Turn melancholy forth to funerals; With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling. Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS. Egeus. 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 man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child: Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchang'd love-tokens with my child: Thou hast by moon-light 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, sweet-meats, 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 it so, she will not here, before your Grace, Consent to marry with Demetrius, 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 Demetrius is a worthy gentleman. Hermia. So is Lysander. The. But, in this kind In himself he is; 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. In such a presence here, to plead my thoughts; If I refuse to wed Demetrius. The. Either to die the death, or to abjure Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires; Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. ! Her. So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, Ere I will yield my virgin patent up 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. Thy crazed title to my certain right. - and, Lysan Lysander. 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, Upon this spotted and inconstant man. The. I must confess, that I have heard so much, And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; My mind did lose it. — But, Demetrius, come; I must employ you in some business DEMETRIUS, 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 them from the tempest of mine eyes. Lys. [Hermia,] for aught that ever I could read, Could ever hear by tale or history, The course of true love never did run smooth; Swift as a shadow, short as any dream, Brief as the lightning in the collied night, That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth, And ere a man hath power to say, 'Behold!' The jaws of darkness do devour it up: So quick bright things come to confusion. Her. If, then, true lovers have been ever crossed, 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 followers. Lys. A good persuasion: therefore, hear me, Hermia. I have a widow aunt, a dowager Of great revenue; and she hath no child : Her. My good Lysander! I swear to thee by Cupid's strongest bow, golden head, By the simplicity of Venus' doves, By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves, |