O that my prayers could such affection move! HERMIA The more I hate,the more he follows me. HELENA The more I love,the more he hateth me. HERMIA His folly,Helena,is no fault of mine. HELENA None,but your beauty:would that fault were mine! HERMIA Take comfort:he no more shall see my face; Lysander and myself will fly this place. Before the time I did Lysander see, Seem'd Athens as a paradise to me: O,then,what graces in my love do dwell, That he hath turn'd a heaven unto a hell! LYSANDER Helen,to you our minds we will unfold: To-morrow night,when Phoebe doth behold Her silver visage in the watery glass, Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass, A time that lovers'flights doth still conceal, Through Athens'gates have we devised to steal. HERMIA
O that my prayers could such affection move! HERMIA The more I hate, the more he follows me. HELENA The more I love, the more he hateth me. HERMIA His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine. HELENA None, but your beauty: would that fault were mine! HERMIA Take comfort: he no more shall see my face; Lysander and myself will fly this place. Before the time I did Lysander see, Seem'd Athens as a paradise to me: O, then, what graces in my love do dwell, That he hath turn'd a heaven unto a hell! LYSANDER Helen, to you our minds we will unfold: To-morrow night, when Phoebe doth behold Her silver visage in the watery glass, Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass, A time that lovers' flights doth still conceal, Through Athens' gates have we devised to steal. HERMIA
And in the wood,where often you and I Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lie, Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet, There my Lysander and myself shall meet; And thence from Athens turn away our eyes, To seek new friends and stranger companies. Farewell,sweet playfellow:pray thou for us; And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius! Keep word,Lysander:we must starve our sight From lovers'food till morrow deep midnight. LYSANDER I will,my Hermia. [Exit HERMIA] Helena,adieu: As you on him,Demetrius dote on you! [Exi词 HELENA How happy some o'er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. But what of that?Demetrius thinks not so; He will not know what all but he do know: And as he errs,doting on Hermia's eyes, So I,admiring of his qualities: Things base and vile,folding no quantity, Love can transpose to form and dignity: Love looks not with the eyes,but with the mind; And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind: Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste; Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste: And therefore is Love said to be a child, Because in choice he is so oft beguiled. As waggish boys in game themselves forswear, So the boy Love is perjured every where: For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne, He hail'd down oaths that he was only mine; And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt
And in the wood, where often you and I Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lie, Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet, There my Lysander and myself shall meet; And thence from Athens turn away our eyes, To seek new friends and stranger companies. Farewell, sweet playfellow: pray thou for us; And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius! Keep word, Lysander: we must starve our sight From lovers' food till morrow deep midnight. LYSANDER I will, my Hermia. [Exit HERMIA] Helena, adieu: As you on him, Demetrius dote on you! [Exit] HELENA How happy some o'er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so; He will not know what all but he do know: And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes, So I, admiring of his qualities: Things base and vile, folding no quantity, Love can transpose to form and dignity: Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind: Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste; Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste: And therefore is Love said to be a child, Because in choice he is so oft beguiled. As waggish boys in game themselves forswear, So the boy Love is perjured every where: For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne, He hail'd down oaths that he was only mine; And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt
So he dissolved,and showers of oaths did melt. I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight: Then to the wood will he to-morrow night Pursue her;and for this intelligence If I have thanks,it is a dear expense: But herein mean I to enrich my pain, To have his sight thither and back again. [Exi训 Scene 2 [Athens.OUINCE'S house.] [Enter QUINCE,SNUG,BOTTOM,FLUTE,SNOUT,and STARVELING] QUINCE Is all our company here? BOTTOM You were best to call them generally,man by man, according to the scrip. QUINCE Here is the scroll of every man's name,which is thought fit,through all Athens,to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess,on his wedding-day at night. BOTTOM First,good Peter Quince,say what the play treats on,then read the names of the actors,and so grow to a point
So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt. I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight: Then to the wood will he to-morrow night Pursue her; and for this intelligence If I have thanks, it is a dear expense: But herein mean I to enrich my pain, To have his sight thither and back again. [Exit] Scene 2 [Athens. QUINCE'S house.] [Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING] QUINCE Is all our company here? BOTTOM You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip. QUINCE Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his wedding-day at night. BOTTOM First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow to a point
QUINCE Marry,our play is,The most lamentable comedy,and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby. BOTTOM A very good piece of work,I assure you,and a merry.Now,good Peter Quince,call forth your actors by the scroll.Masters,spread yourselves. QUINCE Answer as I call you.Nick Bottom,the weaver. BOTTOM Ready.Name what part I am for,and proceed. QUINCE You,Nick Bottom,are set down for Pyramus BOTTOM What is Pyramus?a lover,or a tyrant? QUINCE A lover,that kills himself most gallant for love. BOTTOM That will ask some tears in the true performing of it:if I do it,let the audience look to their eyes;I will move storms,I will condole in some measure.To the rest:yet my chief humour is for a tyrant:I could play Ercles rarely,or a part to
QUINCE Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby. BOTTOM A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves. QUINCE Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver. BOTTOM Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed. QUINCE You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus. BOTTOM What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant? QUINCE A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love. BOTTOM That will ask some tears in the true performing of it: if I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in some measure. To the rest: yet my chief humour is for a tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to
tear a cat in,to make all split. The raging rocks And shivering shocks Shall break the locks Of prison gates; And Phibbus'car Shall shine from far And make and mar The foolish Fates. This was lofty!Now name the rest of the players. This is Ercles'vein,a tyrant's vein;a lover is more condoling. QUINCE Francis Flute,the bellows-mender FLUTE Here,Peter Quince. QUINCE Flute,you must take Thisby on you. FLUTE What is Thisby?a wandering knight? QUINCE It is the lady that Pyramus must love. FLUTE Nay,faith,let me not play a woman;I have a beard coming. QUINCE
tear a cat in, to make all split. The raging rocks And shivering shocks Shall break the locks Of prison gates; And Phibbus' car Shall shine from far And make and mar The foolish Fates. This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players. This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover is more condoling. QUINCE Francis Flute, the bellows-mender. FLUTE Here, Peter Quince. QUINCE Flute, you must take Thisby on you. FLUTE What is Thisby? a wandering knight? QUINCE It is the lady that Pyramus must love. FLUTE Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming. QUINCE