Know of your youth, examine well your blood, Whether, if you yield not to your father’s choice, You can endure the livery of a nun,
For aye to be in shady cloister mewed, To live a barren sister all your life,
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. Thrice blesséd they that master so their blood, To undergo such maiden pilgrimage;
But earthlier happy is the rose distilled, Than that which withering on the virgin thorn Grows, lives, and dies, in single blessedness.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 1, l. 67
Ay me! for aught that ever I could read, Could ever hear by tale or history,
The course of true love never did run smooth.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 1, l. 132
O hell! to choose love by another’s eye.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 1, l. 140
If there were a sympathy in choice, War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it, Making it momentany as a sound,
Swift as a shadow, short as any dream, Brief as the lightning in the collied night,
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth, And ere a man hath power to say, ‘Behold!’ The jaws of darkness do devour it up:
So quick bright things come to confusion.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 1, l. 141
Your eyes are lodestars! and your tongue’s sweet air More tuneable than lark to shepherd’s ear,
When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 1, l. 183
How happy some o’er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she; But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so; He will not know what all but he do know; And as he errs, doting on Helen’s eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity, Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is wing’d Cupid painted blind.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 1, l. 226
The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 2, l. [11]
Masters, spread yourselves.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 2, l. [16]
If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 2, l. [28]
I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 2, l. [31]
This is Ercles’ vein, a tyrant’s vein.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 2, l. [43]
Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 2, l. [50]
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.’
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 2, l. [73]
I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove; I will roar you as ’twere any nightingale.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 2, l. [85]
Pyramus is a sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a summer’s day.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 2, l. [89]
Hold, or cut bow-strings.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 1, sc. 2, l. [115]
Puck: How now, spirit! whither wander you? Fairy: Over hill, over dale,
Thorough bush, thorough brier, Over park, over pale, Thorough flood, thorough fire, I do wander everywhere,
Swifter than the moone’s sphere; And I serve the fairy queen,
To dew her orbs upon the green: The cowslips tall her pensioners be; In their gold coats spots you see; Those be rubies, fairy favours,
In those freckles live their savours: I must go seek some dew-drops here,
And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 1, l. 1
The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale, Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me; Then slip I from her bum, down topples she, And ‘tailor’ cries, and falls into a cough;
And then the whole quire hold their hips and loff.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 1, l. 51
Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 1, l. 60
The fold stands empty in the drownéd field, And crows are fatted with the murrion flock; The nine men’s morris is filled up with mud.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 1, l. 96
Therefore the moon, the governess of floods, Pale in her anger, washes all the air,
That rheumatic diseases do abound: And thorough this distemperature we see The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 1, l. 103
Since once I sat upon a promontory,
And heard a mermaid on a dolphin’s back Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, That the rude sea grew civil at her song,
And certain stars shot madly from their spheres, To hear the sea-maid’s music.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 1, l. 149
But I might see young Cupid’s fiery shaft Quenched in the chaste beams of the wat’ry moon, And the imperial votaress passed on,
In maiden meditation, fancy-free.
Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell: It fell upon a little western flower,
Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound, And maidens call it, Love-in-idleness.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 1, l. 161
I’ll put a girdle round about the earth In forty minutes.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 1, l. 175
I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine: There sleeps Titania some time of the night, Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight; And there the snake throws her enamelled skin, Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 1, l. 249
You spotted snakes with double tongue, Thorny hedge-hogs, be not seen; Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong; Come not near our fairy queen.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 2, l. 9
Weaving spiders come not here;
Hence you long-legged spinners, hence! Beetles black, approach not near; Worm nor snail, do no offence.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 2, sc. 2, l. 20
God shield us!—a lion among ladies, is a most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful wild-fowl than your lion living.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 1, l. [32]
Look in the almanack; find out moonshine, find out moonshine.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 1, l. [55]
What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here, So near the cradle of the fairy queen?
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 1, l. [82]
Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 1, l. [124]
bottom: The ousel-cock, so black of hue, With orange-tawny bill,
The throstle with his note so true, The wren with little quill.
titania: What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 1, l. [131]
Out of this wood do not desire to go.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 1, l. [159]
As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort, Rising and cawing at the gun’s report,
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 4, sc. 1, l. [43]
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 4, sc. 1, l. [37]
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 4, sc. 1, l. [32]
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 4, sc. 1, l. [25]
Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky; So, at his sight, away his fellows fly.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 2, l. 20
Lord, what fools these mortals be!
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 2, l. 115
So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, seeming parted, But yet an union in partition;
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem; So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 2, l. 208
Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks, Make mouths upon me when I turn my back.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 2, l. 237
O! when she’s angry she is keen and shrewd. She was a vixen when she went to school: And though she be but little, she is fierce.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 2, l. 323
Night’s swift dragons cut the clouds full fast, And yonder shines Aurora’s harbinger;
At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there, Troop home to churchyards.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 2, l. 379
Cupid is a knavish lad,
Thus to make poor females mad.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 2, l. 440
Jack shall have Jill; Nought shall go ill;
The man shall have his mare again, And all shall be well.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 3, sc. 2, l. 461
I must to the barber’s, mounsieur, for methinks I am marvellous hairy about the face. I have a reasonable good ear in music: let us have the tongs and the bones.
Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle of hay: good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow.
I pray you, let none of your people stir me: I have an exposition of sleep come upon me. My Oberon! what visions have I seen!
Methought I was enamoured of an ass.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 4, sc. 1, l. [82]
I was with Hercules and Cadmus once, When in a wood of Crete they bayed the bear With hounds of Sparta: never did I hear...
So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 4, sc. 1, l. [118]
Saint Valentine is past:
Begin these wood-birds but to couple now?
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 4, sc. 1, l. [145]
I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 4, sc. 1, l. [211]
The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream was.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 4, sc. 1, l. [218]
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet, Are of imagination all compact:
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold, That is, the madman; the lover, all as frantic, Sees Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt:
The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven; And, as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing A local habitation and a name.
Such tricks hath strong imagination, That, if it would but apprehend some joy, It comprehends some bringer of that joy; Or in the night, imagining some fear, How easy is a bush supposed a bear!
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 1, l. 7
What revels are in hand? Is there no play, To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 1, l. 36
A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus And his love Thisbe: very tragical mirth. Merry and tragical! tedious and brief!
That is, hot ice and wondrous strange snow.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 1, l. 56
For never anything can be amiss, When simpleness and duty tender it.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 1, l. 82
Out of this silence yet I pick’d a welcome; And in the modesty of fearful duty
I read as much as from the rattling tongue Of saucy and audacious eloquence.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 1, l. 100
If we offend, it is with our good will.
That you should think, we come not to offend, But with good will. To show our simple skill, That is the true beginning of our end.
Consider then we come but in despite.
We do not come as minding to content you, Our true intent is. All for your delight,
We are not here.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 1, l. [108]
Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade, He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 1, l. [148]
I see a voice: now will I to the chink, To spy an I can hear my Thisby’s face.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 1, l. [195]
The best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend them.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 1, l. [215]
The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve; Lovers, to bed; ’tis almost fairy time.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 1, l. [372]
Now the hungry lion roars,
And the wolf behowls the moon; Whilst the heavy ploughman snores, All with weary task fordone.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 2, l. 1
Not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow’d house: I am sent with broom before,
To sweep the dust behind the door.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 2, l. 17
If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumbered here While these visions did appear.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (1595-6) act 5, sc. 2, l. 54
7.66.24 Much Ado About Nothing
A victory is twice itself when the achiever brings home full numbers.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 1, sc. 1, l. [8]
He hath indeed better bettered expectation than you must expect of me to tell you how.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 1, sc. 1, l. [15]
He is a very valiant trencher-man.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 1, sc. 1, l. [52]
How much better is it to weep at joy than to joy at weeping.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 1, sc. 1, l. [27]
I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 1, sc. 1, l. [79]
Beatrice: I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior Benedick: nobody marks you. Benedick: What! my dear Lady Disdain, are you yet living?
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 1, sc. 1, l. [121]
Shall I never see a bachelor of three-score again?
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 1, sc. 1, l. [209]
In time the savage bull doth bear the yoke.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 1, sc. 1, l. [271]
Lord! I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face: I had rather lie in the woollen.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 1, l. [31]
Would it not grieve a woman to be over-mastered with a piece of valiant dust? to make an account of her life to a clod of wayward marl?
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 1, l. [64]
I have a good eye, uncle: I can see a church by daylight.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 1, l. [86]
Speak low, if you speak love.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 1, l. [104]
Friendship is constant in all other things Save in the office and affairs of love.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 1, l. [184]
She speaks poniards, and every word stabs: if her breath were as terrible as her terminations, there were no living near her; she would infect to the north star.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 1, l. [257]
I will go on the slightest errand now to the Antipodes that you can devise to send me on; I will fetch you a toothpicker now from the furthest inch of Asia; bring you the length of Prester John’s foot; fetch you a hair off the Great Cham’s beard; do you any embassage to the Pigmies, rather
than hold three words’ conference with this harpy.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 1, l. [274]
Speak, cousin, or, if you cannot, stop his mouth with a kiss.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 1, l. [322]
Don Pedro: Out of question, you were born in a merry hour.
Beatrice: No, sure, my lord, my mother cried; but then there was a star danced, and under that was I born.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 1, l. [348]
She is never sad but when she sleeps; and not ever sad then, for I have heard my daughter say, she hath often dreamed of unhappiness and waked herself with laughing.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 1, l. [360]
I have known, when he would have walked ten miles afoot to see a good armour; and now will he lie ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 3, l. [16]
Is it not strange, that sheeps’ guts should hale souls out of men’s bodies?
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 3, l. [62]
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more, Men were deceivers ever;
One foot in sea, and one on shore, To one thing constant never. Then sigh not so,
But let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny, Converting all your sounds of woe Into Hey nonny, nonny.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 3, l. [65]
Sits the wind in that corner?
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 3, l. [108]
Doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 3, l. [258]
The world must be peopled. When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 2, sc. 3, l. [262]
Now begin;
For look where Beatrice, like a lapwing, runs Close by the ground, to hear our counsel.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 1, l. 23
Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 1, l. 51
Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu!
No glory lives behind the back of such. And, Benedick, love on; I will requite thee, Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 1, l. 109
He hath a heart as sound as a bell, and his tongue is the clapper; for what his heart thinks his tongue speaks.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 2, l. [12]
Well, every one can master a grief but he that has it.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 2, l. [28]
A’ brushes his hat a mornings; what should that bode?
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 2, l. [41]
The barber’s man hath been seen with him; and the old ornament of his cheek hath already stuffed tennis-balls.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 2, l. [45]
To be a well-favoured man is the gift of fortune; but to write and read comes by nature
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 3, l. [14]
Well, for your favour, sir, why, give God thanks, and make no boast of it; and for your writing and reading, let that appear when there is no need of such vanity. You are thought here to be the most senseless and fit man for the constable of the watch.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 3, l. [19]
You shall comprehend all vagrom men.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 3, l. [25]
For the watch to babble and to talk is most tolerable and not to be endured.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 3, l. [36]
The most peaceable way for you, if you do take a thief, is, to let him show himself what he is and steal out of your company.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 3, l. [61]
I thank God, I am as honest as any man living, that is an old man and no honester than I.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 5, l. [15]
Comparisons are odorous.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 5, l. [18]
A good old man, sir; he will be talking: as they say, ‘when the age is in, the wit is out.’
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 5, l. [36]
Well, God’s a good man.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 3, sc. 5, l. [39]
O! what men dare do! what men may do! what men daily do, not knowing what they do!
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 4, sc. 1, l. [19]
I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is not that strange?
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1598-9) act 4, sc. 1, l. [271]
Beatrice: You have stayed me in a happy hour. I was about to protest I loved you.
