A Midsummer Night's Dream: Act 3, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
With Titania still asleep onstage, enter the Clowns, Bottom, Quince, Snout, Starveling, Snug, and Flute. BOTTOM Are we all met? QUINCE Pat, pat. And here’s a marvels convenient place for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our stage, this hawthorn brake our tiring-house, and we will do it in action as we will do it before 5 the Duke. BOTTOM Peter Quince? QUINCE What sayest thou, bully Bottom?	As Titania sleeps on a cushy bed of flowers, the Mechanicals (craftsmen) enter the woods to practice their play, Pyramus and Thisbe.
BOTTOM There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe that will never please. First, Pyramus 10 must draw a sword to kill himself, which the ladies cannot abide. How answer you that?	Bottom points out that the play has a lot of content that isn't appropriate for Theseus and his bride, like the part where Pyramus draws his sword and kills himself.
SNOUT By ’r lakin, a parlous fear. STARVELING I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is done. 15 BOTTOM Not a whit! I have a device to make all well. Write me a prologue, and let the prologue seem to say we will do no harm with our swords and that Pyramus is not killed indeed. And, for the more better assurance, tell them that I, Pyramus, am not 20 Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver. This will put them out of fear.	Starveling suggests they just leave the killing out (despite the fact that the double-suicide is the whole point of the play), but Bottom comes up with a better solution. Quince should write a prologue to let all the delicate ladies know that the action isn't real and the characters are only actors. If the women know Pyramus isn't Pyramus, but really only Bottom the weaver, they'll be comforted.
QUINCE Well, we will have such a prologue, and it shall be written in eight and six. BOTTOM No, make it two more. Let it be written in 25 eight and eight.	Next, the Mechanicals quibble over what meter the prologue should be written in (how many syllables per line). Not surprisingly, Bottom has a suggestion for this, too.
SNOUT Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion? STARVELING I fear it, I promise you. BOTTOM Masters, you ought to consider with yourself, to bring in (God shield us!) a lion among ladies is a 30 most dreadful thing. For there is not a more fearful wildfowl than your lion living, and we ought to look to ’t. SNOUT Therefore another prologue must tell he is not a lion. 35 BOTTOM Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be seen through the lion’s neck, and he himself must speak through, saying thus, or to the same defect: “Ladies,” or “Fair ladies, I would wish you,” or “I would request you,” or “I would 40 entreat you not to fear, not to tremble! My life for yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it were pity of my life. No, I am no such thing. I am a man as other men are.” And there indeed let him name his name and tell them plainly he is Snug the joiner. 45	Snout then brings up another question: Will the lion in the play frighten the ladies? Starveling admits the lion frightens him. Bottom adds his two cents, saying the group should think twice before bringing a lion in among ladies. To remedy the situation, Bottom suggests that the actor playing the lion should show his face through his costume. Also, Snug, in the Lion's costume, should tell the ladies that he's not really a lion.
QUINCE Well, it shall be so. But there is two hard things: that is, to bring the moonlight into a chamber, for you know Pyramus and Thisbe meet by moonlight. SNOUT Doth the moon shine that night we play our 50 play? BOTTOM A calendar, a calendar! Look in the almanac. Find out moonshine, find out moonshine. Quince takes out a book. QUINCE Yes, it doth shine that night. BOTTOM Why, then, may you leave a casement of the 55 great chamber window, where we play, open, and the moon may shine in at the casement. QUINCE Ay, or else one must come in with a bush of thorns and a lantern and say he comes to disfigure or to present the person of Moonshine. Then there 60 is another thing: we must have a wall in the great chamber, for Pyramus and Thisbe, says the story, did talk through the chink of a wall.	With those problems settled, Quince brings up two more issues. They need moonlight, because Pyramus and Thisbe meet by moonlight, but they're going to be performing indoors. Quince suggests that maybe they could have the guy playing the moon carry a lantern, and be dressed up as the man in the moon. But there's another problem: they need a wall for Pyramus and Thisbe to talk through.
SNOUT You can never bring in a wall. What say you, Bottom? 65 BOTTOM Some man or other must present Wall. And let him have some plaster, or some loam, or some roughcast about him to signify wall, or let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisbe whisper. 70	Bottom, always the problem solver, says they should have a man dress up as a plastered wall. Also, the guy playing the "part" of the wall should use his fingers to make an O-shaped hole so Pyramus and Thisbe can whisper to each other through it.
QUINCE If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down, every mother’s son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you begin. When you have spoken your speech, enter into that brake, and so everyone according to his cue. 75	With all the important casting and staging stuff out of the way, the Mechanicals get ready to rehearse.
Enter Robin invisible to those onstage. ROBIN, aside What hempen homespuns have we swagg’ring here So near the cradle of the Fairy Queen? What, a play toward? I’ll be an auditor— An actor too perhaps, if I see cause.	Puck sneaks up to the scene, delighted to have so many fools around. He decides to watch and participate.
QUINCE Speak, Pyramus.—Thisbe, stand forth. 80 BOTTOM, as Pyramus Thisbe, the flowers of odious savors sweet— QUINCE Odors, odors! BOTTOM, as Pyramus …odors savors sweet. So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisbe dear.— But hark, a voice! Stay thou but here awhile, 85 And by and by I will to thee appear. He exits. ROBIN, aside A stranger Pyramus than e’er played here. He exits.	The men begin to rehearse the play with lots of misspeaking. Bottom, as Pyramus, exits, and Robin follows him, commenting that he's never seen a stranger portrayal of Pyramus.
FLUTE Must I speak now? QUINCE Ay, marry, must you, for you must understand he goes but to see a noise that he heard and is to 90 come again. FLUTE, as Thisbe Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue, Of color like the red rose on triumphant brier, Most brisky juvenal and eke most lovely Jew, As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire. 95 I’ll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny’s tomb. QUINCE “Ninus’ tomb,” man! Why, you must not speak that yet. That you answer to Pyramus. You speak all your part at once, cues and all.—Pyramus, enter. Your cue is past. It is “never tire.” 100 FLUTE O! As Thisbe. As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire.	Flute, as Thisbe, says all his lines at once, instead of waiting for cues. (This play's going to be a disaster.)
Enter Robin, and Bottom as Pyramus with the ass-head. BOTTOM, as Pyramus If I were fair, fair Thisbe, I were only thine.	Just as the Mechanicals are clearing Flute's timing issues, Bottom comes back onto stage. He now has a donkey's head where his own should be, thanks to one of Puck's tricks.
QUINCE O monstrous! O strange! We are haunted. Pray, 105 masters, fly, masters! Help! Quince, Flute, Snout, Snug, and Starveling exit. ROBIN I’ll follow you. I’ll lead you about a round, Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier. Sometime a horse I’ll be, sometime a hound, 110 A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire, And neigh and bark and grunt and roar and burn, Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn. He exits.	As you might expect, this donkey-Bottom hybrid is frightening. All the other men run away in a panic. Robin follows them, leading the Mechanicals in circles about the dark woods and chasing them in the guise of scary things: a headless bear, hounds, and flames.
BOTTOM Why do they run away? This is a knavery of them to make me afeard. 115 Enter Snout. SNOUT O Bottom, thou art changed! What do I see on thee? BOTTOM What do you see? You see an ass-head of your own, do you? Snout exits.	Snout informs Bottom that he has been transformed, but Bottom doesn't believe him. He calls Snout (ironically) an "ass-head."
Enter Quince. QUINCE Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee! Thou art 120 translated! He exits. BOTTOM I see their knavery. This is to make an ass of me, to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can. I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear 125 I am not afraid. He sings. The ouzel cock, so black of hue, With orange-tawny bill, The throstle with his note so true, The wren with little quill— 130	Quince comes back, also claiming Bottom has changed. Bottom then announces that he sees that they're just trying to make "an ass" of him. Yep. This is another case of dramatic irony all right. Go to "Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory" if you want to know more about it. Bottom insists he won't move from this place, and will even sing a song to prove he isn't scared.
TITANIA, waking up What angel wakes me from my flow’ry bed? BOTTOM sings The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, The plainsong cuckoo gray, Whose note full many a man doth mark And dares not answer “nay”— 135 for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? Who would give a bird the lie though he cry “cuckoo” never so? TITANIA I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again. Mine ear is much enamored of thy note, 140 So is mine eye enthrallèd to thy shape, And thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move me On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.	Bottom's singing wakes Titania (who has recently had the magic love juice sprinkled in her eyes). Titania sees Bottom and instantly falls head over heels in love...with an ass. Then she begs Bottom to sing some more.
BOTTOM Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that. And yet, to say the truth, reason 145 and love keep little company together nowadays. The more the pity that some honest neighbors will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion. TITANIA Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. 150	Bottom, a little taken aback, tells her she has no reason to love him. He does add that reason and love aren't related these days. He philosophizes on this for a bit, and Titania praises him for being both wise and beautiful.
BOTTOM Not so neither; but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn. TITANIA Out of this wood do not desire to go. Thou shalt remain here whether thou wilt or no. 155 I am a spirit of no common rate. The summer still doth tend upon my state, And I do love thee. Therefore go with me. I’ll give thee fairies to attend on thee, And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep 160 And sing while thou on pressèd flowers dost sleep. And I will purge thy mortal grossness so That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.— Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mote, and Mustardseed!	Bottom says he isn't either wise or beautiful, but really he only needs enough wit to get out of these woods. Titania informs Bottom that he'll stay whether he wants to or not. She loves him and he will remain with her. She'll have her fairies tend to him—they'll bring him jewels from the sea, he'll sleep on flower petals, and she'll rid him of his mortality, so that he'll live forever, just like her.
Enter four Fairies: Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mote, and Mustardseed. PEASEBLOSSOM Ready. 165 COBWEB And I. MOTE And I. MUSTARDSEED And I. ALL Where shall we go? TITANIA Be kind and courteous to this gentleman. 170 Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes; Feed him with apricocks and dewberries, With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries; The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees, And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs 175 And light them at the fiery glowworms’ eyes To have my love to bed and to arise; And pluck the wings from painted butterflies To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes. Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies. 180 PEASEBLOSSOM Hail, mortal! COBWEB Hail! MOTE Hail! MUSTARDSEED Hail!	Titania tells the fairies to tend to her new lover—yep, the guy with the donkey-head—with all the best nature has to offer. The fairies bring in grapes, figs, mulberries, bee's honey, and glowworms to light her bedchamber. In addition, the fairies should fan the moonbeams away from Bottom with the wings plucked off of butterflies.
BOTTOM I cry your Worships mercy, heartily.—I beseech 185 your Worship’s name. COBWEB Cobweb. BOTTOM I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Cobweb. If I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you.—Your name, honest gentleman? 190 PEASEBLOSSOM Peaseblossom. BOTTOM I pray you, commend me to Mistress Squash, your mother, and to Master Peascod, your father. Good Master Peaseblossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance too.—Your name, I beseech 195 you, sir? MUSTARDSEED Mustardseed. BOTTOM Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well. That same cowardly, giantlike ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house. I 200 promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Mustardseed.	Bottom then does what Bottom does best—he rambles on and cracks a bunch of lame jokes.
TITANIA Come, wait upon him. Lead him to my bower. The moon, methinks, looks with a wat’ry eye, 205 And when she weeps, weeps every little flower, Lamenting some enforcèd chastity. Tie up my lover’s tongue. Bring him silently. They exit.	Titania orders the fairies to bring Bottom to her sleeping space and then comments that the moon looks sad, likely because someone is being denied love (or sex). In a somewhat creepy addition to her request to have Bottom brought to her bed, she tells the fairies to tie up his tongue and keep him silent.

A Midsummer Night's Dream: Act 3, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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