Act 1, Scene 2: Athens. QUINCE'S house

SCENE II. Athens. QUINCE'S house.

    Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING

QUINCE

    Is all our company here?

BOTTOM

    You were best to call them generally, man by man,
    according to the scrip.

QUINCE

    Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is
    thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our
    interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his
    wedding-day at night.

BOTTOM

    First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats
    on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow
    to a point.

QUINCE

    Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy, and
    most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.

BOTTOM

    A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a
    merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your
    actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.

QUINCE

    Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.

BOTTOM

    Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed.

QUINCE

    You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.

BOTTOM

    What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?

QUINCE

    A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.

BOTTOM

    That will ask some tears in the true performing of
    it: if I do it, let the audience look to their
    eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in some
    measure. To the rest: yet my chief humour is for a
    tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to
    tear a cat in, to make all split.
    The raging rocks
    And shivering shocks
    Shall break the locks
    Of prison gates;
    And Phibbus' car
    Shall shine from far
    And make and mar
    The foolish Fates.
    This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players.
    This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover is
    more condoling.

QUINCE

    Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

FLUTE

    Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

    Flute, you must take Thisby on you.

FLUTE

    What is Thisby? a wandering knight?

QUINCE

    It is the lady that Pyramus must love.

FLUTE

    Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming.

QUINCE

    That's all one: you shall play it in a mask, and
    you may speak as small as you will.

BOTTOM

    An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too, I'll
    speak in a monstrous little voice. 'Thisne,
    Thisne;' 'Ah, Pyramus, lover dear! thy Thisby dear,
    and lady dear!'

QUINCE

    No, no; you must play Pyramus: and, Flute, you Thisby.

BOTTOM

    Well, proceed.

QUINCE

    Robin Starveling, the tailor.

STARVELING

    Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

    Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's mother.
    Tom Snout, the tinker.

SNOUT

    Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

    You, Pyramus' father: myself, Thisby's father:
    Snug, the joiner; you, the lion's part: and, I
    hope, here is a play fitted.

SNUG

    Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if it
    be, give it me, for I am slow of study.

QUINCE

    You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.

BOTTOM

    Let me play the lion too: 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.'

QUINCE

    An you should do it too terribly, you would fright
    the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek;
    and that were enough to hang us all.

ALL

    That would hang us, every mother's son.

BOTTOM

    I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the
    ladies out of their wits, they would have no more
    discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my
    voice so that I will roar you as gently as any
    sucking dove; I will roar you an 'twere any
    nightingale.

QUINCE

    You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a
    sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a
    summer's day; a most lovely gentleman-like man:
    therefore you must needs play Pyramus.

BOTTOM

    Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best
    to play it in?

QUINCE

    Why, what you will.

BOTTOM

    I will discharge it in either your straw-colour
    beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain
    beard, or your French-crown-colour beard, your
    perfect yellow.

QUINCE

    Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and
    then you will play bare-faced. But, masters, here
    are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request
    you and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night;
    and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the
    town, by moonlight; there will we rehearse, for if
    we meet in the city, we shall be dogged with
    company, and our devices known. In the meantime I
    will draw a bill of properties, such as our play
    wants. I pray you, fail me not.

BOTTOM

    We will meet; and there we may rehearse most
    obscenely and courageously. Take pains; be perfect: adieu.

QUINCE

    At the duke's oak we meet.

BOTTOM

    Enough; hold or cut bow-strings.

    Exeunt