A Midsummer Night's Dream (15 page)

HIPPOLYTA
    Well shone, Moon. Truly, the moon shines with a

good grace.

THESEUS
    Well
moused
²⁶⁵
, Lion.

DEMETRIUS
    And then came Pyramus.

LYSANDER
    And so the lion vanished.

PYRAMUS [BOTTOM]
    Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams,

     I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright,

     For by thy gracious, golden, glittering gleams,

     I trust to taste of truest Thisbe sight.

     But stay, O spite!

     But mark, poor knight,

     What dreadful
dole
²⁷⁴
is here?

     Eyes, do you see?

     How can it be?

     O dainty duck! O dear!

     Thy mantle good,

     What, stained with blood!

     Approach, you
Furies
fell
²⁸⁰
!

     O
Fates
²⁸¹
, come, come,

     Cut thread and
thrum
²⁸²
,

     
Quail
, crush, conclude, and
quell
²⁸³
!

THESEUS
    This
passion
, and the death of a dear
friend
²⁸⁴
, would

go near to
²⁸⁵
make a man look sad.

HIPPOLYTA
    
Beshrew
²⁸⁶
my heart, but I pity the man.

PYRAMUS [BOTTOM]
    O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions
frame
²⁸⁷
?

     Since lion vile hath here
deflowered
²⁸⁸
my dear:

     Which is — no, no — which was the fairest dame

     That lived, that loved, that liked, that looked with
cheer
²⁹⁰
.

     Come, tears, confound:

     Out, sword, and wound

     The
pap
²⁹³
of Pyramus,

     Ay, that left pap,

     Where heart doth hop:

     Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.

Stabs himself

     Now am I dead,

     Now am I fled,

     My soul is in the sky.

     
Tongue
³⁰⁰
, lose thy light,

     Moon take thy flight,

     Now die, die, die, die, die.

Dies

DEMETRIUS
    No
die
, but an
ace
³⁰³
for him; for he is but one.

LYSANDER
    Less than an ace, man: for he is dead, he is

nothing.

THESEUS
    With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover,

and prove an
ass
³⁰⁷
.

HIPPOLYTA
    How chance Moonshine is gone before Thisbe

comes back and finds her lover?

THESEUS
    She will find him by starlight. Here she comes, and

her
passion
³¹¹
ends the play.

HIPPOLYTA
    Methinks she should not use a
long one
³¹²
for such a

Pyramus: I hope she will be brief.

DEMETRIUS
    A
mote
³¹⁴
will turn the balance, which Pyramus,

which Thisbe, is the better.

LYSANDER
    She hath spied him already with those sweet

eyes.

DEMETRIUS
    And thus she
means
,
videlicet
³¹⁸
—

THISBE [FLUTE]
    Asleep, my love?

     What, dead, my dove?

     O Pyramus, arise!

     Speak, speak. Quite dumb?

     Dead, dead? A tomb

     Must cover thy sweet eyes.

     These lily lips,

     This cherry nose,

     These yellow cowslip cheeks,

     Are gone, are gone!

     Lovers, make moan:

     His eyes were green as leeks.

     O
Sisters Three
³³¹
,

     Come, come to me,

     With hands as pale as milk.

     Lay them in gore,

     Since you have
shore
³³⁵

     With shears his
thread of silk
³³⁶
.

     Tongue, not a word.

     Come, trusty sword,

     Come, blade, my breast
imbrue
³³⁹
.

Stabs herself

     And farewell friends,

     Thus Thisbe ends:

     Adieu, adieu, adieu.

Dies

THESEUS
    Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.

DEMETRIUS
    Ay, and Wall too.

BOTTOM
    No, I assure you, the wall is down that

Gets up

parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the epilogue, or

to hear a
Bergomask dance
between
³⁴⁷
two of our company?

THESEUS
    No epilogue, I pray you, for your play needs no

excuse. Never excuse; for when the players are all dead, there

need none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it had played

Pyramus and hung himself in Thisbe's garter, it would have

been a fine tragedy: and so it is, truly, and very notably

discharged. But come, your Bergomask; let your epilogue

alone.

A dance

The
iron tongue
of midnight hath
told
³⁵⁵
twelve.

Lovers, to bed, 'tis almost fairy time.

I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn

As much as we this night have
overwatched
³⁵⁸
.

This
palpable-gross
play hath well
beguiled
³⁵⁹

The
heavy gait
³⁶⁰
of night. Sweet friends, to bed.

A fortnight hold we this
solemnity
³⁶¹
,

In nightly revels and new jollity.

ROBIN
    Now the hungry lion roars,

And the wolf beholds the moon.

Whilst the
heavy
³⁶⁵
ploughman snores,

All with weary task
fordone
³⁶⁶
.

Now the
wasted brands
³⁶⁷
do glow,

Whilst the
screech-owl
³⁶⁸
, screeching loud,

Puts the wretch that lies in woe

In remembrance of a shroud.

Now it is the time of night

That the graves all gaping wide,

Every one lets forth his
sprite
³⁷³
,

In the church-way paths to glide.

And we fairies that do run

By the
triple Hecate
's
team
³⁷⁶
,

From the presence of the sun,

Following darkness like a dream,

Now are
frolic
³⁷⁹
; not a mouse

Shall disturb this
hallowed
³⁸¹
house.

I am sent with broom before,

To sweep the dust
behind
³⁸²
the door.

OBERON
    Through the house
give glimmering light
³⁸³
,

By the dead and drowsy fire,

Every elf and fairy sprite

Hop as light as bird from briar,

And this ditty, after me,

Sing, and dance it
trippingly
³⁸⁸
.

TITANIA
    First,
rehearse
this song by
rote
³⁸⁹
,

To each word a warbling note.

Hand in hand, with fairy grace,

Will we sing and bless this place.

[
FAIRIES
    
sing
]
The Song

Fairies dance

     Now until the break of day

     Through this house each fairy stray.

     To the
best bride-bed
³⁹⁵
will we,

     Which by us shall blessèd be.

     And the
issue
there
create
³⁹⁷

     Ever shall be fortunate.

     So shall all the couples three

     Ever true in loving be.

     And the blots of Nature's hand

     Shall not in their issue stand.

     Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar,

     Nor mark
prodigious
⁴⁰⁴
, such as are

     Despisèd in nativity,

     
Shall upon their children be.

     With this field-dew
consecrate
⁴⁰⁷
,

     Every fairy take his
gait
⁴⁰⁸
,

     And each
several
⁴⁰⁹
chamber bless,

     Through this palace, with sweet peace.

     Ever shall in safety rest,

     And the owner of it blest.

     Trip away, make no
stay
⁴¹³
;

     Meet me all by break of day.

ROBIN
    If we shadows have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you have but slumbered here

While these visions did appear.

And this
weak
and
idle
⁴¹⁹
theme,

No more
yielding but
⁴²⁰
a dream,

Gentles
, do not
reprehend
⁴²¹
.

If you pardon, we will
mend
⁴²²
.

And, as I am an honest Puck,

If we have unearnèd luck

Now to scape the
serpent's tongue
⁴²⁵
,

We will make amends ere long:

Else the Puck a liar call.

So, goodnight unto you all.

Give me your hands
⁴²⁹
, if we be friends,

And Robin shall
restore amends
⁴³⁰
.

List of parts
= Ed

1.1.7 nights
= F. Q = night
10 New-bent
= Ed. F = Now bent
25 Stand forth, Demetrius
= Ed.
Set in italic as a stage direction in
F
27 Stand forth, Lysander
= Ed.
Set in italic as a stage direction in
F
134 Ay me, for
= Q. F = For
I could ever
= Q. F = ever I could
138 low
= Ed. F = loue
142 eyes
= Q. F = eie
145 momentary
= F
's modernization of Q's
momentany
161 removed
= F. Q = remote
169 to
= Q. F = for

175 love
= F. Q = loves
185 your
= Q. F = you
203 none
= F. Q = no fault
208 like
= F. Q = as
210 into
= F. Q = unto a
219 sweet
= Ed. F = sweld
228 dote
= Q. F = dotes
242 often
= F. Q = so oft
251 this
= Q. F = his

1.2.8 grow on to
= F. Q = grow to
37 You must
= F. Q = Flute, you must
58 if it be
= Q. F = if be
72 roar
= F. Q = roare you
89 will we
= Q. F = we will

2.1.1 SH ROBIN
= Ed. F =
Rob. Sometimes
Pucke
5 Thorough flood, thorough
= Q. F = through flood, through
33 sprite
= Q. F = spirit
34 not you he
= Q. F = you not hee
47 filly
= Q. F = silly
62 SH TITANIA
= Ed. F =
Qu
.
Fairies
= Ed. F = Fairy
66 hast
= Q. F = wast
70 step
= Q. F = steepe
78 not thou
= Q. F = thou not
80 Aegles
= Ed. F = Eagles
81 Antiopa
= Q. F =
Atiopa
92 petty
= F. Q = pelting
108 hoary-headed
= Q1. F = hoared headed
110 thin
= Ed. F = chin
138 do I
= Q. F = I doe
158 saw
= Q. F = say
178 round about
= Q. F = about
214 do use
= Q. F = doe
242 the field
= Q. F = and Field
247 I'll
= Q. F = I

2.2.9 SH FIRST FAIRY
= Ed.
Not in
F
13, 24 SH CHORUS
= Ed.
Not in
F
14 our
= Q. F = your
35 wood
= Q. F = woods
48 we can
= Q. F = can you
49 interchainèd
= Q. F = interchanged
67 found
= Q. F = finde

68 On
= Q. F = One
104 shows her art
= Ed. F = her shewes art. Q = shewes art.
113 Helena now I
= F. Q = Helena I
140 they
= Q. F = that
149 ate
= Ed.
Spelled
eate
in
F
150 you
= Q. F = yet

3.1.27 yourselves
= F. Q = your selfe
40 them
= Q. F = him
45 SH SNOUT
= Ed. Q/F = Sn.,
which could be
SNOUT
or
SNUG. F2 = SNUG
48 SD
[
Robin may
]
enter
= Ed. F =
Enter Pucke. Not in
Q
68 SD
Robin
[
may
]
enter
= Ed. Q/F =
Enter Robin
73 SH PYRAMUS
[
BOTTOM
] = Ed. F =
Pir
.
80 SH THISBE
[
FLUTE
] = Ed. F =
This
.
93 SD
Enter
…
head
placed ten lines later in
F
at a possible re-entry point for Bottom
116 with
= Q. F = and
129 On
…
thee
= Q. F
prints before the two preceding lines
148 Peaseblossom
…
Mustardseed!
set as SD in
F
149 SH PEASEBLOSSOM
= Ed. F =
Fai
.
150 SH COBWEB
= Ed.
Not in
F
151 SH MOTH
= Ed.
Not in
F
152 SH MUSTARDSEED
= Ed.
Not in
F
153 SH ALL
= Ed.
Not in
F
165 SH PEASEBLOSSOM
= Ed. F =
1. Fai
.
166 SH COBWEB
= Ed.
Not in F
.
167 SH MOTH
= Ed. F =
2. Fai
.
168 SH MUSTARDSEED
= Ed. F =
3. Fai
.
178 you of
= Q. F = of you
180 Mustardseed
. F
here accidentally repeats “Peas. Pease-blossome.”
184 you of
= Ed. F = you
188 weeps, weeps
= Q. F = weepes, weepe

3.2.5 haunted
= Q. F = gaunted
58 murdered
= Q. F = murderer
68 tell true
= Q. F
omits repetition
80 I so
= Ed. F = I
85 sleep
= Ed. F = slip
121 SD
[
following
] = Ed. F =
and
123 come
= Q. F = comes
145 all are
= Q. F = are all
151 were men
= Q. F = are men
167 till
= Q. F = to
172 is it
= Q. F = it is
174 Helen, it
= Q. F = It
176 abide
= F
's modernization of Q's
aby
183 thy sound
= Q. F = that sound
214 like
= Ed. F = life
221 passionate
= F.
Not in
Q
244 my
= Q. F = mine
252 prayers
= Ed. F = praise
261 sir
= F. Q = heele.
Some eds emend to
yield
269 potion
= Q. F = poison
286 of doubt
= F.
Some eds omit
of
347 abide
= F
's modernization of
Q
's
aby
359 wilfully
= Q. F = willingly
362 hath
= F. Q = had
387 employ
= Q. F = imply
392 night-swift
= F. Q = nights swift
399 exile
= Q. F = dxile
411 feared
= Ed. F = sear'd
436 SD
shifting places
placed five lines earlier in
F
441 now
= Q.
Not in
F
452 sometime
= F. Q = sometimes
468 To your
= Ed. F = your

4.1.5 SH BOTTOM
= Ed. F =
Clow
.
10 you your
= Q. F = your
47 favours
= Q. F = savors
71 o'er
= Ed. F = or
78 do loathe his
= Q. F = doth loath this
79 this head
= Q. F = his head
81 five
= Ed. F = fine
83 Now, when
= Q. F = When
89 prosperity
= Q. F = posterity
92 Fairy
= Q. F = Faire
116 Seemed
= F2. F = Seeme
130 their
= Q. F = this
144 is
= Q. F = is is
152 might be
= F. Q = might
163 followed
= F. Q = following
172 saw
= Ed. F = see
173 I do
= Q. F = doe I
178 shall hear more
= F. Q = more will here
190 everything
= Q. F = euery things
194 It seems
= F. Q
precedes with
Are you sure / That we are awake?
199 bid
= F. Q = did bid
214 ballad
= Ed (F4). F = ballet

4.2.0 SD
Flute
= Ed. F =
Flute, Thisbie
4 SH FLUTE
= Ed. F =
This
.

13 naught
= F2. F = nought
26 no true
= F. Q = not true
27 everything as
= F. Q = every thing right as

5.1.16 airy
= Ed. F = aire
39 Egeus
= F. Q = Philostrate
40 SH EGEUS
= F,
replacing Q's
PHILOSTRATE
throughout this scene
44 ripe
= Q. F = rife
46 SH LYSANDER
= F. Q
assigns these comments to
THESEUS
79 SH EGEUS
= Ed. F =
Phi., a vestige from the
Q
version of the scene, in which Philostrate serves as the “manager of mirth”
111 SH THESEUS
= Q. F =
Duke or Du. throughout scene
126 his
= F. Q = this
129 SD
with
…
them
= Ed. F =
Tawyer with a Trumpet before them (William Tawyer was an actor in Shakespeare's company)
148 trusty Thisbe's
= Q. F = Thisbies
154 SD
Exeunt
…
Wall
F
provides a redundant SD three lines later: “Exit Lyon, Thisbie, and Moonshine”
187 enter
= F. Q = enter now
194 up in thee
= F. Q = now againe
200 And I
= Q. F = And
209 mural
= Ed. F = morall. Q = Moon used
213 SH HIPPOLYTA
= Q. F =
Dut. (for Dutchess) throughout
228 on
= Q. F = of
237 hearken
= F. Q = listen
257 they are
= F. Q = all these are
270 gleams
= Ed. F = beames
271 taste
= F. Q = take
307 prove
= F. Q = yet proove
315 is the better
. = F. Q
continues
better: hee for a man, God warnd us; she for a woman, God blesse us.
345 SH BOTTOM
= F. Q = LYON
363 lion
= Ed. F = Lyons
392 this
= F. Q = your
393 SD
The Song
= F.
Assigned to
Oberon
in
Q.