A Midsummer Night's Dream

I have some private schooling118 for you both.

For you, fair Hermia, look you arm119 yourself

To fit your fancies120 to your father's will,

Or else the law of Athens yields you up --

Which by no means we may extenuate122 --

To death or to a vow of single life.--

Come, my Hippolyta. What cheer, my love?--

Demetrius and Egeus, go125 along:

I must employ you in some business

Against127 our nuptial and confer with you

Of something nearly that128 concerns yourselves.

EGEUS With duty and desire we follow you.

Exeunt all but Lysander and Hermia

LYSANDER How now, my love! Why is your cheek so pale?

How chance the roses there do fade so fast?

HERMIA Belike132 for want of rain, which I could well

Beteem133 them from the tempest of mine eyes.

LYSANDER Ay me, for aught134 that I could ever read,

Could ever hear by tale or history,

The course of true love never did run smooth.

But either it was different in blood137--

HERMIA O cross138! Too high to be enthralled to low.

LYSANDER Or else misgraffed139 in respect of years--

HERMIA O spite! Too old to be engaged to young.

LYSANDER Or else it stood upon the choice of merit141--

HERMIA O hell! To choose love by another's eyes.

LYSANDER Or if there were a sympathy143 in choice,

War, death or sickness did lay siege to it,

Making it momentary145 as a sound,