A Midsummer Night's Dream

Joy, gentle friends! Joy and fresh days of love

Accompany your hearts!

LYSANDER More than to us

Wait in your royal walks, your board32, your bed!

THESEUS Come now, what masques33, what dances shall we have, To wear away this long age of three hours

Between our after-supper35 and bedtime?

Where is our usual manager of mirth?

What revels are in hand? Is there no play

To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?

Call Egeus.

EGEUS Here, mighty Theseus.

THESEUS Say, what abridgement41 have you for this evening?

What masque? What music? How shall we beguile

The lazy time, if not with some delight?

EGEUS There is a brief how many sports are ripe44: Egeus gives a paper to Lysander

Make choice of which your highness will see first.

LYSANDER 'The battle with the Centaurs46, to be sung

By an Athenian eunuch to the harp.'

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THESEUS We'll none of that. That have I told my love, In glory of my kinsman Hercules.

LYSANDER 'The riot of the tipsy Bacchanals,50

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Tearing the Thracian singer in their rage.'

THESEUS That is an old device52, and it was played When I from Thebes came last a conqueror.

LYSANDER 'The thrice three Muses mourning for the death54

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Of learning, late deceased in beggary.'

THESEUS That is some satire, keen and critical56, Not sorting with57 a nuptial ceremony.

LYSANDER 'A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus

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