ORIGINAL TEXT	MODERN TRANSLATION
ACT I, SCENE i. Athens. A room in the palace of THESEUS.	ACT I, SCENE i. Athens. A room in the palace of THESEUS, Duke of Athens.
Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants	Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Servants
THESEUS Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace; four happy days bring in Another moon: but, O, methinks, how slow This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires, Like to a step-dame or a dowager Long withering out a young man's revenue.	THESEUS (Duke of Athens) Lovely Hippolyta, we will be married in a short time. Only four days until our marriage under the new moon. But the moon seems to be disappearing very slowly, Like an old stepmother or elderly widow refusing to die and draining a young man's inheritance.
HIPPOLYTA Four days will quickly steep themselves in night; Four nights will quickly dream away the time; And then the moon, like to a silver bow New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night Of our solemnities.	HIPPOLYTA (Amazon Queen) Four days will quickly turn into night. Four nights will pass quickly while we sleep and dream. The new moon, bent like a bow, will gaze down on our marriage ceremony.
THESEUS Go, Philostrate, Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth; Turn melancholy forth to funerals; The pale companion is not for our pomp.	THESEUS (Duke of Athens) Go on Philostrate, our Master of Celebrations, arrange celebrations for the youth of Athens. Make them happy, for sadness is for funerals, not for our wedding.
Exit PHILOSTRATE	PHILOSTRATE leaves
THESEUS Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, And won thy love, doing thee injuries; But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp, with triumph and with reveling.	THESEUS (Duke of Athens) Hippolyta, I won your love while we fought with swords, But I will marry you with ceremony, success, and celebrating.
Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS	EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS enter
EGEUS Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!	EGEUS (Athenian citizen and Hermia's father) Greetings Theseus, our great duke!
THESEUS Thanks, good Egeus: what's the news with thee?	THESEUS (Duke of Athens) Thank you, Egeus. How are you?
EGEUS Full of vexation come I, with complaint Against my child, my daughter Hermia. Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her. Stand forth, Lysander: and my gracious duke, This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child; Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchanged love-tokens with my child: Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, With feigning voice verses of feigning love, And stolen the impression of her fantasy With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits, Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth: With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart, Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke, Be it so she; will not here before your grace Consent to marry with Demetrius, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens, As she is mine, I may dispose of her: Which shall be either to this gentleman Or to her death, according to our law Immediately provided in that case.	EGEUS (Athenian citizen and Hermia's father) I am angry and here to complain about my daughter Hermia. Stand up, Demetrius. My noble lord, I have given Demetrius permission to marry her. Stand up, Lysander. My good Duke, Lysander has bewitched my daughter's heart with poems that rhyme And exchanged love tokens with her. Lysander has sung at her window in the moonlight with a pretending voice singing songs of pretend love. Lysander has captured her imagination, by giving her locks of his hair, rings, jewelry, knick-knacks, flowers, candies, and messages. Which manipulate a young girl's heart. He has stolen my daughter's heart, and caused her to disobey me with a harsh stubbornness. My gracious duke, if she will not agree to marry Demetrius before you, I beg your permission to exercise my lawful right as a father to do with my own daughter as I please to either marry her to Demetrius or to kill her in accordance with our laws immediately if she refuses to obey me.
THESEUS What say you, Hermia? be advised fair maid: To you your father should be as a god; One that composed your beauties, yea, and one To whom you are but as a form in wax By him imprinted and within his power To leave the figure or disfigure it. Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.	THESEUS (Duke of Athens) What do you have to say for yourself, Hermia? Be warned, dear, you should treat your father like a god. He made your beautiful form, molded you like a doll out of wax, and it is in his power to leave you whole or destroy you. Demetrius is worthy enough to marry you.
HERMIA So is Lysander.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) Lysander is worthy too.
THESEUS In himself he is; But in this kind, wanting your father's voice, The other must be held the worthier.	THESEUS (Duke of Athens) Lysander, as a man, is worthy, but not enough to marry you against your father's wishes. Your father wants to you to marry Demetrius, so he is worthier.
HERMIA I would my father look'd but with my eyes.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) If only my father could see things as I do.
THESEUS Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.	THESEUS (Duke of Athens) Instead, you must see things as your father does.
HERMIA I do entreat your grace to pardon me. I know not by what power I am made bold, Nor how it may concern my modesty, In such a presence here to plead my thoughts; But I beseech your grace that I may know The worst that may befall me in this case, If I refuse to wed Demetrius.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) I beg you to forgive me, Theseus. I don't know why I am so bold to speak my mind to you, or how it will affect my reputation, to plainly speak my thoughts to you, but I beg you, sir, to know the worst that can happen to me if I refuse to marry Demetrius.
THESEUS Either to die the death or to abjure Forever the society of men. Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires; Know of your youth, examine well your blood, Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice, You can endure the livery of a nun, For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd, To live a barren sister all your life, Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. Thrice-blessed they that master so their blood, To undergo such maiden pilgrimage; But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd, Than that which withering on the virgin thorn Grows, lives and dies in single blessedness.	THESEUS (Duke of Athens) You'll either die or give up the company of men forever to become a nun. Lovely Hermia, think long and hard about this. Realize you are young and passionate. If you refuse to obey your father, you'll be forced to dress in the black robes of a nun. You'll be trapped in a dark convent, living a life with no husband and children, singing hymns to the cold and barren moon. Those that become nuns are triply blessed, to make such a sacrifice, but most women are happier if they marry and have children, rather than remaining single and childless.
HERMIA So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, Ere I will my virgin patent up Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke My soul consents not to give sovereignty.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) I'd rather grow, live, and die in freedom as I wish to. I won't be forced to marry someone by you without my consent. My soul refuses to give up that freedom.
THESEUS Take time to pause; and, by the next new moon-- The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, For everlasting bond of fellowship-- Upon that day either prepare to die For disobedience to your father's will, Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would; Or on Diana's altar to protest For aye austerity and single life.	THESEUS (Duke of Athens) Stop and think on your decision until the new moon the day I'm joined with my beloved Hippolyta in holy matrimony. On that day, prepare to either die for disobeying father, to wed Demetrius as your father wishes, or become a nun and live a barren life as an unmarried, childless woman.
DEMETRIUS Relent, sweet Hermia: and, Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right.	DEMETRIUS (Loves Hermia, but she does not love him.) Change your mind Hermia, Lysander, give her up, I have more of a right to her.
LYSANDER You have her father's love, Demetrius; Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him.	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) Hermia's father loves you so much, Demetrius. Why don't you marry him and let me have Hermia?
EGEUS Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love, And what is mine my love shall render him. And she is mine, and all my right of her I do estate unto Demetrius.	EGEUS (Father of Hermia) Disrespectful Lysander! Yes, he has my love. That's why I'm giving him Hermia. She is mine, and I give my rights to her over to him.
LYSANDER I am, my lord, as well derived as he, As well possess'd; my love is more than his; My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd, If not with vantage, as Demetrius'; And, which is more than all these boasts can be, I am beloved of beauteous Hermia: Why should not I then prosecute my right? Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head, Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena, And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes, Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry, Upon this spotted and inconstant man.	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) Theseus, I am as worthy as Demetrius, and I love Hermia more. I have as much money, if not even more than Demetrius. Most importantly, the beautiful Hermia loves me. Why shouldn't I be allowed to marry her? Demetrius, I'll say it to his face, he already wooed Nedar's daughter, Helena, and won her love. The sweet lady Helena adores and completely worships this fickle man like a god.
THESEUS I must confess that I have heard so much, And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; But, being over-full of self-affairs, My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come; And come, Egeus; you shall go with me, I have some private schooling for you both. For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself To fit your fancies to your father's will; Or else the law of Athens yields you up-- Which by no means we may extenuate-- To death, or to a vow of single life Come, my Hippolyta: what cheer, my love? Demetrius and Egeus, go along: I must employ you in some business Against our nuptial and confer with you Of something nearly that concerns yourselves.	THESEUS (Duke of Athens) I admit I've heard about Demetrius and Helena. I meant to ask Demetrius about it. But, I've been so busy, I forgot. Come with me Demetrius, and you too, Egeus, so we can all talk in private. And you, beautiful Hermia, either obey your father or you will be punished in accordance with law, which we cannot lessen, either with death or becoming a nun. Come with me Hippolyta. How are you doing, my love? Come with me Demetrius and Egeus so we can discuss some business about the wedding. I must also talk to you, about other matters that will interest you.
EGEUS With duty and desire we follow you.	EGEUS (Father of Hermia) We are happy to follow you.
Exeunt all but LYSANDER and HERMIA	THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and DEMETRIUS leave
LYSANDER How now, my love! why is your cheek so pale? How chance the roses there do fade so fast?	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) How are you now, Hermia? Why are you so pale? Where are your rosy cheeks?
HERMIA Belike for want of rain, which I could well Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) My rosy cheeks have not faded due to lack of water. My tears have watered them well.
LYSANDER Ay me! for aught 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 blood,--	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) Oh, boy! In all stories I've read and all the stories I've heard, true love must always struggle, whether due to differences in class--
HERMIA O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) Oh, that would be hard! To love someone from a far lower class.
LYSANDER Or else misgraffed in respect of years,--	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) Or to be far apart in age--
HERMIA O spite! too old to be engaged to young.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) Oh, how awful! Being prevented from marrying someone much younger.
LYSANDER Or else it stood upon the choice of friends,--	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) Or perhaps family and friends disapprove--
HERMIA O hell! to choose love by another's eyes.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) It would be horrible to have to choose love based on what other people think.
LYSANDER Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it, Making it momentary as a sound, Swift as a shadow, short as any dream; Brief as the lightning in the collied night, That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth, And ere a man hath power to say 'Behold!' The jaws of darkness do devour it up: So quick bright things come to confusion.	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) Even if two people want to unite in true love, war, death, and sickness can block it, making it last only an instant as short-lived as a shadow, a dream, or a bolt of lightning in a stormy night that angrily flashes across the sky and the land. Before a man can say, "Behold!" love may be consumed by darkness as bright things may quickly end.
HERMIA If then true lovers have been ever cross'd, It stands as an edict in destiny: Then let us teach our trial patience, Because it is a customary cross, As due to love as thoughts and dreams and sighs, Wishes and tears, poor fancy's followers.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) If true love has ever been blocked, It must be the way fate works. Give us patience, because obstacles to love are as common as the dreams, sighs, wishes, and tears of lovers.
LYSANDER A good persuasion: therefore, hear me, Hermia. I have a widow aunt, a dowager Of great revenue, and she hath no child: From Athens is her house remote seven leagues; And she respects me as her only son. There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; And to that place the sharp Athenian law Cannot pursue us. If thou lovest me then, Steal forth thy father's house tomorrow night; And in the wood, a league without the town, Where I did meet thee once with Helena, To do observance to a morn of May, There will I stay for thee.	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) You make good points. So listen, Hermia. I have a widowed aunt with lots of money but no children. Her house is twenty miles from Athens. She treats me like a son. There, darling Hermia, we can be married, Where the cruel Athenian law doesn't apply. If you love me, sneak out of your father's house tomorrow night and meet me in the forest three miles from town where we once met with Helena one May morning. I will wait for you there.
HERMIA My good Lysander! I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow, By his best arrow with the golden head, By the simplicity of Venus' doves, By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves, And by that fire which burn'd the Carthage queen, When the false Trojan under sail was seen, By all the vows that ever men have broke, In number more than ever women spoke, In that same place thou hast appointed me, tomorrow truly will I meet with thee.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) My sweet Lysander! I swear on Cupid's strongest bow and best gold-headed arrow, on Venus' doves, by that which nourishes souls and grows love, by the fire that burned Queen Dido after her betrayal by the false Trojan, Aeneas, by all the promises men have broken, more promises than women have ever made, In the place you specified, I swear I will meet you tomorrow.
LYSANDER Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena.	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) Keep your promise, love. Look, here comes Helena.
Enter HELENA	HELENA enters
HERMIA God speed fair Helena! whither away?	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) Hello, lovely Helena! Where are you off to?
HELENA Call you me fair? that fair again unsay. Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair! Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue's sweet air More tunable than lark to shepherd's ear, When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. Sickness is catching: O, were favor so, Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go; My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye, My tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody. Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, The rest I'd give to be to you translated. O, teach me how you look, and with what art You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart.	HELENA (Loves Demetrius) You call me beautiful? Take it back! Demetrius loves your beauty, not mine. Your eyes shine like stars, and your voice is as sweet as a springtime lark to a shepherd. In spring, when the wheat is green and the hawthorn tree flowers, you can catch a sickness. If only I was lucky enough I would catch your beauty, Hermia, before I go. I would be able to talk like you. I would get your sparkling eyes, and your sweet singing voice. If I ruled the world, I'd only keep Demetrius and give you everything else. Oh, teach me how to look like you and how you won Demetrius' love.
HERMIA I frown upon him, yet he loves me still.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) I frown at Demetrius, but he still loves me.
HELENA O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill!	HELENA (Loves Demetrius) If only your frowns could teach my smiles to win Demetrius' love.
HERMIA I give him curses, yet he gives me love.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) I say mean things to him, but he gives me his love.
HELENA O that my prayers could such affection move!	HELENA (Loves Demetrius) If only my prayers could win his love like your insults.
HERMIA The more I hate, the more he follows me.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) The more I hate him, the more he follows me.
HELENA The more I love, the more he hateth me.	HELENA (Loves Demetrius) The more I love him, the more he hates me.
HERMIA His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) His foolishness is not my fault, Helena.
HELENA None, but your beauty: would that fault were mine!	HELENA (Loves Demetrius) It's your beauty's fault. If only I were as beautiful as you!
HERMIA Take comfort: he no more shall see my face; Lysander and myself will fly this place. Before the time I did Lysander see, Seem'd Athens as a paradise to me: O, then, what graces in my love do dwell, That he hath turn'd a heaven unto a hell!	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) Take comfort. He will no longer see my face, as Lysander and I are leaving Athens. Before I met Lysander, Athens seemed like a paradise. But then I fell in love with Lysander, and he turned heaven into hell.
LYSANDER Helen, to you our minds we will unfold: tomorrow night, when Phoebe doth behold Her silver visage in the watery glass, Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass, A time that lovers' flights doth still conceal, Through Athens' gates have we devised to steal.	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) Listen Helena, we'll tell you our plan. Tomorrow when the moon rises and its silvery face is reflected by the pearls of dew on the grass, that time of night that hides fleeing lovers, we are sneaking out of Athens.
HERMIA And in the wood, where often you and I Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lie, Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet, There my Lysander and myself shall meet; And thence from Athens turn away our eyes, To seek new friends and stranger companies. Farewell, sweet playfellow: pray thou for us; And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius! Keep word, Lysander: we must starve our sight From lovers' food till morrow deep midnight.	HERMIA (Daughter of Egeus, Loves Lysander) And in the woods, where we used to lie on flowers and talk, Lysander and I will meet. We'll leave Athens behind to seek new friends and the company of strangers. Goodbye, my childhood friend. Pray for us. I wish you good luck with Demetrius! Promise Lysander, that we will not see each other until tomorrow at midnight.
LYSANDER I will, my Hermia.	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) I promise, Hermia.
Exit HERMIA	HERMIA leaves
LYSANDER Helena, adieu: As you on him, Demetrius dote on you!	LYSANDER (Loves Hermia) Goodbye Helena. I hope Demetrius will come to love you as much as you love him.
Exit LYSANDER	LYSANDER leaves
HELENA How happy some o'er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so; He will not know what all but he do know: And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes, So I, admiring of his qualities: Things base and vile, holding no quantity, Love can transpose to form and dignity: Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind: Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste; Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste: And therefore is Love said to be a child, Because in choice he is so oft beguiled. As waggish boys in game themselves forswear, So the boy Love is perjured everywhere: For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne, He hail'd down oaths that he was only mine; And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt, So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt. I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight: Then to the wood will he tomorrow night Pursue her; and for this intelligence If I have thanks, it is a dear expense: But herein mean I to enrich my pain, To have his sight thither and back again.	HELENA (Loves Demetrius) How much happier some are than others. Though in Athens, people find me as beautiful as Hermia. But who cares? Demetrius doesn't think so. He doesn't know what all the others know. He makes a mistake, loving Hermia's eyes, I'm making a mistake too, by adoring him. Love can transform the lowly, hateful, and worthless into things of beauty and dignity. Love should be based not on looks, but who we are inside. That's why Cupid, god of love, is painted as blind. Cupid is rash and hasty, since he has wings, but no eyes. This is why Cupid is shown as a child, Because he's tricked into making bad choices. As playful boys make a game of telling lies, Boy Cupid lies as well, Before Demetrius saw Hermia, he swore he was mine. But when he felt the heat of attraction of Hermia, He and his many promises to me disappeared. I'll Demetrius of Hermia's plan to leave Athens. He'll chase her into the woods tomorrow night. If he thanks me for the information, it's worth the cost even if it hurts me. At least I'll see him as he travels to and from Athens.
Exit HELENA	HELENA leaves