University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

Theseus's Grand Hall of Audience—Throne.
[Flourish without.]
Enter Theseus, Hippolita, Egeus, and Train.
Thes.
Yes, my Hippolita; this palpable gross play
Has well beguil'd our time.—Next for our pageant,
Which, but for thy request—but that its fair
Director is Hippolita, we willingly ourselves
Would not be witness of; since 'tis to celebrate
Our own poor triumphs!

Hip.
Nay, 'tis my pride, my pleasure.

Thes.
Enough—it shall proceed—but first, for thee,
Egeus, speak—is not this the day, when
Hermia should give answer of her choice?

Egeus.
It is, my Liege—and, ah! for her sake, and for mine,
'Pray Heaven she chuse Demetrius for her lord!—
He hath my sacred pledge; my honour's bound!
Else, Oh, my Sovereign! Nature struggling with duty, I fear,
I should indulge a fond, fond father's weakness!

Thes.
What if Demetrius should resign her hand,
And chuse fair Helena?

Egeus.
In vain; he loves but Hermia, who, till of late,
Bore such resemblance to her mother!
So watch'd—so nurs'd me! But lo! Demetrius
Comes to claim my promise—
'Tis well—and I must claim our stern
Athenian law!

Enter Demetrius, Lysander, Hermia, and Helena.
Thes.
So, your decision, Hermia? How! not a word!
Speak thou, Demetrius; or thou, Lysander!
Or Helena!—all silent!
I know, Egeus, they are rival enemies;
But hatred seems so far from jealousy! (Turns again to Lysander and Demetrius.)

How comes this sudden concord?

Lys.
My Lord, I shall reply amazedly,
Half sleep, half walking. For as yet
I cannot truly say from whence it came,
But as I think, fair Hermia's, and my own intent
Was to begone from Athens, where we might live
Without the peril of th' Athenian law.

Egeus.
Enough, my Liege, you have enough:
I beg the law upon Lysander's head.
They would have stol'n away, they would, Demetrius;
And since a parent's sacred word is pledg'd,
Though life should in the contest cease, I claim
Your sentence, Sire!—I, her father, claim it.

Thes.
Demetrius, I insist—

Dem.
My Liege, I also shall reply amazedly.
For, my good Lord, I wot not by what power,
But, by some power it is, my love to Hermia
Is melted as the snow;
And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,
Is only Helena! to her, my Lord,
Was I betroth'd, e'er I saw Hermia;
But like a sickness did I loath this food,
Which, as in health, come to my natural taste,
Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,
And will for ever more be true to it! (Taking Helena's hand.]


Lys.
And I, my bond of faith to Hermia
Will still maintain, till death shall cancel it.

Herm.
(Approaching close to Egeus.)
Father! what say you?
May I love Lysander? (Kneels.)
Oh, pardon! pardon!

Egeus.
My blessings on thee! (Raising and embracing her.)

Take her, Lysander; and for thee, Demetrius,
The busy phantoms of thy brain dispers'd,
May all be happiness and love! (Approaches Theseus.)


Hip.
How strange, my Theseus, what these lovers speak of!

Thes.
More strange than true—I never may believe
These antick fables, nor these fairy toys.
Lovers, and madmen, have such seething brains,
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet,
Are of imagination all compact:
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold;
The madman—while the lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt!
The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven!
And, as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen
Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation, and a name!—
Such tricks have strong imagination!
Fair lovers, you are fortunately met,
And in the Temple, by and by, with us,
Eternally be joined!
(Trumpet without.)
Hark! they approach!
My hardy veterans!
My brave companions in the toil of war!—
And since ourselves, we boast not of the pow'r
To welcome them in aught, save in the plain
Rough language of a soldier,
Hermia, stand forth, and with thy dulcet tones,
Give, give to all, harmonious greeting.

Theseus and Hippolita seat themselves on a Throne.)
AIR—Hermia.—[Bishop.]
Recitative.
(A Grand Pageant, commemorative of the Triumphs of Theseus.)

CHORUS.
His Fame
Proclaim!
And sound
Around
Great Theseus' Name!