Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, With pomp, with triumph', and with revelling. Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke! The. Thanks, good Egeus: What's the news with thee? Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint 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. 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. In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts: The. Either to die the death, or to abjure For ever the society of men. Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, Know of your youth, examine well your blood, Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice, You can endure the livery of a nun; For aye3 to be in shady cloister mew'd, To live a barren sister all your life, Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. Thrice blessed they, that master so their blood, To undergo such maiden pilgrimage: But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd, Than that, which, withering on the virgin thorn, Grows, lives, and dies, in single blessedness. 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, Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would: 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; Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he, And, which is more than all these boasts can be, Why should not I then prosecute my right? Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry, 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; I have some private schooling for you both. Come, my Hippolyta; What cheer, my love? — I must employ you in some business [Exeunt THES. HIP. EGE. DEM. and train. 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 Beteem 5 them from the tempest of mine eyes. Lys. Ah me! for aught that ever I could read, Could ever hear by tale or history, The course of true love never did run smooth: Her. O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low! 4 Wicked. 5 Give, bestow. Her. O hell! to choose love by another's eye! Lys. Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it; Making it momentany 6 as a sound, Swift as a shadow, short as any dream; Brief as the lightning in the collied 7 night, That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth, And ere a man hath power to say, The jaws of darkness do devour it up; Behold! So quick bright things come to confusion. Her. If then true lovers have been ever cross'd, It stands as an edict in destiny: Then let us teach our trial patience, Because it is a customary cross; As due to love, as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs, Wishes, and tears, poor fancy's 8 followers. Lys. A good persuasion; therefore, hear me, Hermia. I have a widow aunt, a dowager Of great revenue, and she hath no child: There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; There will I stay for thee. Her. My good Lysander! I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow; 6 Momentary. 7 Black. 8 Love's. |