A Midsummer Night's Dream — Act 1, Scene 2

QUINCE

Is all our company here?

BOTTOM

You were best to call them generally, man by man,according to the scrip.

QUINCE

Here is the scroll of every man's name, which isthought fit, through all Athens, to play in ourinterlude before the duke and the duchess, on hiswedding-day at night.

BOTTOM

First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treatson, then read the names of the actors, and so growto a point.

QUINCE

Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy, andmost cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.

BOTTOM

A very good piece of work, I assure you, and amerry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth youractors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.

QUINCE

Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.

BOTTOM

Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed.

QUINCE

You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.

BOTTOM

What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?

QUINCE

A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.

BOTTOM

That will ask some tears in the true performing ofit: if I do it, let the audience look to theireyes; I will move storms, I will condole in somemeasure. To the rest: yet my chief humour is for atyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, or a part totear a cat in, to make all split.The raging rocksAnd shivering shocksShall break the locksOf prison gates;And Phibbus' carShall shine from farAnd make and marThe foolish Fates.This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players.This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover ismore condoling.

QUINCE

Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

FLUTE

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

Flute, you must take Thisby on you.

FLUTE

What is Thisby? a wandering knight?

QUINCE

It is the lady that Pyramus must love.

FLUTE

Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming.

QUINCE

That's all one: you shall play it in a mask, andyou may speak as small as you will.

BOTTOM

An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too, I'llspeak in a monstrous little voice. 'Thisne,Thisne;' 'Ah, Pyramus, lover dear! thy Thisby dear,and lady dear!'

QUINCE

No, no; you must play Pyramus: and, Flute, you Thisby.

BOTTOM

Well, proceed.

QUINCE

Robin Starveling, the tailor.

STARVELING

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's mother.Tom Snout, the tinker.

SNOUT

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

You, Pyramus' father: myself, Thisby's father:Snug, the joiner; you, the lion's part: and, Ihope, here is a play fitted.

SNUG

Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if itbe, give it me, for I am slow of study.

QUINCE

You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.

BOTTOM

Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that I willdo 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.'

QUINCE

An you should do it too terribly, you would frightthe duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek;and that were enough to hang us all.

ALL

That would hang us, every mother's son.

BOTTOM

I grant you, friends, if that you should fright theladies out of their wits, they would have no morediscretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate myvoice so that I will roar you as gently as anysucking dove; I will roar you an 'twere anynightingale.

QUINCE

You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is asweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in asummer's day; a most lovely gentleman-like man:therefore you must needs play Pyramus.

BOTTOM

Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I bestto play it in?

QUINCE

Why, what you will.

BOTTOM

I will discharge it in either your straw-colourbeard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grainbeard, or your French-crown-colour beard, yourperfect yellow.

QUINCE

Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, andthen you will play bare-faced. But, masters, hereare your parts: and I am to entreat you, requestyou and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night;and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without thetown, by moonlight; there will we rehearse, for ifwe meet in the city, we shall be dogged withcompany, and our devices known. In the meantime Iwill draw a bill of properties, such as our playwants. I pray you, fail me not.

BOTTOM

We will meet; and there we may rehearse mostobscenely and courageously. Take pains; be perfect: adieu.

QUINCE

At the duke's oak we meet.

BOTTOM

Enough; hold or cut bow-strings.