ACT I
Scene 1
The palace of Theseus.
Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, [Philostrate,]with
others.
THESEUS 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 stepdame, or a
dowager,
Long withering out a young mans
revenue.
HIPPOLYTA Four days will quickly steep themselves in night,
Four nights will quickly dream away the time;
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night
Of our solemnities.
THESEUS Go, Philostrate,
Stir up the Athenian youth to
merriments,
Awake the pert and nimble
spirit of mirth,
Turn melancholy forth to
funerals;
The pale companion is not for
our pomp.
[Exit
Philostrate.]
Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my
sword,
And won thy love, doing thee
injuries;
But I will wed thee in another key,
With pomp, with triumph and with
reveling.
Enter Egeus and his daughter Hermia, and Lysander, and Demetrius.
EGEUS Happy be Theseus, our renownèd Duke!
THESEUS Thanks, good Egeus. Whats the news with thee?
EGEUS 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 bewitched the
bosom of my child.
Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast
given her rhymes,
And interchanged love tokens
with my child.
Thou hast by moonlight at her
window sung,
With feigning voice, verses of
feigning love,
And stoln the impression of
her fantasy
With bracelets of thy hair,
rings, gauds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nosegays,
sweetmeats, messengers
Of strong prevailment in
unhardened youth.
With cunning hast thou filched
my daughters heart,
Turned 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:
As she is mine, I may dispose
of her,
Which shall be either to this
gentleman
Or to her death, according to
our law
Immediately provided in that
case.
THESEUS What say you, Hermia? Be advised, fair maid.
To you your father should be as
a god,
One that composed your
beauties; yea, and one
To whom you are but as a form in wax
By him imprinted and within his power
To leave the figure or disfigure it.
Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.
HERMIA So is Lysander.
THESEUS In himself he is;
But in this kind, wanting your
fathers voice,
The other must be held the
worthier.
HERMIA I would my father looked but with my eyes.
THESEUS Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.
HERMIA I do entreat your Grace to pardon me.
I know not by what power I am
made bold,
Nor how it may concern my
modesty,
In such a presence here to
plead my thoughts;
But I beseech your Grace that I
may know
The worst that may befall me in
this case,
If I refuse to wed Demetrius.
THESEUS Either to die the death, or to abjure
Forever the society of men.
Therefore, fair Hermia,
question your desires;
Know of your youth, examine
well your blood,
Whether, if you yield not to
your fathers choice,
You can endure the livery
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