A Midsummer Night's Dream Oberon complete text Oberon. Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania. 2.1.61 Oberon. Tarry, rash wanton: am not I thy lord? 2.1.64 Oberon. How canst thou thus for shame, Titania, 2.1.75 Glance at my credit with Hippolyta, 2.1.76 Knowing I know thy love to Theseus? 2.1.77 Didst thou not lead him through the glimmering night 2.1.78 From Perigenia, whom he ravished? 2.1.79 And make him with fair AEgle break his faith, 2.1.80 With Ariadne and Antiopa? 2.1.81 Oberon. Do you amend it then; it lies in you: 2.1.119 Why should Titania cross her Oberon? 2.1.120 I do but beg a little changeling boy, 2.1.121 To be my henchman. 2.1.122 Oberon. How long within this wood intend you stay? 2.1.140 Oberon. Give me that boy, and I will go with thee. 2.1.145 Oberon. Well, go thy way: thou shalt not from this grove 2.1.148 Till I torment thee for this injury. 2.1.149 My gentle Puck, come hither. Thou rememberest 2.1.150 Since once I sat upon a promontory, 2.1.151 And heard a mermaid on a dolphin's back 2.1.152 Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath 2.1.153 That the rude sea grew civil at her song 2.1.154 And certain stars shot madly from their spheres, 2.1.155 To hear the sea-maid's music. 2.1.156 Oberon. That very time I saw, but thou couldst not, 2.1.158 Flying between the cold moon and the earth, 2.1.159 Cupid all arm'd: a certain aim he took 2.1.160 At a fair vestal throned by the west, 2.1.161 And loosed his love-shaft smartly from his bow, 2.1.162 As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts; 2.1.163 But I might see young Cupid's fiery shaft 2.1.164 page 1
Quench'd in the chaste beams of the watery moon, 2.1.165 And the imperial votaress passed on, 2.1.166 In maiden meditation, fancy-free. 2.1.167 Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell: 2.1.168 It fell upon a little western flower, 2.1.169 Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound, 2.1.170 And maidens call it love-in-idleness. 2.1.171 Fetch me that flower; the herb I shew'd thee once: 2.1.172 The juice of it on sleeping eye-lids laid 2.1.173 Will make or man or woman madly dote 2.1.174 Upon the next live creature that it sees. 2.1.175 Fetch me this herb; and be thou here again 2.1.176 Ere the leviathan can swim a league. 2.1.177 Oberon. Having once this juice, 2.1.180 I'll watch Titania when she is asleep, 2.1.181 And drop the liquor of it in her eyes. 2.1.182 The next thing then she waking looks upon, 2.1.183 Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull, 2.1.184 On meddling monkey, or on busy ape, 2.1.185 She shall pursue it with the soul of love: 2.1.186 And ere I take this charm from off her sight, 2.1.187 As I can take it with another herb, 2.1.188 I'll make her render up her page to me. 2.1.189 But who comes here? I am invisible; 2.1.190 And I will overhear their conference. 2.1.191 Enter DEMETRIUS, HELENA, following him Oberon. Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove, 2.1.249 Thou shalt fly him and he shall seek thy love. 2.1.250 Re-enter PUCK Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer. 2.1.251 Oberon. I pray thee, give it me. 2.1.253 I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, 2.1.254 Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, 2.1.255 Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, 2.1.256 With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine: 2.1.257 There sleeps Titania sometime of the night, 2.1.258 Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight; 2.1.259 And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin, 2.1.260 Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in: 2.1.261 And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes, 2.1.262 And make her full of hateful fantasies. 2.1.263 Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove: 2.1.264 A sweet Athenian lady is in love 2.1.265 With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes; 2.1.266 But do it when the next thing he espies 2.1.267 May be the lady: thou shalt know the man 2.1.268 By the Athenian garments he hath on. 2.1.269 page 2
Effect it with some care, that he may prove 2.1.270 More fond on her than she upon her love: 2.1.271 And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow. 2.1.272 Oberon. What thou seest when thou dost wake, 2.2.27 Do it for thy true-love take, 2.2.28 Love and languish for his sake: 2.2.29 Be it ounce, or cat, or bear, 2.2.30 Pard, or boar with bristled hair, 2.2.31 In thy eye that shall appear 2.2.32 When thou wakest, it is thy dear: 2.2.33 Wake when some vile thing is near. 2.2.34 Exit Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA Oberon. I wonder if Titania be awaked; 3.2.1 Then, what it was that next came in her eye, 3.2.2 Which she must dote on in extremity. 3.2.3 Enter PUCK Here comes my messenger. 3.2.4 How now, mad spirit! 3.2.5 What night-rule now about this haunted grove? 3.2.6 Oberon. This falls out better than I could devise. 3.2.38 But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes 3.2.39 With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do? 3.2.40 Oberon. Stand close: this is the same Athenian. 3.2.44 Oberon. What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite 3.2.91 And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight: 3.2.92 Of thy misprision must perforce ensue 3.2.93 Some true love turn'd and not a false turn'd true. 3.2.94 Oberon. About the wood go swifter than the wind, 3.2.97 And Helena of Athens look thou find: 3.2.98 All fancy-sick she is and pale of cheer, 3.2.99 With sighs of love, that costs the fresh blood dear: 3.2.100 By some illusion see thou bring her here: 3.2.101 I'll charm his eyes against she do appear. 3.2.102 Oberon. Flower of this purple dye, 3.2.105 Hit with Cupid's archery, 3.2.106 Sink in apple of his eye. 3.2.107 When his love he doth espy, 3.2.108 Let her shine as gloriously 3.2.109 page 3
As the Venus of the sky. 3.2.110 When thou wakest, if she be by, 3.2.111 Beg of her for remedy. 3.2.112 Re-enter PUCK Oberon. Stand aside: the noise they make 3.2.119 Will cause Demetrius to awake. 3.2.120 Oberon. This is thy negligence: still thou mistakest, 3.2.363 Or else committ'st thy knaveries wilfully. 3.2.364 Oberon. Thou see'st these lovers seek a place to fight: 3.2.372 Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night; 3.2.373 The starry welkin cover thou anon 3.2.374 With drooping fog as black as Acheron, 3.2.375 And lead these testy rivals so astray 3.2.376 As one come not within another's way. 3.2.377 Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue, 3.2.378 Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong; 3.2.379 And sometime rail thou like Demetrius; 3.2.380 And from each other look thou lead them thus, 3.2.381 Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep 3.2.382 With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep: 3.2.383 Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye; 3.2.384 Whose liquor hath this virtuous property, 3.2.385 To take from thence all error with his might, 3.2.386 And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight. 3.2.387 When they next wake, all this derision 3.2.388 Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision, 3.2.389 And back to Athens shall the lovers wend, 3.2.390 With league whose date till death shall never end. 3.2.391 Whiles I in this affair do thee employ, 3.2.392 I'll to my queen and beg her Indian boy; 3.2.393 And then I will her charmed eye release 3.2.394 From monster's view, and all things shall be peace. 3.2.395 Oberon. But we are spirits of another sort: 3.2.406 I with the morning's love have oft made sport, 3.2.407 And, like a forester, the groves may tread, 3.2.408 Even till the eastern gate, all fiery-red, 3.2.409 Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams, 3.2.410 Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams. 3.2.411 But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay: 3.2.412 We may effect this business yet ere day. 3.2.413 Exit Oberon. [Advancing] Welcome, good Robin. 4.1.46 See'st thou this sweet sight? 4.1.47 page 4
Her dotage now I do begin to pity: 4.1.48 For, meeting her of late behind the wood, 4.1.49 Seeking sweet favours from this hateful fool, 4.1.50 I did upbraid her and fall out with her; 4.1.51 For she his hairy temples then had rounded 4.1.52 With a coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers; 4.1.53 And that same dew, which sometime on the buds 4.1.54 Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls, 4.1.55 Stood now within the pretty flowerets' eyes 4.1.56 Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail. 4.1.57 When I had at my pleasure taunted her 4.1.58 And she in mild terms begg'd my patience, 4.1.59 I then did ask of her her changeling child; 4.1.60 Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent 4.1.61 To bear him to my bower in fairy land. 4.1.62 And now I have the boy, I will undo 4.1.63 This hateful imperfection of her eyes: 4.1.64 And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp 4.1.65 From off the head of this Athenian swain; 4.1.66 That, he awaking when the other do, 4.1.67 May all to Athens back again repair 4.1.68 And think no more of this night's accidents 4.1.69 But as the fierce vexation of a dream. 4.1.70 But first I will release the fairy queen. 4.1.71 Be as thou wast wont to be; 4.1.72 See as thou wast wont to see: 4.1.73 Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower 4.1.74 Hath such force and blessed power. 4.1.75 Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen. 4.1.76 Oberon. There lies your love. 4.1.79 Oberon. Silence awhile. Robin, take off this head. 4.1.82 Titania, music call; and strike more dead 4.1.83 Than common sleep of all these five the sense. 4.1.84 Oberon. Sound, music! Come, my queen, take hands with me, 4.1.88 And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be. 4.1.89 Now thou and I are new in amity, 4.1.90 And will to-morrow midnight solemnly 4.1.91 Dance in Duke Theseus' house triumphantly, 4.1.92 And bless it to all fair prosperity: 4.1.93 There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be 4.1.94 Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity. 4.1.95 Oberon. Then, my queen, in silence sad, 4.1.98 Trip we after the night's shade: 4.1.99 We the globe can compass soon, 4.1.100 Swifter than the wandering moon. 4.1.101 page 5
Oberon. Through the house give gathering light, 5.1.381 By the dead and drowsy fire: 5.1.382 Every elf and fairy sprite 5.1.383 Hop as light as bird from brier; 5.1.384 And this ditty, after me, 5.1.385 Sing, and dance it trippingly. 5.1.386 Oberon. Now, until the break of day, 5.1.391 Through this house each fairy stray. 5.1.392 To the best bride-bed will we, 5.1.393 Which by us shall blessed be; 5.1.394 And the issue there create 5.1.395 Ever shall be fortunate. 5.1.396 So shall all the couples three 5.1.397 Ever true in loving be; 5.1.398 And the blots of Nature's hand 5.1.399 Shall not in their issue stand; 5.1.400 Never mole, hare lip, nor scar, 5.1.401 Nor mark prodigious, such as are 5.1.402 Despised in nativity, 5.1.403 Shall upon their children be. 5.1.404 With this field-dew consecrate, 5.1.405 Every fairy take his gait; 5.1.406 And each several chamber bless, 5.1.407 Through this palace, with sweet peace; 5.1.408 And the owner of it blest 5.1.409 Ever shall in safety rest. 5.1.410 Trip away; make no stay; 5.1.411 Meet me all by break of day. 5.1.412 Exeunt OBERON, TITANIA, and train page 6