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All Site ContentMidsummer Night's DreamAct 1Scene 2
Back to the Play
"Ercles"
Mythological Reference
Act 1,
Scene 2
Lines 21-33

An explanation of Bottom’s recitation in Act 1, Scene 2 of myShakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Bottom

That will ask some tears in the true performing of
it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will
move storms, I will condole in some measure.  To the
rest — yet my chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play
Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split.
    The raging rocks
    And shivering shocks
    Shall break the locks
    Of prison gates,
    And Phibbus' car
    Shall shine from far
    And make and mar
    The foolish Fates.

Bottom is attempting to quote from a well known book of tales about Hercules, but Shakespeare’s audience would have realized that he's gotten the passage all mixed up.