First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| Enter Quince the Carpenter, Snug the Ioyner, | Enter Quince the carpenter, and Snug the joiner, and | | MND I.ii.1.1 | |
| Bottome the Weauer, Flute the bellowes-mender, | Bottom the weaver, and Flute the bellows-mender, | | MND I.ii.1.2 | |
| Snout the Tinker, and Starueling the Taylor. | and Snout the tinker, and Starveling the tailor | | MND I.ii.1.3 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| Is all our company heere? | Is all our company here? | | MND I.ii.1 | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| You were best to call them generally, man by | You were best to call them generally, man by | | MND I.ii.2 | |
| man according to the scrip. | man, according to the scrip. | scrip (n.) script, text | MND I.ii.3 | |
| Qui. | QUINCE | | | |
| Here is the scrowle of euery mans name, which is | Here is the scroll of every man's name which is | | MND I.ii.4 | |
| thought fit through all Athens, to play in our Enterlude | thought fit through all Athens to play in our interlude | interlude, enterlude (n.)short play, theatrical performance [staged to fill an interval] | MND I.ii.5 | |
| before the Duke and the Dutches, on his wedding day at | before the Duke and the Duchess on his wedding-day at | | MND I.ii.6 | |
| night. | night. | | MND I.ii.7 | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats | First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats | | MND I.ii.8 | |
| on: then read the names of the Actors: and so grow on to a | on; then read the names of the actors; and so grow to a | | MND I.ii.9 | |
| point. | point. | | MND I.ii.10 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| Marry our play is the most lamentable Comedy, | Marry, our play is The most lamentable comedy | marry (int.)[exclamation] by Mary | MND I.ii.11 | |
| and most cruell death of Pyramus and Thisbie. | and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe. | Pyramus (n.)lover of Thisbe; kept apart by their parents, they talked through a crack in their dividing wall; arriving at a rendezvous, Pyramus found Thisbe’s cloak stained with blood from a lion’s prey; thinking she had been killed by a lion | MND I.ii.12 | |
| | Thisbe (n.)[pron: 'thizbee] lover of Pyramus | | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| A very good peece of worke I assure you, and a | A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a | | MND I.ii.13 | |
| merry. Now good Peter Quince, call forth your Actors | merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors | | MND I.ii.14 | |
| by the scrowle. Masters spread your selues. | by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves. | | MND I.ii.15 | |
| Quince. | QUINCE | | | |
| Answere as I call you. Nick Bottome the Weauer. | Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver? | | MND I.ii.16 | |
| Bottome. | BOTTOM | | | |
| Ready; name what part I am for, and | Ready! – Name what part I am for, and | | MND I.ii.17 | |
| proceed. | proceed. | | MND I.ii.18 | |
| Quince. | QUINCE | | | |
| You Nicke Bottome are set downe for Pyramus. | You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus. | | MND I.ii.19 | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| What is Pyramus, a louer, or a tyrant? | What is Pyramus? – a lover or a tyrant? | | MND I.ii.20 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| A Louer that kills himselfe most gallantly for loue. | A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love. | | MND I.ii.21 | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| That will aske some teares in the true performing | That will ask some tears in the true performing | | MND I.ii.22 | |
| of it: if I do it, let the audience looke to their eies: I will | of it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes! I will | do (v.)perform, play one's part, act | MND I.ii.23 | |
| mooue stormes; I will condole in some measure. To the | move storms. I will condole, in some measure. To the | condole (v.)lament, grieve, express great sorrow | MND I.ii.24 | |
| rest yet, my chiefe humour is for a tyrant. I could play | rest. – Yet my chief humour is for a tyrant. I could play | humour (n.)fancy, whim, inclination, caprice | MND I.ii.25 | |
| Ercles rarely, or a part to teare a Cat in, to make all split | Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split: | rarely (adv.)splendidly, beautifully, excellently | MND I.ii.26 | |
| | Ercles (n.)['airkleez] comic form of Hercules | | |
| the raging Rocks; | The raging rocks | | MND I.ii.27 | |
| and shiuering shocks | And shivering shocks | shivering (adj.)shattering, splintering | MND I.ii.28 | |
| shall break the locks | Shall break the locks | | MND I.ii.29 | |
| of prison gates, | Of prison gates, | | MND I.ii.30 | |
| and Phibbus carre | And Phibbus' car | Phoebus (n.)[pron: 'feebus] Latin name for Apollo as the sun-god; also called Phoebus Apollo | MND I.ii.31 | |
| | car (n.)carriage, cart, chariot [often of the sun god] | | |
| shall shine from farre, | Shall shine from far | | MND I.ii.32 | |
| and make and marre | And make and mar | | MND I.ii.33 | |
| the foolish Fates. | The foolish Fates. | Fates (n.)trio of goddesses who control human destiny: Atropos (‘the inflexible’) cuts the thread of life allotted and spun by Lachesis (‘the distributor’) and Clotho (‘the spinner’) | MND I.ii.34 | |
| This was lofty. Now name the rest of the Players. | This was lofty! – Now name the rest of the players. – | | MND I.ii.35 | |
| This is Ercles vaine, a tyrants vaine: a louer is more | This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein. A lover is more | vein (n.)style, manner | MND I.ii.36 | |
| condoling. | condoling. | condoling (adj.)moving, affecting, poignant | MND I.ii.37 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| Francis Flute the Bellowes-mender. | Francis Flute, the bellows-mender? | | MND I.ii.38 | |
| Flu. | FLUTE | | | |
| Heere Peter Quince. | Here, Peter Quince. | | MND I.ii.39 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| You must take Thisbie on you. | Flute, you must take Thisbe on you. | | MND I.ii.40 | |
| Flut. | FLUTE | | | |
| What is Thisbie, a wandring Knight? | What is Thisbe? – a wandering knight? | | MND I.ii.41 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| It is the Lady that Pyramus must loue. | It is the lady that Pyramus must love. | | MND I.ii.42 | |
| Flut. | FLUTE | | | |
| Nay faith, let not mee play a woman, I haue a | Nay, faith, let not me play a woman – I have a | | MND I.ii.43 | |
| beard comming. | beard coming. | | MND I.ii.44 | |
| Qui. | QUINCE | | | |
| That's all one, you shall play it in a Maske, and | That's all one: you shall play it in a mask, and | | MND I.ii.45 | |
| you may speake as small as you will. | you may speak as small as you will. | small (adj.)high-pitched, fluting, thin | MND I.ii.46 | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbie too: | An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too. | and, an (conj.)if, whether | MND I.ii.47 | |
| Ile speake in a monstrous little voyce; Thisne, Thisne, | I'll speak in a monstrous little voice: ‘ Thisne, Thisne!’ | monstrous (adv.)exceedingly, wonderfully, extraordinarily | MND I.ii.48 | |
| ah Pyramus my louer deare, thy Thisbie deare, and Lady | ‘ Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear; thy Thisbe dear, and lady | | MND I.ii.49 | |
| deare. | dear.’ | | MND I.ii.50 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| No no, you must play Pyramus, and Flute, you | No, no; you must play Pyramus; and Flute, you | | MND I.ii.51 | |
| Thisby. | Thisbe. | | MND I.ii.52 | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| Well, proceed. | Well, proceed. | | MND I.ii.53 | |
| Qu. | QUINCE | | | |
| Robin Starueling the Taylor. | Robin Starveling, the tailor? | | MND I.ii.54 | |
| Star. | STARVELING | | | |
| Heere Peter Quince. | Here, Peter Quince. | | MND I.ii.55 | |
| Quince. | QUINCE | | | |
| Robin Starueling, you must play Thisbies | Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe's | | MND I.ii.56 | |
| mother? Tom Snowt, the Tinker. | mother. Tom Snout, the tinker? | | MND I.ii.57 | |
| Snowt. | SNOUT | | | |
| Heere Peter Quince. | Here, Peter Quince. | | MND I.ii.58 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| You, Pyramus father; my self, Thisbies father; | You, Pyramus' father; myself, Thisbe's father; | | MND I.ii.59 | |
| Snugge the Ioyner, you the Lyons part: and I hope there is | Snug, the joiner, you the lion's part; and I hope here is | | MND I.ii.60 | |
| a play fitted. | a play fitted. | | MND I.ii.61 | |
| Snug. | SNUG | | | |
| Haue you the Lions part written? pray you if be, | Have you the lion's part written? Pray you, if it be, | | MND I.ii.62 | |
| giue it me, for I am slow of studie. | give it me; for I am slow of study. | study (n.)preparation, learning, memorizing [of a part] | MND I.ii.63 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| You may doe it extemporie, for it is nothing but | You may do it extempore; for it is nothing but | extempore (adj./adv.)spontaneously, involuntarily, without thinking | MND I.ii.64 | |
| | do (v.)perform, play one's part, act | | |
| roaring. | roaring. | | MND I.ii.65 | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| Let mee play the Lyon too, I will roare that I will | Let me play the lion too. I will roar that I will | | MND I.ii.66 | |
| doe any mans heart good to heare me. I will roare, that I | do any man's heart good to hear me. I will roar that I | | MND I.ii.67 | |
| will make the Duke say, Let him roare againe, let him | will make the Duke say ‘ Let him roar again; let him | | MND I.ii.68 | |
| roare againe. | roar again!’ | | MND I.ii.69 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| If you should doe it too terribly, you would fright | An you should do it too terribly you would fright | fright (v.), past form frightedfrighten, scare, terrify | MND I.ii.70 | |
| | and, an (conj.)if, whether | | |
| the Dutchesse and the Ladies, that they would shrike, and | the Duchess and the ladies that they would shriek; and | | MND I.ii.71 | |
| that were enough to hang vs all. | that were enough to hang us all. | | MND I.ii.72 | |
| All. | ALL Mechanicals | | | |
| That would hang vs euery mothers sonne. | That would hang us, every mother's son. | | MND I.ii.73 | |
| Bottome. | BOTTOM | | | |
| I graunt you friends, if that you should fright the | I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the | | MND I.ii.74 | |
| Ladies out of their Wittes, they would haue no more discretion | ladies out of their wits they would have no more discretion | | MND I.ii.75 | |
| but to hang vs: but I will aggrauate my voyce so, | but to hang us. But I will aggravate my voice so | aggravate (v.)intensify; malapropism for ‘moderate’ | MND I.ii.76 | |
| that I will roare you as gently as any sucking Doue; I will | that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove. I will | sucking (adj.)unweaned, suckling | MND I.ii.77 | |
| roare and 'twere any Nightingale. | roar you an 'twere any nightingale. | and, an (conj.)as if | MND I.ii.78 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| You can play no part but Piramus, for Piramus | You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus | | MND I.ii.79 | |
| is a sweet-fac'd man, a proper man as one shall see in a | is a sweet-faced man; a proper man as one shall see in a | proper (adj.)good-looking, handsome, comely | MND I.ii.80 | |
| summers day; a most louely Gentleman-like man, therfore | summer's day; a most lovely, gentlemanlike man. Therefore | | MND I.ii.81 | |
| you must needs play Piramus. | you must needs play Pyramus. | | MND I.ii.82 | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| Well, I will vndertake it. What beard were I | Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I | | MND I.ii.83 | |
| best to play it in? | best to play it in? | | MND I.ii.84 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| Why, what you will. | Why, what you will. | | MND I.ii.85 | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| I will discharge it, in either your straw-colour | I will discharge it in either your straw-colour | discharge (v.)play, perform, execute | MND I.ii.86 | |
| beard, your orange tawnie beard, your purple in graine | beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain | orange-tawny (adj.)dull yellowish brown | MND I.ii.87 | |
| | purple-in-grain (adj.)dyed bright red | | |
| beard, or your French-crowne colour'd beard, your perfect | beard, or your French-crown-colour beard, your perfect | French-crown-colour (adj.)light yellow coloured [as the French crown coin] | MND I.ii.88 | |
| yellow. | yellow. | | MND I.ii.89 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| Some of your French Crownes haue no haire at all, | Some of your French crowns have no hair at all; | French crownbaldness caused by syphilis [often punning on the French coin] | MND I.ii.90 | |
| | crown (n.)head | | |
| and then you will play bare-fac'd. But masters here | and then you will play bare-faced! But, masters, here | | MND I.ii.91 | |
| are your parts, and I am to intreat you, request you, and | are your parts, and I am to entreat you, request you, and | | MND I.ii.92 | |
| desire you, to con them by too morrow night: and meet me | desire you to con them by tomorrow night, and meet me | con (v.)learn by heart, commit to memory | MND I.ii.93 | |
| in the palace wood, a mile without the Towne, by Moone-light, | in the palace wood a mile without the town by moonlight. | | MND I.ii.94 | |
| there we will rehearse: for if we meete in the Citie, | There will we rehearse; for if we meet in the city | | MND I.ii.95 | |
| we shalbe dog'd with company, and our deuises | we shall be dogged with company, and our devices | device (n.)plan, scheme, intention | MND I.ii.96 | |
| knowne. In the meane time, I wil draw a bil of properties, | known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties | property (n.)(plural) stage requisites, accessories, props | MND I.ii.97 | |
| | draw (v.)draw up, draft, frame | | |
| | bill (n.)inventory, list, catalogue | | |
| such as our play wants. I pray you faile me not. | such as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not. | want (v.)require, demand, need | MND I.ii.98 | |
| Bottom. | BOTTOM | | | |
| We will meete, and there we may rehearse more | We will meet, and there we may rehearse most | | MND I.ii.99 | |
| obscenely and couragiously. Take paines, be perfect, | obscenely and courageously. Take pains; be perfect. | obscenely (adv.)malapropism possibly for ‘seemly’ | MND I.ii.100 | |
| adieu. | Adieu! | | MND I.ii.101 | |
| Quin. | QUINCE | | | |
| At the Dukes oake we meete. | At the Duke's oak we meet. | | MND I.ii.102 | |
| Bot. | BOTTOM | | | |
| Enough, hold or cut bow-strings. | Enough; hold, or cut bowstrings. | hold (v.)keep, maintain, observe | MND I.ii.103 | |
| Exeunt• | Exeunt Bottom and his fellows | | MND I.ii.103 | |