HIPPOLYTA, queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus. 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. PEAS-BLOSSOM, COBWEB, Fairies. Мотн, MUSTARD-SEED, Pyramus, Thisbe, Wall, Moonshine, Lion, characters in the Interlude, performed by the clowns. Other Fairies attending their King and Queen. Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta. SCENE, Athens, and a Wood not far from it. • The enumeration of persons was first made by Mr. Rowe.-STEEVENS. MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM. ACT I. SCENE I.-Athens. A Room in the Palace of Theseus. Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Daws on apace; four happy days bring in 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 nights; Four nights will quickly dream away the time; And then the moon, like to a silver bow Now bent in heaven, shall behold the night Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; [Exit PHILOSTRATE. Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling. triumph,] i. e. shows, spectacles. "These triumphs (those of the Romans), have so borne the bell above all the rest, that the word triumphing, which cometh thereof, hath been applied to all high, great, and statelie dooings."-This passage is from The Duke of Anjou's entertainment at Antwerp, 1581, quoted by STREVENS. : Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and Demetrius. To stubborn harshness :-And, my gracious duke, 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 renowned duke!] Theseus is called duke in Chaucer's Knight's Tale and in the same manner Stanyhurst, in his translation of Virgil, talks of duke Eneas. STEEVENS. In our old language duke had the sense of dua-com mander. C gawds,] i. e. Baubles, toys, trifles. To leave the figure, or disfigure it.] i. e. You owe to your father a being which he may at pleasure continue or destroy.-JOHNSON. Her. So is Lysander. 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. 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. Than that, which, withering on the virgin thorn, 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,) Upon that day either prepare to die, For disobedience to your father's will; Or else, to wed Demetrius, as he would: e Know of your youth,] Bring your youth to the question. to give sovereignty.] i. e. Give sovereignty to. This elliptical moda of expression was common in our author's time.-MALONE. Or on Diana's altar to protest, 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; 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? 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 must employ you in some business spotted-] As spotless is innocent, so spotted is wicked. |