HIPPOLYTA, queen of the Amazons, betrothed to I heseus. HERMIA, daughter to 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. PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, fairies. MOTH, MUSTARDSEED, 77 Other fairies attending their King and Queen. SCENE.-ATHENS AND A WOOD NEAR IT. A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM. ACT I. SCENE I. Athens. A Room in the Palace of Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants. The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial-hour Draws on apace; four happy days bring in Another moon: but O, 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 Four nights will quickly dream away the time; Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; 19 The pale companion is not for our pomp. [Exit PHILOSTRATE. Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling. Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS. 20 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 Against my child, my daughter Hermia. Stand forth, Demetrius.-My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her. Stand forth, Lysander:-and, my gracious duke, This hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child. Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchang'd love-tokens with my child: 30 Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung With feigning voice verses of feigning love; And stol'n the impression of her fantasy With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits, Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats-messengers 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, To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke, Be't so she will not here before your grace 40 Consent to marry with Demetrius, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,- Which shall be either to this gentleman The. What say you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair 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, Her. I would my father look'd but with my eyes. 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; 50 60 70 |