Against my child, my daughter Hermia.- To stubborn harshness :-and, my gracious duke, 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 To whom you are but as a form in wax, By him imprinted, and within his power But, in this kind, 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. I know not by what power I am made bold, 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; Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd, Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke My soul consents not to give sovereignty. The. Take time to pause; and, by the next new moon,— The sealing-day betwixt my love and me For everlasting bond of fellowship,— 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, 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, I am belov'd of beauteous Hermia : Why should not I, then, prosecute my right? Upon this spotted and inconstant man. The. I must confess that I have heard so much, My mind did lose it.-But, Demetrius, come; I have some private schooling for you both.— 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 them from the tempest of mine eyes. Lys. Ah me! for aught that ever I could read, The course of true love never did run smooth; Her. O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low! Lys. Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, 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, The jaws of darkness do devour it up : 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, Lys. A good persuasion: therefore, hear me, Hermia. I have a widow aunt, a dowager Of great revenue, and she hath no child: From Athens is her house remote seven leagues ; Her. My good Lysander! I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow; By his best arrow with the golden head; By the simplicity of Venus' doves; By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves, And by that fire which burn'd the Carthage queen, Lys. Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena. Enter HELENA. Her. God speed fair Helena! Whither away? Hel. Call you me fair? that fair again unsay. Demetrius loves your fair : O happy fair! Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue's sweet air More tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear, When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. Sickness is catching: O, were favour so, Yours would I catch, fair Hermia! ere I go, My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye, O, teach me how you look; and with what art Her. I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. Hel. O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill! Her. I give him curses, yet he gives me love. Hel. O that my prayers could such affection move! Hel. The more I love, the more he hateth me. Her. His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine. Hel. None, but your beauty: would that fault were mine! Her. Take comfort: he no more shall see my face; Lysander and myself will fly this place. Before the time I did Lysander see, O, then, what graces in my love do dwell, Lys. Helen, to you our minds we will unfold: Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass, Her. And in the wood, where often you and I Lys. I will, my Hermia.-[Exit. HERM.] Helena, adieu : As you on him, Demetrius dote on you! Hel. How happy some, o'er other some can be! Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; [Exit. |