Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Suzanne Westfall
Not Peer Reviewed

A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quarto 1, 1600)

A Midsommer nightes dreame.
O, that a Ladie, of one man refus'd,
Should, of another, therefore be abus'd! Exit.
790Lys. She sees not Hermia. Hermia, sleepe thou there,
And neuer maist thou come Lysander neere.
For, as a surfet of the sweetest things
The deepest loathing, to the stomacke bringes:
Or, as the heresies, that men doe leaue,
795Are hated most of those they did deceiue:
So thou, my surfet, and my heresie,
Of all bee hated; but the most, of mee:
And all my powers addresse your loue and might,
To honour Helen, and to be her knight. Exit.
800Her. Helpe mee Lysander, helpe mee: do thy best
To pluck this crawling serpent, from my brest.
Ay mee, for pittie. What a dreame was here?
Lysander looke, how I doe quake with feare.
Me thoughr, a serpent eate my heart away,
805And you sate smiling at his cruell pray.
Lysander what, remou'd? Lysander, Lord,
What, out of hearing, gon? No sound, no word?
Alacke where are you? Speake, and if you heare:
Speake, of all loues. I swoune almost with feare.
810No, then I well perceiue, you are not ny:
Either death, or you, Ile finde immediately. Exit.
Enter the Clownes.
Bott. Are wee all met?
815Quin. Pat, pat: and heres a maruailes conuenient place,
for our rehearsall. This greene plot shall be our stage, this
hauthorne brake our tyring house, and wee will doe it in
action, as wee will doe it before the Duke.
Bott. Peeter Quince?
820Quin. What saiest thou, bully, Bottom?
Bot. There are things in this Comedy, of Pyramus and
Thisby, that will neuer please. First, Pyramus must draw
a sworde, to kill himselfe; which the Ladies cannot abide.
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