PERSONS REPRESENTED. THESEUS, Duke of Athens. EGEUS, Father to Hermia. }in love with Hermia. LYSANDER, PHILOSTRATE, Master of the Revels to Theseus. QUINCE, the Carpenter. SNUG, the Joiner. BOTTOM, the Weaver. FLUTE, the Bellows-mender. SNOUT, the Tinker. STARVELING, the Tailor. HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus. HERMIA, Daughter of Egeus, in love with Lysander. HELENA, in love with Demetrius. OBERON, King of the Fairies. TITANIA, Queen of the Fairies. PUCK, or ROBIN-GOODFELLOW, a Fairy. PEAS-BLOSSOM, COBWEB, Мотн, MUSTARD-SEED,) PYRAMUS, Fairies. THISBE, Characters in the Interlude performed WALL, MOONSHINE, LION, by the Clowns. Other Fairies attending their King and Queen. Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta. SCENE, Athens, and a Wood not far from it. Midsummer Night's Dream. ACT I. 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; The. Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint Against my child, my daughter Hermia- And interchang'd love tokens with my child: 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, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens; 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 In himself he is: The. But, in this kind, wanting your father's voice, The other must be held the worthier. Her. I would my father look'd but with my eyes. The. Rather your eyes must with his judgment look. Her. I do entreat your grace to pardon me. I know not by what power I am made bold; Nor how it may concern my modesty, In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts: But I beseech your grace that I may know The. Either to die the death, or to abjure Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. new moon (The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, [yield Dem. Relent, sweet Hermia;-And, Lysander, 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; Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he, And, which is more than all these boasts can be, |