A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Act V, Scene I - Page 3

THESEUS:
This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would
go near to make a man look sad.
HIPPOLYTA:
Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man.
PYRAMUS:
O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame?
Since lion vile hath here deflower'd my dear;(290)
Which is—no, no—which was the fairest dame
That lived, that loved, that liked, that looked with cheer.
Come, tears, confound;
Out, sword, and wound
The pap of Pyramus;(295)
Ay, that left pap,
Where heart doth hop.
Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.

[Stabs himself]

Now am I dead,
Now am I fled;(300)
My soul is in the sky.
Tongue, lose thy light;
Moon, take thy flight.

[Exit Moonshine]

Now die, die, die, die, die.

[Dies]

DEMETRIUS:
No die, but an ace, for him; for he is but one.(305)
LYSANDER:
Less than an ace, man; for he is dead; he is
nothing.
THESEUS:
With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover
and yet prove an ass.
HIPPOLYTA:
How chance Moonshine is gone before Thisbe(310)
comes back and finds her lover?
THESEUS:
She will find him by starlight. Here she comes; and
her passion ends the play.

[Re-]enter [Flute as] Thisbe]

HIPPOLYTA:
Methinks she should not use a long one for
such a Pyramus; I hope she will be brief.(315)
DEMETRIUS:
A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus,
which Thisbe, is the better,—he for a man, God warrant
us: She for a woman, God bless us!
LYSANDER:
She hath spied him already with those sweet
eyes.(320)
DEMETRIUS:
And thus she moans, videlicet:—
THISBE:
Asleep, my love?
What, dead, my dove?
O Pyramus, arise,
Speak, speak. Quite dumb?(325)
Dead, dead? A tomb
Must cover thy sweet eyes.
These lily lips,
This cherry nose,
These yellow cowslip cheeks,(330)
Are gone, are gone;
Lovers, make moan;
His eyes were green as leeks.
O Sisters Three,
Come, come to me,(335)
With hands as pale as milk;
Lay them in gore,
Since you have shore
With shears his thread of silk.
Tongue, not a word.(340)
Come, trusty sword;
Come, blade, my breast imbrue. [Stabs herself]
And farewell, friends;
Thus Thisbe ends;
Adieu, adieu, adieu. [Dies](345)
THESEUS:
Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.
DEMETRIUS:
Ay, and Wall too.
BOTTOM:
No, I assure you; the wall is down that parted
their fathers. Will it please you to see the epilogue, or to
hear a Bergomask dance between two of our company?(350)
THESEUS:
No epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no excuse.
Never excuse; for when the players are all dead
there need none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it had
played Pyramus, and hanged himself in Thisbe's garter, it
would have been a fine tragedy. And so it is, truly; and(355)
very notably discharged. But come, your Bergomask; let
your epilogue alone.

[A dance]

The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve.
Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time.
I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn,(360)
As much as we this night have overwatch'd.
This palpable-gross play hath well beguiled
The heavy gait of night. Sweet friends, to bed.
A fortnight hold we this solemnity,
In nightly revels and new jollity.(365)

Exeunt

Enter Puck [with a broom]

PUCK:
Now the hungry lion roars,
And the wolf behowls the moon;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,
All with weary task fordone.
Now the wasted brands do glow,(370)
Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,
Puts the wretch that lies in woe
In remembrance of a shroud.
Now it is the time of night
That the graves, all gaping wide,(375)
Every one lets forth his sprite,
In the church-way paths to glide.
And we fairies, that do run
By the triple Hecate's team
From the presence of the sun,(380)
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic. Not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house.
I am sent with broom before,
To sweep the dust behind the door.(385)

Enter [Oberon and Titania], with all their train

OBERON:
Through the house give glimmering light,
By the dead and drowsy fire;
Every elf and fairy sprite
Hop as light as bird from brier;
And this ditty, after me,(390)
Sing and dance it trippingly.
TITANIA:
First, rehearse your song by rote,
To each word a warbling note;
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,
Will we sing, and bless this place.(395)

The Song

OBERON:
Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be;
And the issue there create(400)
Ever shall be fortunate.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be;
And the blots of Nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;(405)
Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despised in nativity,
Shall upon their children be.
With this field-dew consecrate,(410)
Every fairy take his gait,
And each several chamber bless,
Through this palace, with sweet peace;
And the owner of it blest
Ever shall in safety rest.(415)
Trip away; make no stay;
Meet me all by break of day.

Exeunt [all but Puck]

PUCK:
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here(420)
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend.
If you pardon, we will mend.(425)
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call.(430)
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

[Exit]

THE END

  • invent
  • “devoured”
  • breast
  • speech
  • speck
  • as follows
  • a reference to the Fates (see note: Fates in Act I, Scene II above)
  • make bloody
  • a rustic dance named for Bergamo, Italy
  • stayed up too late
  • blatantly
  • crude
  • two weeks
  • weary
  • burned-out logs
  • ghost
  • In Greek mythology, Hecate was the goddess of magic and spells. She is identified with three other goddesses: Selene (Luna) goddess of the moon, Artemis (Diana) goddess of virginity, hunting, and the moon, and Persephone (Proserpina) queen of the underworld (Hades). Because of Hecate's association with these goddesses, she is usually depicted as having three bodies and three heads so to in all directions.
  • a congenital cleft in the center of the upper lip
  • birthmark
  • abnormal
  • blessed dew
  • separate
  • escape
  • hisses from the audience
  • applaud
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