Cupid all arm'd: a certain aim he took And loos'd his love-shaft smartly from his bow, In maiden meditation, fancy-free*. Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell: It fell upon a little western flower, Before, milk-white; now purple with love's wound,- Fetch me that flower; the herb I show'd thee once; Puck. I'll put a girdle round about the earth In forty minutes. Obe. [Exit Puck. Having once this juice, I'll watch Titania when she is asleep, And drop the liquor of it in her eyes: I'll make her render up her page to me. But who comes here? I am invisible; And I will over-hear their conference. Enter Demetrius, Helena following him. Dem. I love thee not, therefore pursue me not. Where is Lysander, and fair Hermia? The one I'll slay, the other slayeth me. * Exempt from love. Thou told'st me, they were stol'n into this wood, Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more. Dem. Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? Tell you I do not, nor I cannot love you? Hel. And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you: Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, Dem. Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit; For I am sick, when I do look on thee. Hel. And I am sick when I look not on you. To leave the city, and commit yourself Hel. Your virtue is my privilege for that. Dem. I'll run from thee, and hide me in the brakes, And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts. • Mad, raving. + Bring in question. Hel. The wildest hath not such a heart as you. Run when you will, the story shall be chang'd; Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase; The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind Makes speed to catch the tiger: bootless speed! When cowardice pursues, and valour flies. Dem. I will not stay thy questions; let me go : Or, if thou follow me, do not believe But I shall do thee mischief in the wood. Hel. Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field, You do me mischief. Fy, Demetrius ! Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex: We cannot fight for love, as men may do; We should be woo'd, and were not made to woo. I'll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell, To die upon the hand I love so well. [Exeunt Dem. and Hel. Obe. Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove, Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love. Re-enter Puck. Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer Puck. Ay, there it is. Obe. I pray thee, give it me. I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows, Where ox lipst and the nodding violet grows; Quite over-canopied with lush woodbine, With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine: There sleeps Titania, some time of the night, Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in: And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes, And make her full of hateful fantasies. * By. + The greater cowslip. Vigorous. Take thou some of it, aud seek through this grove: A sweet Athenian lady is in love With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes; So. SCENE III. Another part of the wood. Enter Titania, with her train. Tita. Come, now a roundel*, and a fairy song; Then, for the third part of a minute, hence; Some, to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds; Some, war with rear-micet for their leathern wings, To make my small elves coats; and some, keep back The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots, and wonders At our quaint spirits: sing me now asleep; Then to your offices, and let me rest. SONG. 1 Fai. You spotted snakes, with double tongue, Thorny hedge hogs, be not seen; Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong; * A kind of dance. + Bats. + Sports. Efts. Slow-worms. Chorus. Philomel, with melody, Sing in our sweet lullaby; Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby: So, good night, with lullaby. II. 2 Fai. Weaving spiders, come not here; Chorus. Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence: Philomel, with melody, &c. 1 Fai. Hence, away; now all is well: One, aloof, stand sentinel. [Exeunt Fairies. Titania sleeps. Enter Oberon. Obe. What thou seest when thou dost wake, [Squeezes the flower on Titania's eye-lids. Do it for thy true love take; Love, and languish for his sake: Be it ounce, or cat, or bear, In thy eye that shall appear Enter Lysander and Hermia. [Exit. Lys. Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood; And to speak truth, I have forgot our way; We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good, And tarry for the comfort of the day. Her. Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed, For I upon this bank will rest my head. * The small tiger. |