ACT I Sc. I Against my child, my daughter Hermia. With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits, Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious Duke, Consent to marry with Demetrius, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens ; THE. What say you, Hermia? be advis'd,2 fair Maid: To you your father should be as a God; One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one But in this kind, wanting your father's voice, The other must be held the worthier. HER. I would my father look'd but with my eyes. 30 50 60 In such a presence here to plead my thoughts; THE. Either to die the death or to abjure For ever the society of men. Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires : Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless Moon. 6. Unto his lordship," whose unwished yoke My soul consents not to give sovereignty. THE. Take time to pause; and, by the next new Moon (The sealing-day betwixt my love and me For everlasting bond of fellowship), Upon that day either prepare to die, For disobedience to your father's will, Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would; Or on Diana's altar to protest For aye austerity and single life. DEM. Relent, sweet Hermia: and, Lysander, yield Thy crazed' title to my certain right. Lys. You have her father's love, Demetrius; Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him. EGE. Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love, I do estate upon Demetrius. Lys. I am, my Lord, as well deriv'd as he, 70 80 90 ACT I As well possess❜d: my love is more than his : And (which is more than all these boasts can be) I am belov'd of beauteous Hermia. Why should not I, then, prosecute my right? And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, doats, Upon this spotted' and inconstant man. THE. I must confess that I have heard so much, And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; But, being over-full of self-affairs,2 My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come; I have some private schooling for you both. I must employ you in some business EGE. With duty and desire we follow you. [Exeunt all but HERMIA and LYSANDER. Lys. How now, my Love! why is your cheek so pale? HER. Belike for want of rain, which I could well Lys. For aught that I could ever read, Could ever hear by tale or history, The course of true love never did run smooth; HER. O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low! Lys. Or else misgraffed in respect of 1 the antipodes of 'spotless.' 2 business of my own. years 3 bestow upon. ♦ ill-grafted. 130 HER. O spite! too old to be engag'd to young! Brief as the lightning in the collied1 night, That, in a spleen,2 unfolds both Heaven and Earth, So quick bright things come to confusion. HER. If, then, true lovers have been ever cross'd, It stands as an edict in destiny: Then let us teach our trial patience, Because it is a customary cross, As due to love as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs, Lys. A good persuasion; therefore, hear me, Hermia. Of great revenue, and she hath no child, And she respects me as her only son. From Athens is her house remote seven leagues : HER. My good Lysander! I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow; By his best arrow with the golden head ;* By the simplicity of Venus' doves; By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves; By all the vows that ever men have broke, In number more than ever women spoke; 1 coal-smutched. 2 burst. 3 Love's. 4 Cupid's arrows were twain: one, gold- ACT I In that same place thou hast appointed me, Enter HELENA. HER. God speed fair Helena! whither away? 180 Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue's sweet air2 · When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. Sickness is catching: O, were favour3 so, Your's would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go! My fair should catch your fair, my eye your eye, 190 HEL. O, that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill! HER. I give him curses, yet he gives me love. HEL. O, that my prayers could such affection move! HER. The more I hate, the more he follows me. HEL. The more I love, the more he hateth me. HER. His folly, Helena, is none of mine. 200 HEL. None but your beauty's: would that fault were mine! Lysander and myself will fly this place. O, then, what graces in my love do dwell, 5 transformed. 210 |