Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd mood: 3 I am not guilty of Lysander's blood; Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell. Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well. Dem. An if I could, what should I get therefore? Her. A privilege, never to see me more.And from thy hated presence part I so: See me no more, whether he be dead or no. [Exit. Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein : Here, therefore, for a while I will remain. [Lies down. Obe. What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite, And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight: Of thy misprision must perforce ensue Some true-love turn'd, and not a false turn'd true. Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; that, one man holding troth, A million fail, confounding oath on oath. Obe. About the wood go swifter than the wind, And Helena of Athens look thou find : All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer1 With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear: By some illusion see thou bring her here; 3 on a mispris'd mood:] is put for " in a mispris'd mood;" i. e. " in a mistaken manner." 4 pale of cheer-] Cheer, from the Italian cara, is frequently used by the old English writers for countenance. Puck. I go, I go; look, how I go; Hit with Cupid's archery, Re-enter PUCK. Puck. Captain of our fairy band, And the youth, mistook by me, Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be! Obe. Stand aside: the noise they make, Will cause Demetrius to awake. Puck. Then will two at once, woo one; And those things do best please me, That befal preposterously. Enter LYSANDER and HELENA. Lys. Why should you think, that I should woo in scorn? Scorn and derision never come in tears: How can these things in me seem scorn to you, 5 Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?]. In allusion to the badges (i. e. family crests) anciently worn on the sleeves of servants and retainers. Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more. When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray! These vows are Hermia's; Will you give her o'er? Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh: Your vows, to her and me, put in two scales, Lys. I had no judgment, when to her I swore. o'er. Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. Dem. [awaking.] O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, And now both rivals, to mock Helena: 6 Taurus' snow,] Taurus is the name of a range of mountains in Asia. 7-join, in souls,] i. e. join heartily. A trim exploit, a manly enterprize, Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so; Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. There to remain. Lys. Helen, it is not so. Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest, 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 apprehension makes; Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press Her. What love could press Lysander from my side? Lys. Lysander s love, that would not let him bide, Fair Helena; who more engilds the night Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know, The hate I bare thee made me leave thee so? Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be. Is all the counsel that we two have shar'd, All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence? Have with our neelds1 created both one flower, Two lovely berries moulded on one stem: Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.2 8 all yon fiery oes-] Shakspeare uses O for a circle. 9 artificial gods,] Artificial is ingenious, artful. 1 Have with our neelds, &c.] or needles. 2 Two of the first, like coats in heraldry, Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.] Helena means to say, that she and her friend were as closely united, as much one person, as if they were both of the just house; as if they both had the privilege due but to one person, (viz. to him of the first house,) |