University of Virginia Library

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Another part of the Wood.
Titania's Bower, decorated with Flowers—In the Centre, the Duke's Oak.
Enter Titania, and Train.
Queen.
Come, now a roundel, and a Fairy song;
Then for the third part of a minute hence,
Some, to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds,
Some, war with rear-mice for their leathern wings,
To make my small elves coats; and some keep back
The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots, and wonders,
At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep;
Then to your offices, and let me rest.

(Goes to the Bower, and lies down.)
QUARTETTO—Fairies.—[Stevens.]
[Exeunt Fairies.

Enter Oberon.
Ober.
What thou see'st when thou dost wake,
Do it for thy true love take;—
Love, and languish for his sake!—
Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,
Pard, or boar with bristled hair!
In thy eye what shall appear,
When thou wak'st, it is thy dear!
Wake when some vile thing is near!—

[Pours the Juice in Titania's Eye, and Exit.

SCENE II.

Another part of the Wood.
Enter Lysander and Hermia.
Lys.
Fair love, you faint with wand'ring in the wood;
And to speak truth, I have forgot our way.
We'll rest us, Hermia,
And tarry for the comfort of the morn.

Herm.
Be't so, Lysander; here's my resting place,
Whilst you upon that bank repose,
That if perchance my woman's fears shou'd seek
Protection in thy love and bravery,
I may not call on love and thee in vain.

Lys.
Repose thee, love; I'll watch thee thro' the night.
No harm shall reach thee—
Sleep give thee all his rest.

Herm.
With half that wish the wisher's eyes be prest.

[They sleep.]
Enter Puck.
Puck.
Thro' the forest have I gone,
But Athenian find I none;
Night and silence!—Here is one!
With Athenian garments on!
But soft!—and nearer—yes! I swear,
The very garments he doth wear!
This is he, my master said,
Despised the Athenian maid!
And here the maiden sleeping sound,
Upon the dank and dirty ground.
Pretty soul! she durst not lie,
Near this lack-love, kill-courtesie!
But first I'll throw into a trance
This youth, that elves may round him dance:
Melting sounds your power impart,
That I may pierce his harden'd heart!

[Soft Music.]
Lys.
Whence is this sweet enchanting harmony!
A thicker shade o'erspreads the night! my senses,
Some secret, unknown influence feels—
I cannot shake it off; chains invisible
Already bind my limbs, and all my powers enthrall.

[He sinks down.]
Puck.
'Tis done, 'tis done! and now my skill
His breast with other love shall fill:
Churl, upon thy eyes I throw
All the power this charm doth owe:
[Dropping the Juice in Lysander's Eye.]
So awake, when I am gone;
For I must now to Oberon.

[Exit.
Enter Helena, hastily.
Hel.
Still, still Demetrius, wilt thou darkling leave me?
O, I am out of breath in this fond chase;
The more my prayer, the lesser is my favour,
But who is here? Lysander on the ground:
Dead, or asleep?
Lysander, if you live, good Sir, awake.

Lys.
Who's there?

Hel.
'Tis I—'tis Helena!

Lys.
I see— (rising)
Sweet! beauteous, heavenly Helena!
Where is Demetrius? Oh, how fit a word
Is that vile name, to perish on this sword?

Hel.
Do not say so? What though he loves your Hermia,
Yet Hermia still loves you. Be satisfied.

Lys.
Content with Hermia? no:
Reason becomes the marshal to my will,
And leads me to your eyes, where I can read
Love's stories written in love's richest book!
I'll run through fire for thee, sweet Helena!

Hel.
But, wherefore this?
When, at your hands, did I deserve this scorn?
Is 't not enough, Lysander,
That I did never, no, nor ever can,
Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius,
But you must mock my insufficiency?
Farewell, my Lord, and may your Hermia teach you
More true gentleness.

[Exit Helena.
Lys.
My Hermia! (sarcastically)
Sleep thou there!
For, as the heresies that men do quit,
Are hated most of those they did deceive;
So thou, my heresy, a long good-night!
The star I follow, is lov'd Helen's light.

[Exit.
Herm.
Help me, Lysander, help me! do thy best,
To pluck this crawling serpent from my bosom.
Ah me, for pity! what a dream was here!
Lysander, look how I do quake with horror.
Methought a serpent ate my heart away,
And you sate smiling at him. Ha! Lysander,
Lysander! what remov'd? Lysander, Lord!
Alack, where are you? Speak, and if you hear me—
(Bird Symphony.)

He cannot for these harbingers of morning—
cease, sylvan songsters, cease! while your tuneful
notes thus vibrate through the wood, in vain I
call upon my lost, lost love!

SONG—Hermia.—[Handel.]

[Exit.

SCENE III.

The Wood. Bower. Duke's Oak.
Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling.
(The Queen of the Fairies lying asleep.)
Bot.

Are we all met?

Quin.

Pat, pat; and here's a marvellous convenient
place. This green plot shall be our stage;
this hawthorn brake our trying-house, and tonight
we will only do it in action; but our next
rehearsal shall be full court-dress'd, as we will do
it before the Duke.

Bot.

Peter Quince!

Quin.

What say'st thou, Bully Bottom?

Bot.

There are things in this Comedy of Pyramus
and Thisby, that will never please. First,
Pyramus must draw a sword to kill himself,
which the ladies cannot abide;—however, peradventure,
this may be quantified by my delicate
colouring;—but the Lion!—will not the ladies
tremble at the Lion?

Snug.

By'r laken, a parlous fear!

Quin.

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

Bot.

Ay, masters, you ought to consider
with yourselves;—to bring in, Heaven shield us!
a Lion amongst ladies, is a most dreadful thing;
for there is not a more fearful wild-fowl than
your Lion, living!—and we ought to look to it.

Quin.

We'll have two Prologues,—the one
that's written, and another to tell he is not a Lion.

Bot.

Nay, there's only this—you must name

his name, and half his face must be seen through
the Lion's neck; and he himself must speak
through, saying thus, or to the same defect:
Ladies, or fair Ladies, my life for yours! if you
think I came hither as a Lion, it were pity of my
life: I am no such thing! I am a man, as other
men are;—and there indeed, let him name his
name, and tell them plainly, he is no Lion, but
Snug the joiner.

Quin.

Well, it shall be so; but there is two
hard things, that is, to bring the moonlight into
a chamber; for you know, Pyramus and Thisby
met by moonlight.

Bot.

Hard!—that's all here— (Pointing to his

head)
—One must come in with a bush of thorns
and a lantern; and say he comes to disfigure, or
present, the person of Moonshine.

Quin.

Good! but there is another hard thing—
We must have a wall in the great chamber, for
Pyramus and Thisby, as the story goes, did make
love through the chink of a wall.

Flute.

You can never bring in a wall.

All.

Never!

Bot.

Can't we? bless you!— (Smiling contemptuously.)

—Can't some man or other present Wall?
and let him have some lome, or some rough-cast
about him, to signify Wall;—and can't he hold
his fingers thus? and through the cranny shan't
Pyramus and Thisby whisper? They shall; and so,
Snout, you're the Wall.

Quin.

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

Enter Puck.
Puck.
What hempen homespuns have we swaggering here?
So near the cradle of our Fairy Queen?
What, a Play tow'rd; I'll be an auditor;
An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause.

Quin.
Speak, Pyramus.—Thisby, stand forth.

Bot.
Thisby, the flower of odious savours, sweet,—

Quin.
Odours, odours!

Bot.
Odours savours sweet;
So doth thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear,—
But, hark! I see a voice!—stay thou but here,
And by and by, I will to thee appear.

[Exit Pyramus.
Puck.
A stranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here.

[Exit Puck.
Flute.
Must I speak now?

Quin.

Ay, marry must you; for you understand,
he goes but to see the noise, and is to come again.

Flute.
Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue,
Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier,
Most briskly juvenale, and eke most lovely Jew,
As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire;
I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.

Quin.

Ninus' tomb, man! why, you must not
speak that yet:—that you answer to Pyramus; you
speak all your part at once, cues and all.—Pyramus,
prepare—your cue is—“never tire.”

Flute.

Oh! as true as truest horse that yet
would never tire.

Bot.
[Without.]

I come!—

Flute.

He comes, all lovely, beautiful, and brave!

Enter Bottom, with an Ass's Head on.—Puck behind, waving his Wand, then instantly retiring.
Bot.

Sweet love!—in thy fond arms,—

(As he is about to embrace Thisby—Flute and all look up, and show horror and astonishment.)
Quin.

Oh! monstrous!—Oh, strange!—we are
haunted,—pray, masters—fly, masters! help!—

[Exeunt all but Bottom.
Bot.

Holloa!—What do you run away for?—
Sure, 'tis a knavery of theirs, to make me afeard.

Re-enter Flute.
Flute.

Oh, Bottom!—thou art chang'd!—I see
on thee a new head!

Bot.

And I see on thee, thy old head! an Ass's
head!

Re-enter Quince.
Quin.

Bless thee, Bottom!—bless thee!—thou art translated.

[Exeunt Quin. and Flute.
Bot.

I see they'd fright me if they could;
but I will not stir: I will walk up and down here,
and I will sing, and they shall hear I am not
afraid.

AIR—Bottom.

Queen.
What angel wakes me from my flow'ry bed?

(Advancing from the Bower, Bottom not seeing her)
Sings again.
The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,
The plain-song cuckow grey;
Whose note full many a man doth mark,
And dares not answer, nay.

Queen.
I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again,
Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note;
So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape,
On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.

Bot.
Love me!—mad—stark-staring—Quince! Snout!

[Going, Titania lays hold of him.]
Queen.
Out of this wood, do not desire to go!
Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.
I am a Spirit of no common rate;
And I do doat on thee—so, go with me,
I'll give thee Fairies to attend on thee;
And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep,
And sing while thou on pressed flow'rs doth sleep:
Peaseblossom, Cob, Moth, Mustardseed!

Enter Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, Mustardseed, and other Fairies.
1st Fairy.
Ready.

2nd Fairy.
And I.

3rd Fairy.
And I.

4th Fairy.
And I.

Queen.
Be kind and courteous to this gentleman,
Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes;
Feed him with apricots and dewberries!
The honey-bags steal from the humble bees,
And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs,
And light them at the fairy glow-worm's eyes,
To have my love to bed, and to arise;
Nod to him, Elves, and do him courtesies.

Bot.

Cobweb! if I cut my finger, I shall make
bold with you, good Master Cobweb.—Peaseblossom!
commend me to Master Peascod your
father, and Mrs. Squash your mother!—Mustardseed!
though your kindred hath made my
eyes water e'er now, I desire more of your acquaintance,
good Master Mustardseed!—Oh
Love!— (Turning to Titania.)

CHORUS.
[Music.]
1st Fairy.
Hail, mortal, hail!

2nd Fairy.
Hail!

3rd Fairy.
Hail!

[Fairies sing and dance round Bottom, laying hold of his Hands—he dances with them, and all
Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

The Wood.
Enter Oberon.
Ober.
I wonder if Titania be awak'd;
Then what it was that next came in her eye,
Which she must doat on in extremity.
Enter Puck.
Here comes my messenger! How now, mad sprite!
What night-rule now about this haunted grove?

Puck.
My mistress with a monster is in love.
Near to her close and consecrated bower,
While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,
A crew of patches rude, rehears'd a play
Intended for great Theseus' nuptial-day.
An ass's nole I fix'd upon one head,
And all the rest with fear distracted fled.
When, in that moment (so it came to pass)
Titania wak'd, and straitway lov'd an Ass.

Ober.
This falls out better than I could devise.
But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes
With the love-juice, as I bid thee do?

Puck.
I took him sleeping; that is finish'd too.

Enter Demetrius and Hermia.
Ober.
Stand close—this is the same Athenian.

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

Dem.
O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?

Her.
Now I but chide; but I should use thee worse,
For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse thee.
Seek, seek fair Helena!

Dem.
Call you her fair? that fair, again unsay.
Oh! teach her how you look, and with what art
You sway the motions of Demetrius' heart!
SONG.—Demetrius.

Her.
If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,
O, kill me too!
The sun was not so true unto the day,
As he to me. Would he have stol'n from hence,
From sleeping Helena?
It cannot be but thou hast murder'd him.

Dem.
Why, gentle Hermia, will you still persist,
To pierce me thro' the heart with your contempt?

Herm.
What's this to my Lysander? Where is he?
If thou hast slain him,
Henceforth be never number'd among men,
Thou serpent!

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

Herm.
Then from thy hated presence will I go,
In search of my Lysander, come what may.

Dem.
Nay—hear me, Hermia.

DUET—Demetrius and Hermia.—[Bishop.]
Demet.

Herm.

[Exit Herm.
Dem.
There is no following her in this fierce vein.—
And worn, o'ercome with anguish and despair
E'en here I'll seek repose.
Yes, sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye,
Steal me awhile from my own company!—

[Lies down on a Bank, and sleeps.]
Oberon and Puck advance.
Ober.
What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite,
And laid thy love-juice on some true-love's sight:
About the wood, go swifter than the wind,
And Helena of Athens see thou find.—
By some illusion see thou bring her here;
And send an Elf with some of that same flow'r.

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

[Exit.
Ober.
I'll charm his eyes against she doth appear.

Enter Fairy, with a Flower.
1st Fairy.
Here is the flower.

Ober.
Now, now to sing the charm.
[Exit Fairy.
(Air.—During which he pours the Juice into Demetrius's Eyes.)
AIR—Oberon.—[Smith.]

Enter Puck.
Puck.
Captain of our fairy-band,
Helena is here at hand,
And the youth mistook by me,
Pleading for a lover's fee.
Shall we their fond pageant see?
Lord, what fools these mortals be!—

Ober.
Stand aside! the noise they make,
Will cause Demetrius to wake.

Puck.
Then will two at once woo one,—
That must needs be sport alone!
And these things do best please me,
That befall preposterously.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.

Another Part of the Wood.
Enter Lysander and Helena.
Lys.
Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?
Scorn and derision never come in tears.
Look, when I vow, I weep.

Hel.
You do advance your cunning more and more,
These vows are Hermia's—give 'em not to me.

Lys.
I had no judgment when to her I swore.

Hel.
Nor none, in my mind, now you swear to me.

Lys.
Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.
Behold! he's here!
(Seeing Demetrius, who awakes and rises.)
Confess— (To Demet.)
Love you not Hermia?

Dem.
No, Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!
To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyes?

Hel.
O, spite! to use a simple woman thus!

(Demetrius takes her hand.)
Lys.
Villain, forbear!— (Drawing his sword)
—this hand is mine;
And here, with all good will, with all my heart,
In Hermia's love I yield you my pretensions;
And yours to Helena, to me bequeath,
Whom I, do love to death, Demetrius.

Dem.
Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,
Lest to thy peril thou repent, Lysander:
My heart to Helena is home return'd!—
And here's thy love!—

Enter Hermia.
Herm.
Found, found, Lysander!—
Oh! why unkindly didst thou leave me, love?

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

Herm.
What love could press Lysander from my side?

Lys.
Lysander's love, his love for Helena.
Fair Helena, who more engilds the night
Than all yon fiery stars;— (Crosses to Helena)

I swear by that which I will lose for thee,
To prove him false, that says I love thee not.

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

Lys.
If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it, traitor!
Now follow, if thou dar'st, to try whose right,
Or thine, or mine, is most in Helena.

Dem.
Lead on!

Lys.
Away!—and the word—“Helena and Love!”

[Exeunt Lysander and Demetrius.
Herm.
Is this illusion? Oh! false, canker-blossom;
You thief of love!—What, have you come by night,
And stol'n my love's heart from him?

Hel.
Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me;
I evermore did love you, Hermia,—
And all I can explain, I will.—But, come away!—
Let's fly, and struggle to prevent this fray.

[Exeunt Hermia and Helena.
Enter Oberon and Puck.
Ober.
Yonder they fly, and still entangl'd—crost!—
This is thy negligence; still thou mistak'st,
Or else commit'st thy knaveries willingly.

Puck.
Believe me, King of Shadows, I mistook,—
But so far blameless proves my enterprise,
That you did tell me I should know the man
By the Athenian garments he hath on.

Ober.
Thou see'st these lovers seek a place to fight;
Hie, therefore, Robin, overcast the night!—
The starry welkin cover thou anon
With drooping fogs, as black as Acheron!—
And lead these testy rivals so astray,
As one shall come not in the other's way.
Like to Lysander sometimes frame thy tongue,
Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong.—
And sometimes rail thou like Demetrius,—
And from each other look thou lead them thus,
Till o'er their brows death counterfeiting sleep,
With leaden legs, and batty wings, doth creep.—
Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye,—
(Producing Herb, and giving it to Puck.)
Whose liquor has this virtuous property!—
To take from thence all error with its might,
And make his eye-balls roll with wonted sight.—
When they next wake, all this derision
Shall seem a dream, and fruitless vision!—
Away, away! make no delay—
We may effect this business yet e'er day!
[Exit Puck.
I'll to my Queen, and beg her Indian boy!—
Not, not so much from love of him, as her,
I court this contest,—I'd put her to the trial—
If she refuse, I know her love is on the wane,—
But, if she yield! Ah! that she may! and still—

[Music.]
(Clouds descend and open.—A Fairy is discovered, who chaunts the following lines.)
FINALE.
Fairy.
Oberon!

Oberon.
Appear!

Fairy.
Oberon! no more despair!
Titania wafts him to your care!
Borne by each propitious gale,
From India's shores her gallies sail.
Nor storms, nor quicksands can they meet,
For Zephyrs fan the Fairy fleet!
And silv'ry seas the treasure bear,—
The Boy!—the Indian Boy is near!

(Clouds begin to ascend again.)
Ober.
Her vessels waft him to my care,
The joy I own, to all be known;
And join with me, in dance and revelry!
Then—then Titania's charmed eye release
From monster's view—and all things shall be peace.

[Music.]
(Clouds having ascended, the Sea is discovered. A Fairy Palace in the distance.—Titania's galley and other gallies in full sail.— Dance—During which, Indian Boy is brought forward.)
CHORUS.
Pierce the air with sounds of joy!
Hail Titania's treasur'd Boy!