he that writ it had played Pyramus and hanged himself in Thisbe's garter, it would have been a fine tragedy; 360 and so it is, truly, and very notably discharged. But, come, your Bergomask; let your epilogue alone.

The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve.
Lovers, to bed; 't is almost fairy time.

I fear we shall out-sleep 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,

In nightly revels and new jollity.

Enter PUCK

Puck. Now the hungry lion roars,

And the wolf behowls the moon,

Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,
All with weary task fordone.

Now the wasted brands do glow,

[A dance.

370

[Exeunt.

Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,
Puts the wretch that lies in woe

In remembrance of a shroud.

Now it is the time of night

That the graves, all gaping wide,

Every one lets forth his sprite,

380

In the church-way paths to glide;

And we fairies, that do run

By the triple Hecate's team,

From the presence of the sun,

Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic; not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house.

I am sent with broom before,

To sweep the dust behind the door.

390

Enter OBERON and TITANIA with their train

Oberon. Through the house give glimmering light,
By the dead and drowsy fire;

Every elf and fairy sprite

Hop as light as bird from brier,
And this ditty, after me,

Sing, and dance it trippingly.

Titania. First, rehearse your song by rote,
To each word a warbling note;
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,
Will we sing, and bless this place.

400

[Song and dance.

Oberon. Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be,

And the blots of Nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;
Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are

410

Puck.

Despised in nativity,

Shall upon their children be.
With this field-dew consecrate,

Every fairy take his gait;

And each several chamber bless,

Through this palace, with sweet peace;

And the owner of it blest

Ever shall in safety rest.
Trip away, make no stay ;

Meet me all by break of day.

420

[Exeunt Oberon, Titania, and train.

If we shadows have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you
have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend.
If you pardon, we will mend.
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck

Now to scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;

Else the Puck a liar call.

430

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends.

[Exit.

THESEUS AND THE CENTAUR

NOTES

INTRODUCTION

THE METRE OF THE PLAY. It should be understood at the outset that metre, or the mechanism of verse, is something altogether distinct from the music of verse. The one is matter of rule, the other of taste and feeling. Music is not an absolute necessity of verse; the metrical form is a necessity, being that which constitutes the verse.

The plays of Shakespeare (with the exception of rhymed passages, and of occasional songs and interludes) are all in unrhymed or blank verse; and the normal form of this blank verse is illustrated by the third line of the present play: "Another moon; but O, methinks, how slow."

This line, it will be seen, consists of ten syllables, with the even syllables (2d, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th) accented, the odd syllables (1st, 3d, etc.) being unaccented. Theoretically, it is made up of

five feet of two syllables each, with the accent on the second syllable. Such a foot is called an iambus (plural, iambuses, or the Latin iambi), and the form of verse is called iambic.

This fundamental law of Shakespeare's verse is subject to certain modifications, the most important of which are as follows:

1. After the tenth syllable an unaccented syllable (or even two such syllables) may be added, forming what is sometimes called a female line; as in the 191st line of the first scene: "The rest I'd give to be to you translated." The rhythm is complete with the second syllable of translated, the third being an extra eleventh syllable. In line 156 we have two extra syllables, the rhythm being complete with the first syllable of Hermia.

2. The accent in any part of the verse may be shifted from an even to an odd syllable; as in the fifth line of the play: "Like to a step-dame or a dowager"; where the accent is shifted from the second to the first syllable. So in lines 20 and 22, and others that will be readily found. In line 9 the accent is shifted from the sixth syllable to the fifth. This change occurs very rarely in the tenth syllable, and seldom in the fourth; and it is not allowable in two successive accented syllables.

3. An extra unaccented syllable may occur in any part of the line; as in lines 6, 12, and 27. In 6 the second syllable of withering is superfluous; in 12 both the first and third syllables of Athenian; and in 27 the word hath.

4. Any unaccented syllable, occurring in an even place immediately before or after an even syllable which is properly accented, is reckoned as accented for the purposes of the verse; as, for instance, in lines I and 5. In I the last syllable of Hippolyta is metrically equivalent to an accented syllable; and so with the last syllable of dowager in 5. Other examples are the last syllable of revenue in line 6; the second of solemnities and the last of Philostrate in line II; and the third of melancholy and of funerals in line 14. In ii. I. 100, and also in iv. I. 187, undistinguishable has three metrical accents; and the same is true of insufficiency in ii. 2. 128.