| Original text | Modern text | Key line |
| Heere Peter Quince. | Here, Peter Quince. | MND I.ii.39 |
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| What is Thisbie, a wandring Knight? | What is Thisbe? – a wandering knight? | MND I.ii.41 |
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| 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 |
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| Must I speake now? | Must I speak now? | MND III.i.82 |
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| Most radiant Piramus, most Lilly white of hue, | Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue, | MND III.i.86 |
| Of colour like the red rose on triumphant bryer, | Of colour like the red rose on triumphant briar, | MND III.i.87 |
| Most brisky Iuuenall, and eke most louely Iew, | Most brisky juvenal, and eke most lovely Jew, | MND III.i.88 |
| As true as truest horse, that yet would neuer tyre, | As true as truest horse that yet would never tire, | MND III.i.89 |
| Ile meete thee Piramus, at Ninnies toombe. | I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb – | MND III.i.90 |
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| O, | O! | MND III.i.95 |
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| as true as truest horse, that yet would neuer tyre: | As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire. | MND III.i.96 |
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| If he come not, then the play is mar'd. It goes not | If he come not, then the play is marred. It goes not | MND IV.ii.5 |
| forward, doth it? | forward. Doth it? | MND IV.ii.6 |
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| No, hee hath simply the best wit of any handy-craft | No, he hath simply the best wit of any handicraft | MND IV.ii.9 |
| man in Athens. | man in Athens. | MND IV.ii.10 |
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| You must say, Paragon. A Paramour is (God blesse | You must say ‘ paragon.’ A paramour is – God bless | MND IV.ii.13 |
| vs) a thing of nought. | us – a thing of naught. | MND IV.ii.14 |
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| O sweet bully Bottome: thus hath he lost sixepence | O, sweet Bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost sixpence | MND IV.ii.18 |
| a day, during his life; he could not haue scaped sixpence | a day during his life. He could not have scaped sixpence | MND IV.ii.19 |
| a day. And the Duke had not giuen him sixpence a day for | a day. An the Duke had not given him sixpence a day for | MND IV.ii.20 |
| playing Piramus, Ile be hang'd. He would haue deserued | playing Pyramus, I'll be hanged. He would have deserved | MND IV.ii.21 |
| it. Sixpence a day in Piramus, or nothing. | it. Sixpence a day in Pyramus, or nothing. | MND IV.ii.22 |
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| O wall, full often hast thou heard my mones, | O wall, full often hast thou heard my moans | MND V.i.185 |
| For parting my faire Piramus, and me. | For parting my fair Pyramus and me. | MND V.i.186 |
| My cherry lips haue often kist thy stones; | My cherry lips have often kissed thy stones, | MND V.i.187 |
| Thy stones with Lime and Haire knit vp in thee. | Thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee. | MND V.i.188 |
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| My Loue thou art, my Loue I thinke. | My love! Thou art my love, I think? | MND V.i.191.2 |
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| And like Helen till the Fates me kill. | And I like Helen till the Fates me kill. | MND V.i.194 |
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| As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you. | As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you. | MND V.i.196 |
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| I kisse the wals hole, not your lips at all. | I kiss the wall's hole, not your lips at all. | MND V.i.198 |
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| Tide life, tide death, I come without delay. | Tide life, tide death, I come without delay. | MND V.i.200 |
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| This is old Ninnies tombe: where is my loue? | This is old Ninny's tomb. Where is my love? | MND V.i.255 |
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| Asleepe my Loue? | Asleep, my love? | MND V.i.316 |
| What, dead my Doue? | What, dead, my dove? | MND V.i.317 |
| O Piramus arise: | O Pyramus, arise. | MND V.i.318 |
| Speake, Speake. Quite dumbe? | Speak, speak. Quite dumb? | MND V.i.319 |
| Dead, dead? A tombe | Dead, dead? A tomb | MND V.i.320 |
| Must couer thy sweet eyes. | Must cover thy sweet eyes. | MND V.i.321 |
| These Lilly Lips, | These lily lips, | MND V.i.322 |
| this cherry nose, | This cherry nose, | MND V.i.323 |
| These yellow Cowslip cheekes | These yellow cowslip cheeks | MND V.i.324 |
| Are gone, are gone: | Are gone, are gone. | MND V.i.325 |
| Louers make mone: | Lovers, make moan – | MND V.i.326 |
| His eyes were greene as Leekes. | His eyes were green as leeks. | MND V.i.327 |
| O sisters three, | O sisters three, | MND V.i.328 |
| come, come to mee, | Come, come to me | MND V.i.329 |
| With hands as pale as Milke, | With hands as pale as milk; | MND V.i.330 |
| Lay them in gore, | Lay them in gore, | MND V.i.331 |
| since you haue shore | Since you have shore | MND V.i.332 |
| With sheeres, his thred of silke. | With shears his thread of silk. | MND V.i.333 |
| Tongue not a word: | Tongue, not a word! | MND V.i.334 |
| Come trusty sword: | Come, trusty sword, | MND V.i.335 |
| Come blade, my brest imbrue: | Come blade, my breast imbrue. | MND V.i.336 |
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| And farwell friends, | And farewell friends. | MND V.i.337 |
| thus Thisbie ends; | Thus Thisbe ends. | MND V.i.338 |
| Adieu, adieu, adieu. | Adieu, adieu, adieu! | MND V.i.339 |