To vow, and fwear, and fuperpraise my parts,
When, I am fure, you hate me with your hearts.
You both are rivals, and love Hermia;
And now both rivals, to mock Helena:
A trim exploit, a manly enterprize,
To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes,
With your derifion! None, of noble fort,
Would fo offend a virgin; and extort
A poor foul's patience, all to make you sport.
Lyf. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so;
For you love Hermia; this, you know, I know:
And here, with all good will, with all my heart,
In Hermia's love I yield you up my part;
And yours of Helena to me bequeath,
Whom I do love, and will do to my death.
Hel. Never did mockers wafte more idle breath. Dem. Lyfander, keep thy Hermia; I will none: If e'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone.
My heart with her but, as gueft-wife, fojourn'd;
And now to Helen is it home return'd,
There to remain.
Lyf. Helen, it is not fo.
Dem. Difparage not the faith thou dost not know, Left, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.—
Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear. Enter HERMIA
Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function The ear more quick of apprehenfion makes; [takes, Wherein it doth impair the feeing sense,
It pays the hearing double recompence :-
Thou art not by mine eye, Lyfander, found;
Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy found.
But why unkindly didst thou leave me fo?
Lyf. Why fhould he stay, whom love doth prefs togo?
Her. What love could prefs Lyfander from my fide? Lyf. Lyfander's love, that would not let him bide, Fair Helena; who more engilds the night Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light.
Why feek'st thou me ? could not this make thee know, The hate I bare thee made me leave thee fo?
Her. You fpeak not as you think; it cannot be.
Hel. Lo, fhe is one of this confederacy!
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd, all three,
To fafhion this falfe fport in fpight of me.
Injurious Hermia! moft ungrateful maid!
Have you confpir'd, have you with these contriv'd
To bait me with this foul derifion?
Is all the counsel that we two have shar'd,
The fifters' vows, the hours that we have spent,
When we have chid the hafty-footed time
For parting us,-O, is all now forgot?
All fchool-days' friendship, childhood innocence?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Have with our neelds created both one flower,
Both on one fampler, fitting on one cushion,
Both warbling of one fong, both in one key;
As if our hands, our fides, voices, and minds,
Had been incorporate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, feeming parted;
But yet a union in partition,
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem:
So, with two feeming bodies, but one heart;
Two of the firft, like coats in heraldry,
Due but to one, and crowned with one creft.
And will you rent our ancient love afunder,
To join with men in fcorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:
Qar fex, as well as I, may chide you for it;
Though
Though I alone do feel the injury.
Her. I am amazed at your paffionate words:
I fcorn you not; it seems that you fcorn me.
Hel. Have you not fet Lyfander, as in fcorn,
To follow me, and praise my eyes and face?
And made your other love, Demetrius
(Who even but now did fpurn me with his foot),
To call me goddess, nymph, divine, and rare,
Precious, celeftial? Wherefore speaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lyfander
Deny your love, fo rich within his foul,
And tender me, forfooth, affection;
But by your fetting on, by your confent?
What though I be not fo in grace as you,
So hung upon with love, fo fortunate;
But miferable most, to love unlov'd?
This you should pity, rather than defpife.
Her. I understand not what you mean by this
Hel. Ay, do, perfever, counterfeit fad looks,
Make mouths upon me when I turn my back;
Wink at each other; hold the fweet jest up:
This fport, well carry'd, fhall be chronicled.
If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
You would not make me fuch an argument.
But, fare ye well: 'tis partly mine own fault;
Which death, or abfence, foon fhall remedy.
Lyf Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excufe;
My love, my life, my foul, fair Helena !
Hel. O excellent!
Her. Sweet, do not fcorn her fo.
Dem. If he cannot entreat, I can compel.
Lyf. Thou canst compel no more than fhe entreat; Thy threats have no more ftrength, than her weak Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do ;
I swear by that which I will lofe for thee,
Το prove him falfe, that fays I love thee not.
Dem. I fay, I love thee more than he can do.
Lyf. If thou fay fo, withdraw, and prove it too.
Dem. Quick, come,—
Her. Lyfander, whereto tends all this?
Lyf Away, you Ethiop!
Dem. No, no; he'll-Sir,
Seem to break loofe; take on, as you would follow; But yet come not: you are a tame man, go!
Lyf. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr: vile thing, let Or I will shake thee from me, like a ferpent. [loofe; Her. Why are you grown fo rude? what change is Sweet love? [this,
Lyf. Thy love? out, tawny tartar, out! Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence! Her. Do you not jest?
Hel. Yes, 'footh; and fo do you.
Lyf Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. Dem. I would, I had your bond: for, I perceive, A weak bond holds you; I'll not truft
your word. Lyf. What, fhould I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead? Although I hate her, I'll not harm her fo.
Her. What, can you do me greater harm than hate? Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love? Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lyfander?
I am as fair now, as I was erewhile."
Since night, you lov'd me; yet, fince night, you left
Why, then you left me,-O, the gods forbid!
In earnest, shall I fay?
And never did defire to fee thee more.
Therefore, be out of hope, of question, doubt,
Be certain, nothing truer ; 'tis no jest,
That I do hate thee, and love Helena.
Her. O me! you juggler! you canker-bloffom! You thief of love! what, have you come by night, And ftol'n my love's heart from him?
Have you no modefty, no maiden fhame,
No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear
Impatient anfwers from my gentle tongue?
Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you!
Her. Puppet! why fo? Ay, that way goes the
Now I perceive that fhe hath made compare
Between our ftatures, fhe hath urg'd her height;
And with her perfonage, her tall perfonage,
Her height, forfooth, the hath prevail'd with him.-
And are you grown fo high in his esteem,
Because I am fo dwarfish, and fo low?
How low am I, thou painted maypole? fpeak;
How low am I? I am not yet fo low,
But that my nails can reach unto thine
eyes. Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen, Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;
I have no gift at all in fhrewishness;
I am a right maid for
Let her not strike me: You, perhaps, may think,
Because fhe's fomething lower than myself,
That I can match her.
Her. Lower! hark, again.
Hel. Good Hermia, do not be fo bitter with me.' I evermore did love you, Hermia,
Did ever keep your counfels, never wrong'd you;
Save that, in love unto Demetrius,
I told him of your stealth unto this wood:
He follow'd you; for love, I follow'd.
But he hath chid me hence; and threaten'd me
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