Oberon I'll to my queen and beg her Indian boy, And then I will her charmèd eye release From monster's view, and all things shall be peace. Robin (Puck) My fairy lord, this must be done with haste, For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast, And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger, At whose approach ghosts, wandering here and there, Troop home to churchyards. Damnèd spirits all, Read more about Act 3, Scene 2: Popup Note Index Item: “night’s swift dragons” and “Aurora’s harbinger”
Oberon Thou seest these lovers seek a place to fight. Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night; The starry welkin cover thou anon With drooping fog as black as Acheron, And lead these testy rivals so astray As one come not within another's way. Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue, Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong, And sometime rail thou like Demetrius. And from each other look thou lead them thus Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep. Read more about Act 3, Scene 2: Popup Note Index Item: Acheron
Hermia And are you grown so high in his esteem Because I am so dwarfish and so low? Read more about Act 3, Scene 2: Popup Note Index Item: “so low”
Hermia Lysander, whereto tends all this? [Hermia tries to physically restrain Lysander from going with Demetrius] Lysander Away, you Ethiope. Read more about Act 3, Scene 2: Popup Note Index Item: “Ethiope”
Helena Injurious Hermia, most ungrateful maid, Have you conspired, have you with these contrived To bait me with this foul derision? Is all the counsel that we two have shared — The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent When we have chid the hasty-footed time For parting us — O, is it all quite forgot? All schooldays' friendship, childhood innocence? We, Hermia, like two artificial gods, Have with our needles created both one flower, Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion, Both warbling of one song, both in one key, As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds Had been incorporate. So we grew together, Like to a double cherry: seeming parted, But yet an union in partition, Two lovely berries molded on one stem. So, with two seeming bodies but one heart – Two of the first, like coats in heraldry, Due but to one and crownèd with one crest. And will you rend our ancient love asunder, To join with men in scorning your poor friend? Read more about Act 3, Scene 2: Popup Note Index Item: “like coats in heraldry”
Hermia What love could press Lysander from my side? Lysander Lysander's love that would not let him bide, Fair Helena who more engilds the night Than all yon fiery O’s and eyes of light. Why seek'st thou me? Could not this make thee know The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so? Read more about Act 3, Scene 2: Popup Note Index Item: “fiery O’s and eyes”
Oberon About the wood go swifter than the wind, And Helena of Athens look thou find. All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer With sighs of love that costs the fresh blood dear. By some illusion see thou bring her here. I'll charm his eyes against she do appear. Robin I go, I go. Look how I go, Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. Read more about Act 3, Scene 2: Popup Note Index Item: “Tartar’s bow”
Hermia O, once tell true, tell true, even for my sake. Durst thou have looked upon him being awake? And hast thou killed him sleeping? O brave touch! Could not a worm, an adder do so much? An adder did it, for with doubler tongue Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung. Read more about Act 3, Scene 2: Popup Note Index Item: “doubler tongue”
Robin My mistress with a monster is in love. Near to her close and consecrated bower, While she was in her dull and sleeping hour, A crew of patches, rude mechanicals That work for bread upon Athenian stalls, Were met together to rehearse a play Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day. The shallowest thickskin of that barren sort Who Pyramus presented in their sport, Forsook his scene and entered in a brake, When I did him at this advantage take – An ass's nole I fixèd on his head. Anon his Thisbe must answered, And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy, As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, Or russet-pated choughs many in sort, Rising and cawing at the gun's report, Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky, So, at his sight, away his fellows fly. And at our stamp here, o'er and o'er one falls. He “Murder” cries, and help from Athens calls. Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus strong, Made senseless things begin to do them wrong; For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch Some sleeves, some hats; From yielders all things catch. I led them on in this distracted fear, And left sweet Pyramus translated there; When in that moment, so it came to pass, Titania waked and straightway loved an ass. Read more about Act 3, Scene 2: Popup Note Index Item: “wild geese”
