ARKCODEX
Act I, Scene 2
1Athens. Quince’s house.
2Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling.
3QuinceIs all our company here?
4BottomYou were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip.
5QuinceHere is the scroll of every man’s name, which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and duchess, on his wedding-day at night.
6BottomFirst, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow to a point.
7QuinceMarry, our play is The Most Lamentable Comedy, and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe.
8BottomA very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.
9QuinceAnswer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.
10BottomReady. Name what part I am for, and proceed.
11QuinceYou, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.
12BottomWhat is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?
13QuinceA lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.
14BottomThat will ask some tears in the true performing of it: if I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in some measure. To the rest: yet my chief humour is for a tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split.
The raging rocks
This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players. This is Ercles’ vein, a tyrant’s vein; a lover is more condoling.
And shivering shocks
Shall break the locks
Of prison gates;
And Phibbus’ car
Shall shine from far
And make and mar
The foolish Fates.
15QuinceFrancis Flute, the bellows-mender.
16FluteHere, Peter Quince.
17QuinceFlute, you must take Thisby on you.
18FluteWhat is Thisby? a wandering knight?
19QuinceIt is the lady that Pyramus must love.
20FluteNay, faith, let not me play a woman; I have a beard coming.
21QuinceThat’s all one: you shall play it in a mask, and you may speak as small as you will.
22BottomAn I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too, I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice, “Thisne, Thisne;” “Ah Pyramus, my lover dear! thy Thisbe dear, and lady dear!”
23QuinceNo, no; you must play Pyramus: and, Flute, you Thisby.
24BottomWell, proceed.
25QuinceRobin Starveling, the tailor.
26StarvelingHere, Peter Quince.
27QuinceRobin Starveling, you must play Thisbe’s mother. Tom Snout, the tinker.
28SnoutHere, Peter Quince.
29QuinceYou, Pyramus’ father: myself, Thisby’s father. Snug, the joiner; you, the lion’s part: and, I hope, here is a play fitted.
30SnugHave you the lion’s part written? pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.
31QuinceYou may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.
32BottomLet me play the lion too: I will roar, that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me; I will roar, that I will make the duke say “Let him roar again, let him roar again.”
33QuinceAn you should do it too terribly, you would fright the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek; and that were enough to hang us all.
34AllThat would hang us, every mother’s son.
35BottomI grant you, friends, if you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my voice so that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove; I will roar you an ’twere any nightingale.
36QuinceYou can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a summer’s day; a most lovely gentleman-like man: therefore you must needs play Pyramus.
37BottomWell, I will undertake it. What beard were I best to play it in?
38QuinceWhy, what you will.
39BottomI will discharge it in either your straw-colour beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French-crown-colour beard, your perfect yellow.
40QuinceSome of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play barefaced. But, masters, here are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request you and desire you, to con them by tomorrow night; and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight; there will we rehearse, for if we meet in the city, we shall be dogged with company, and our devices known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties, such as our play wants. I pray you fail me not.
41BottomWe will meet; and there we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously. Take pains; be perfect: adieu.
42QuinceAt the duke’s oak we meet.
43BottomEnough; hold, or cut bow-strings. Exeunt.