And to that place the sharp Athenian law Her. My good Lysander! I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow; By that which knitteth souls, and prospers loves; Lys. Keep promise, love: Look, here comes Helena. Enter HELENA. Her. God speed fair Helena! Whither away? Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue's sweet air Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, Her. I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. Hel. O, that your frowns would teach my such skill!. smiles Her. I give him curses, yet he gives me love. Her. Take comfort; he no more shall see my face;; Lysander and myself will fly this place. Before the time I did Lysander see, Seem'd Athens as a paradise to me :: O then, what graces in my love do dwell, That he hath turn'd a heaven unto hell! Lys. Helen, to you our minds we will unfold:: To-morrow-night when Phoebe doth behold Her silver visage in the wat'ry glass, Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass, (A time that lovers' flights doth still conceal,) Through Athens' gates have we devis'd to steal: Her. And in the wood, where often you and I Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lie, Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet: There my Lysander and myself shall meet: And thence, from Athens, turn away our eyes,, To seek new friends and stranger companies. Farewell, sweet playfellow; pray thou for us, [Exit HERM.. Lys. I will, my Hermia.-Helena, adieu : As you on him, Demetrius dote on you! [Exit Lys.. Things base and vile, holding no quantity, Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind'; If I have thanks, it is a dear expence : But herein mean I to enrich my pain. To have his sight thither, and back again. SCENE II. The same A Room in a Cottage. [Exit Enter SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE,.SNOUT, QUINCE, and STARVELING. Quin. Is all our company here? Bot. You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip. Quin. Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and duchess, on his wedding-day at night. Bot. First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on; then read the names of the actors; and so grow to a point. Quin. Marry, our play is-The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby. Bot. A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry.-Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll: Masters, spread yourselves. Quin. Answer, as I call you.-Nick Bottom, the weaver. Bot. Ready: Name what part I am for, and proceed. Quin. You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Py ramus. Bot. What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant? Quin. A lover, that kills himself most gallantly for love. Bot. That will ask some tears in the true performing of it: If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in some measure. To the rest:-Yet my chief humour is for a tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split. "The raging rocks, "And Phibbus' car "Shall shine from far, "And make and mar "The foolish fates." This was lofty!-Now name the rest of the players.This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover is more condoling. Quin. Francis Flute, the bellows-mender. Flu. Here, Peter Quince. Quin. You must take Thisby on you. Flu. What is Thisby? a wandering knight? Flu. Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming.. Quin. That's all one; you shall play it in a mask, and you may speak as small as you will. Bot. An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too: I'll speak in a monstrous little voice;-Thisne, Thisne, Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear; thy Thisby dear! and lady dear! |