Here I Am Meet Me as Before and More Again

A Midsummer Nighttime's Dream Translation Act 1, Scene 2

QUINCE the carpenter, SNUG the cabinetmaker; Bottom the weaver, FLUTE the bellows-repairman, SNOUT the tinker; and STARVELING the tailor all enter.

QUINCE

Is all our company here?

QUINCE

Are all of us here?

Bottom

Yous were all-time to telephone call them by and large, homo by man, according to the scrip.

Lesser

Yous'd be best off calling their names generally, one person at a time, following the social club of the names on the list.

QUINCE

Here is the roll of every man'southward proper noun which is idea fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his nuptials day at night.

QUINCE

Here is the list of the names of every man in Athens who we consider good enough to act in the brusque play we're going to perform for the duke and duchess on the nighttime of their wedding mean solar day.

Bottom

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

Bottom

Starting time, Peter Quince, tell us what the play is about. Then read the names of the actors, and in that way build up to a determination.

QUINCE

Marry, our play i southward The most lamentable comedy and most roughshod death of Pyramus and Thisbe.

QUINCE

Indeed, I volition. Our play is called The Very Tragic Comedy of the Awful Deaths of Pyramus and Thisbe.

BOTTOM

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

Bottom

Believe me, it'due south a great slice of piece of work, and very funny, too. Now, Peter Quince, phone call out the actors on your list. Men, gather around.

QUINCE

Reply as I call you. Nick Lesser, the weaver?

QUINCE

Answer when I call your name. Nick Bottom, the weaver?

BOTTOM

Fix. Proper name what part I am for and keep.

Lesser

Hither. Say which office I'm going to play, and and then go on.

QUINCE

You, Nick Bottom, are set downwardly for Pyramus.

QUINCE

Nick Bottom, you lot will play the role of Pyramus.

BOTTOM

What is Pyramus? A lover or a tyrant?

Lesser

What'southward Pyramus? A lover or a tyrant?

QUINCE

A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for honey.

QUINCE

A lover who, very nobly, kills himself for dear.

Bottom

That will enquire some tears in the truthful performing of it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will movement storms. I volition condole in some measure. To the remainder. Yet my primary humor is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in to make all separate. The raging rocks And shivering shocks Shall break the locks Of prison gates. And Phoebus' machine 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.

BOTTOM

That role will require some tears from me if I am to perform it well. If I perform information technology, the audience amend check their ain eyes. I'll brand tears fall similar rainstorms. I'll make them weep.  I'll limited grief—only the right amount of grief, of class. Okay, now list the other actors.   But, actually, my commencement choice would be to play a tyrant. I'd brand a wonderful Hercules , or any other part that requires ranting and raving that will bring the house downwardly.

The raging rocks
And shivering shocks
Will break the locks
Of prison gates.
And Phoebus ' cart
Will shine from afar
And make and mar
The foolish Fates.

That was high art! Now say who the other actors are. That speech was in the style of Hercules, the tyrant'southward way. A lover would be more weepy.

QUINCE

Francis Flute, the bellows-mender?

QUINCE

Francis Flute, the bellows-repairman?

FLUTE

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

Flute, you must have Thisbe on you.

QUINCE

Flute, you'll play the function of Thisbe.

FLUTE

What is Thisbe? A wandering knight?

FLUTE

Who'due south Thisbe? A knight on a quest?

QUINCE

Information technology is the lady that Pyramus must love.

QUINCE

Thisbe is the lady whom Pyramus loves.

FLUTE

Nay, faith, let me not play a adult female. I have a beard coming.

FLUTE

No, really, please don't brand me play a woman. I'chiliad growing a beard.

QUINCE

That's all ane. You shall play it in a mask, and you may speak equally minor as you will.

QUINCE

That makes no difference. You'll be wearing a mask, and y'all can brand your phonation as high every bit yous want.

BOTTOM

An I may hide my confront, let me play Thisbe also! I'll speak in a monstrous niggling voice: "Thisne, Thisne!" "Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear, thy Thisbe beloved and lady honey!"

Lesser

If I can wear a mask, permit me play Thisbe too! I'll speak in an amazing loftier-pitched voice. Pyramus volition say: "Thisne, Thisne!" And then I'll say: "Ah, Pyramus, my honey dear! I'chiliad your beloved Thisbe—your beloved lady!"

QUINCE

No, no. Yous must play Pyramus. And Flute, you Thisbe.

QUINCE

No, no. You're playing Pyramus. And Flute, yous're playing Thisbe.

Lesser

Well, all right. Continue.

QUINCE

Robin Starveling, the tailor?

QUINCE

Robin Starveling, the tailor?

STARVELING

Hither, Peter Quince.

STARVELING

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

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

QUINCE

Robin Starveling, you're going to play Thisbe's female parent. Tom Snout, the repairman?

SNOUT

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

You, Pyramus' begetter. Myself, Thisbe's begetter. Snug the joiner, you, the lion's role. And I hope here is a play fitted.

QUINCE

You'll play Pyramus' father. Every bit for myself, I'll play Thisbe's father. Snug, the cabinetmaker, you'll play the part of the lion. Now, I hope the play has been well cast.

SNUG

Have you lot the lion'south part written? Pray y'all, if information technology be, requite it me, for I am slow of study.

SNUG

Do y'all have the panthera leo's part written downward? If you lot do, delight give information technology to me, because I'm a slow learner.

QUINCE

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

QUINCE

Yous can improvise the whole thing, because it's just roaring.

Lesser

Let me play the lion too. I will roar, that I will practise any man'southward heart practiced to hear me. I volition roar, that I will make the duke say, "Let him roar once again. Let him roar over again."

BOTTOM

Let me play the lion, too! I'll roar so well that it'll delight anyone who hears me. I'll roar then well that the duke will say, "Let him roar again. Let him roar once more."

QUINCE

An y'all 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.

QUINCE

If you roar besides terrifyingly, you'll scare the duchess and the other ladies, and brand them scream. And that would be enough to get us all hanged.

ALL

That would hang us, every mother'south son.

ALL

They'd hang every single 1 of us.

BOTTOM

I grant you lot, friends, if you lot should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more than discretion but to hang us. But I will beal my vocalization so that I volition roar you lot every bit gently as any sucking dove. I will roar you an 'twere whatever nightingale.

Bottom

I agree, my friends, that if you lot scare the ladies out of their wits, they'd have no selection only to hang us. Simply I'll aggravate my voice so that I'll roar as gently as a baby pigeon. I'll roar like a melodic nightingale.

QUINCE

Y'all can play no office but Pyramus. For Pyramus is a sweet-faced man, a proper human every bit 1 shall see in a summer'southward day, a about lovely, gentlemanlike man. Therefore you must needs play Pyramus.

QUINCE

You lot can't play any part simply Pyramus. Because Pyramus is a good-looking human, the most handsome human y'all could observe on a summer'south twenty-four hour period, the well-nigh lovely gentlemanly man. Therefore yous must play Pyramus.

Lesser

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

BOTTOM

Very well, I'll do it. What would be the best beard for me to wear for the office?

QUINCE

Why, what you volition.

QUINCE

Why, whichever i you desire to wearable.

BOTTOM

I will discharge it in either your harbinger-color bristles, your orange-tawny bristles, your royal-in-grain beard, or your French crown-color beard, your perfect yellowish.

BOTTOM

I'll play the role wearing either a straw-colored bristles, or a dark-brown-yellow beard, or a deep blood-red beard, or a vivid yellow beard the colour of a French crown.

QUINCE

Some of your French crowns accept no hair at all, and then you lot volition play barefaced. Simply masters, here are your parts. And I am to entreat you, request you, and desire you lot to con them by tomorrow nighttime 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 indomitable with company, and our devices known. In the concurrently I will draw a bill of properties such as our play wants. I pray you lot, fail me not.

QUINCE

Some French heads have no hair at all , so perhaps you lot could play the role clean-shaven. But, gentlemen, here are your scripts. I beg yous, ask you, and desire yous to please larn your lines by tomorrow nighttime. And so meet me by moonlight in the duke'southward forest a mile outside of town. In that location we will rehearse, considering if we do it in the urban center, we'll be bothered by crowds of people and everyone will know what we're going to perform. In the meantime, I'll make a listing of props that we'll demand for the play. Now, I beg you lot, don't miss the rehearsal.

Lesser

We volition meet, and there we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously. Take pains. Exist perfect. Adieu.

Lesser

We'll be there, and at that place nosotros'll rehearse obscenely and courageously. Work hard, memorize your lines perfectly. Farewell.

QUINCE

At the duke'due south oak we meet.

QUINCE

Nosotros'll meet at the giant oak tree in the duke'southward forest.

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Source: https://www.litcharts.com/shakescleare/shakespeare-translations/a-midsummer-nights-dream/act-1-scene-2