Page 2632 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

Happy be Theseus, our renowned Duke! [20]

T HESEUS

Thanks, good Egeus. What’s the news with thee?

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. [25]
Stand forth Lysander. And, my gracious Duke,
This hath bewitch’d the bosom of my child.
Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,
And interchang’d love-tokens with my child:
Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung [30]
With faining voice verses of feigning love,
And stol’n the impression of her fantasy
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats (messengers
Of strong prevailment in unharden’d youth): [35]
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, [40]
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. [45]

T HESEUS

What say you, Hermia? Be advis’d, fair maid.
To you your father should be as a god:
One that compos’d your beauties, yea, and one
To whom you are but as a form in wax
By him imprinted, and within his power [50]
To leave the figure, or disfigure it.
Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.

HERMIA