Nor how it may concern my modesty, In such a presence here to plead my thoughts; The. Either to die the death or to abjure Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires; For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd, Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. Her. So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke The. Take time to pause; and, by the next new moon The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, For everlasting bond of fellowship- 69. Whether; monosyllabic ('where'). 76. distilled, i.e. perpetuated in the form of scent. 80. virgin patent, privilege 76. earthlier happy, happier of virginity. on earth. 81. lordship, dominion. 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, And what is mine my love shall render him. I do estate unto Demetrius. Lys. I am, my lord, as well derived as he, As well possess'd; my love is more than his; My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd, If not with vantage, as Demetrius'; And, which is more than all these boasts can be, Why should not I then prosecute my right? Upon this spotted and inconstant man. 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; 90 100 110 92. crazed, having a flaw, invalid. 98. estate unto, make over to 113. self-affairs, my own affairs. Which by no means we may extenuate To death, or to a vow of single lise. Come, my Hippolyta : what cheer, my love? I must employ you in some business 130 [Exeunt all but Lysander and Hermia. 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 130 Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes. Lys. Ay me! for aught that I could ever read, The course of true love never did run smooth; Her. O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low. Swift as a shadow, short as any dream; Brief as the lightning in the collied night, That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth, 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, 150 131. Beteem, supply. 137. misgraffed, ill-grafted. 143. momentany, momentary. 145. collied, coal-black. 146. spleen, sudden outburst (as of passion). It stands as an edict in destiny: As due to love as thoughts and dreams and sighs, Lys. A good persuasion: therefore, hear me, I have a widow aunt, a dowager Of great revenue, and she hath no child: If thou lovest me then, There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; To do observance to a morn of May, There will I stay for thee. Her. My good Lysander! I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow, By his best arrow with the golden head, By the simplicity of Venus' doves, By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves, 160. respects, regards. 164. forth, forth from. 170. his best arrow with the golden head, that which, according to Ovid, excited love, as the arrow with a leaden head quelled it. 160 170 171. simplicity, freedom from guile; the harmlessness of the dove, in which those of Venus participate. 173. by that fire, etc., the pyre upon which Dido perished when deserted by Æneas. Lys. Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena. Enter HELENA. Her. God speed fair Helena! whither away? 180 Hel. Call you me fair? that fair again unsay. Demetrius loves your fair : O happy fair! Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue's sweet air More tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear, When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. Sickness is catching: O, were favour so, Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go; My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye, My tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody. Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, The rest I'ld give to be to you translated. O, teach me how you look, and with what art You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart. Her. I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. Her. I give him curses, yet he gives me love. move! Her. The more I hate, the more he follows me. Her. Take comfort: he no more shall see my Lysander and myself will fly this place. 182. fair, beauty. 183. lode-star, polar or guiding-star. 186. favour, features. 190 200 |