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A Midsummer Night's Dream

Act II, Scene 2

Another part of the wood.
 
[Enter TITANIA, with her train]
 
TITANIA
        ,             ,        ,        ,      ,
      Come, now | a round|el, and | a fair|y song;
        ,              ,       ,          ,        ,
      Then for | the third | part of | a min|ute hence,
        ,         ,    ,        2        T    T    T
      Some to | kill cank/ers in the | musk-rose buds,
            ,          ,      ,       2        ,         ,
      Some war | with re|re-mice,| for their leath|ern wings,
           ,         ,             ,           ,           ,
      To make | my small | elves^coats,| and some | keep^back
            ,    2    ,           ,        ,           ,      ->
      The clam|orous owl | that night|ly hoots | and wond||ers
        2         ,     ,         ,        ,        ,
      At our / quaint spir|its: Sing | me now | asleep,
        ,             ,    ,         ,         ,
      Then to | your of|fices,| and let | me rest.
 
FAIRIES (Singing)
            ,         ,            ,        ,
      You spot|ted snakes | with doub|le tongue,
        ,        ,          T  T    T
      Thorny | hedgehogs,| be not seen,
        T    .    T     T      ,       ___
      Newts and blind worms | do no | wrong,
        ,          ,          ,      ___
      Come not | near our | fairy | queen.
       ,     ,          ,   __
      Philo|mel with | melo|dy,
        ,        ,           ,     ,
      Sing in | our sweet | lul|laby;
       ,       ,       ,    __    ,       ,       ,    __
      Lulla,| lulla,| lulla|by,| lulla,| lulla,| lulla|by.
       ,        ,           ,          ___
      Never | harm, nor | spell nor | charm,
        ,         ,        ,      __
      Come our | lovely | lady | nigh,
       ,          ,           ,    __
      So good | night with | lulla|by.
       ,         ,          ,         __
      Weaving | spiders | come not | here,
        ,           T     T     T          ,
      Hence you | long-legged spin|ners, hence:
       ,          ,         T    T    T
      Beetles | black ap|proach not near;
        ,          ,         ,     ___
      Worm nor | snail do | no of|fense.
       ,     ,          ,   __
      Philo|mel with | melo|dy,
        ,        ,           ,     ,
      Sing in | our sweet | lul|laby;
       ,       ,       ,    __    ,       ,       ,    __
      Lulla,| lulla,| lulla|by,| lulla,| lulla,| lulla|by.
        ,      ,          ,        __
      Hence a|way, now | all is | well;
       T  .  T     T      ,    ___
      One aloof, stand | senti|nel.
 
[Exeunt Fairies. TITANIA sleeps.  Enter OBERON and squeezes the flower on TITANIA's eyelids]
 
OBERON
        ,           ,            ,          __
      What thou | seest when | thou dost | wake,
       ,       ,          T    T    T
      Do it | for thy | true-love take:
        ,         ,          ,         __
      Love and | languish | for his | sake.
       ,        ,          ,         __
      Be it | ounce, or | cat, or | bear,
        ,          ,           ,         __
      Pard, or | boar with | bristled | hair,
       ,        ,           ,       __
      In thy | eye that | shall ap|pear
        ,          ,          ,         ,
      When thou | wakst,| it is | thy dear:
        ,           T    T    T          ,
      Wake when | some vile thing | is near.
 
[Exit]
 
[Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA]
 
LYSANDER
              ,          ,            ,         ,         ,
      Fair* love,| you faint | with wande|ring in | the wood,
                 ,     ,     ,            ,         ,
      And to / speak troth | I have | forgot | our way:
              ,        ,   2    ,         ,          ,
      We'll rest | us Herm|ia, if | you think | it good,
           ,      ,         ,        ,        ,
      And tar|ry for | the com|fort of | the day.
 
HERMIA
        2    ,      ,         ,         ,       ,
      Be it so | Lysan|der; find | you out | a bed,
          ,     ,           ,          ,         ,
      For I | upon | this bank |will rest | my head.
 
LYSANDER
            ,            ,         ,       ,         ,
      One turf | shall serve | as pil|low for | us both,
            ,          ,         ,              ,    ,
      One heart,| one bed,| two bos|oms, and / one troth.
 
HERMIA
       ,            ,        ,         ,         ,
      Nay good | Lysan|der, for | my sake | my dear
       T     Tx    T           ,        ,         ,
      Lie further off | yet*, do | not lie | so near.
 
LYSANDER
           ,          ,       ,             ,     ,
      O* take | the sense | sweet, of | my in|nocence,
        T    T    .    T               ,    ,      ,
      Love takes the mean|ing, in / love's con|ference,
          ,          ,          ,      ,          ,
      I mean | that my | heart un|to yours | is knit,
           ,         ,           ,         ,        ,
      So that | but one | heart we | can make | of it.
           ,       ,      ,        ,         ,
      Two bos|oms int|erchain|ed with | an oath,
           ,         ,        ,        ,       ,
      So then | two bos|oms, and | a sing|le troth.
            ,          ,        ,        ,      ,
      Then by | your side,| no bed|room me | deny,
           ,      ,    ,  2       ,        ,
      For ly|ing so,| Hermia,| I do | not lie.
 
HERMIA
         ,       ,        ,      ,     ,
      Lysan|der rid|dles ve|ry pret|tily:
             ,        ,         ,        ,         ,
      Now* much | beshrew | my man|ners and | my pride,
           ,  2    ,         ,       ,        ,
      If Herm|ia meant | to say,| Lysan|der lied.
            ,        ,           ,          ,     ,
      But gent|le friend,| for love | and court|esy
            ,       ,        ,      ,     ,
      Lie furth|er off,| in hum|an mod|esty,
            ,    ,        ,         ,         ,
      Such sep|ara|tion, as | may well | be said
          ,        ,    2     ,    2    ,        ,
      Becomes | a vir|tuous bach|elor, and | a maid,
          ,         ,               ,    ,               ,
      So far | be dist|ant, and / good night | sweet* friend;
            ,          ,        ,           ,          ,
      Thy love | nere^alt|er, till | thy sweet | life^end.
 
LYSANDER
         ,      ,    .   T    T    Tx         ,
      Amen,| amen,| to that fair prayer,| say I,
       .    T   T    T         ,        ,     ,
      And then end life | when I | end loy|alty:
        ,           ,      ,                ,          ,
      Here is | my bed,| sleep give | thee all | his rest.
 
HERMIA
             ,           ,          ,         ,          ,
      With half | that wish | the wish|er's eyes | be pressed.
 
[They sleep.  Enter PUCK]
 
PUCK
         ,           ,         ,       __
      Through the | forest | have I | gone,
       ,      ,  2      ,        __
      But A|thenian | found I | none,
       ,          ,        ,       ___
      On whose^|eyes I | might ap|prove
             ,         ,          ,         ,
      This flow|er's force | in stir|ring love.
        ,          ,         ,        __
      Night and | silence:| Who is | here?
        ,         ,        ,         __
      Weeds of | Athens | he doth | wear:
        ,        ,        ,        __
      This is | he (my | master | said)
          ,      ,       ,   2    ,
      Despis|ed the | Athen|ian maid;
            ,          ,       ,         ,
      And here | the maid|en sleep|ing sound,
       ,         ,         ,        __
      On the | dank and | dirty | ground.
       ,         ,           ,         ,
      Pretty | soul, she | durst not^|lie
      <-          T    T    T           ,      2   ,
        Near*|| this lack-love,| this^kill-|courtesy.
        ,       ,          ,       ___
      Churl, u|pon thy | eyes I | throw
       ,          ,            ,          ___
      All the | power this | charm doth | owe:
        ,           ,            ,      ___
      When thou | wakst, let | love for|bid
        ,           ,        T   T  T
      Sleep his | seat on | thy eyelid.
       ,     ,         ,        ,
      So a|wake when | I am | gone:
      <-       ,         ,       ,   ___
        For || I must | now to | Obe|ron.
 
[Exit]
 
[Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running]
 
HELENA
        ,                   ,          ,        ,     ,
      Stay, though | thou kill | me, sweet | Demet|rius.
 
DEMETRIUS
           ,            ,          ,         ,          ,
      I charge | thee hence,| and do | not haunt | me thus.
 
HELENA
          ,           ,         ,          ,        ,
      O wilt | thou dark|ling leave | me? do | not so.
 
DEMETRIUS
            ,        ,      ,      ,          ,
      Stay^on | thy per|il, I | alone | will go.
 
[Exit]
 
HELENA
        ,       ,          ,                 ,    ,
      O^I | am out | of breath,| in this / fond chase,
            ,          ,          ,       ,        ,
      The more | my prayer,| the les|ser is | my grace,
       ,          ,   2     ,      ,          ,
      Happy | is Herm|ia, where|soere | she lies;
           ,           ,       ,        ,         ,
      For she | hath bles|sed and | attrac|tive eyes.
            ,          ,          ,      ,                ,
      How came | her eyes | so bright?| Not with | salt^tears.
          ,        ,         ,   2      ,            ,
      If so,| my eyes | are oft|ener washed | than hers.
       T   T  T     2    ,     ,       ,
      No, no, I | am as ug|ly as | a bear;
             ,            ,         ,       ,         ,
      For beasts | that meet | me, run | away | for fear.
             ,         ,         ,        ,     ,
      Therefore | no marv|el, though | Demet|rius
          ,       ,        ,         ,         ,
      Do as | a monst|er, fly | my pres|ence thus.
             ,      ,        ,          ,          ,
      What wick|ed and | dissem|bling glass | of mine,
        ,            ,          ,    2     ,       ,
      Made me | compare | with Herm|ia's spher|y eyne?
           ,         ,       ,       ,          ,
      But who | is here?| Lysan|der on | the ground;
        ,          ,        ,         ,          ,
      Dead or | asleep?| I see | no blood,| no wound,
         ,        ,         ,          ,       ,
      Lysan|der, if | you live,| good sir | awake.
 
LYSANDER
       .   T     T      T        ,     .   T    T     T
      And run through fire | I will | for thy sweet sake.
            ,       ,   2    ,       ,          ,
      Transpar|ent Hel|ena, Nat|ure her | shows^art,
              ,           ,       ,         ,          ,
      That through | thy bos|om makes | me see | thy heart.
        ,           ,   2     ,        ,        ,
      Where is | Demet|rius? Oh | how fit | a word
       .   T    T    T        ,       ,        ,
      Is that vile name,| to per|ish on | my sword!
 
HELENA
          ,     ,          ,        ,         ,
      Do not | say so | Lysan|der, say | not so:
              ,          ,          ,   2     ,            ,
      What though | he love | your Herm|ia? Lord,| what though?
           ,   2    ,       ,               ,        ,
      Yet Herm|ia still | loves you;| then be | content.
 
LYSANDER
           ,          ,   2    ,      ,       ,
      Content | with Herm|ia? No,| I do | repent
           ,   2    ,       ,         ,           ,
      The ted|ious min|utes I | with her | have spent.
           ,    ,        ,    ,       ,
      Not Herm|ia,| but Hel|ena | I love;
            ,           ,        ,      ,        ,
      Who will | not change | a rav|en for | a dove?
            ,        ,        ,        ,         ,
      The will | of man | is by | his reas|on swayed:
           ,        ,         ,          ,    2    ,
      And reas|on says | you are | the worth|ier maid.
               ,       ,          ,       ,           ,      o
      Things^grow|ing are | not ripe | until | their seas|on;
         ,     2     ,           ,      T   T   .   T      o
      So I | being young,| till now | ripe not to reas|on,   (hex with prev)
            ,        ,          ,         ,       ,
      And touch|ing now | the point | of hum|an skill,
       ,           ,           ,       ,        ,
      Reason | becomes | the marsh|al to | my will,
            ,         ,          ,          ,        ,
      And leads | me to | your eyes,| where I | orelook
               ,         ,              ,     ,        ,
      Love's^stor|ies, writ|ten in / love's rich|est book.
 
HELENA
             ,        ,               ,    ,   2    ,
      Wherefore | was I | to this / keen mock|ery born?
        ,              ,         ,       ,            ,
      When at | your hands | did I | deserve | this scorn?
        2    ,       ,       2    ,       ,            ,
      Is it not | enough,| is it not | enough,| young man,
           ,        ,       ,        ,      ,
      That I | did nev|er, no | nor nev|er can,
          ,         ,       ,            ,   2     ,
      Deserve | a sweet | look from | Demet|rius' eye,
           ,           ,         ,     ,     ,
      But you | must flout | my in|suffi|ciency?
             ,          ,        ,            ,          ,
      Good^troth | you do | me wrong |(good^sooth | you do)
           ,         ,       ,       ,       ,
      In such | disdain|ful man|ner me | to woo.
            ,           ,        ,         ,         ,
      But fare | you well:| perforce | I must | confess,
           ,            ,     .   T    T    T       ,
      I thought | you lord | of more true gent|leness.
       ,            ,          ,   ,        ,
      Oh, that | a la|dy of / one man | refused,
              ,      ,       ,         ,      ,
      Should of | anoth|er there|fore be | abused.
 
[Exit]
 
LYSANDER
            ,          ,   2    ,   2   ,            ,
      She sees | not Herm|ia: Herm|ia sleep | thou there,
           ,       ,            ,       ,        ,
      And nev|er mayst | thou come | Lysan|der near;
           ,      ,        ,         ,          ,
      For as | a sur|feit of | the sweet|est things
           ,         ,        ,         ,         ,
      The deep|est loath|ing to | the stom|ach brings:
          ,        ,     ,          ,         ,
      Or as | the her|esies | that men | do leave,
           ,       ,         ,           ,        ,
      Are hat|ed most | of those | they did | deceive:
           ,        ,        ,        ,    ,
      So thou, my surf|eit, and | my her|esy,
          ,        ,       ,          ,        ,
      Of all | be hat|ed; but | the most | of me;
           ,          ,         ,            ,          ,
      And all | my powers | address | your love | and might,
          ,      ,       ,        ,          ,
      To hon|or Hel|en, and | to be | her knight.
 
[Exit]
 
HERMIA
        ,          ,         ,         ,         ,
      Help me | Lysan|der, help | me; do | thy best
           ,            ,        ,         ,          ,
      To pluck | this crawl|ing ser|pent from | my breast.
            ,        ,       ,        ,           ,
      Aye* me,| for pi|ty; what | a dream | was here?
          ,       ,        ,        ,            ,
      Lysand|er look,| how I | do quake | with fear:
           ,         ,        ,         ,        ,
      Methought | a ser|pent ate | my heart | away,
           ,           ,       ,        ,       ,
      And you | sat* smil|ing at | his cru|el pray.
          ,        ,         ,        ,        ,
      Lysand|er, what | removed?| Lysand|er, lord,
        ,              ,         ,         ,          ,
      What, out | of hear|ing, gone?| No sound,| no word?
         ,           ,           ,          ,         ,
      Alack | where are | you? Speak | and if | you hear:
        T    .  T    T         ,         ,           ,
      Speak of all loves;| I swoon | almost | with fear.
       ,             ,         ,          ,          ,
      No, then | I well | perceive | you are | not^nigh,
         2     ,         ,           ,       ,   2   ,
      Either death | or you | I'll find | immed|iately.
 
[Exit]

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