Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Suzanne Westfall
Not Peer Reviewed

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

MIDSOMMER NIGHTS
DREAME
Enter Theseus, Hippolita, with others.
Theseus.
NOw faire Hippolita, our nuptiall hower
5Draws on apase: fower happy daies bring in
An other Moone: but oh, me thinks, how slow
This old Moone waues! She lingers my desires,
Like to a Stepdame, or a dowager,
Long withering out a yong mans reuenewe.
10Hip. Fower daies will quickly steepe themselues in night:
Fower nights will quickly dreame away the time:
And then the Moone, like to a siluer bowe,
Now bent in heauen, shall beholde the night
Of our solemnities.
15The. Goe Philostrate,
Stirre vp the Athenian youth to merriments,
Awake the peart and nimble spirit of mirth,
Turne melancholy foorth to funerals:
The pale companion is not for our pomp.
20Hyppolita, I woo'd thee with my sword,
And wonne thy loue, doing thee iniuries:
But I will wed thee in another key,
With pompe, with triumph, and with reueling.
Enter Egeus and his daughter Hermia, and Lysander
25 and Helena, and Demetrius.
Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke.
The. Thankes good Egeus. Whats the newes with thee?
Ege. Full of vexation, come I, with complaint
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