A Midsummer Night's Dream

Upon that day either prepare to die

For disobedience to your father's will,

Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would90,

Or on Diana's altar to protest91

For aye92 austerity and single life.

DEMETRIUS Relent, sweet Hermia.-- And, Lysander, yield

Thy crazed title94 to my certain right.

LYSANDER You have her father's love, Demetrius:

Let me have Hermia's. Do96 you marry him.

EGEUS Scornful Lysander! True, he hath my love;

And what is mine my love shall render98 him.

And she is mine, and all my right of her

I do estate unto100 Demetrius.

LYSANDER I am, my lord, as well derived101 as he,

As well possessed102: my love is more than his,

My fortunes every way as fairly103 ranked,

If not with vantage, as Demetrius'104,

And, which is more than all these boasts can be,

I am beloved of beauteous Hermia.

Why should not I then prosecute107 my right?

Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head108,

Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena109,

And won her soul: and she, sweet lady, dotes110,

Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,

Upon this spotted112 and inconstant man.

THESEUS I must confess that I have heard so much,

And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof,

But, being over-full of self-affairs115,

My mind did lose116 it. But, Demetrius, come,

And come, Egeus, you shall go with me.