Act 3, Scene 1

1st Original

2nd Translation

While TITANIA sleeps onstage, BOTTOM, QUINCE, FLUTE, SNUG, SNOUT, and
STARVELING enter.
While TITANIA sleeps onstage, BOTTOM, QUINCE, FLUTE, SNUG, SNOUT, and
STARVELING enter.
BOTTOM
Are we all met?
BOTTOM
Are we all here?
QUINCE
Pat, pat. And here’s a marvelous convenient place forour rehearsal. This green plot
shall be our stage, thishawthorn-brake our tiring-house, and we will do it in5action as
we will do it before the duke.
QUINCE
Right on time. And this is a great place for us to rehearse. This clearing will be the
stage, and this hawthorn bush will be our dressing room. We'll rehearse the play
exactly the same way that we’ll perform it for the duke.
BOTTOM
Peter Quince.
BOTTOM
Peter Quince.
QUINCE
What sayest thou, bully Bottom?
QUINCE
What is it, my fine friend Bottom?
BOTTOM
There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisbethat will never please. First,
Pyramus must draw a sword10to kill himself, which the ladies cannot abide.
Howanswer you that?
BOTTOM
There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe that will never please the
audience. First of all, Pyramus has to take out a sword and use it to kill himself,
which the women in the audience won’t be able to stand. What do you think about
that?
SNOUT
By 'r lakin, a parlous fear.
SNOUT
By the Virgin Mary, that’s a serious problem.
STARVELING
I believe we must leave the killing out, when all isdone.
STARVELING
I think, in the end, we’ll have to leave out all the killing.
BOTTOM
15Not a whit. I have a device to make all well. Write mea prologue, and let the
prologue seem to say we will dono harm with our swords, and that Pyramus is not
killedindeed. And for the more better assurance, tell themthat I, Pyramus, am not
Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver.20This will put them out of fear.
BOTTOM
Not at all! I’ve got an idea that will solve the problem. Write, as I describe, a prologue
that explains to the audience that we won’t actually hurt anyone with our swords, and
that Pyramus isn’t really killed. And to make everyone even more comfortable,
explain that that while I look like Pyramus I'm not actually him, I'm really Bottom the
weaver. That will stop the audience from being afraid.
QUINCE
Well. We will have such a prologue, and it shall bewritten in eight and six.
QUINCE
Good. We’ll perform that prologue, and we'll write it in traditional ballad form, with
alternating lines of eight- and six-syllables.
BOTTOM
No, make it two more. Let it be written in eight andeight.
BOTTOM
No, add two more. Write it with alternating lines of eight and eight syllables.
SNOUT
25Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?
SNOUT
Won’t the women be frightened by the lion?
STARVELING
I fear it, I promise you.
STARVELING
I’m very worried about that.
BOTTOM
Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves. Tobring in—God shield us!—a lion
among ladies is a mostdreadful thing. For there is not a more fearful wildfowl30than
your lion living. And we ought to look to ’t.
BOTTOM
Sirs, you should all think about this: bringing in—God protect us!—a lion in front of
women is really an awful thing to do. Because there's not a more frightening wild bird
living than the lion. We should remember that.
SNOUT
Therefore another prologue must tell he is not a lion.
SNOUT
So we'll have another prologue that explains he’s not actually a lion.
BOTTOM
Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must beseen through the lion’s
neck. And he himself must speakthrough, saying thus—or to the same defect—
“Ladies,” or35“Fair ladies,” “I would wish you” or “I would requestyou” or “I would
entreat you” “not to fear, not totremble, my life for yours. If you think I come hitheras
a lion, it were pity of my life. No, I am no suchthing. I am a man as other men
are.” And there indeed40let him name his name, and tell them plainly he is Snugthe
joiner.
BOTTOM
No, you should announce to the audience his actual name, and make it so that half
of his face is visible through the lion costume. And he himself should say something
like the following, or something else to the same defect: “Ladies,” or “Beautiful
ladies,” “I would ask you” or “I would request you” or “I would beg you” “not to fear,
not to tremble, because I would defend your lives by giving up my own. If you
thought I came here as a real lion, it would endanger my life. No, I am no lion. I am a
man, just like other men.” And at that point he should say his name, and tell them
plainly that he’s Snug the carpenter.
QUINCE
Well, it shall be so. But there is two hard things:that is, to bring the moonlight into a
chamber. For, youknow, Pyramus and Thisbe meet by moonlight.
QUINCE
Good, that’s what we’ll do. But there are two more problems we have to solve. How
are we going to bring moonlight into the room where we perform? Because, you
know, Pyramus and Thisbe meet in the moonlight.
SNOUT
45Doth the moon shine that night we play our play?
SNOUT
Will the moon be shining on the night we’re performing our play?
BOTTOM
A calendar, a calendar! Look in the almanac. Find outmoonshine, find out
moonshine!
BOTTOM
A calendar; we need a calendar! Look in an almanac. Look up when the moon
shines, look up when the moon shines!
QUINCE
[Takes out a book] Yes, it doth shine that night.
QUINCE
[He takes out and consults a book] Yes, the moon will shine that night.
BOTTOM
Why then, may you leave a casement of the great chamberwindow where we play
open, and the moon may shine in at50the casement.
BOTTOM
Well then, you could leave a window open in the great room where we’ll be
performing, and the moon will shine in through the window.
QUINCE
Ay. Or else one must come in with a bush of thorns anda lantern, and say he comes
to disfigure, or to present,the person of Moonshine. Then, there is another thing:we
must have a wall in the great chamber. For Pyramus55and Thisbe, says the story,
did talk through the chinkof a wall.
QUINCE
Yes, or else someone will have to come in carrying a bundle of sticks and a lantern
and say he’s come to disfigure, or represent, the character of Moonshine. Then
there's another problem: we need to have a wall in the great room. Because
Pyramus and Thisbe talked to each other through a little hole in a wall, as the story
goes.
SNOUT
You can never bring in a wall. What say you, Bottom?
SNOUT
You’ll never be able to bring in a wall. What do you think, Bottom?
BOTTOM
Some man or other must present Wall. And let him havesome plaster, or some loam,
or some roughcast about him60to signify wall. And let him hold his fingers
thus, andthrough that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisbe whisper.
BOTTOM
Someone has to play the part of Wall. For a costume, he can be covered in some
plaster or clay with pebbles stuck to him to show that he’s a wall. Then he can hold
his fingers like this [He holds up his hand with two fingers split slightly apart], and
Pyramus and Thisbe can whisper to each other through that crack.
QUINCE
If that may be then all is well. Come, sit down, everymother’s son, and rehearse your
parts. Pyramus, youbegin. When you have spoken your speech, enter into
that65brake. And so everyone according to his cue.
QUINCE
If we do that, everything will be fine. Now sit down everyone and rehearse your
parts. Pyramus, you start. When you've said your lines, go behind that bush as if it
were a curtain offstage. Everyone else, do the same according to whether you
should be on or offstage.
ROBIN enters unseen.
ROBIN enters, unseen by the other characters onstage.
ROBIN
[Aside] What hempen homespuns have we swaggering here,So near the cradle of
the fairy queen?What, a play toward? I’ll be an auditor.An actor too, perhaps, if I see
cause.
ROBIN
[To himself] Who are these country bumpkins making so much noise so close to the
fairy queen's bed? What? Are they about to perform a play? I’ll be the audience. And
I’ll act in it, too, if I see a reason to.
QUINCE
70Speak, Pyramus. Thisbe, stand forth.
QUINCE
Speak, Pyramus. Thisbe, come forward.
BOTTOM
[As PYRAMUS] Thisbe, the flowers of odious savorssweet—
BOTTOM
[As PYRAMUS] Thisbe, flowers with odious smelling sweet—
QUINCE
“Odors,” “odors.”
QUINCE
“Odors,” “odors.”
BOTTOM
[As PYRAMUS]75—odors savors sweet,So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisbe
dear.But hark, a voice! Stay thou but here awhile,And by and by I will to thee appear.
BOTTOM
[As PYRAMUS] —odors smelling sweet, are like your breath, my dearest Thisbe
dear. But listen, a voice! Wait here for a moment, and I’ll be back soon!
BOTTOM exits.
BOTTOM exits.
ROBIN
[Aside] A stranger Pyramus than e'er played here.
ROBIN
[To himself] A stranger Pyramus has never been performed anywhere.
FLUTE
80Must I speak now?
FLUTE
Should I talk now?
ROBIN exits.
ROBIN exits.
QUINCE
Ay, marry, must you. For you must understand he goesbut to see a noise that he
heard, and is to come again.
QUINCE
Yes, you should. You’re supposed to show that you think that Pyramus just went to
check on a noise he heard and will soon come back.
FLUTE
[As THISBE] Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white ofhue,85Of color like the red rose
on triumphant brier,Most brisky juvenal and eke most lovely Jew,As true as truest
horse that yet would never tire.I’ll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny’s tomb.
FLUTE
[As THISBE] My shining Pyramus, you are as white as a lily, the color of a red rose
on a splendid rosebush, a lively young man and also a lovely Jew, as trustworthy as
a horse that never gets tired. I’ll meet you, Pyramus, at Ninny’s grave.
QUINCE
“Ninus' tomb,” man. Why, you must not speak that yet.90That you answer to
Pyramus. You speak all your part atonce, cues and all. Pyramus, enter. Your cue is
past. Itis “never tire.”
QUINCE
That’s “Ninus’ grave,” man. And also, don’t say that part yet, because you're
supposed to say it to Pyramus. You just said all your lines at once, cues and all.
Enter, Pyramus. You missed your cue. It’s “never gets tired.”
FLUTE
Oh. [As Thisbe] As true as truest horse that yet wouldnever tire.
FLUTE
Oh! [As THISBE] As trustworthy as a horse that never gets tired.
BOTTOM
95[As PYRAMUS] If I were fair, Thisbe, I were only thine.
BOTTOM
[As PYRAMUS] If I were handsome, my lovely Thisbe, I would still be entirely yours.
BOTTOM enters, with an ass' head instead of his own. ROBIN also enters.
BOTTOM enters, with a donkey's head instead of his own. ROBIN also enters.
QUINCE
Oh, monstrous! Oh, strange! We are haunted. Pray,masters! Fly, masters! Help!
QUINCE
Oh! A monster! How strange! We’re being haunted. Pray, gentlemen! Run,
gentlemen! Help!
QUINCE, FLUTE, SNUG, SNOUT, and STARVELING exit.
QUINCE, FLUTE, SNUG, SNOUT, and STARVELING exit.
ROBIN
I’ll follow you. I’ll lead you about a roundThrough bog, through bush, through brake,
through100brier.Sometime a horse I’ll be, sometime a hound,A hog, a headless
bear, sometime a fire.And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn,Like horse,
hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.
ROBIN
I’ll follow you. I’ll lead you all in circles, through bogs, through bushes, through
hedges, and through thorns. Sometimes I’ll take the shape of a horse, sometimes a
dog or a pig or a headless bear. Sometimes I’ll be A fire! And I’ll neigh like a horse,
bark like a dog, grunt like a pig, growl like a bear, and burn like a fire wherever you
run.
ROBIN exits.
ROBIN exits.
BOTTOM
105Why do they run away? This is a knavery of them to makeme afeard.
BOTTOM
Why are they running away? This is some practical joke of theirs to try to scare me.
SNOUT enters.
SNOUT enters.
SNOUT
O Bottom, thou art changed! What do I see on thee?
SNOUT
Oh, Bottom, you’ve been changed! What do you have on your head?
BOTTOM
What do you see? You see an ass head of your own, doyou?
BOTTOM
What do you think I have on my head? You see something you've imagined with
your own asinine head, right?
SNOUT exits. QUINCE enters.
SNOUT exits. QUINCE enters.
QUINCE
110Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee. Thou art translated.
QUINCE
God bless you, Bottom, God bless you. You’ve been transformed.
QUINCE exits.
QUINCE exits.
BOTTOM
I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me, tofright me if they could. But I will
not stir from thisplace, do what they can. I will walk up and down hereand I will sing,
that they shall hear I am not afraid.115[Sings]The ouzel cock, so black of hueWith
orange-tawny bill,The throstlewith his note so true,The wren with little quill—
BOTTOM
I see what joke they're trying to pull. They want to make an ass of me, to scare me if
they can. But I won’t move from this spot, whatever they do. I’ll walk back and forth
and sing a song so that they’ll hear me and know I’m not afraid.
[Singing]
The blackbird, so black in color
With an orange-and-tan beak,
The thrush with its beautiful voice,
The wren with its high piping voice—
TITANIA
120[Waking] What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?
TITANIA
[Waking up] What angel wakes me from my bed of flowers?
BOTTOM
[Sings]The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,The plainsong cuckoo gray,Whose note
full many a man doth mark125And dares not answer “Nay”—For indeed, who would
set his wit to so foolish a bird?Who would give a bird the lie, though he cry
“cuckoo”never so?
BOTTOM
[Singing]
The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,
The gray cuckoo with his unchanging song
Whose voice so many men hear
But don’t dare say no to it—
Indeed, who would try to win an argument with a stupid bird?
Who would say that a bird was lying, now matter how many times the bird called out
that his wife was cheating on him?
TITANIA
I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again.130Mine ear is much enamored of thy note.So
is mine eye enthrallèd to thy shape.And thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move
meOn the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.
TITANIA
Noble human, I beg you, sing again. My ears cannot get enough of your voice, and
my eyes are entranced by your looks. Though this is the first time I have ever seen
you, the power of your beauty compels me to swear that I love you.
BOTTOM
Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for135that. And yet, to say the
truth, reason and love keeplittle company together nowadays. The more the pity
thatsome honest neighbors will not make them friends. Nay,I can gleek upon
occasion.
BOTTOM
I don’t think you should have a good reason to love me. And yet, to be honest,
reason and love are seldom found together these days. It’s a shame that some
mutual friend of theirs doesn’t introduce them. Ha, I've been known to tell a joke from
time to time.
TITANIA
Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
TITANIA
You’re as wise as you are beautiful.
BOTTOM
140Not so, neither. But if I had wit enough to get out ofthis wood, I have enough to
serve mine own turn.
BOTTOM
That’s not true, either. But if I were wise enough to get out of this forest, I’d have all
the wisdom I needed.
TITANIA
Out of this wood do not desire to go.Thou shalt remain here whether thou wilt or no.I
am a spirit of no common rate.145The summer still doth tend upon my state.And I do
love thee. Therefore go with me.I’ll give thee fairies to attend on thee.And they shall
fetch thee jewels from the deep,And sing while thou on pressèd flowers dost
sleep.150And I will purge thy mortal grossness soThat thou shalt like an airy spirit
go.Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed!
TITANIA
Please don't wish that you could leave this forest. You will stay here whether you
want to or not. I’m not some ordinary fairy. The summer itself serves me as one of
my followers. And I love you. So come with me. I’ll give you fairies to serve you, and
they’ll bring you jewels from the ocean depths, and sing to you as you sleep on a
bed of pressed flowers. And I’ll remove you from your physical body, so you will be a
spirit of the air. Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed, come here!
Four fairies enter: PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and MUSTARDSEED.
Four fairies—PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and MUSTARDSEED—enter.
PEASEBLOSSOM
Ready.
PEASEBLOSSOM
Ready.
COBWEB
And I.
COBWEB
Me too.
MOTH
155And I.
MOTH
Me too.
MUSTARDSEED
And I.
MUSTARDSEED
Me too.
ALL
Where shall we go?
ALL
Where should we go?
TITANIA
Be kind and courteous to this gentleman.Hop in his walks and gambol in his
eyes.160Feed him with apricoks and dewberries,With purple grapes, green figs, and
mulberries.The honey bags steal from the humble-bees,And for night tapers crop
their waxen thighsAnd light them at the fiery glowworms' eyes165To have my love to
bed and to arise.And pluck the wings from painted butterfliesTo fan the moonbeams
from his sleeping eyes.Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.
TITANIA
Be kind and considerate to this gentleman. Follow where he walks. Run and jump
joyfully where he can watch you. Feed him apricots and blackberries, along with
purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries. Steal honey from the bumblebees, and
make candles from beeswax taken from the bees' legs. Then light the candles with
the fire from glowworms' eyes so that my love will have light when he goes to bed
and wakes up. Pluck the wings from colorful butterflies, then use them to fan
moonbeams away from his sleeping eyes. Fairies, bow and curtsy to him.
PEASEBLOSSOM
Hail, mortal.
PEASEBLOSSOM
Hello, mortal!
COBWEB
170Hail.
COBWEB
Hello!
MOTH
Hail.
MOTH
Hello!
MUSTARDSEED
Hail.
MUSTARDSEED
Hello!
BOTTOM
I cry your worships' mercy, heartily. I beseech yourworship’s name.
BOTTOM
I beg your pardon, sirs, very much. Will you tell me your names, sirs?
COBWEB
175Cobweb.
COBWEB
Cobweb.
BOTTOM
I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good MasterCobweb. If I cut my finger, I
shall make bold with you.Your name, honest gentleman?
BOTTOM
I would like to get to know you better, good Mister Cobweb. If I cut my finger, I’ll use
you as a bandage. And your name, good sir?
PEASEBLOSSOM
180Peaseblossom.
PEASEBLOSSOM
Peaseblossom.
BOTTOM
I pray you, commend me to Mistress Squash, your mother,and to Master Peascod,
your father. Good MasterPeaseblossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintancetoo.
Your name, I beseech you, sir?
BOTTOM
Please, give my regards to Mrs. Peapod, your mother, and to Mr. Peapod, your
father. Good Mr. Peaseblossom, I’d like to get to know you better too. And now, may
I ask what your name is, sir?
MUSTARDSEED
185Mustardseed.
MUSTARDSEED
Mustardseed.
BOTTOM
Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well.That same cowardly, giantlike
ox-beef hath devoured manya gentleman of your house. I promise you your
kindredhath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you of more190acquaintance,
good Master Mustardseed.
BOTTOM
Good Mr. Mustardseed, I know how you have patiently suffered, and how those
cowardly, gigantic sides of beef have caused so many of your family members to get
eaten. I promise you that many of your mustard relatives have made my eyes water
before now. I'd like to get to know you better, good Mr. Mustardseed.
TITANIA
Come, wait upon him. Lead him to my bower.The moon methinks looks with a watery
eye.And when she weeps, weeps every little flower,Lamenting some enforcèd
chastity.195Tie up my love's tongue. Bring him silently.
TITANIA
Serve him well, and lead him to the place I sleep. I think the moon looks sad, and
when she cries, every little flower cries, lamenting the fact that they are forced to
remain chaste. Make my lover stay quiet. Bring him to me in silence.
They exit.
They all exit.