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  • Title: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • Editor: Suzanne Westfall
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-465-3

    Copyright Suzanne Westfall. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Suzanne Westfall
    Not Peer Reviewed

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

    A Midsommer nightes dreame.
    1055When in that moment (so it came to passe)
    Tytania wak't, and straight way lou'd an Asse.
    Ob. This falles out better, then I could deuise.
    But hast thou yet latcht the Athenians eyes,
    With the loue iuice, as I did bid thee doe?
    1060Rob. I tooke him sleeping (that is finisht to)
    And the Athenian woman, by his side;
    That when he wak't, of force she must be ey'd.
    Enter Demetrius and Hermia.
    Ob. Stand close: this is the same Athenian.
    1065Rob. This is the woman: but not this the man.
    Demet. O, Why rebuke you him, that loues you so?
    Lay breath so bitter, on your bitter foe.
    Her. Now I but chide: but I should vse thee worse.
    For thou (I feare) hast giuen me cause to curse.
    1070If thou hast slaine Lysander, in his sleepe;
    Being ore shooes in blood, plunge in the deepe, & kill mee(to.
    The Sunne was not so true vnto the day,
    As hee to mee. Would hee haue stollen away,
    1075Frow sleeping Hermia? Ile beleeue, as soone,
    This whole earth may be bor'd, and that the Moone
    May through the Center creepe, and so displease
    Her brothers noonetide, with th' Antipodes.
    It cannot be, but thou hast murdred him.
    1080So should a murtherer looke; so dead, so grimme.
    Dem. So should the murthered looke, and so should I,
    Pearst through the heart, with your sterne cruelty.
    Yet you, the murtherer, looke as bright, as cleere,
    As yonder Venus, in her glimmering spheare.
    1085Her. Whats this to my Lysander? Where is hee?
    Ah good Demetrius, wilt thou giue him mee?
    Deme. I had rather giue his carcasse to my hounds.
    Her. Out dog, out curre: thou driu'st me past the bounds
    Of maidens patience. Hast thou slaine him then?
    1090Henceforth be neuer numbred among men.
    O,