Page:Midsummer Night's Dream (1918) Yale.djvu/19

Night's Dream, I. i  To do observance to a morn of May, There will I stay for thee.

Her.My good Lysander! I swear to thee by Cupid's strongest bow, By his best arrow with the golden head, By the simplicity of Venus' doves, By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves, And by that fire which burn'd the Carthage queen, When the false Troyan under sail was seen, By all the vows that ever men have broke,— In number more than ever women spoke,— In that same place thou hast appointed me, To-morrow truly will I meet with thee.

Lys. Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena.

Her. God speed fair Helena! Whither away?

Hel. Call you me fair? that fair again unsay. Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair! Your eyes are lode-stars! and your tongue's sweet air More tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear, When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. Sickness is catching: O! were favour so, Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go; My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye, My tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody. Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, The rest I'll give to be to you translated. O! teach me how you look, and with what art  173 Carthage queen: Dido 174 Troyan: Æneas 182 fair: beauty 183 lode-stars: guiding-stars 184 tuneable: tuneful 186 favour: charm 190 bated: excepted 191 translated: transformed 