MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM. ACT THE FIRST. SCENE I. Athens. A Room in the Palace of Theseus. Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants. The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace; four happy days bring in Another moon: but, oh, methinks, how slow This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires, Like to a step-dame, or a dowager, Long withering out a young man's revenue. Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights; Four nights will quickly dream away the time; New bent in heaven, shall behold the night Of our solemnities. Go, Philostrate, The. Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling. Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke? The. Thanks, good Egeus: What's the news with thee? Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint Against my child, my daughter Hermia.Stand forth, Demetrius ; - My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her: — Stand forth, Lysander;-and, my gracious duke, This hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child: Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchang'd love tokens with my child: Thou hast by moon-light at her window sung, With feigning voice, verses of feigning love; And stol'n the impression of her fantasy With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits, Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweet-meats; messengers Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth: With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart; Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, To stubborn harshness: And, my gracious duke, The. What say you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair maid: To you your father should be as a god; One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one By him imprinted, and within his power To leave the figure, or disfigure it. In himself he is: The. Her. I would, my father look'd but with my Her. I do entreat your grace to pardon me. In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts: If I refuse to wed Demetrius. The. Either to die the death, or to abjure For ever the society of men. Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd, Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. 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; 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; Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he, And, which is more than all these boasts can be, Why should not I then prosecute my right? 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, My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come; And come, Egeus; you shall go with me, I have some private schooling for you both.For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself To fit your fancies to your father's will; Or else the law of Athens yields you up (Which by no means we may extenuate,) To death, or to a vow of single life. Come, my Hippolyta; What cheer, my love? Demetrius, and Egeus, go along : 1 Wicked. I must employ you in some business [Exeunt THES. HIP. EGE. DEM. and train. Lys. How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale ? How chance the roses there do fade so fast? Her. Belike, for want of rain; which I could well Beteem them from the tempest of mine eyes. 2 Lys. Ah me! for aught that ever I could read, Could ever hear by tale or history, The course of true love never did run smooth: Or else misgraffed, in respect of years; 4 The jaws of darkness do devour it up: 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, As due to love, as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs, 5 Lys. A good persuasion; therefore, hear me, I have a widow aunt, a dowager Of great revenue, and she hath no child: From Athens is her house remote seven leagues; And she respects me as her only son. 2 Give, bestow. 3 Momentary. |