Athens. The palace of THESEUS.
Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants
THESEUS
Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour
THESEUS
Draws on apace; four happy days bring in
THESEUS
Another moon: but, O, methinks, how slow
THESEUS
This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires,
THESEUS
Like to a step-dame or a dowager
THESEUS
Long withering out a young man revenue.
HIPPOLYTA
Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;
HIPPOLYTA
Four nights will quickly dream away the time;
HIPPOLYTA
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
HIPPOLYTA
New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night
HIPPOLYTA
Of our solemnities.
THESEUS
Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;
THESEUS
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;
THESEUS
Turn melancholy forth to funerals;
THESEUS
The pale companion is not for our pomp.
THESEUS
Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,
THESEUS
And won thy love, doing thee injuries;
THESEUS
But I will wed thee in another key,
THESEUS
With pomp, with triumph and with revelling.
Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS
EGEUS
Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!
THESEUS
Thanks, good Egeus what's the news with thee?
EGEUS
Full of vexation come I, with complaint
EGEUS
Against my child, my daughter Hermia.
EGEUS
Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord,
EGEUS
This man hath my consent to marry her.
EGEUS
Stand forth, Lysander and my gracious duke,
EGEUS
This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child;
EGEUS
Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,
EGEUS
And interchanged love-tokens with my child:
EGEUS
Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung,
EGEUS
With feigning voice verses of feigning love,
EGEUS
And stolen the impression of her fantasy
EGEUS
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,
EGEUS
Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers
EGEUS
Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth:
EGEUS
With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart,
EGEUS
Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,
EGEUS
To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke,
EGEUS
Be it so she; will not here before your grace
EGEUS
Consent to marry with Demetrius,
EGEUS
I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,
EGEUS
As she is mine, I may dispose of her:
EGEUS
Which shall be either to this gentleman
EGEUS
Or to her death, according to our law
EGEUS
Immediately provided in that case.
THESEUS
What say you, Hermia? be advised fair maid:
THESEUS
To you your father should be as a god;
THESEUS
One that composed your beauties, yea, and one
THESEUS
To whom you are but as a form in wax
THESEUS
By him imprinted and within his power
THESEUS
To leave the figure or disfigure it.
THESEUS
Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.
THESEUS
In himself he is;
THESEUS
But in this kind, wanting your father's voice,
THESEUS
The other must be held the worthier.
HERMIA
I would my father look'd but with my eyes.
THESEUS
Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.
HERMIA
I do entreat your grace to pardon me.
HERMIA
I know not by what power I am made bold,
HERMIA
Nor how it may concern my modesty,
HERMIA
In such a presence here to plead my thoughts;
HERMIA
But I beseech your grace that I may know
HERMIA
The worst that may befall me in this case,
HERMIA
If I refuse to wed Demetrius.
THESEUS
Either to die the death or to abjure
THESEUS
For ever the society of men.
THESEUS
Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires;
THESEUS
Know of your youth, examine well your blood,
THESEUS
Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice,
THESEUS
You can endure the livery of a nun,
THESEUS
For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd,
THESEUS
To live a barren sister all your life,
THESEUS
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.
THESEUS
Thrice-blessed they that master so their blood,
THESEUS
To undergo such maiden pilgrimage;
THESEUS
But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd,
THESEUS
Than that which withering on the virgin thorn
THESEUS
Grows, lives and dies in single blessedness.
HERMIA
So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,
HERMIA
Ere I will my virgin patent up
HERMIA
Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke
HERMIA
My soul consents not to give sovereignty.
THESEUS
Take time to pause; and, by the next new moon -
THESEUS
The sealing-day betwixt my love and me,
THESEUS
For everlasting bond of fellowship -
THESEUS
Upon that day either prepare to die
THESEUS
For disobedience to your father's will,
THESEUS
Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would;
THESEUS
Or on Diana's altar to protest
THESEUS
For aye austerity and single life.
DEMETRIUS
Relent, sweet Hermia and, Lysander, yield
DEMETRIUS
Thy crazed title to my certain right.
LYSANDER
You have her father's love, Demetrius;
LYSANDER
Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him.
EGEUS
Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love,
EGEUS
And what is mine my love shall render him.
EGEUS
And she is mine, and all my right of her
EGEUS
I do estate unto Demetrius.
LYSANDER
I am, my lord, as well derived as he,
LYSANDER
As well possess'd; my love is more than his;
LYSANDER
My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd,
LYSANDER
If not with vantage, as Demetrius';
LYSANDER
And, which is more than all these boasts can be,
LYSANDER
I am beloved of beauteous Hermia
LYSANDER
Why should not I then prosecute my right?
LYSANDER
Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head,
LYSANDER
Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,
LYSANDER
And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes,
LYSANDER
Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,
LYSANDER
Upon this spotted and inconstant man.
