Page 2713 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

T HESEUS

Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.

DEMET RIUS

Ay, and Wall too.

BOT T OM

(starting up)
No, I assure you; the wall is down that parted their fathers. (Flute rises.)
Will it please you to see the epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance [345]
between two of our company?

T HESEUS

No epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no excuse. Never excuse; for
when the players are all dead, there need none to be blamed. Marry, if he
that writ it had played Pyramus, and hanged himself in Thisbe’s [350]
garter, it would have been a fine tragedy-and so it is, truly, and very
notably discharged. But come, your Bergomask; let your epilogue alone.

(Enter Quince, Snug, Snout, and Starveling, two of whom dance a
Bergomask. Then exeunt handicraftsmen, including Flute and Bottom.)

The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve.
Lovers, to bed; ’tis almost fairy time. [355]
I fear we shall outsleep the coming morn
As much as we this night have overwatch’d.
This palpable-gross play hath well beguil’d
The heavy gait of night. Sweet friends, to bed.
A fortnight hold we this solemnity [360]
In nightly revels and new jollity.

Exeunt.

Enter Puck.

PUCK

Now the hungry lion roars,
And the wolf behowls the moon;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,
All with weary task fordone. [365]
Now the wasted brands do glow,
Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,
Puts the wretch that lies in woe
In remembrance of a shroud.