MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. ACT I. SCENE I. Athens. A Room in the Palace of Theseus: Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants. Theseus. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Long withering out a young man's revenue. Four nights will quickly dream away the time; Of our solemnities. Go, Philostrate, The. [Exit PHILOSTRATE. Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp, with triumph 1, and with revelling. Enter EGEUS, Hermia, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS. Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke2! The. Thanks, good Egeus: What's the news with thee. Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits, Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens; 1 A triumph was a public show, such as a mask, pageant, procession, &c. In "The Duke of Anjou's Entertainment at Antwerp,' 1581 Yet notwithstanding, their triumphes [i. e. those of the Romans] have so borne the bell above all the rest, that the word triumphing, which cometh thereof, hath beene applied to all high, great, and statelie dooings." 2 Duke, in our old language, was used for a leader or chief, as the Latin Dux. Lik 3 The old copies read, "This man hath bewitched. The alteration was made in the second folio for the sake of the metre; but a redundant syllable at the commencement of a verse perpetually occurs in our old dramas. Baubles, toys, trifles. 1 Or to her death; according to our law, 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 The. In himself he is: But, in this kind, wanting your father's voice, 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 Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, For aye 6 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: This line has a smack of legal common place. Shakspeare is supposed to have been placed while a boy in an attorney's office; at least he often displays that he was well acquainted with the phraseology of lawyers. 6 Ever. But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd, Than that, which, withering on the virgin thorn, 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; And she is mine; and all my right of her I do estate unto Demetrius. Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd 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? Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena, And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes, Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry, Upon this spotted and inconstant man. Earthlier happy for earthly happier, which Capel proposed to substitute. As spotless is innocent, so spotted is wicked. dish's Metrical Visions: So in Caven 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 must employ you in some business [Exeunt THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, DEMETRIUS, and Train. Lys. How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale? uto How chance the roses there do fade so fast? Her. Belike, for want of rain; which el could well Beteem them from, the tempest of mine eyes. The course of true love never did run smooth: Her. O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low! Lys. Or else misgraffed, in respect of years; Her. O spite! too old to be engaged to young! and again: "The spotted queen causer of all this strife. Spotted with pride, viciousness, and cruelty. Bestow, give, afford, or deign to allow. The word is used by Spenser: 'So would I, said the Enchanter, glad and fain Thus also in Hamlet, Act i. Sc. 2: "That he might not beteeme the winds of heaven |