you and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night,

Con meaning to learn by heart. They are asked, as most actors are, to memorize their lines.

1.2.92
and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the
1.2.93
town, by moonlight, there will we rehearse, for if
1.2.94
we meet in the city, we shall be dogged with

Dogged possibly meaning a ferocious or fierce crowd.

1.2.95
company, and our devices known. In the meantime I
1.2.96
will draw a bill of properties, such as our play
1.2.97
wants. I pray you, fail me not.

BOTTOM:

1.2.98
We will meet, and there we may rehearse most
1.2.99
obscenely and courageously. Take pains, be perfect: adieu.

Adieu a farewell.

QUINCE:

1.2.100
At the duke's oak we meet.

BOTTOM:

1.2.101
Enough, hold or cut bow-strings.

Bow-strings this statment could mean many things, but most likely, it is Bottom saying that the group should stick with what they have planned for Pyramus and Thisbe, or abandon the the whole thing. Quitting while they’re ahead.

Exeunt

ACT II

SCENE I. A wood near Athens.

Enter, from opposite sides, a Fairy, and PUCK

PUCK:

2.1.1
How now, spirit! whither wander you?

The term spirit is used to denote members of the fairy world, specifically referring to supernatural beings.

Fairy:

2.1.2
Over hill, over dale,

These short rhyming lines suggest a song. This text was later set to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Over Hill, Over Dale
Over Hill, Over Dale
2.1.3
Thorough bush, thorough brier,

Thorough in Shakespeare is an old English variant meaning through.

2.1.4
Over park, over pale,

Pale here means a wooden strip forming part of a fence.

2.1.5
Thorough flood, thorough fire,
2.1.6
I do wander everywhere,
2.1.7
Swifter than the moon's sphere,

The moon serves as an image throughout the play, and in this case, the Fairy stating that she is “swifter than the moon’s sphere” may mean that she will have to work quickly to get all of her work done before the moon is gone, or perhaps may mean that she will not fall for the tricks of the moon that the mortal characters will. Read more about the symbolism of the moon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream here.

2.1.8
And I serve the fairy queen,
2.1.9
To dew her orbs upon the green.

This refers to Fairy Rings, which are rings of lush green grass that expand outward. Folklore in the time period said the rings were caused by fairies, and the servant fairy had to water them for the queen.

2.1.10
The cowslips tall her pensioners be:

Cowslips are a flower frequently found in rural England in spring. Her description of them as “tall” indicates her small stature as a fairy.

2.1.11
In their gold coats spots you see,
2.1.12
Those be rubies, fairy favours,
2.1.13
In those freckles live their savours:
2.1.14
I must go seek some dewdrops here
2.1.15
And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear.

The idea that pearls were made of dew came from a widely believed, but incorrect theory from first century naturalist and philosopher Pliny.

2.1.16
Farewell, thou lob of spirits, I'll be gone:

Lob means a dull and uncouth person; a lout.

2.1.17
Our queen and all our elves come here anon.

Anon means “right away.”

PUCK:

2.1.18
The king doth keep his revels here to-night:
2.1.19
Take heed the queen come not within his sight,
2.1.20
For Oberon is passing fell and wrath,
2.1.21
Because that she as her attendant hath
2.1.22
A lovely boy, stolen from an Indian king,

The Indian boy is referenced directly six times in the play, but never seen. He likely represents colonialism, with Titania and Oberon seeing the exotic boy as a commodity.

2.1.23
She never had so sweet a changeling,

Changeling would be pronounced in three syllables here. The IPA is: tʃe:InʤəlIŋ

Pivotal and Puzzling: The Indian Boy in a Midsummer Night's Dream
Pivotal and Puzzling: The Indian Boy in a Midsummer Night's Dream
2.1.24
And jealous Oberon would have the child
2.1.25
Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild,
2.1.26
But she perforce withholds the loved boy,

Perforce means by force of circumstances or of necessity.

2.1.27
Crowns him with flowers and makes him all her joy:
2.1.28
And now they never meet in grove or green,
2.1.29
By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen,
2.1.30
But, they do square, that all their elves for fear

Square means to quarrel.

2.1.31
Creep into acorn-cups and hide them there.

Fairy:

2.1.32
Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
2.1.33
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite

Shrewd and Knavish means artful, crafty, and dishonest.

2.1.34
Call'd Robin Goodfellow: are not you he

Robin Goodfellow is a traditional character that appears in a lot of literature. He is mischevious but not malicious.

Robin Goodfellow
Robin Goodfellow
2.1.35
That frights the maidens of the villagery,
2.1.36
Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern

Farm women in this time period had to churn milk into butter and use a stone hand mill called a quern to grind grain into flour. This line implies Puck miscievously interferes with both of these daily tasks by skimming the fat off of the milk, making it impossible to turn into butter, and by playing tricks with the quern.

2.1.37
And bootless make the breathless housewife churn,

Here, bootless means fruitlessly or unprofitably.

2.1.38
And sometime make the drink to bear no barm,

Barm is the foam on top of a fermenting liquid, such as beer.

2.1.39
Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?
2.1.40
Those that Hobgoblin call you and sweet Puck,

A Hobgoblin is a house-elf with mischievous intentions.

2.1.41
You do their work, and they shall have good luck:
2.1.42
Are not you he?

PUCK:

2.1.43
Thou speak'st aright,
2.1.44
I am that merry wanderer of the night.
2.1.45
I jest to Oberon and make him smile
2.1.46
When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile,
2.1.47
Neighing in likeness of a filly foal:

A filly foal is a baby female horse.

2.1.48
And sometime lurk I in a gossip's bowl,

A gossip’s bowl usually held caudle, a drink similar to modern eggnog. The bowls may also have been used as birthing bows, getting its name from women being present in the birth room.

2.1.49
In very likeness of a roasted crab,

Crab is referring to a crab apple, that might float in the caudle found in the gossip’s bowl.

2.1.50
And when she drinks, against her lips I bob
2.1.51
And on her wither'd dewlap pour the ale.

Dewlap refers to a flap of skin on the throat.

2.1.52
The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale,
2.1.53
Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me,
2.1.54
Then slip I from her bum, down topples she,
2.1.55
And 'tailor' cries, and falls into a cough,

Crying tailor may be similar to yelling “my buttocks!” and is exclaimed by someone when falling backwards.

2.1.56
And then the whole quire hold their hips and laugh,
2.1.57
And waxen in their mirth and neeze and swear
2.1.58
A merrier hour was never wasted there.
2.1.59
But, room, fairy! here comes Oberon.

Fairy:

2.1.60
And here my mistress. Would that he were gone!

StageDirection:

2.1.60
Enter, from one side, OBERON, with his train, from the other, TITANIA, with hers

OBERON:

2.1.61
Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania.

TITANIA:

2.1.62
What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, skip hence:
2.1.63
I have forsworn his bed and company.

OBERON:

2.1.64
Tarry, rash wanton: am not I thy lord?

A loose translation of Tarry, rash wanton might be “Hang on, you reckless skank!”

TITANIA:

2.1.65
Then I must be thy lady: but I know
2.1.66
When thou hast stolen away from fairy land,
2.1.67
And in the shape of Corin sat all day,

Corin and Phillida are common names for a shepherd and his shepherdess. Titania is accusing Oberon of cheating with mortal women.

2.1.68
Playing on pipes of corn and versing love
2.1.69
To amorous Phillida. Why art thou here,
2.1.70
Come from the farthest Steppe of India?
2.1.71
But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon,

Forsooth means “in truth” and often implies contempt or doubt

2.1.72
Your buskin'd mistress and your warrior love,

Buskined refers to wearing buskins, which are extravagant hunting boots.

2.1.73
To Theseus must be wedded, and you come
2.1.74
To give their bed joy and prosperity.

OBERON:

2.1.75
How canst thou thus for shame, Titania,
2.1.76
Glance at my credit with Hippolyta,
2.1.77
Knowing I know thy love to Theseus?
2.1.78
Didst thou not lead him through the glimmering night
2.1.79
From Perigenia, whom he ravished?

Perigenia is five syllables. The pronunciation audio can be found here. The phonetic transcription for pronunciation is: ,pɛ:ɚrə’dʒInijə

2.1.80
And make him with fair AEgle break his faith,

Aegle is a nymph that Theseus abandoned Ariadne for. Pronunciation of her name can be found here.

2.1.81
With Ariadne and Antiopa?

Ariadne helped Theseus in his quest to slay the Minotaur, and they fell in love and eloped. He later abandoned her for Aegle. Pronunciation of Ariadne can be found here.. Antiopa was another lover of Theseus’, with whom he had a son, but he also later abandoned. Pronunciation of Antiopa can be found here.

TITANIA:

2.1.82
These are the forgeries of jealousy:
2.1.83
And never, since the middle summer's spring,
2.1.84
Met we on hill, in dale, forest or mead,
2.1.85
By paved fountain or by rushy brook,

Rushy means covered with rush.

2.1.86
Or in the beached margent of the sea,

Margent is an archaic word for margin, or edge.

2.1.87
To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind,
2.1.88
But with thy brawls thou hast disturb'd our sport.
2.1.89
Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain,
2.1.90
As in revenge, have suck'd up from the sea

Titania’s description of the out-of-control weather indicates the time period in which this was written, as the period referred to as The Little Ice Age was well underway.

2.1.91
Contagious fogs, which falling in the land
2.1.92
Have every pelting river made so proud

In this instance, pelting means insignificant.

2.1.93
That they have overborne their continents:
2.1.94
The ox hath therefore stretch'd his yoke in vain,
2.1.95
The ploughman lost his sweat, and the green corn
2.1.96
Hath rotted ere his youth attain'd a beard,
2.1.97
The fold stands empty in the drowned field,

Drowned should be pronounced in two syllables here to create regular rhythm with the iambic pentameter.

2.1.98
And crows are fatted with the murrion flock,

Murrain flock refers to the sheep that died from infectious disease.

2.1.99
The nine men's morris is fill'd up with mud,

Nine Men’s Morris is a strategy game that would have had the pattern outlined in the soil.

2.1.100
And the quaint mazes in the wanton green

Wanton green here refers to luxurious grass. Oberon used the term wanton previously in this scene to negatively describe Titania, and now Titania uses it here in a positive way with the suggestion of growth and abundance.

2.1.101
For lack of tread are undistinguishable:
2.1.102
The human mortals want their winter here,
2.1.103
No night is now with hymn or carol blest:
2.1.104
Therefore the moon, the governess of floods,
2.1.105
Pale in her anger, washes all the air,
2.1.106
That rheumatic diseases do abound:

Rheumatic diseases refers to diseases with watery discharge.

Shakespeare's Rheumatology
Shakespeare's Rheumatology
2.1.107
And thorough this distemperature we see
2.1.108
The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts

Hoary-headed refers to having gray or white hair from age

2.1.109
Far in the fresh lap of the crimson rose,
2.1.110
And on old Hiems' thin and icy crown

This is a personification of Hiems, the coldest season of the year

2.1.111
An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds
2.1.112
Is, as in mockery, set: the spring, the summer,
2.1.113
The childing autumn, angry winter, change
2.1.114
Their wonted liveries, and the mazed world,

Wonted Liveries refers to accustomed attire

2.1.115
By their increase, now knows not which is which:
2.1.116
And this same progeny of evils comes
2.1.117
From our debate, from our dissension,

Dissension would be pronounced as four syllables.

2.1.118
We are their parents and original.

OBERON:

2.1.119
Do you amend it then, it lies in you:
2.1.120
Why should Titania cross her Oberon?
2.1.121
I do but beg a little changeling boy,
2.1.122
To be my henchman.

TITANIA:

2.1.123
Set your heart at rest:
2.1.124
The fairy land buys not the child of me.
2.1.125
His mother was a votaress of my order:

Votaress would be pronounced in two syllables here, and is a woman who is a devoted follower or admirer, known as a votary

2.1.126
And, in the spiced Indian air, by night,
2.1.127
Full often hath she gossip'd by my side,
2.1.128
And sat with me on Neptune's yellow sands,

Neptune is the god of the sea

2.1.129
Marking the embarked traders on the flood,
2.1.130
When we have laugh'd to see the sails conceive
2.1.131
And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind,
2.1.132
Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait
2.1.133
Following,--her womb then rich with my young squire,--
2.1.134
Would imitate, and sail upon the land,
2.1.135
To fetch me trifles, and return again,
2.1.136
As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.
2.1.137
But she, being mortal, of that boy did die,

Approximately one percent of women died in childbirth during this time period, making death by childbirth a stadard trope for mortality.

2.1.138
And for her sake do I rear up her boy,
2.1.139
And for her sake I will not part with him.

OBERON:

2.1.140
How long within this wood intend you stay?

TITANIA:

2.1.141
Perchance till after Theseus' wedding-day.
2.1.142
If you will patiently dance in our round
2.1.143
And see our moonlight revels, go with us,
2.1.144
If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts.

In this occurence, spare means avoid

OBERON:

2.1.145
Give me that boy, and I will go with thee.

TITANIA:

2.1.146
Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away!
2.1.147
We shall chide downright, if I longer stay.

Exit TITANIA with her train

OBERON:

2.1.148
Well, go thy way: thou shalt not from this grove
2.1.149
Till I torment thee for this injury.
2.1.150
My gentle Puck, come hither. Thou rememberest
2.1.151
Since once I sat upon a promontory,
2.1.152
And heard a mermaid on a dolphin's back
2.1.153
Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath
2.1.154
That the rude sea grew civil at her song
2.1.155
And certain stars shot madly from their spheres,
2.1.156
To hear the sea-maid's music.

PUCK:

2.1.157
I remember.

OBERON:

2.1.158
That very time I saw, but thou couldst not,
2.1.159
Flying between the cold moon and the earth,
2.1.160
Cupid all arm'd: a certain aim he took
2.1.161
At a fair vestal throned by the west,

Vestal means virgin, and in this instance is likely an allusion to Queen Elizabeth.

2.1.162
And loosed his love-shaft smartly from his bow,
2.1.163
As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts,
2.1.164
But I might see young Cupid's fiery shaft
2.1.165
Quench'd in the chaste beams of the watery moon,

Watery should be pronounced in two syllables. The watery moon is a reference to the goddess of the moon, Diana.

2.1.166
And the imperial votaress passed on,
2.1.167
In maiden meditation, fancy-free.
2.1.168
Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell:
2.1.169
It fell upon a little western flower,
2.1.170
Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound,
2.1.171
And maidens call it love-in-idleness.
2.1.172
Fetch me that flower, the herb I shew'd thee once:
2.1.173
The juice of it on sleeping eye-lids laid
2.1.174
Will make or man or woman madly dote
2.1.175
Upon the next live creature that it sees.
2.1.176
Fetch me this herb, and be thou here again
2.1.177
Ere the leviathan can swim a league.

The leviathan is a biblical sea serpent, depicted in a drawing here.

PUCK:

2.1.178
I'll put a girdle round about the earth
2.1.179
In forty minutes.

Exit

OBERON:

2.1.180
Having once this juice,
2.1.181
I'll watch Titania when she is asleep,
2.1.182
And drop the liquor of it in her eyes.
2.1.183
The next thing then she waking looks upon,
2.1.184
Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull,
2.1.185
On meddling monkey, or on busy ape,
2.1.186
She shall pursue it with the soul of love:

Soul of love refers to the deepest or purest love, by using soul to mean the quintessence

2.1.187
And ere I take this charm from off her sight,
2.1.188
As I can take it with another herb,
2.1.189
I'll make her render up her page to me.
2.1.190
But who comes here? I am invisible,
2.1.191
And I will overhear their conference.

Enter DEMETRIUS, HELENA, following him

DEMETRIUS:

2.1.192
I love thee not, therefore pursue me not.
2.1.193
Where is Lysander and fair Hermia?
2.1.194
The one I'll slay, the other slayeth me.

Stay means cause to stop or pause, so he is saying he’ll cause Lysander to stop because Demetrius believes he is in love with Hermia, and Hermia causes him to stop in order to woo her.

2.1.195
Thou told'st me they were stolen unto this wood,
2.1.196
And here am I, and wode within this wood,
2.1.197
Because I cannot meet my Hermia.
2.1.198
Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.

HELENA:

2.1.199
You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant,

Adamant is referring to a naturally occurring magnet. Helena is pointing out her attraction to Demetrius like a piece of metal to a magnet.

2.1.200
But yet you draw not iron, for my heart
2.1.201
Is true as steel: leave you your power to draw,
2.1.202
And I shall have no power to follow you.

DEMETRIUS:

2.1.203
Do I entice you? do I speak you fair?

Speak you fair means speak with kindness.

2.1.204
Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth
2.1.205
Tell you, I do not, nor I cannot love you?

HELENA:

2.1.206
And even for that do I love you the more.
2.1.207
I am your spaniel, and, Demetrius,

This is Helena’s lowest point of groveling, asking Demetrius to treat her like a dog that he beats, and telling him that the more he beats her, the more she will love him.. Staging often includes Helena crawling on the floor after Demetrius.

2.1.208
The more you beat me, I will fawn on you:
2.1.209
Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me,
2.1.210
Neglect me, lose me, only give me leave,

Loose and Lose in this time period were interchangable spelling variants for both meanings that are distinguished by the spelling difference now. Either definition works here.

2.1.211
Unworthy as I am, to follow you.
2.1.212
What worser place can I beg in your love,--
2.1.213
And yet a place of high respect with me,--
2.1.214
Than to be used as you use your dog?

DEMETRIUS:

2.1.215
Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit,
2.1.216
For I am sick when I do look on thee.

HELENA:

2.1.217
And I am sick when I look not on you.

DEMETRIUS:

2.1.218
You do impeach your modesty too much,

Impeach means to call into question.

2.1.219
To leave the city and commit yourself
2.1.220
Into the hands of one that loves you not,
2.1.221
To trust the opportunity of night
2.1.222
And the ill counsel of a desert place

Ill counsel of a desert place refers to the temptation of being alone.

2.1.223
With the rich worth of your virginity.

HELENA:

2.1.224
Your virtue is my privilege: for that
2.1.225
It is not night when I do see your face,
2.1.226
Therefore I think I am not in the night,
2.1.227
Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company,
2.1.228
For you in my respect are all the world:
2.1.229
Then how can it be said I am alone,
2.1.230
When all the world is here to look on me?

DEMETRIUS:

2.1.231
I'll run from thee and hide me in the brakes,
2.1.232
And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts.

HELENA:

2.1.233
The wildest hath not such a heart as you.
2.1.234
Run when you will, the story shall be changed:
2.1.235
Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase,

A suggestion of reversal of the Greek myth of Apollo and Daphne, a story in which the nymph Daphne asked to be turned into a tree to escape the god Apollo, who insistently pursued her.

2.1.236
The dove pursues the griffin, the mild hind

The Griffin is a mythological creature that is half lion, half eagle, as seen in this painting.

2.1.237
Makes speed to catch the tiger, bootless speed,

Bootless speed refers to futile speed that cannot reach its target.

2.1.238
When cowardice pursues and valour flies.

DEMETRIUS:

2.1.239
I will not stay thy questions, let me go:
2.1.240
Or, if thou follow me, do not believe
2.1.241
But I shall do thee mischief in the wood.

Mischeif here means serious harm or injury.

HELENA:

2.1.242
Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field,
2.1.243
You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius!
2.1.244
Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex:
2.1.245
We cannot fight for love, as men may do,
2.1.246
We should be wood and were not made to woo.

Exit DEMETRIUS

HELENA:

2.1.247
I'll follow thee and make a heaven of hell,
2.1.248
To die upon the hand I love so well.

Exit

OBERON:

2.1.249
Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove,
2.1.250
Thou shalt fly him and he shall seek thy love.

Re-enter PUCK

OBERON:

2.1.251
Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer.

PUCK:

2.1.252
Ay, there it is.

OBERON:

2.1.253
I pray thee, give it me.

There is no need to attempt to regulate the iambic pentameter here. The short and irregular lines suggest a song. The rhythm returns to iambic pentameter after the first five lines of this soliloquy.

2.1.254
I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

This text was set to music for SATB choir by Richard Ewer in 2020.

I Know a Bank Where the Wild Thyme Blows
I Know a Bank Where the Wild Thyme Blows
2.1.255
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
2.1.256
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

Woodbineis a type of climbing plant. Sometimes it is honeysuckle, or other times it is convolvulus woodbine.

2.1.257
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:

Eglantine is a wild rose.

2.1.258
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
2.1.259
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight,
2.1.260
And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,
2.1.261
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:
2.1.262
And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes,
2.1.263
And make her full of hateful fantasies.
2.1.264
Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove:
2.1.265
A sweet Athenian lady is in love
2.1.266
With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes,
2.1.267
But do it when the next thing he espies
2.1.268
May be the lady: thou shalt know the man
2.1.269
By the Athenian garments he hath on.
2.1.270
Effect it with some care, that he may prove
2.1.271
More fond on her than she upon her love:
2.1.272
And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow.

PUCK:

2.1.273
Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so.

Exeunt

SCENE II. Another part of the wood.

Enter TITANIA, with her train

TITANIA:

2.2.1
Come, now a roundel and a fairy song,
2.2.2
Then, for the third part of a minute, hence,
2.2.3
Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds,

Cankers are a caterpillar destructive to plants; First known to be use in 1559 in the following meaning, a Muskrose is a rose of the Mediterranean region with white flowers having a musky odor.

2.2.4
Some war with rere-mice for their leathern wings,

rere-mice are bats, the word “rere-mice” literally being the plural of “rere-mouse.”

2.2.5
To make my small elves coats, and some keep back
2.2.6
The clamorous owl that nightly hoots and wonders
2.2.7
At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep,
2.2.8
Then to your offices and let me rest.

The Fairies sing

TITANIA:

2.2.9
You spotted snakes with double tongue,
2.2.10
Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen,
2.2.11
Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong,

Newts are any of various small salamanders (family Salamandridae) that are usually semiaquatic as adults; The *blindworm, also called a slow worm, is a burrowing limbless European lizard (Anguis fragilis) with small eyes.

2.2.12
Come not near our fairy queen.
2.2.13
Philomel, with melody

A Philomel is a nightingale, an Old World thrush noted for the sweet usually nocturnal song.

2.2.14
Sing in our sweet lullaby,
2.2.15
Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby:
2.2.16
Never harm,
2.2.17
Nor spell nor charm,
2.2.18
Come our lovely lady nigh,

Nigh here means near in place, time, or relationship.

2.2.19
So, good night, with lullaby.
2.2.20
Weaving spiders, come not here,
2.2.21
Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence!

Spinners here in reference to spiders.

2.2.22
Beetles black, approach not near,
2.2.23
Worm nor snail, do no offence.
2.2.24
Philomel, with melody, and c.

Fairy:

2.2.25
Hence, away! now all is well:
2.2.26
One aloof stand sentinel.

A sentinel is a sentry, a soldier standing guard at a point of passage (such as a gate).

Exeunt Fairies. TITANIA sleeps

Enter OBERON and squeezes the flower on TITANIA's eyelids

OBERON:

2.2.27
What thou seest when thou dost wake,
2.2.28
Do it for thy true-love take,
2.2.29
Love and languish for his sake:
2.2.30
Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,

An ounce is understood in Shakespearean vernacular as a lynx. It is also known as a form of snow leopard in later historical contexts. (Middle English unce lynx.)

2.2.31
Pard, or boar with bristled hair,

A pard is an arhaic term for a leopard.

2.2.32
In thy eye that shall appear
2.2.33
When thou wakest, it is thy dear:
2.2.34
Wake when some vile thing is near.

Exit

Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA

LYSANDER:

2.2.35
Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood,
2.2.36
And to speak troth, I have forgot our way:
2.2.37
We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good,
2.2.38
And tarry for the comfort of the day.

HERMIA:

2.2.39
Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed,
2.2.40
For I upon this bank will rest my head.

LYSANDER:

2.2.41
One turf shall serve as pillow for us both,

A turf is a piece of soil bound by grass and plant roots into a thick mat.

2.2.42
One heart, one bed, two bosoms and one troth.

HERMIA:

2.2.43
Nay, good Lysander, for my sake, my dear,
2.2.44
Lie further off yet, do not lie so near.

LYSANDER:

2.2.45
O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence!
2.2.46
Love takes the meaning in love's conference.

“Love’s conference” here means the meeting of two in love.

2.2.47
I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit
2.2.48
So that but one heart we can make of it,
2.2.49
Two bosoms interchained with an oath,
2.2.50
So then two bosoms and a single troth.

A troth is loyal or pledged faithfulness.

2.2.51
Then by your side no bed-room me deny,
2.2.52
For lying so, Hermia, I do not lie.

HERMIA:

2.2.53
Lysander riddles very prettily:
2.2.54
Now much beshrew my manners and my pride,
2.2.55
If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied.
2.2.56
But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy
2.2.57
Lie further off, in human modesty,
2.2.58
Such separation as may well be said
2.2.59
Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid,
2.2.60
So far be distant, and, good night, sweet friend:
2.2.61
Thy love ne'er alter till thy sweet life end!

LYSANDER:

2.2.62
Amen, amen, to that fair prayer, say I,
2.2.63
And then end life when I end loyalty!
2.2.64
Here is my bed: sleep give thee all his rest!

HERMIA:

2.2.65
With half that wish the wisher's eyes be press'd!

“Press’d” here means pressed together in sleep.

They sleep

Enter PUCK

PUCK:

2.2.66
Through the forest have I gone.
2.2.67
But Athenian found I none,
2.2.68
On whose eyes I might approve
2.2.69
This flower's force in stirring love.
2.2.70
Night and silence.--Who is here?
2.2.71
Weeds of Athens he doth wear:

This line refers to Lysander’s Athenian garb (weeds being his garments).

2.2.72
This is he, my master said,
2.2.73
Despised the Athenian maid,
2.2.74
And here the maiden, sleeping sound,
2.2.75
On the dank and dirty ground.
2.2.76
Pretty soul! she durst not lie
2.2.77
Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.
2.2.78
Churl, upon thy eyes I throw

A churl was a medieval peasant, or may have also refered to a rude, ill-bred person.

2.2.79
All the power this charm doth owe.
2.2.80
When thou wakest, let love forbid
2.2.81
Sleep his seat on thy eyelid:
2.2.82
So awake when I am gone,
2.2.83
For I must now to Oberon.

Exit

Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running

HELENA:

2.2.84
Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius.

DEMETRIUS:

2.2.85
I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus.

HELENA:

2.2.86
O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so.

Darkling is an adverb meaning in darkness.

DEMETRIUS:

2.2.87
Stay, on thy peril: I alone will go.

Exit

HELENA:

2.2.88
O, I am out of breath in this fond chase!
2.2.89
The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace.
2.2.90
Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er she lies,
2.2.91
For she hath blessed and attractive eyes.
2.2.92
How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears:
2.2.93
If so, my eyes are oftener wash'd than hers.

Helena says here that she certainly cries more often than Hermia.

2.2.94
No, no, I am as ugly as a bear,
2.2.95
For beasts that meet me run away for fear:
2.2.96
Therefore no marvel though Demetrius
2.2.97
Do, as a monster fly my presence thus.
2.2.98
What wicked and dissembling glass of mine

In this context, “glass” refers to a mirror, “dissembling” meaning that which hides under a false appearance or puts on another appearance.

2.2.99
Made me compare with Hermia's sphery eyne?

sphery in this context is widely thought to reference to Hermia’s “starlike” eyes.

2.2.100
But who is here? Lysander! on the ground!
2.2.101
Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound.
2.2.102
Lysander if you live, good sir, awake.

LYSANDER:

2.2.103
[Awaking] And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake.
2.2.104
Transparent Helena! Nature shows art,
2.2.105
That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart.
2.2.106
Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word
2.2.107
Is that vile name to perish on my sword!

HELENA:

2.2.108
Do not say so, Lysander, say not so
2.2.109
What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though?
2.2.110
Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content.

LYSANDER:

2.2.111
Content with Hermia! No, I do repent
2.2.112
The tedious minutes I with her have spent.
2.2.113
Not Hermia but Helena I love:
2.2.114
Who will not change a raven for a dove?
2.2.115
The will of man is by his reason sway'd,
2.2.116
And reason says you are the worthier maid.
2.2.117
Things growing are not ripe until their season
2.2.118
So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason,
2.2.119
And touching now the point of human skill,
2.2.120
Reason becomes the marshal to my will

Here, Lysander explains that his reasoning takes precedence over his will and leads him to Helena.

2.2.121
And leads me to your eyes, where I o'erlook
2.2.122
Love's stories written in love's richest book.

HELENA:

2.2.123
Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?

Keen here means affecting one as if by cutting; sharp; shrewd.

2.2.124
When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?
2.2.125
Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man,
2.2.126
That I did never, no, nor never can,
2.2.127
Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye,
2.2.128
But you must flout my insufficiency?

To flout means to scorn or to treat with contemptuous disregard.

2.2.129
Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do,
2.2.130
In such disdainful manner me to woo.
2.2.131
But fare you well: perforce I must confess

Perforce here means by force of circumstances or of necessity.

2.2.132
I thought you lord of more true gentleness.
2.2.133
O, that a lady, of one man refused.
2.2.134
Should of another therefore be abused!

Exit

LYSANDER:

2.2.135
She sees not Hermia. Hermia, sleep thou there:
2.2.136
And never mayst thou come Lysander near!
2.2.137
For as a surfeit of the sweetest things

Surfeit is an intemperate or immoderate indulgence in something (such as food or drink). It may also be in reference to disgust caused by excess.

2.2.138
The deepest loathing to the stomach brings,
2.2.139
Or as tie heresies that men do leave
2.2.140
Are hated most of those they did deceive,
2.2.141
So thou, my surfeit and my heresy,
2.2.142
Of all be hated, but the most of me!
2.2.143
And, all my powers, address your love and might
2.2.144
To honour Helen and to be her knight!

Exit

HERMIA:

2.2.145
[Awaking] Help me, Lysander, help me! do thy best
2.2.146
To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast!
2.2.147
Ay me, for pity! what a dream was here!
2.2.148
Lysander, look how I do quake with fear:
2.2.149
Methought a serpent eat my heart away,

This may be interpreted as a metaphor for Hermia’s broken heart.

2.2.150
And you sat smiling at his cruel pray.
2.2.151
Lysander! what, removed? Lysander! lord!
2.2.152
What, out of hearing? gone? no sound, no word?
2.2.153
Alack, where are you speak, an if you hear,
2.2.154
Speak, of all loves! I swoon almost with fear.
2.2.155
No? then I well perceive you all not nigh
2.2.156
Either death or you I'll find immediately.

Exit

ACT III

SCENE I. The wood. TITANIA lying asleep.

Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING

BOTTOM:

3.1.1
Are we all met?

QUINCE:

3.1.2
Pat, pat, and here's a marvellous convenient place
3.1.3
for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our
3.1.4
stage, this hawthorn-brake our tiring-house, and we
3.1.5
will do it in action as we will do it before the duke.

BOTTOM:

3.1.6
Peter Quince,--

QUINCE:

3.1.7
What sayest thou, bully Bottom?

BOTTOM:

3.1.8
There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and
3.1.9
Thisby that will never please. First, Pyramus must
3.1.10
draw a sword to kill himself, which the ladies
3.1.11
cannot abide. How answer you that?

SNOUT:

3.1.12
By'r lakin, a parlous fear.

STARVELING:

3.1.13
I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is done.

BOTTOM:

3.1.14
Not a whit: I have a device to make all well.
3.1.15
Write me a prologue, and let the prologue seem to
3.1.16
say, we will do no harm with our swords, and that
3.1.17
Pyramus is not killed indeed, and, for the more
3.1.18
better assurance, tell them that I, Pyramus, am not
3.1.19
Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver: this will put them
3.1.20
out of fear.

QUINCE:

3.1.21
Well, we will have such a prologue, and it shall be
3.1.22
written in eight and six.

BOTTOM:

3.1.23
No, make it two more, let it be written in eight and eight.

SNOUT:

3.1.24
Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?

STARVELING:

3.1.25
I fear it, I promise you.

BOTTOM:

3.1.26
Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves: to
3.1.27
bring in--God shield us!--a lion among ladies, is a
3.1.28
most dreadful thing, for there is not a more fearful
3.1.29
wild-fowl than your lion living, and we ought to
3.1.30
look to 't.

SNOUT:

3.1.31
Therefore another prologue must tell he is not a lion.

BOTTOM:

3.1.32
Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must
3.1.33
be seen through the lion's neck: and he himself
3.1.34
must speak through, saying thus, or to the same
3.1.35
defect,--'Ladies,'--or 'Fair-ladies--I would wish
3.1.36
You,'--or 'I would request you,'--or 'I would
3.1.37
entreat you,--not to fear, not to tremble: my life
3.1.38
for yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it
3.1.39
were pity of my life: no I am no such thing, I am a
3.1.40
man as other men are,' and there indeed let him name
3.1.41
his name, and tell them plainly he is Snug the joiner.

QUINCE:

3.1.42
Well it shall be so. But there is two hard things,
3.1.43
that is, to bring the moonlight into a chamber, for,
3.1.44
you know, Pyramus and Thisby meet by moonlight.

SNOUT:

3.1.45
Doth the moon shine that night we play our play?

BOTTOM:

3.1.46
A calendar, a calendar! look in the almanac, find
3.1.47
out moonshine, find out moonshine.

QUINCE:

3.1.48
Yes, it doth shine that night.

BOTTOM:

3.1.49
Why, then may you leave a casement of the great
3.1.50
chamber window, where we play, open, and the moon
3.1.51
may shine in at the casement.

QUINCE:

3.1.52
Ay, or else one must come in with a bush of thorns
3.1.53
and a lanthorn, and say he comes to disfigure, or to
3.1.54
present, the person of Moonshine. Then, there is
3.1.55
another thing: we must have a wall in the great
3.1.56
chamber, for Pyramus and Thisby says the story, did
3.1.57
talk through the chink of a wall.

SNOUT:

3.1.58
You can never bring in a wall. What say you, Bottom?

BOTTOM:

3.1.59
Some man or other must present Wall: and let him
3.1.60
have some plaster, or some loam, or some rough-cast
3.1.61
about him, to signify wall, and let him hold his
3.1.62
fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus
3.1.63
and Thisby whisper.

QUINCE:

3.1.64
If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down,
3.1.65
every mother's son, and rehearse your parts.
3.1.66
Pyramus, you begin: when you have spoken your
3.1.67
speech, enter into that brake: and so every one
3.1.68
according to his cue.

Enter PUCK behind

PUCK:

3.1.69
What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here,
3.1.70
So near the cradle of the fairy queen?
3.1.71
What, a play toward! I'll be an auditor,
3.1.72
An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause.

QUINCE:

3.1.73
Speak, Pyramus. Thisby, stand forth.

BOTTOM:

3.1.74
Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet,--

QUINCE:

3.1.75
Odours, odours.

BOTTOM:

3.1.76
--odours savours sweet:
3.1.77
So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear.
3.1.78
But hark, a voice! stay thou but here awhile,
3.1.79
And by and by I will to thee appear.

Exit

PUCK:

3.1.80
A stranger Pyramus than e'er played here.

Exit

FLUTE:

3.1.81
Must I speak now?

QUINCE:

3.1.82
Ay, marry, must you, for you must understand he goes
3.1.83
but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again.

FLUTE:

3.1.84
Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue,
3.1.85
Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier,
3.1.86
Most brisky juvenal and eke most lovely Jew,
3.1.87
As true as truest horse that yet would never tire,
3.1.88
I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.

QUINCE:

3.1.89
Ninus' tomb,' man: why, you must not speak that
3.1.90
yet, that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all your
3.1.91
part at once, cues and all Pyramus enter: your cue
3.1.92
is past, it is, 'never tire.'

FLUTE:

3.1.93
O,--As true as truest horse, that yet would
3.1.94
never tire.

Re-enter PUCK, and BOTTOM with an ass's head

BOTTOM:

3.1.95
If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine.

QUINCE:

3.1.96
O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted. Pray,
3.1.97
masters! fly, masters! Help!

Exeunt QUINCE, SNUG, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING

PUCK:

3.1.98
I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round,
3.1.99
Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier:
3.1.100
Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,
3.1.101
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire,
3.1.102
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn,
3.1.103
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.

Exit

BOTTOM:

3.1.104
Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them to
3.1.105
make me afeard.

Re-enter SNOUT

SNOUT:

3.1.106
O Bottom, thou art changed! what do I see on thee?

BOTTOM:

3.1.107
What do you see? you see an asshead of your own, do
3.1.108
you?

Exit SNOUT

Re-enter QUINCE

QUINCE:

3.1.109
Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art
3.1.110
translated.

Exit

BOTTOM:

3.1.111
I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me,
3.1.112
to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir
3.1.113
from this place, do what they can: I will walk up
3.1.114
and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear
3.1.115
I am not afraid.

Sings

BOTTOM:

3.1.116
The ousel cock so black of hue,
3.1.117
With orange-tawny bill,
3.1.118
The throstle with his note so true,
3.1.119
The wren with little quill,--

TITANIA:

3.1.120
[Awaking] What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?

BOTTOM:

3.1.121
[Sings]
3.1.122
The finch, the sparrow and the lark,
3.1.123
The plain-song cuckoo gray,
3.1.124
Whose note full many a man doth mark,
3.1.125
And dares not answer nay,--
3.1.126
for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish
3.1.127
a bird? who would give a bird the lie, though he cry
3.1.128
cuckoo' never so?

TITANIA:

3.1.129
I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again:
3.1.130
Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note,
3.1.131
So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape,
3.1.132
And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me
3.1.133
On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.

BOTTOM:

3.1.134
Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason
3.1.135
for that: and yet, to say the truth, reason and
3.1.136
love keep little company together now-a-days, the
3.1.137
more the pity that some honest neighbours will not
3.1.138
make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion.

TITANIA:

3.1.139
Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.

BOTTOM:

3.1.140
Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough to get out
3.1.141
of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn.

TITANIA:

3.1.142
Out of this wood do not desire to go:
3.1.143
Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.
3.1.144
I am a spirit of no common rate,
3.1.145
The summer still doth tend upon my state,
3.1.146
And I do love thee: therefore, go with me,
3.1.147
I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee,
3.1.148
And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep,
3.1.149
And sing while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep,
3.1.150
And I will purge thy mortal grossness so
3.1.151
That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.
3.1.152
Peaseblossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustardseed!

Enter PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and MUSTARDSEED

PEASEBLOSSOM:

3.1.153
Ready.

COBWEB:

3.1.154
And I.

MOTH:

3.1.155
And I.

MUSTARDSEED:

3.1.156
And I.

ALL:

3.1.157
Where shall we go?

TITANIA:

3.1.158
Be kind and courteous to this gentleman,
3.1.159
Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes,
3.1.160
Feed him with apricocks and dewberries,
3.1.161
With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries,
3.1.162
The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees,
3.1.163
And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs
3.1.164
And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes,
3.1.165
To have my love to bed and to arise,
3.1.166
And pluck the wings from Painted butterflies
3.1.167
To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes:
3.1.168
Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.

PEASEBLOSSOM:

3.1.169
Hail, mortal!

COBWEB:

3.1.170
Hail!

MOTH:

3.1.171
Hail!

MUSTARDSEED:

3.1.172
Hail!

BOTTOM:

3.1.173
I cry your worship's mercy, heartily: I beseech your
3.1.174
worship's name.

COBWEB:

3.1.175
Cobweb.

BOTTOM:

3.1.176
I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master
3.1.177
Cobweb: if I cut my finger, I shall make bold with
3.1.178
you. Your name, honest gentleman?

PEASEBLOSSOM:

3.1.179
Peaseblossom.

BOTTOM:

3.1.180
I pray you, commend me to Mistress Squash, your
3.1.181
mother, and to Master Peascod, your father. Good
3.1.182
Master Peaseblossom, I shall desire you of more
3.1.183
acquaintance too. Your name, I beseech you, sir?

MUSTARDSEED:

3.1.184
Mustardseed.

BOTTOM:

3.1.185
Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well:
3.1.186
that same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef hath
3.1.187
devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise
3.1.188
you your kindred had made my eyes water ere now. I
3.1.189
desire your more acquaintance, good Master
3.1.190
Mustardseed.

TITANIA:

3.1.191
Come, wait upon him, lead him to my bower.
3.1.192
The moon methinks looks with a watery eye,
3.1.193
And when she weeps, weeps every little flower,
3.1.194
Lamenting some enforced chastity.
3.1.195
Tie up my love's tongue bring him silently.

Exeunt

SCENE II. Another part of the wood.

Enter OBERON

OBERON:

3.2.1
I wonder if Titania be awaked,
3.2.2
Then, what it was that next came in her eye,
3.2.3
Which she must dote on in extremity.

She must love to the highest degree.

Enter PUCK

OBERON:

3.2.4
Here comes my messenger.
3.2.5
How now, mad spirit!
3.2.6
What night-rule now about this haunted grove?

Night-rule: chaos or lack of order. This is part of the theme that in Shakespeare’s time, deviation from the prescribed social order creates disorder on the large and small scale. Haunted, in this case, means regularly visited rather than ghostly.

Enter a rabble of plebeians! Social disorder in Shakespeare's England
Enter a rabble of plebeians! Social disorder in Shakespeare's England

PUCK:

3.2.7
My mistress with a monster is in love.

PERFORMANCE TIP: What is Puck’s attitude when delivering this line? Is he horrified? Amused? Make a strong choice and play it! Look to the rest of the speech for clues.

3.2.8
Near to her close and consecrated bower,

Close in this case means hidden. A bower is a shady clearing in a garden or forest.

3.2.9
While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,

While she was asleep.

3.2.10
A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,

patches: simple (not smart) people; rude: unsophisticated; mechanicals: workers

3.2.11
That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,

They earn their livings in shops or booths (stalls.)

3.2.12
Were met together to rehearse a play
3.2.13
Intended for great Theseus' nuptial-day.

nuptial day wedding day

3.2.14
The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort,

The one who played Pyramus who was the stupidest of them, sat in the bushes after finishing his scene to wait for his next cue.

3.2.15
Who Pyramus presented, in their sport
3.2.16
Forsook his scene and enter'd in a brake
3.2.17
When I did him at this advantage take,
3.2.18
An ass's nole I fixed on his head:

ass’s nole: donkey’s head

Scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Titania and Bottom
Scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Titania and Bottom
3.2.19
Anon his Thisbe must be answered,

Anon: Soon; mimic: An actor; fowler: a bird hunter; russet-pated choughs: an antiquated term for brown-headed jackdaws or crows; sever themselves: go in seperate directions Soon after, he had to go back on stage to answer Thisbe, so he went back on stage. When the other actors saw him, they ran away like a bunch of geese frightened by a gunshot.

3.2.20
And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy,
3.2.21
As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,
3.2.22
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
3.2.23
Rising and cawing at the gun's report,
3.2.24
Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky,
3.2.25
So, at his sight, away his fellows fly,
3.2.26
And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls,

In folk stories, Puck has can shake the ground by stomping (stamping) his foot. According to the Folger edition of the play: “his use of ‘our’ is puzzling. It has been suggested that ‘at our stamp’ is a misprint of ‘at a stump.’” This line can be interpreted as: When one of them heard my footsteps, he fell over (frightened) OR One of them fell over a tree stump (as he was running). Both fit the meter of the line, so either version can be used.

Robin Goodfellow, His Mad Pranks and Merry Jests
Robin Goodfellow, His Mad Pranks and Merry Jests
3.2.27
He murder cries and help from Athens calls.

He (the one who fell) yelled “murder” and called for help from Athens.

3.2.28
Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears

With their common sense weakened by the strength of their fear, they believed that inanimate objects were trying to harm them.

3.2.29
thus strong,
3.2.30
Made senseless things begin to do them wrong,
3.2.31
For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch,

yielders: cowards Briars and thorns snagged their clothing, including sleeves and hats. Everything seems to be on the attack to a coward*

3.2.32
Some sleeves, some hats, from yielders all
3.2.33
things catch.
3.2.34
I led them on in this distracted fear,
3.2.35
And left sweet Pyramus translated there:

translated: transformed

3.2.36
When in that moment, so it came to pass,

At that moment, Titania woke up and fell in love with Bottom (with his donkey’s head)

3.2.37
Titania waked and straightway loved an ass.

OBERON:

3.2.38
This falls out better than I could devise.

falls out: happened or turned out

3.2.39
But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes

latch’d: caught

3.2.40
With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

PUCK:

3.2.41
I took him sleeping,--that is finish'd too,--
3.2.42
And the Athenian woman by his side:
3.2.43
That, when he waked, of force she must be eyed.

of force: will have to; eyed: seen

Enter HERMIA and DEMETRIUS

OBERON:

3.2.44
Stand close: this is the same Athenian.

Stand close: Hide

PUCK:

3.2.45
This is the woman, but not this the man.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.46
O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?
3.2.47
Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.

HERMIA:

3.2.48
Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse,

chide - to scold

3.2.49
For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse,
3.2.50
If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,
3.2.51
Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,
3.2.52
And kill me too.
3.2.53
The sun was not so true unto the day
3.2.54
As he to me: would he have stolen away

In this context, stolen away means “snuck away”.

3.2.55
From sleeping Hermia? I'll believe as soon
3.2.56
This whole earth may be bored and that the moon
3.2.57
May through the centre creep and so displease
3.2.58
Her brother's noontide with Antipodes.
3.2.59
It cannot be but thou hast murder'd him,
3.2.60
So should a murderer look, so dead, so grim.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.61
So should the murder'd look, and so should I,
3.2.62
Pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty:
3.2.63
Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear,
3.2.64
As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.

This reference is in regards to Venus, the goddess of love. In 1593, Shakespeare’s poem [Venus and Adonis] was published. (http://www.shakespeare-w.com/english/shakespeare/w_venus.html)

HERMIA:

3.2.65
What's this to my Lysander? where is he?
3.2.66
Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.67
I had rather give his carcass to my hounds.

HERMIA:

3.2.68
Out, dog! out, cur! thou drivest me past the bounds
3.2.69
Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him, then?
3.2.70
Henceforth be never number'd among men!
3.2.71
O, once tell true, tell true, even for my sake!
3.2.72
Durst thou have look'd upon him being awake,

durst - an archaic past tense of dare.

3.2.73
And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? O brave touch!
3.2.74
Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?

An [adder] is an Old English term for serpent. (https://www.livescience.com/54227-adder-facts.html)

3.2.75
An adder did it, for with doubler tongue
3.2.76
Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.77
You spend your passion on a misprised mood:

In this context, misprised means mistaken.

3.2.78
I am not guilty of Lysander's blood,
3.2.79
Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.

HERMIA:

3.2.80
I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.81
An if I could, what should I get therefore?

HERMIA:

3.2.82
A privilege never to see me more.
3.2.83
And from thy hated presence part I so:
3.2.84
See me no more, whether he be dead or no.

Exit

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.85
There is no following her in this fierce vein:
3.2.86
Here therefore for a while I will remain.
3.2.87
So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow
3.2.88
For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe:
3.2.89
Which now in some slight measure it will pay,
3.2.90
If for his tender here I make some stay.

Lies down and sleeps

OBERON:

3.2.91
What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite

PERFORMANCE TIP: What is Oberon’s attitude here? Is he angry? Disappointed? What would cause this feeling in such an alien and powerful creature?

3.2.92
And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight:

you’ve put the potion on the eyes of someone who was in true love

3.2.93
Of thy misprision must perforce ensue

misprision: mistake; perforce: inevitably Your mistake has caused this guy’s true love for someone else to fail instead of making his false love turn to true love.

3.2.94
Some true love turn'd and not a false turn'd true.

PUCK:

3.2.95
Then fate o'er-rules, that, one man holding troth,

holding troth: keeping an oath Puck is blaming his mistake on fate and making the case that for every one person who keeps their oath, there are a miollion others who do not.

PERFORMANCE TIP: What is Puck trying to do here? He’s in trouble with Oberon for making a mistake. How is he reacting to Oberon’s criticism?

3.2.96
A million fail, confounding oath on oath.

OBERON:

3.2.97
About the wood go swifter than the wind,
3.2.98
And Helena of Athens look thou find:
3.2.99
All fancy-sick she is and pale of cheer,

fancy-sick: love-sick; *cheer:** face

3.2.100
With sighs of love, that costs the fresh blood dear:

In Shakespeare’s time, scientists and doctors believed that the body was ruled by the four humours (blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm). Each was connected to an element. Blood is connected to air, so sighing or exhaling is depleting the blood humour.

And There's the Humor of it:  Shakespeare and the Four Humors
And There's the Humor of it: Shakespeare and the Four Humors
3.2.101
By some illusion see thou bring her here:
3.2.102
I'll charm his eyes against she do appear.

PUCK:

3.2.103
I go, I go, look how I go,
3.2.104
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow.

Tartar’s bow: (archaic spelling) a bow of the Tatar people. This bow is more powerful and more accurate than the English bow.

Exit

OBERON:

3.2.105
Flower of this purple dye,

PERFORMANCE TIP: Oberon is casting a spell here. How might that differ from dialogue or a regular monologue? Might this be set to music to set it apart from regular dialogue?

Op. 64, Act 2: "Flower of this Purple Dye"
Op. 64, Act 2: "Flower of this Purple Dye"
3.2.106
Hit with Cupid's archery,
3.2.107
Sink in apple of his eye.
3.2.108
When his love he doth espy,
3.2.109
Let her shine as gloriously
3.2.110
As the Venus of the sky.
3.2.111
When thou wakest, if she be by,
3.2.112
Beg of her for remedy.

Re-enter PUCK

PUCK:

3.2.113
Captain of our fairy band,
3.2.114
Helena is here at hand,
3.2.115
And the youth, mistook by me,
3.2.116
Pleading for a lover's fee.
3.2.117
Shall we their fond pageant see?

fond pageant: silly scene or spectacle

3.2.118
Lord, what fools these mortals be!

OBERON:

3.2.119
Stand aside: the noise they make

*Stand aside:** hide

3.2.120
Will cause Demetrius to awake.

PUCK:

3.2.121
Then will two at once woo one,

Both of them will woo the same woman

3.2.122
That must needs be sport alone,

sport: entertainment

3.2.123
And those things do best please me
3.2.124
That befal preposterously.

Enter LYSANDER and HELENA

LYSANDER:

3.2.125
Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?
3.2.126
Scorn and derision never come in tears:
3.2.127
Look, when I vow, I weep, and vows so born,
3.2.128
In their nativity all truth appears.
3.2.129
How can these things in me seem scorn to you,
3.2.130
Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?

HELENA:

3.2.131
You do advance your cunning more and more.
3.2.132
When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!
3.2.133
These vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er?
3.2.134
Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:
3.2.135
Your vows to her and me, put in two scales,
3.2.136
Will even weigh, and both as light as tales.

LYSANDER:

3.2.137
I had no judgment when to her I swore.

HELENA:

3.2.138
Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er.

LYSANDER:

3.2.139
Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.140
[Awaking] O Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!

In Greek mythology, a [nymph] is a minor deity often depicted as nature personified or as a beautiful maiden. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymph)

3.2.141
To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?
3.2.142
Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show
3.2.143
Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow!
3.2.144
That pure congealed white, high Taurus snow,

In this passage, Demetrius compares Helena’s hand to the beauty of the snow-capped [Taurus mountains] in Turkey. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurus_Mountains)

3.2.145
Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow
3.2.146
When thou hold'st up thy hand: O, let me kiss
3.2.147
This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss!

HELENA:

3.2.148
O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent
3.2.149
To set against me for your merriment:
3.2.150
If you we re civil and knew courtesy,
3.2.151
You would not do me thus much injury.
3.2.152
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
3.2.153
But you must join in souls to mock me too?
3.2.154
If you were men, as men you are in show,
3.2.155
You would not use a gentle lady so,
3.2.156
To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,
3.2.157
When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.
3.2.158
You both are rivals, and love Hermia,
3.2.159
And now both rivals, to mock Helena:
3.2.160
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
3.2.161
To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes
3.2.162
With your derision! none of noble sort
3.2.163
Would so offend a virgin, and extort
3.2.164
A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport.

LYSANDER:

3.2.165
You are unkind, Demetrius, be not so,
3.2.166
For you love Hermia, this you know I know:
3.2.167
And here, with all good will, with all my heart,
3.2.168
In Hermia's love I yield you up my part,
3.2.169
And yours of Helena to me bequeath,

bequeath - to give or leave to one by will

3.2.170
Whom I do love and will do till my death.

HELENA:

3.2.171
Never did mockers waste more idle breath.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.172
Lysander, keep thy Hermia, I will none:
3.2.173
If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone.
3.2.174
My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourn'd,

The phrase “guest-wise sojourn’d” refers to how a guest resides temporarily in a place, as he says his heart similarly only temporarily resided with Hermia before returning to Helena.

3.2.175
And now to Helen is it home return'd,
3.2.176
There to remain.

LYSANDER:

3.2.177
Helen, it is not so.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.178
Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,
3.2.179
Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.

aby - to suffer a penalty

3.2.180
Look, where thy love comes, yonder is thy dear.

Re-enter HERMIA

HERMIA:

3.2.181
Dark night, that from the eye his function takes,
3.2.182
The ear more quick of apprehension makes,
3.2.183
Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,
3.2.184
It pays the hearing double recompense.
3.2.185
Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found,
3.2.186
Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound
3.2.187
But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?

LYSANDER:

3.2.188
Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go?

HERMIA:

3.2.189
What love could press Lysander from my side?

LYSANDER:

3.2.190
Lysander's love, that would not let him bide,
3.2.191
Fair Helena, who more engilds the night

engilds - to make bright with light

3.2.192
Than all you fiery oes and eyes of light.

oes - this archaic word refers to an orb, circle or sphere, here referring to the stars.

3.2.193
Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know,
3.2.194
The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?

HERMIA:

3.2.195
You speak not as you think: it cannot be.

HELENA:

3.2.196
Lo, she is one of this confederacy!

While many Americans have a certain image in mind when they think of the word “confederacy”, in this context it refers to an alliance or conspiracy.

3.2.197
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three
3.2.198
To fashion this false sport, in spite of me.

false sport - derision, mockery

3.2.199
Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid!
3.2.200
Have you conspired, have you with these contrived
3.2.201
To bait me with this foul derision?
3.2.202
Is all the counsel that we two have shared,
3.2.203
The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent,
3.2.204
When we have chid the hasty-footed time

chid the hasty-footed time - scold the quickly-passing time

3.2.205
For parting us,--O, is it all forgot?
3.2.206
All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence?
3.2.207
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
3.2.208
Have with our needles created both one flower,
3.2.209
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,

sampler - a decorative piece of needlework

3.2.210
Both warbling of one song, both in one key,
3.2.211
As if our hands, our sides, voices and minds,
3.2.212
Had been incorporate. So we grow together,

incorporate - to make one

3.2.213
Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,
3.2.214
But yet an union in partition,
3.2.215
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem,
3.2.216
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart,
3.2.217
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,

This passage refers to the imagery of a coat of arms, a class distinction of English nobility. Here Helena says they were so close as to be of one lineage, one family, like sisters.

3.2.218
Due but to one and crowned with one crest.
3.2.219
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,

rent - rend, tear asunder

3.2.220
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
3.2.221
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:
3.2.222
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,
3.2.223
Though I alone do feel the injury.

HERMIA:

3.2.224
I am amazed at your passionate words.
3.2.225
I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me.

HELENA:

3.2.226
Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,
3.2.227
To follow me and praise my eyes and face?
3.2.228
And made your other love, Demetrius,
3.2.229
Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,
3.2.230
To call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare,
3.2.231
Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this
3.2.232
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
3.2.233
Deny your love, so rich within his soul,
3.2.234
And tender me, forsooth, affection,

forsooth - indeed

3.2.235
But by your setting on, by your consent?
3.2.236
What thought I be not so in grace as you,
3.2.237
So hung upon with love, so fortunate,
3.2.238
But miserable most, to love unloved?
3.2.239
This you should pity rather than despise.

HERMIA:

3.2.240
I understand not what you mean by this.

HELENA:

3.2.241
Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,

persever - an obsolete form of persevere.

3.2.242
Make mouths upon me when I turn my back,
3.2.243
Wink each at other, hold the sweet jest up:
3.2.244
This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.
3.2.245
If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
3.2.246
You would not make me such an argument.
3.2.247
But fare ye well: 'tis partly my own fault,
3.2.248
Which death or absence soon shall remedy.

LYSANDER:

3.2.249
Stay, gentle Helena, hear my excuse:
3.2.250
My love, my life my soul, fair Helena!

HELENA:

3.2.251
O excellent!

HERMIA:

3.2.252
Sweet, do not scorn her so.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.253
If she cannot entreat, I can compel.

LYSANDER:

3.2.254
Thou canst compel no more than she entreat:
3.2.255
Thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers.
3.2.256
Helen, I love thee, by my life, I do:
3.2.257
I swear by that which I will lose for thee,
3.2.258
To prove him false that says I love thee not.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.259
I say I love thee more than he can do.

LYSANDER:

3.2.260
If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.261
Quick, come!

HERMIA:

3.2.262
Lysander, whereto tends all this?

LYSANDER:

3.2.263
Away, you Ethiope!

Ethiope is a problematic reference to a person of Ethiopian or African descent or those with a “dark countenance”. Here Lysander insults Hermia by negatively referring to her complexion. For suggestions on how to dismantle anti-blackness in Shakespeare, check out this [field guide]. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kpq3nTAUVKwTrY_XLiH6aCr3agUMu-pSCe87fg8DYQM/mobilebasic)

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.264
No, no, he'll [ ]
3.2.265
Seem to break loose, take on as you would follow,
3.2.266
But yet come not: you are a tame man, go!

LYSANDER:

3.2.267
Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! vile thing, let loose,

In Shakespeare’s time, “hang off” meant “let go”. This line also demonstrates Shakespeare’s creativity with expressions and insults.

3.2.268
Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent!

HERMIA:

3.2.269
Why are you grown so rude? what change is this?
3.2.270
Sweet love,--

LYSANDER:

3.2.271
Thy love! out, tawny Tartar, out!

Tawny Tartar is another negative reference to skin color. Tawny meaning brown and Tartar being a reference to a Turk. This reflects the racial prejudice that existed in Elizabethan times and persists to this day. For suggestions on how to dismantle anti-blackness in Shakespeare, check out this [field guide]. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kpq3nTAUVKwTrY_XLiH6aCr3agUMu-pSCe87fg8DYQM/mobilebasic)

3.2.272
Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence!

HERMIA:

3.2.273
Do you not jest?

HELENA:

3.2.274
Yes, sooth, and so do you.

LYSANDER:

3.2.275
Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.276
I would I had your bond, for I perceive
3.2.277
A weak bond holds you: I'll not trust your word.

LYSANDER:

3.2.278
What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead?
3.2.279
Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.

HERMIA:

3.2.280
What, can you do me greater harm than hate?
3.2.281
Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love!
3.2.282
Am not I Hermia? are not you Lysander?
3.2.283
I am as fair now as I was erewhile.

erewhile is an archaic version of formerly

3.2.284
Since night you loved me, yet since night you left
3.2.285
me:
3.2.286
Why, then you left me--O, the gods forbid!--

In Shakespeare’s time, audiences were well acquainted with Greek mythology. Authors often used these references as a shortcut to instill ideas about character or theme. Here Hermia makes reference to the idea that the gods control their fates and couldn’t have possibly approved this sudden change of heart in Lysander.

3.2.287
In earnest, shall I say?

LYSANDER:

3.2.288
Ay, by my life,
3.2.289
And never did desire to see thee more.
3.2.290
Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt,
3.2.291
Be certain, nothing truer, 'tis no jest
3.2.292
That I do hate thee and love Helena.

HERMIA:

3.2.293
O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!

Canker-blossom is a word most likely created by Shakespeare as this is its earliest documented use. This term means “one who destroys things”. Canker meaning cancer or to infect, and blossom in reference to the blooms of a flower.

3.2.294
You thief of love! what, have you come by night
3.2.295
And stolen my love's heart from him?

HELENA:

3.2.296
Fine, i'faith!
3.2.297
Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,
3.2.298
No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear
3.2.299
Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?
3.2.300
Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you!

HERMIA:

3.2.301
Puppet? why so? ay, that way goes the game.
3.2.302
Now I perceive that she hath made compare
3.2.303
Between our statures, she hath urged her height,
3.2.304
And with her personage, her tall personage,

Personage refers to a person of distinction. Here she is noted for being tall.

3.2.305
Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.
3.2.306
And are you grown so high in his esteem,
3.2.307
Because I am so dwarfish and so low?
3.2.308
How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak,

A [maypole] is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals (often occuring mid-summer), around which a maypole dance often takes place. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maypole)

3.2.309
How low am I? I am not yet so low
3.2.310
But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.

HELENA:

3.2.311
I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen,
3.2.312
Let her not hurt me: I was never curst,
3.2.313
I have no gift at all in shrewishness,

shrewishness - ill-naturedness

3.2.314
I am a right maid for my cowardice:
3.2.315
Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think,
3.2.316
Because she is something lower than myself,
3.2.317
That I can match her.

HERMIA:

3.2.318
Lower! hark, again.

HELENA:

3.2.319
Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me.
3.2.320
I evermore did love you, Hermia,
3.2.321
Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you,
3.2.322
Save that, in love unto Demetrius,
3.2.323
I told him of your stealth unto this wood.
3.2.324
He follow'd you, for love I follow'd him,
3.2.325
But he hath chid me hence and threaten'd me

chid - scold

3.2.326
To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too:
3.2.327
And now, so you will let me quiet go,
3.2.328
To Athens will I bear my folly back
3.2.329
And follow you no further: let me go:
3.2.330
You see how simple and how fond I am.

HERMIA:

3.2.331
Why, get you gone: who is't that hinders you?

HELENA:

3.2.332
A foolish heart, that I leave here behind.

HERMIA:

3.2.333
What, with Lysander?

HELENA:

3.2.334
With Demetrius.

LYSANDER:

3.2.335
Be not afraid, she shall not harm thee, Helena.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.336
No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part.

HELENA:

3.2.337
O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd!
3.2.338
She was a vixen when she went to school,
3.2.339
And though she be but little, she is fierce.

One of Shakespeare’s most famous lines, it can be interepreted as an ode to Hermia’s strength and often finds welcome in [feminist circles]. Coming from Helena, Hermia interprets it as yet another insult to her height. (https://shakespearecomesalivesdsu2017.wordpress.com/group-one-cultural-topic/)

HERMIA:

3.2.340
Little' again! nothing but 'low' and 'little'!
3.2.341
Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?
3.2.342
Let me come to her.

LYSANDER:

3.2.343
Get you gone, you dwarf,
3.2.344
You minimus, of hindering knot-grass made,

Here, minimus in an obsolete form of the smallest size while hindering knot-grass refers to a common weed formerly thought to stunt growth.

3.2.345
You bead, you acorn.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.346
You are too officious

The archaic form of officious refers to being too kind or obliging. Here he suggests that Lysander is too kind on the behalf of one who rejects his services.

3.2.347
In her behalf that scorns your services.
3.2.348
Let her alone: speak not of Helena,
3.2.349
Take not her part, for, if thou dost intend
3.2.350
Never so little show of love to her,
3.2.351
Thou shalt aby it.

aby - suffer a penalty

LYSANDER:

3.2.352
Now she holds me not,
3.2.353
Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right,
3.2.354
Of thine or mine, is most in Helena.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.355
Follow! nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jole.

Often translated as “cheek by jowl”, this phrase refers to being side by side or in close proximity. It refers to one’s cheek being next to another’s jowl. Here Demetrius says he will not follow but will go equally, side by side.

Exeunt LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS

HERMIA:

3.2.356
You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you:

The use of the word coil in the 16th century is exemplified in the famous quotation from Hamlet’s soliloquoy - “shuffle off this mortal coil” meaning to leave behind this mortal trouble or to die. Here the use of coil also refers to trouble. Hermia says that all of this trouble belongs to Hermia and is therefore her fault.

3.2.357
Nay, go not back.

HELENA:

3.2.358
I will not trust you, I,
3.2.359
Nor longer stay in your curst company.
3.2.360
Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray,
3.2.361
My legs are longer though, to run away.

Exit

HERMIA:

3.2.362
I am amazed, and know not what to say.

Exit

OBERON:

3.2.363
This is thy negligence: still thou mistakest,
3.2.364
Or else committ'st thy knaveries wilfully.

knaveries: mischief

PUCK:

3.2.365
Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook.
3.2.366
Did not you tell me I should know the man

Didn’t you tell me that I would know my target by his Athenian clothing?

3.2.367
By the Athenian garment be had on?
3.2.368
And so far blameless proves my enterprise,

I did exactly what you told me to do. I annointed and Athenian’s eyes.*

3.2.369
That I have 'nointed an Athenian's eyes,
3.2.370
And so far am I glad it so did sort

And I’m glad I did it! Their fighting is entertaining.

3.2.371
As this their jangling I esteem a sport.

OBERON:

3.2.372
Thou see'st these lovers seek a place to fight:
3.2.373
Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night,
3.2.374
The starry welkin cover thou anon

welkin: the sky; anon: quickly or soon

3.2.375
With drooping fog as black as Acheron,

**Acharon:** one of the rivers of the underworld.

3.2.376
And lead these testy rivals so astray
3.2.377
As one come not within another's way.
3.2.378
Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue,

Imitate Lysander’s voice to egg on Demetrius

3.2.379
Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong,
3.2.380
And sometime rail thou like Demetrius,

Imitate Demetrius to egg on Lysander

3.2.381
And from each other look thou lead them thus,

Lead them away from each other until they’re so tired that they fall asleep.

3.2.382
Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep
3.2.383
With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep:
3.2.384
Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye,
3.2.385
Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,

liquor: juice; virtuous property: power

3.2.386
To take from thence all error with his might,
3.2.387
And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight.

*wonted sight:** normal vision

3.2.388
When they next wake, all this derision
3.2.389
Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision,
3.2.390
And back to Athens shall the lovers wend,
3.2.391
With league whose date till death shall never end.

United in an oath (marriage) until death do they part

3.2.392
Whiles I in this affair do thee employ,

While you’re doing that, I’ll go to Titania and ask her again for thr Indian boy.

3.2.393
I'll to my queen and beg her Indian boy,
3.2.394
And then I will her charmed eye release

And then I’ll break the spell that I cast on her so she won’t be in love with the monter. Then everything will be peaceful again.

3.2.395
From monster's view, and all things shall be peace.

PUCK:

3.2.396
My fairy lord, this must be done with haste,
3.2.397
For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast,

Night’s swift dragons is an allusion to Helios (god of the sun) and his dragon-drawn chariot.

3.2.398
And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger,

Aurora’s harbinger: the morning star (Venus)

3.2.399
At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there,

Ghosts have to return to their graves when the sun rises.

3.2.400
Troop home to churchyards: damned spirits all,
3.2.401
That in crossways and floods have burial,

The ghosts of people who killed themselves and therefor not given burial in sacred ground are already back in their graves so that they don’t have to see their shame in daylight

3.2.402
Already to their wormy beds are gone,
3.2.403
For fear lest day should look their shames upon,
3.2.404
They willfully themselves exile from light
3.2.405
And must for aye consort with black-brow'd night.

OBERON:

3.2.406
But we are spirits of another sort:

We’re not the same kind of spirits

3.2.407
I with the morning's love have oft made sport,
3.2.408
And, like a forester, the groves may tread,
3.2.409
Even till the eastern gate, all fiery-red,

eastern gate: place where the sun rises

3.2.410
Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams,

Neptune is the god of the sea. In this case, the word means the ocean.

3.2.411
Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams.
3.2.412
But, notwithstanding, haste, make no delay:

Even so, hurry up! We might be able to do this before dawn

3.2.413
We may effect this business yet ere day.

Exit

PUCK:

3.2.414
Up and down, up and down,
3.2.415
I will lead them up and down:
3.2.416
I am fear'd in field and town:
3.2.417
Goblin, lead them up and down.

Goblin: in this case, it means hobgoblin. That is the kind of fairy that Puck is.

3.2.418
Here comes one.

Re-enter LYSANDER

LYSANDER:

3.2.419
Where art thou, proud Demetrius? speak thou now.

PUCK:

3.2.420
Here, villain, drawn and ready. Where art thou?

drawn: his sword is unsheathed

PERFORMANCE TIP: Puck is imitating Demetrius

LYSANDER:

3.2.421
I will be with thee straight.

*strait: straightaway, right away

PUCK:

3.2.422
Follow me, then,
3.2.423
To plainer ground.

plainer ground: flatter ground

Exit LYSANDER, as following the voice

Re-enter DEMETRIUS

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.424
Lysander! speak again:
3.2.425
Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?
3.2.426
Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head?

PUCK:

3.2.427
Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars,

PERFORMANCE TIP: Puck is imitating Lysander

3.2.428
Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars,
3.2.429
And wilt not come? Come, recreant, come, thou child,

recreant: coward

3.2.430
I'll whip thee with a rod: he is defiled

I’ll whip you with a rod like a child. You’re such a coward that it would be shameful for anyone to fight you like a man

3.2.431
That draws a sword on thee.

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.432
Yea, art thou there?

PUCK:

3.2.433
Follow my voice: we'll try no manhood here.

try no manhood: we won’t test our mannhoods (courage) here

Exeunt

Re-enter LYSANDER

LYSANDER:

3.2.434
He goes before me and still dares me on:
3.2.435
When I come where he calls, then he is gone.
3.2.436
The villain is much lighter-heel'd than I:
3.2.437
I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly,
3.2.438
That fallen am I in dark uneven way,
3.2.439
And here will rest me.

Lies down

LYSANDER:

3.2.440
Come, thou gentle day!
3.2.441
For if but once thou show me thy grey light,
3.2.442
I'll find Demetrius and revenge this spite.

Sleeps

Re-enter PUCK and DEMETRIUS

PUCK:

3.2.443
Ho, ho, ho! Coward, why comest thou not?

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.444
Abide me, if thou darest, for well I wot

wot - know

3.2.445
Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place,
3.2.446
And darest not stand, nor look me in the face.
3.2.447
Where art thou now?

PUCK:

3.2.448
Come hither: I am here.

Come hither: come here

DEMETRIUS:

3.2.449
Nay, then, thou mock'st me. Thou shalt buy this dear,
3.2.450
If ever I thy face by daylight see:
3.2.451
Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me
3.2.452
To measure out my length on this cold bed.
3.2.453
By day's approach look to be visited.

Lies down and sleeps

Re-enter HELENA

HELENA:

3.2.454
O weary night, O long and tedious night,
3.2.455
Abate thy hour! Shine comforts from the east,

abate - decrease

3.2.456
That I may back to Athens by daylight,
3.2.457
From these that my poor company detest:
3.2.458
And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye,
3.2.459
Steal me awhile from mine own company.

Lies down and sleeps

PUCK:

3.2.460
Yet but three? Come one more,
3.2.461
Two of both kinds make up four.
3.2.462
Here she comes, curst and sad:

curst: cross or angry

3.2.463
Cupid is a knavish lad,

[Cupid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupid#:~:text=In%20classical%20mythology%2C%20Cupid%20(Latin,His%20Greek%20counterpart%20is%20Eros.) is a jerk for making women crazy (with love).

3.2.464
Thus to make poor females mad.

Re-enter HERMIA

HERMIA:

3.2.465
Never so weary, never so in woe,
3.2.466
Bedabbled with the dew and torn with briers,

bedabbled - made wet by splashing

3.2.467
I can no further crawl, no further go,
3.2.468
My legs can keep no pace with my desires.
3.2.469
Here will I rest me till the break of day.
3.2.470
Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray!

fray - scare

Lies down and sleeps

PUCK:

3.2.471
On the ground
3.2.472
Sleep sound:
3.2.473
I'll apply
3.2.474
To your eye,
3.2.475
Gentle lover, remedy.

Squeezing the juice on LYSANDER's eyes

PUCK:

3.2.476
When thou wakest,
3.2.477
Thou takest
3.2.478
True delight
3.2.479
In the sight
3.2.480
Of thy former lady's eye:
3.2.481
And the country proverb known,
3.2.482
That every man should take his own,
3.2.483
In your waking shall be shown:
3.2.484
Jack shall have Jill,

idiom: Every Jack has his Jill. It means that everyone will find a romantic partner

3.2.485
Nought shall go ill,

Everything will be fine

3.2.486
The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well.

This is problematic. Man is humanized, while his female romantic partner is referred to as a mare or female horse, implying ownership.

Exit

ACT IV

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

PUCK:

4.1.1
lying asleep.
4.1.1
Enter TITANIA and BOTTOM, PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARDSEED, and other Fairies attending, OBERON behind unseen

TITANIA:

4.1.2
Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed,
4.1.3
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy,

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

4.1.4
And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head,
4.1.5
And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.

BOTTOM:

4.1.6
Where's Peaseblossom?

PEASEBLOSSOM:

4.1.7
Ready.

BOTTOM:

4.1.8
Scratch my head Peaseblossom. Where's Mounsieur Cobweb?

COBWEB:

4.1.9
Ready.

BOTTOM:

4.1.10
Mounsieur Cobweb, good mounsieur, get you your
4.1.11
weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipped
4.1.12
humble-bee on the top of a thistle, and, good
4.1.13
mounsieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not fret
4.1.14
yourself too much in the action, mounsieur, and,
4.1.15
good mounsieur, have a care the honey-bag break not,
4.1.16
I would be loath to have you overflown with a

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

4.1.17
honey-bag, signior. Where's Mounsieur Mustardseed?

MUSTARDSEED:

4.1.18
Ready.

BOTTOM:

4.1.19
Give me your neaf, Mounsieur Mustardseed. Pray you,

neaf: fist

4.1.20
leave your courtesy, good mounsieur.

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

MUSTARDSEED:

4.1.21
What's your Will?

BOTTOM:

4.1.22
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”

4.1.23
to scratch. I must to the barber's, monsieur, for
4.1.24
methinks I am marvellous hairy about the face, and I
4.1.25
am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me,
4.1.26
I must scratch.

TITANIA:

4.1.27
What, wilt thou hear some music,
4.1.28
my sweet love?

BOTTOM:

4.1.29
I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let's have
4.1.30
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:

4.1.31
Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat.

BOTTOM:

4.1.32
Truly, a peck of provender: I could munch your good

provender: hay, feed for cattle

4.1.33
dry oats. Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle

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

4.1.34
of hay: good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow.

fellow: no equal or nothing like it

TITANIA:

4.1.35
I have a venturous fairy that shall seek
4.1.36
The squirrel's hoard, and fetch thee new nuts.

BOTTOM:

4.1.37
I had rather have a handful or two of dried peas.
4.1.38
But, I pray you, let none of your people stir me: I
4.1.39
have an exposition of sleep come upon me.

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

TITANIA:

4.1.40
Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms.
4.1.41
Fairies, begone, and be all ways away.

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

Exeunt fairies

TITANIA:

4.1.42
So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle
4.1.43
Gently entwist, the female ivy so
4.1.44
Enrings the barky fingers of the elm.
4.1.45
O, how I love thee! how I dote on thee!

They sleep

Enter PUCK

OBERON:

4.1.46
[Advancing] Welcome, good Robin.
4.1.47
See'st thou this sweet sight?
4.1.48
Her dotage now I do begin to pity:

dotage: infatuation

4.1.49
For, meeting her of late behind the wood,
4.1.50
Seeking sweet favours from this hateful fool,
4.1.51
I did upbraid her and fall out with her,
4.1.52
For she his hairy temples then had rounded
4.1.53
With a coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers,
4.1.54
And that same dew, which sometime on the buds

sometime: formerly

4.1.55
Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls,

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

4.1.56
Stood now within the pretty flowerets' eyes

flowerets: i.e., little flowers

4.1.57
Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail.
4.1.58
When I had at my pleasure taunted her
4.1.59
And she in mild terms begg'd my patience,
4.1.60
I then did ask of her her changeling child,
4.1.61
Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent

straight: straightway, immediately

4.1.62
To bear him to my bower in fairy land.
4.1.63
And now I have the boy, I will undo
4.1.64
This hateful imperfection of her eyes:
4.1.65
And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp
4.1.66
From off the head of this Athenian swain,
4.1.67
That, he awaking when the other do,

other: others

4.1.68
May all to Athens back again repair

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

4.1.69
And think no more of this night's accidents

incidents, events

4.1.70
But as the fierce vexation of a dream.

vexation: agitation

4.1.71
But first I will release the fairy queen.
4.1.72
Be as thou wast wont to be,

was wont to: i.e., used to

4.1.73
See as thou wast wont to see:
4.1.74
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.

4.1.75
Hath such force and blessed power.
4.1.76
Now, my Titania, wake you, my sweet queen.

TITANIA:

4.1.77
My Oberon! what visions have I seen!
4.1.78
Methought I was enamour'd of an ass.

OBERON:

4.1.79
There lies your love.

TITANIA:

4.1.80
How came these things to pass?
4.1.81
O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now!

visage: appearance, face

OBERON:

4.1.82
Silence awhile. Robin, take off this head.
4.1.83
Titania, music call, and strike more dead
4.1.84
Than common sleep of all these five the sense.

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

TITANIA:

4.1.85
Music, ho! music, such as charmeth sleep!

Music, still

PUCK:

4.1.86
Now, when thou wakest, with thine
4.1.87
own fool's eyes peep.

OBERON:

4.1.88
Sound, music! Come, my queen, take hands with me,
4.1.89
And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be.
4.1.90
Now thou and I are new in amity,
4.1.91
And will to-morrow midnight solemnly

solemnly: ceremoniously or in a spirit of festive ritual

4.1.92
Dance in Duke Theseus' house triumphantly,

triumphantly: festively or as in a festive triumph

4.1.93
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

4.1.94
There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be
4.1.95
Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.

PUCK:

4.1.96
Fairy king, attend, and mark:

i.e. pay attention, notice

4.1.97
I do hear the morning lark.

OBERON:

4.1.98
Then, my queen, in silence sad,

sad: serious or sober silence

4.1.99
Trip we after the night's shade:
4.1.100
We the globe can compass soon,
4.1.101
Swifter than the wandering moon.

TITANIA:

4.1.102
Come, my lord, and in our flight
4.1.103
Tell me how it came this night
4.1.104
That I sleeping here was found
4.1.105
With these mortals on the ground.

Exeunt

Horns winded within

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and train

THESEUS:

4.1.106
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

4.1.107
For now our observation is perform'd,

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

4.1.108
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

4.1.109
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.

4.1.110
Uncouple in the western valley, let them go:

uncouple: i.e., unleash the hounds

4.1.111
Dispatch, I say, and find the forester.

Exit an Attendant

THESEUS:

4.1.112
We will, fair queen, up to the mountain's top,
4.1.113
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

4.1.114
Of hounds and echo in conjunction.

HIPPOLYTA:

4.1.115
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

4.1.116
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)

4.1.117
With hounds of Sparta: never did I hear

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

4.1.118
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.

4.1.119
The skies, the fountains, every region near
4.1.120
Seem'd all one mutual cry: I never heard

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

4.1.121
So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.

THESEUS:

4.1.122
My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind,

kind: strain or lineage

4.1.123
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

4.1.124
With ears that sweep away the morning dew,
4.1.125
Crook-knee'd, and dew-lapp'd like Thessalian bulls,

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

4.1.126
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

4.1.127
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

4.1.128
Was never holla'd to, nor cheer'd with horn,

cheer’d: encouraged, animated

4.1.129
In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly:

Hippolyta’s pack includes dogs from Crete and Sparta.

4.1.130
Judge when you hear. But, soft! what nymphs are these?

soft: i.e. stop a minute

EGEUS:

4.1.131
My lord, this is my daughter here asleep,
4.1.132
And this, Lysander, this Demetrius is,
4.1.133
This Helena, old Nedar's Helena:
4.1.134
I wonder of their being here together.

of: at

THESEUS:

4.1.135
No doubt they rose up early to observe

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

4.1.136
The rite of May, and hearing our intent,
4.1.137
Came here in grace our solemnity.

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

4.1.138
But speak, Egeus, is not this the day
4.1.139
That Hermia should give answer of her choice?

EGEUS:

4.1.140
It is, my lord.

THESEUS:

4.1.141
Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns.

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

THESEUS:

4.1.142
Good morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past:

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

4.1.143
Begin these wood-birds but to couple now?

LYSANDER:

4.1.144
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:

4.1.145
I pray you all, stand up.
4.1.146
I know you two are rival enemies:
4.1.147
How comes this gentle concord in the world,
4.1.148
That hatred is so far from jealousy,

jealousy: suspicion, mistrust

4.1.149
To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity?

LYSANDER:

4.1.150
My lord, I shall reply amazedly,

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

4.1.151
Half sleep, half waking: but as yet, I swear,
4.1.152
I cannot truly say how I came here,
4.1.153
But, as I think,--for truly would I speak,

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

4.1.154
And now do I bethink me, so it is,--
4.1.155
I came with Hermia hither: our intent
4.1.156
Was to be gone from Athens, where we might,
4.1.157
Without the peril of the Athenian law.

Without: outside of; beyond

EGEUS:

4.1.158
Enough, enough, my lord, you have enough:
4.1.159
I beg the law, the law, upon his head.
4.1.160
They would have stolen away, they would, Demetrius,
4.1.161
Thereby to have defeated you and me,

defeated: defrauded

4.1.162
You of your wife and me of my consent,
4.1.163
Of my consent that she should be your wife.

DEMETRIUS:

4.1.164
My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth,
4.1.165
Of this their purpose hither to this wood,

hither: i.e., to come here

4.1.166
And I in fury hither follow'd them,

hither: here

4.1.167
Fair Helena in fancy following me.

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

4.1.168
But, my good lord, I wot not by what power,--

wot: know

4.1.169
But by some power it is,--my love to Hermia,
4.1.170
Melted as the snow, seems to me now
4.1.171
As the remembrance of an idle gaud

idle gaud: worthless trinket

4.1.172
Which in my childhood I did dote upon,
4.1.173
And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,

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

4.1.174
The object and the pleasure of mine eye,
4.1.175
Is only Helena. To her, my lord,
4.1.176
Was I betroth'd ere I saw Hermia:
4.1.177
But, like in sickness, did I loathe this food,

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

4.1.178
But, as in health, come to my natural taste,
4.1.179
Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,
4.1.180
And will for evermore be true to it.

THESEUS:

4.1.181
Fair lovers, you are fortunately met:
4.1.182
Of this discourse we more will hear anon.
4.1.183
Egeus, I will overbear your will,

overbear: i.e., overrule

4.1.184
For in the temple by and by with us
4.1.185
These couples shall eternally be knit:
4.1.186
And, for the morning now is something worn,

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

4.1.187
Our purposed hunting shall be set aside.
4.1.188
Away with us to Athens, three and three,
4.1.189
We'll hold a feast in great solemnity.

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

4.1.190
Come, Hippolyta.

Exeunt THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and train

DEMETRIUS:

4.1.191
These things seem small and undistinguishable,

HERMIA:

4.1.192
Methinks I see these things with parted eye,

parted: divided

4.1.193
When every thing seems double.

HELENA:

4.1.194
So methinks:
4.1.195
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

4.1.196
Mine own, and not mine own.

DEMETRIUS:

4.1.197
Are you sure
4.1.198
That we are awake? It seems to me
4.1.199
That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think
4.1.200
The duke was here, and bid us follow him?

HERMIA:

4.1.201
Yea, and my father.

HELENA:

4.1.202
And Hippolyta.

LYSANDER:

4.1.203
And he did bid us follow to the temple.

DEMETRIUS:

4.1.204
Why, then, we are awake: let's follow him
4.1.205
And by the way let us recount our dreams.

Exeunt

BOTTOM:

4.1.206
[Awaking] When my cue comes, call me, and I will
4.1.207
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.

4.1.208
Peter Quince! Flute, the bellows-mender! Snout,

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

4.1.209
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

4.1.210
hence, and left me asleep! I have had a most rare
4.1.211
vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to

wit of man: power of the human mind

4.1.212
say what dream it was: man is but an ass, if he go

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

4.1.213
about to expound this dream. Methought I was--there
4.1.214
is no man can tell what. Methought I was,--and
4.1.215
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.

4.1.216
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]).

4.1.217
of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not
4.1.218
seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue
4.1.219
to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream
4.1.220
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.

4.1.221
this dream: it shall be called Bottom's Dream,
4.1.222
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.

4.1.223
latter end of a play, before the duke:
4.1.224
peradventure, to make it the more gracious, I shall

gracious: appealing

4.1.225
sing it at her death.

Exit

SCENE II. Athens. QUINCE'S house.

Enter QUINCE, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING

QUINCE:

4.2.1
Have you sent to Bottom's house ? is he come home yet?

STARVELING:

4.2.2
He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt he is
4.2.3
transported.

FLUTE:

4.2.4
If he come not, then the play is marred: it goes

Marred meaning spoiled or ruined.

4.2.5
not forward, doth it?

QUINCE:

4.2.6
It is not possible: you have not a man in all
4.2.7
Athens able to discharge Pyramus but he.

FLUTE:

4.2.8
No, he hath simply the best wit of any handicraft
4.2.9
man in Athens.

QUINCE:

4.2.10
Yea and the best person too, and he is a very

Quince here describes Bottom’s voice like that of a paramour. He doesn’t realize that he has swapped the word ‘paramour’ for ‘paragon’ which means model.

4.2.11
paramour for a sweet voice.

Paramour meaning a lover. See above annotation.

FLUTE:

4.2.12
You must say 'paragon:' a paramour is, God bless us,

Flute here is correcting Quince by providing the correct word for what was meant. Deciding it’s pointless at this stage, he moves on delclaring that it is nonsense.

4.2.13
a thing of naught.

Naught meaning nothing. In response to Quince and his nonsense statement.

Enter SNUG

SNUG:

4.2.14
Masters, the duke is coming from the temple, and
4.2.15
there is two or three lords and ladies more married:
4.2.16
if our sport had gone forward, we had all been made
4.2.17
men.

FLUTE:

4.2.18
O sweet bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost sixpence a

Sixpence was a british monetary unit that is no longer used. It was equivalent to six pennies

4.2.19
day during his life, he could not have 'scaped
4.2.20
sixpence a day: an the duke had not given him
4.2.21
sixpence a day for playing Pyramus, I'll be hanged,
4.2.22
he would have deserved it: sixpence a day in
4.2.23
Pyramus, or nothing.

Enter BOTTOM

BOTTOM:

4.2.24
Where are these lads? where are these hearts?

QUINCE:

4.2.25
Bottom! O most courageous day! O most happy hour!

BOTTOM:

4.2.26
Masters, I am to discourse wonders: but ask me not

Discourse meaning a verbal interchange of words. In this case, it is Bottom coming to share the experience he has just been through.

4.2.27
what, for if I tell you, I am no true Athenian. I
4.2.28
will tell you every thing, right as it fell out.

QUINCE:

4.2.29
Let us hear, sweet Bottom.

BOTTOM:

4.2.30
Not a word of me. All that I will tell you is, that

PERFORMANCE TIP: With forceful readiness and excitement. It’s truly the moment before a show when the actors gather to have one last moment together before opening. An important ritual experineced by all actors.

4.2.31
the duke hath dined. Get your apparel together,

Apparel meaning thier costumes.

4.2.32
good strings to your beards, new ribbons to your

“Good strings to your beards” meaning another element of the costume which is the fake beard held on by a string.

4.2.33
pumps, meet presently at the palace, every man look

“New ribbons to your pumps” meaning ribbons for decorating shoes.

4.2.34
o'er his part, for the short and the long is, our
4.2.35
play is preferred. In any case, let Thisby have
4.2.36
clean linen, and let not him that plays the lion

“Let Thibsy have clean linen” meaning the costume should not be dirty or soiled.

4.2.37
pair his nails, for they shall hang out for the

“Let not him that plays the lion pair his nails” meaning if the fingernails of the actor are long, leave them be and do not cut them so they have the appearance of a lion’s long nails.

4.2.38
lion's claws. And, most dear actors, eat no onions
4.2.39
nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath, and I
4.2.40
do not doubt but to hear them say, it is a sweet

“No onions nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath” Bottom exclaims to the actors. Essentially he is telling them not to eat onions or garlic before the performance for if the audience smells sweet breath, it must be a sweet comedy as well.

4.2.41
comedy. No more words: away! go, away!

Exeunt

ACT V

SCENE I. Athens. The palace of THESEUS.

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, Lords and Attendants

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.1
Tis strange my Theseus, that these
5.1.2
lovers speak of.

THESEUS:

5.1.3
More strange than true: I never may believe
5.1.4
These antique fables, nor these fairy toys.

*antique fables, nor these fairy toys” meaning old legends and fairytales

5.1.5
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,

seething brains meaning agitated minds

5.1.6
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend

shaping fantasies meaning creative imaginations; apprehend meaning perceive

5.1.7
More than cool reason ever comprehends.

cool meaning unemotional

5.1.8
The lunatic, the lover and the poet
5.1.9
Are of imagination all compact:

compact meaning smiliar

5.1.10
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,
5.1.11
That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,

all as frantic meaning sees all as hallucinations

5.1.12
Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:

a brow of Egypt meaning the face of an Egyptian

5.1.13
The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,

rolling refers to rolling as if in a trance

5.1.14
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven,
5.1.15
And as imagination bodies forth

bodies forth meaning that it makes avaialbe to the mind

5.1.16
The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen
5.1.17
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing

airy nothing meaning an illusion

5.1.18
A local habitation and a name.
5.1.19
Such tricks hath strong imagination,
5.1.20
That if it would but apprehend some joy,
5.1.21
It comprehends some bringer of that joy,
5.1.22
Or in the night, imagining some fear,
5.1.23
How easy is a bush supposed a bear!

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.24
But all the story of the night told over,
5.1.25
And all their minds transfigured so together,

transfigured meaning transformed

5.1.26
More witnesseth than fancy's images

witnesseth than fancy’s images meaning indactes more than imagination

5.1.27
And grows to something of great constancy,

constancy meaning consistency

5.1.28
But, howsoever, strange and admirable.

THESEUS:

5.1.29
Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth.

Enter LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HERMIA, and HELENA

THESEUS:

5.1.30
Joy, gentle friends! joy and fresh days of love
5.1.31
Accompany your hearts!

LYSANDER:

5.1.32
More than to us

Lysander is saying “May more joy await you in your royla walks, meals, and bed!”

5.1.33
Wait in your royal walks, your board, your bed!

THESEUS:

5.1.34
Come now, what masques, what dances shall we have,

masques meaning performances

5.1.35
To wear away this long age of three hours
5.1.36
Between our after-supper and bed-time?

after-supper meaning dessert

5.1.37
Where is our usual manager of mirth?

mirth meaning festivities

5.1.38
What revels are in hand? Is there no play,

“What entertainment is lined up”

5.1.39
To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?
5.1.40
Call Philostrate.

PHILOSTRATE:

5.1.41
Here, mighty Theseus.

THESEUS:

5.1.42
Say, what abridgement have you for this evening?

abridgement meaning a a short entertainment

5.1.43
What masque? what music? How shall we beguile

beguile meaning to while away

5.1.44
The lazy time, if not with some delight?

PHILOSTRATE:

5.1.45
There is a brief how many sports are ripe:

“Here is a short account of all the entertainments that are ready”

5.1.46
Make choice of which your highness will see first.

Giving a paper

THESEUS:

5.1.47
[Reads] 'The battle with the Centaurs, to be sung
5.1.48
By an Athenian eunuch to the harp.'
5.1.49
We'll none of that: that have I told my love,
5.1.50
In glory of my kinsman Hercules.

Reads

THESEUS:

5.1.51
The riot of the tipsy Bacchanals,
5.1.52
Tearing the Thracian singer in their rage.'
5.1.53
That is an old device, and it was play'd
5.1.54
When I from Thebes came last a conqueror.

Reads

THESEUS:

5.1.55
The thrice three Muses mourning for the death
5.1.56
Of Learning, late deceased in beggary.'

late deceased in beggary meaning recently died in poverty

5.1.57
That is some satire, keen and critical,
5.1.58
Not sorting with a nuptial ceremony.

not sorting meaning not appropriate for

Reads

THESEUS:

5.1.59
A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus

A scene that is both too long and too short

5.1.60
And his love Thisbe, very tragical mirth.'

tragical mirth meaning serious merriment

5.1.61
Merry and tragical! tedious and brief!
5.1.62
That is, hot ice and wondrous strange snow.
5.1.63
How shall we find the concord of this discord?

concord of this discord meaning resolution of this contradiction

PHILOSTRATE:

5.1.64
A play there is, my lord, some ten words long,
5.1.65
Which is as brief as I have known a play,
5.1.66
But by ten words, my lord, it is too long,
5.1.67
Which makes it tedious, for in all the play
5.1.68
There is not one word apt, one player fitted:

apt meaning appropriate; player fitted meaning suitable actor

5.1.69
And tragical, my noble lord, it is,
5.1.70
For Pyramus therein doth kill himself.
5.1.71
Which, when I saw rehearsed, I must confess,
5.1.72
Made mine eyes water, but more merry tears
5.1.73
The passion of loud laughter never shed.

THESEUS:

5.1.74
What are they that do play it?

PHILOSTRATE:

5.1.75
Hard-handed men that work in Athens here,

hard-handed meaning laborers

5.1.76
Which never labour'd in their minds till now,
5.1.77
And now have toil'd their unbreathed memories

*toil’d their unbreathed memories” meaning exhausted their inexperienced minds

5.1.78
With this same play, against your nuptial.

against your nuptial meaning for your wedding

THESEUS:

5.1.79
And we will hear it.

PHILOSTRATE:

5.1.80
No, my noble lord,
5.1.81
It is not for you: I have heard it over,
5.1.82
And it is nothing, nothing in the world,
5.1.83
Unless you can find sport in their intents,

sport meaning entertainment

5.1.84
Extremely stretch'd and conn'd with cruel pain,

“memorized with great effort”

5.1.85
To do you service.

THESEUS:

5.1.86
I will hear that play,
5.1.87
For never anything can be amiss,
5.1.88
When simpleness and duty tender it.

simpleness meaning sincerity; tender meaning offer

5.1.89
Go, bring them in: and take your places, ladies.

Exit PHILOSTRATE

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.90
I love not to see wretchedness o'er charged

She doesn’t want to see the simple people of the Duke’s kingdon over burdened.

5.1.91
And duty in his service perishing.

THESEUS:

5.1.92
Why, gentle sweet, you shall see no such thing.

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.93
He says they can do nothing in this kind.

THESEUS:

5.1.94
The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing.
5.1.95
Our sport shall be to take what they mistake:

take meaning comprehend

5.1.96
And what poor duty cannot do, noble respect
5.1.97
Takes it in might, not merit.

“appreciate the efforts rather than the results”

5.1.98
Where I have come, great clerks have purposed

“Where I have traveled great intellectuals have intended to greet me with prepared speeches”

5.1.99
To greet me with premeditated welcomes,
5.1.100
Where I have seen them shiver and look pale,
5.1.101
Make periods in the midst of sentences,
5.1.102
Throttle their practised accent in their fears

*throttle their practised accent” meaning choked on their words

5.1.103
And in conclusion dumbly have broke off,
5.1.104
Not paying me a welcome. Trust me, sweet,
5.1.105
Out of this silence yet I pick'd a welcome,
5.1.106
And in the modesty of fearful duty
5.1.107
I read as much as from the rattling tongue
5.1.108
Of saucy and audacious eloquence.

saucy and audacious meaning elaborate and confident

5.1.109
Love, therefore, and tongue-tied simplicity

simplicity meaning sincerity

5.1.110
In least speak most, to my capacity.

capacity meaning intelligence

Re-enter PHILOSTRATE

PHILOSTRATE:

5.1.111
So please your grace, the Prologue is address'd.

THESEUS:

5.1.112
Let him approach.

Flourish of trumpets

Enter QUINCE for the Prologue

Prologue:

5.1.113
If we offend, it is with our good will.
5.1.114
That you should think, we come not to offend,
5.1.115
But with good will. To show our simple skill,
5.1.116
That is the true beginning of our end.
5.1.117
Consider then we come but in despite.
5.1.118
We do not come as minding to contest you,
5.1.119
Our true intent is. All for your delight
5.1.120
We are not here. That you should here repent you,
5.1.121
The actors are at hand and by their show
5.1.122
You shall know all that you are like to know.

THESEUS:

5.1.123
This fellow doth not stand upon points.

stand upon points meaning pay attention to punctuation

LYSANDER:

5.1.124
He hath rid his prologue like a rough colt, he knows
5.1.125
not the stop. A good moral, my lord: it is not
5.1.126
enough to speak, but to speak true.

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.127
Indeed he hath played on his prologue like a child
5.1.128
on a recorder, a sound, but not in government.

government meaning under control

THESEUS:

5.1.129
His speech, was like a tangled chain, nothing
5.1.130
impaired, but all disordered. Who is next?

Enter Pyramus and Thisbe, Wall, Moonshine, and Lion

Prologue:

5.1.131
Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show,
5.1.132
But wonder on, till truth make all things plain.
5.1.133
This man is Pyramus, if you would know,
5.1.134
This beauteous lady Thisby is certain.
5.1.135
This man, with lime and rough-cast, doth present
5.1.136
Wall, that vile Wall which did these lovers sunder,
5.1.137
And through Wall's chink, poor souls, they are content
5.1.138
To whisper. At the which let no man wonder.
5.1.139
This man, with lanthorn, dog, and bush of thorn,
5.1.140
Presenteth Moonshine, for, if you will know,
5.1.141
By moonshine did these lovers think no scorn
5.1.142
To meet at Ninus' tomb, there, there to woo.
5.1.143
This grisly beast, which Lion hight by name,
5.1.144
The trusty Thisby, coming first by night,
5.1.145
Did scare away, or rather did affright,
5.1.146
And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall,
5.1.147
Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain.
5.1.148
Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall,
5.1.149
And finds his trusty Thisby's mantle slain:
5.1.150
Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade,
5.1.151
He bravely broach'd is boiling bloody breast,
5.1.152
And Thisby, tarrying in mulberry shade,
5.1.153
His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest,
5.1.154
Let Lion, Moonshine, Wall, and lovers twain
5.1.155
At large discourse, while here they do remain.

Exeunt Prologue, Thisbe, Lion, and Moonshine

THESEUS:

5.1.156
I wonder if the lion be to speak.

be meaning intends

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.157
No wonder, my lord: one lion may, when many asses do.

no wonder meaning no doubt

Wall:

5.1.158
In this same interlude it doth befall
5.1.159
That I, one Snout by name, present a wall,
5.1.160
And such a wall, as I would have you think,
5.1.161
That had in it a crannied hole or chink,
5.1.162
Through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisby,
5.1.163
Did whisper often very secretly.
5.1.164
This loam, this rough-cast and this stone doth show
5.1.165
That I am that same wall, the truth is so:
5.1.166
And this the cranny is, right and sinister,
5.1.167
Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.

THESEUS:

5.1.168
Would you desire lime and hair to speak better?

lime meaning cement

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.169
It is the wittiest partition that ever I heard
5.1.170
discourse, my lord.

Enter Pyramus

THESEUS:

5.1.171
Pyramus draws near the wall: silence!

Pyramus:

5.1.172
O grim-look'd night! O night with hue so black!
5.1.173
O night, which ever art when day is not!
5.1.174
O night, O night! alack, alack, alack,
5.1.175
I fear my Thisby's promise is forgot!
5.1.176
And thou, O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall,
5.1.177
That stand'st between her father's ground and mine!
5.1.178
Thou wall, O wall, O sweet and lovely wall,
5.1.179
Show me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne!

Wall holds up his fingers

Pyramus:

5.1.180
Thanks, courteous wall: Jove shield thee well for this!
5.1.181
But what see I? No Thisby do I see.
5.1.182
O wicked wall, through whom I see no bliss!
5.1.183
Cursed be thy stones for thus deceiving me!

THESEUS:

5.1.184
The wall, methinks, being sensible, should curse again.

sensible meaning alive

Pyramus:

5.1.185
No, in truth, sir, he should not. 'Deceiving me'
5.1.186
is Thisby's cue: she is to enter now, and I am to
5.1.187
spy her through the wall. You shall see, it will
5.1.188
fall pat as I told you. Yonder she comes.

Enter Thisbe

Thisbe:

5.1.189
O wall, full often hast thou heard my moans,
5.1.190
For parting my fair Pyramus and me!
5.1.191
My cherry lips have often kiss'd thy stones,
5.1.192
Thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee.

Pyramus:

5.1.193
I see a voice: now will I to the chink,
5.1.194
To spy an I can hear my Thisby's face. Thisby!

Thisbe:

5.1.195
My love thou art, my love I think.

Pyramus:

5.1.196
Think what thou wilt, I am thy lover's grace,
5.1.197
And, like Limander, am I trusty still.

Thisbe:

5.1.198
And I like Helen, till the Fates me kill.

Pyramus:

5.1.199
Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true.

Thisbe:

5.1.200
As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you.

Pyramus:

5.1.201
O kiss me through the hole of this vile wall!

Thisbe:

5.1.202
I kiss the wall's hole, not your lips at all.

Pyramus:

5.1.203
Wilt thou at Ninny's tomb meet me straightway?

Thisbe:

5.1.204
Tide life, 'tide death, I come without delay.

Exeunt Pyramus and Thisbe

Wall:

5.1.205
Thus have I, Wall, my part discharged so,
5.1.206
And, being done, thus Wall away doth go.

Exit

THESEUS:

5.1.207
Now is the mural down between the two neighbours.

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.208
No remedy, my lord, when walls are so wilful to hear

no remedy meaning not necessary; hear meaning speak

5.1.209
without warning.

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.210
This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard.

THESEUS:

5.1.211
The best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst

shadows meaning illusions

5.1.212
are no worse, if imagination amend them.

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.213
It must be your imagination then, and not theirs.

THESEUS:

5.1.214
If we imagine no worse of them than they of
5.1.215
themselves, they may pass for excellent men. Here

mean meaning actors

5.1.216
come two noble beasts in, a man and a lion.

Enter Lion and Moonshine

Lion:

5.1.217
You, ladies, you, whose gentle hearts do fear
5.1.218
The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor,
5.1.219
May now perchance both quake and tremble here,
5.1.220
When lion rough in wildest rage doth roar.
5.1.221
Then know that I, one Snug the joiner, am
5.1.222
A lion-fell, nor else no lion's dam,
5.1.223
For, if I should as lion come in strife
5.1.224
Into this place, 'twere pity on my life.

THESEUS:

5.1.225
A very gentle beast, of a good conscience.

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.226
The very best at a beast, my lord, that e'er I saw.

LYSANDER:

5.1.227
This lion is a very fox for his valour.

THESEUS:

5.1.228
True, and a goose for his discretion.

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.229
Not so, my lord, for his valour cannot carry his

carry meaning defeat

5.1.230
discretion, and the fox carries the goose.

THESEUS:

5.1.231
His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his valour,
5.1.232
for the goose carries not the fox. It is well:
5.1.233
leave it to his discretion, and let us listen to the moon.

Moonshine:

5.1.234
This lanthorn doth the horned moon present,--

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.235
He should have worn the horns on his head.

THESEUS:

5.1.236
He is no crescent, and his horns are
5.1.237
invisible within the circumference.

Moonshine:

5.1.238
This lanthorn doth the horned moon present,
5.1.239
Myself the man i' the moon do seem to be.

THESEUS:

5.1.240
This is the greatest error of all the rest: the man
5.1.241
should be put into the lanthorn. How is it else the
5.1.242
man i' the moon?

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.243
He dares not come there for the candle, for, you
5.1.244
see, it is already in snuff.

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.245
I am aweary of this moon: would he would change!

THESEUS:

5.1.246
It appears, by his small light of discretion, that
5.1.247
he is in the wane, but yet, in courtesy, in all

in the wane meaning decreased

5.1.248
reason, we must stay the time.

LYSANDER:

5.1.249
Proceed, Moon.

Moonshine:

5.1.250
All that I have to say, is, to tell you that the
5.1.251
lanthorn is the moon, I, the man in the moon, this
5.1.252
thorn-bush, my thorn-bush, and this dog, my dog.

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.253
Why, all these should be in the lanthorn, for all
5.1.254
these are in the moon. But, silence! here comes Thisbe.

Enter Thisbe

Thisbe:

5.1.255
This is old Ninny's tomb. Where is my love?

Lion:

5.1.256
[Roaring] Oh--

Thisbe runs off

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.257
Well roared, Lion.

THESEUS:

5.1.258
Well run, Thisbe.

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.259
Well shone, Moon. Truly, the moon shines with a
5.1.260
good grace.

grace meaning skill

The Lion shakes Thisbe's mantle, and exit

THESEUS:

5.1.261
Well moused, Lion.

LYSANDER:

5.1.262
And so the lion vanished.

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.263
And then came Pyramus.

Enter Pyramus

Pyramus:

5.1.264
Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams,
5.1.265
I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright,
5.1.266
For, by thy gracious, golden, glittering gleams,
5.1.267
I trust to take of truest Thisby sight.
5.1.268
But stay, O spite!
5.1.269
But mark, poor knight,
5.1.270
What dreadful dole is here!
5.1.271
Eyes, do you see?
5.1.272
How can it be?
5.1.273
O dainty duck! O dear!
5.1.274
Thy mantle good,
5.1.275
What, stain'd with blood!
5.1.276
Approach, ye Furies fell!
5.1.277
O Fates, come, come,
5.1.278
Cut thread and thrum,
5.1.279
Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!

THESEUS:

5.1.280
This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would
5.1.281
go near to make a man look sad.

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.282
Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man.

beshrew meaning curse

Pyramus:

5.1.283
O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame?
5.1.284
Since lion vile hath here deflower'd my dear:
5.1.285
Which is--no, no--which was the fairest dame
5.1.286
That lived, that loved, that liked, that look'd
5.1.287
with cheer.
5.1.288
Come, tears, confound,
5.1.289
Out, sword, and wound
5.1.290
The pap of Pyramus,
5.1.291
Ay, that left pap,
5.1.292
Where heart doth hop:

Stabs himself

Pyramus:

5.1.293
Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.
5.1.294
Now am I dead,
5.1.295
Now am I fled,
5.1.296
My soul is in the sky:
5.1.297
Tongue, lose thy light,
5.1.298
Moon take thy flight:

Exit Moonshine

Pyramus:

5.1.299
Now die, die, die, die, die.

Dies

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.300
No die, but an ace, for him, for he is but one.

an ace meaning one

LYSANDER:

5.1.301
Less than an ace, man, for he is dead, he is nothing.

THESEUS:

5.1.302
With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover, and
5.1.303
prove an ass.

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.304
How chance Moonshine is gone before Thisbe comes
5.1.305
back and finds her lover?

THESEUS:

5.1.306
She will find him by starlight. Here she comes, and
5.1.307
her passion ends the play.

Re-enter Thisbe

HIPPOLYTA:

5.1.308
Methinks she should not use a long one for such a
5.1.309
Pyramus: I hope she will be brief.

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.310
A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus, which

mote meaning a speck of dust

5.1.311
Thisbe, is the better, he for a man, God warrant us,
5.1.312
she for a woman, God bless us.

LYSANDER:

5.1.313
She hath spied him already with those sweet eyes.

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.314
And thus she means, videlicet:--

means meaning mourns; videlicit meaning namely

Thisbe:

5.1.315
Asleep, my love?
5.1.316
What, dead, my dove?
5.1.317
O Pyramus, arise!
5.1.318
Speak, speak. Quite dumb?
5.1.319
Dead, dead? A tomb
5.1.320
Must cover thy sweet eyes.
5.1.321
These My lips,
5.1.322
This cherry nose,
5.1.323
These yellow cowslip cheeks,
5.1.324
Are gone, are gone:
5.1.325
Lovers, make moan:
5.1.326
His eyes were green as leeks.
5.1.327
O Sisters Three,
5.1.328
Come, come to me,
5.1.329
With hands as pale as milk,
5.1.330
Lay them in gore,
5.1.331
Since you have shore
5.1.332
With shears his thread of silk.
5.1.333
Tongue, not a word:
5.1.334
Come, trusty sword,
5.1.335
Come, blade, my breast imbrue:

Stabs herself

Thisbe:

5.1.336
And, farewell, friends,
5.1.337
Thus Thisby ends:
5.1.338
Adieu, adieu, adieu.

Dies

THESEUS:

5.1.339
Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.

DEMETRIUS:

5.1.340
Ay, and Wall too.

BOTTOM:

5.1.341
[Starting up] No assure you, the wall is down that
5.1.342
parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the
5.1.343
epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance between two
5.1.344
of our company?

THESEUS:

5.1.345
No epilogue, I pray you, for your play needs no
5.1.346
excuse. Never excuse, for when the players are all

excuse meaning explanation

5.1.347
dead, there needs none to be blamed. Marry, if he

Marry meaning well

5.1.348
that writ it had played Pyramus and hanged himself
5.1.349
in Thisbe's garter, it would have been a fine
5.1.350
tragedy: and so it is, truly, and very notably

notably discharged meaning memorably performed

5.1.351
discharged. But come, your Bergomask: let your
5.1.352
epilogue alone.

A dance

THESEUS:

5.1.353
The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve:
5.1.354
Lovers, to bed, 'tis almost fairy time.
5.1.355
I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn
5.1.356
As much as we this night have overwatch'd.

overwatch’d meaning stayed up late

5.1.357
This palpable-gross play hath well beguiled

palpable-gross meaning obviously clumsy; beguiled meaning fascinated or captivated

5.1.358
The heavy gait of night. Sweet friends, to bed.

heavy gait meaning slow passing

5.1.359
A fortnight hold we this solemnity,

“For two weeks we will celebrate”

5.1.360
In nightly revels and new jollity.

Exeunt

Enter PUCK

PUCK:

5.1.361
Now the hungry lion roars,
5.1.362
And the wolf behowls the moon,
5.1.363
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,
5.1.364
All with weary task fordone.
5.1.365
Now the wasted brands do glow,
5.1.366
Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,
5.1.367
Puts the wretch that lies in woe
5.1.368
In remembrance of a shroud.
5.1.369
Now it is the time of night
5.1.370
That the graves all gaping wide,
5.1.371
Every one lets forth his sprite,
5.1.372
In the church-way paths to glide:
5.1.373
And we fairies, that do run
5.1.374
By the triple Hecate's team,
5.1.375
From the presence of the sun,
5.1.376
Following darkness like a dream,
5.1.377
Now are frolic: not a mouse
5.1.378
Shall disturb this hallow'd house:
5.1.379
I am sent with broom before,
5.1.380
To sweep the dust behind the door.

Enter OBERON and TITANIA with their train

OBERON:

5.1.381
Through the house give gathering light,
5.1.382
By the dead and drowsy fire:
5.1.383
Every elf and fairy sprite
5.1.384
Hop as light as bird from brier,
5.1.385
And this ditty, after me,
5.1.386
Sing, and dance it trippingly.

TITANIA:

5.1.387
First, rehearse your song by rote
5.1.388
To each word a warbling note:
5.1.389
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,
5.1.390
Will we sing, and bless this place.

Song and dance

OBERON:

5.1.391
Now, until the break of day,
5.1.392
Through this house each fairy stray.
5.1.393
To the best bride-bed will we,
5.1.394
Which by us shall blessed be,
5.1.395
And the issue there create
5.1.396
Ever shall be fortunate.
5.1.397
So shall all the couples three
5.1.398
Ever true in loving be,
5.1.399
And the blots of Nature's hand
5.1.400
Shall not in their issue stand,
5.1.401
Never mole, hare lip, nor scar,
5.1.402
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
5.1.403
Despised in nativity,
5.1.404
Shall upon their children be.
5.1.405
With this field-dew consecrate,
5.1.406
Every fairy take his gait,
5.1.407
And each several chamber bless,
5.1.408
Through this palace, with sweet peace,
5.1.409
And the owner of it blest
5.1.410
Ever shall in safety rest.
5.1.411
Trip away, make no stay,
5.1.412
Meet me all by break of day.

Exeunt OBERON, TITANIA, and train

PUCK:

5.1.413
If we shadows have offended,
5.1.414
Think but this, and all is mended,
5.1.415
That you have but slumber'd here
5.1.416
While these visions did appear.
5.1.417
And this weak and idle theme,
5.1.418
No more yielding but a dream,
5.1.419
Gentles, do not reprehend:
5.1.420
if you pardon, we will mend:
5.1.421
And, as I am an honest Puck,
5.1.422
If we have unearned luck
5.1.423
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
5.1.424
We will make amends ere long,
5.1.425
Else the Puck a liar call,
5.1.426
So, good night unto you all.
5.1.427
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
5.1.428
And Robin shall restore amends.