Ob. This fals out better then I could deuise: But hast thou yet lacht the Athenians eyes, With the loue iuyce, as I bid thee doe? Rob. 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 eyde. Enter Demetrius and Hermia.

Ob. Stand close, this is the same Athenian

Rob. This is the woman, but not this the man

Dem. 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, If thou hast slaine Lysander in his sleepe, Being oreshooes in bloud, plunge in the deepe, and kill me too: The Sunne was not so true vnto the day, As he to me. Would he haue stollen away, From sleeping Hermia? Ile beleeue as soone This whole earth may be bord, 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, So should a murtherer looke, so dead, so grim

Dem. So should the murderer looke, and so should I, Pierst through the heart with your stearne cruelty: Yet you the murderer lookes as bright as cleare, As yonder Venus in her glimmering spheare

Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is he? Ah good Demetrius, wilt thou giue him me? Dem. I'de rather giue his carkasse to my hounds

Her. Out dog, out cur, thou driu'st me past the bounds Of maidens patience. Hast thou slaine him then? Henceforth be neuer numbred among men. Oh, once tell true, euen for my sake, Durst thou a lookt vpon him, being awake? And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? O braue tutch: Could not a worme, an Adder do so much? An Adder did it: for with doubler tongue Then thine (thou serpent) neuer Adder stung

Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd mood, I am not guiltie of Lysanders blood: Nor is he dead for ought that I can tell

Her. I pray thee tell me then that he is well

Dem. And if I could, what should I get therefore? Her. A priuiledge, neuer to see me more; And from thy hated presence part I: see me no more Whether he be dead or no. Enter.

Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vaine, Here therefore for a while I will remaine. So sorrowes heauinesse doth heauier grow: For debt that bankrout slip doth sorrow owe, Which now in some slight measure it will pay, If for his tender here I make some stay.

Lie downe.

Ob. What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite And laid the loue iuyce on some true loues sight: Of thy misprision, must perforce ensue Some true loue turn'd, and not a false turn'd true

Rob. Then fate ore-rules, that one man holding troth, A million faile, confounding oath on oath

Ob. About the wood, goe swifter then the winde, And Helena of Athens looke thou finde. All fancy sicke she is, and pale of cheere, With sighes of loue, that costs the fresh bloud deare. By some illusion see thou bring her heere, Ile charme his eyes against she doth appeare

Robin. I go, I go, looke how I goe, Swifter then arrow from the Tartars bowe. Enter.

Ob. Flower of this purple die, Hit with Cupids archery, Sinke in apple of his eye, When his loue he doth espie, Let her shine as gloriously As the Venus of the sky. When thou wak'st if she be by, Beg of her for remedy. Enter Pucke.

William Shakespeare
Classic Literature Library

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