| Original text | Modern text | Key line |
| Is all our company heere? | Is all our company here? | MND I.ii.1 |
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| 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 | 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 |
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| Marry our play is the most lamentable Comedy, | Marry, our play is The most lamentable comedy | MND I.ii.11 |
| and most cruell death of Pyramus and Thisbie. | and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe. | MND I.ii.12 |
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| Answere as I call you. Nick Bottome the Weauer. | Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver? | MND I.ii.16 |
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| You Nicke Bottome are set downe for Pyramus. | You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus. | MND I.ii.19 |
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| A Louer that kills himselfe most gallantly for loue. | A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love. | MND I.ii.21 |
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| Francis Flute the Bellowes-mender. | Francis Flute, the bellows-mender? | MND I.ii.38 |
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| You must take Thisbie on you. | Flute, you must take Thisbe on you. | MND I.ii.40 |
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| It is the Lady that Pyramus must loue. | It is the lady that Pyramus must love. | MND I.ii.42 |
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| 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. | MND I.ii.46 |
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| 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 |
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| Robin Starueling the Taylor. | Robin Starveling, the tailor? | MND I.ii.54 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| You may doe it extemporie, for it is nothing but | You may do it extempore; for it is nothing but | MND I.ii.64 |
| roaring. | roaring. | MND I.ii.65 |
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| If you should doe it too terribly, you would fright | An you should do it too terribly you would fright | MND I.ii.70 |
| 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 |
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| 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 | 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 |
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| Why, what you will. | Why, what you will. | MND I.ii.85 |
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| Some of your French Crownes haue no haire at all, | Some of your French crowns have no hair at all; | MND I.ii.90 |
| 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 | 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 | 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 | MND I.ii.97 |
| such as our play wants. I pray you faile me not. | such as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not. | MND I.ii.98 |
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| At the Dukes oake we meete. | At the Duke's oak we meet. | MND I.ii.102 |
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| Pat, pat, and here's a maruailous conuenient place | Pat, pat; and here's a marvellous convenient place | MND III.i.2 |
| for our rehearsall. This greene plot shall be our stage, this | for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our stage, this | MND III.i.3 |
| hauthorne brake our tyring house, and we will do it in | hawthorn brake our tiring-house, and we will do it in | MND III.i.4 |
| action, as we will do it before the Duke. | action as we will do it before the Duke. | MND III.i.5 |
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| What saist thou, bully Bottome? | What sayest thou, Bully Bottom? | MND III.i.7 |
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| Well, we will haue such a Prologue, and it shall | Well, we will have such a prologue; and it shall | MND III.i.21 |
| be written in eight and sixe. | be written in eight and six. | MND III.i.22 |
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| Well, it shall be so; but there is two hard things, | Well, it shall be so. But there is two hard things: | MND III.i.43 |
| that is, to bring the Moone-light into a chamber: for you | that is, to bring the moonlight into a chamber – for, you | MND III.i.44 |
| know Piramus and Thisby meete by Moone-light. | know, Pyramus and Thisbe meet by moonlight. | MND III.i.45 |
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| Yes, it doth shine that night. | Yes, it doth shine that night. | MND III.i.49 |
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| I, or else one must come in with a bush of | Ay; or else one must come in with a bush of | MND III.i.53 |
| thorns and a lanthorne, and say he comes to disfigure, or to | thorns and a lantern, and say he comes to disfigure or to | MND III.i.54 |
| present the person of Moone-shine. Then there is another | present the person of Moonshine. Then there is another | MND III.i.55 |
| thing, we must haue a wall in the great Chamber; for | thing. We must have a wall in the Great Chamber; for | MND III.i.56 |
| Piramus and Thisby (saies the story) did talke through the | Pyramus and Thisbe, says the story, did talk through the | MND III.i.57 |
| chinke of a wall. | chink of a wall. | MND III.i.58 |
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| If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit downe | If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down | MND III.i.66 |
| euery mothers sonne, and rehearse your parts. Piramus, | every mother's son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, | MND III.i.67 |
| you begin; when you haue spoken your speech, enter | you begin. When you have spoken your speech, enter | MND III.i.68 |
| into that Brake, and so euery one according to his cue. | into that brake; and so everyone according to his cue. | MND III.i.69 |
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| Speake Piramus: Thisby stand forth. | Speak, Pyramus! Thisbe, stand forth! | MND III.i.74 |
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| Odours, odours. | Odours – odours! | MND III.i.76 |
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| I marry must you. For you must vnderstand he | Ay, marry must you; for you must understand he | MND III.i.83 |
| goes but to see a noyse that he heard, and is to come | goes but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come | MND III.i.84 |
| againe. | again. | MND III.i.85 |
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| Ninus toombe man: why, you must not speake | ‘ Ninus' tomb ’, man! – Why, you must not speak | MND III.i.91 |
| that yet; that you answere to Piramus: you speake all | that yet. That you answer to Pyramus. You speak all | MND III.i.92 |
| your part at once, cues and all. Piramus enter, your | your part at once, cues and all. Pyramus, enter – your | MND III.i.93 |
| cue is past; it is neuer tyre. | cue is past. It is ‘ never tire.’ | MND III.i.94 |
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| O monstrous. O strange. We are hanted; pray | O monstrous! O strange! We are haunted! Pray, | MND III.i.98 |
| masters, flye masters, helpe. | masters! Fly, masters! Help! | MND III.i.99 |
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| Blesse thee Bottome, blesse thee; thou art | Bless thee, Bottom! Bless thee! Thou art | MND III.i.112 |
| translated. | translated! | MND III.i.113 |
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| Haue you sent to Bottomes house? Is he come | Have you sent to Bottom's house? Is he come | MND IV.ii.1 |
| home yet? | home yet? | MND IV.ii.2 |
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| It is not possible: you haue not a man in all | It is not possible. You have not a man in all | MND IV.ii.7 |
| Athens, able to discharge Piramus but he. | Athens able to discharge Pyramus but he. | MND IV.ii.8 |
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| Yea, and the best person too, and hee is a very | Yea and the best person, too; and he is a very | MND IV.ii.11 |
| Paramour, for a sweet voyce. | paramour for a sweet voice. | MND IV.ii.12 |
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| Bottome, ô most couragious day! O most happie | Bottom! O most courageous day! O most happy | MND IV.ii.24 |
| houre! | hour! | MND IV.ii.25 |
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| Let vs heare, sweet Bottome. | Let us hear, sweet Bottom! | MND IV.ii.29 |
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| If we offend, it is with our good will. | If we offend it is with our good will. | MND V.i.108 |
| That you should thinke, we come not to offend, | That you should think we come not to offend | MND V.i.109 |
| But with good will. To shew our simple skill, | But with good will. To show our simple skill, | MND V.i.110 |
| That is the true beginning of our end. | That is the true beginning of our end. | MND V.i.111 |
| Consider then, we come but in despight. | Consider then we come but in despite. | MND V.i.112 |
| We do not come, as minding to content you, | We do not come as minding to content you, | MND V.i.113 |
| Our true intent is. All for your delight, | Our true intent is. All for your delight | MND V.i.114 |
| We are not heere. That you should here repent you, | We are not here. That you should here repent you | MND V.i.115 |
| The Actors are at hand; and by their show, | The actors are at hand, and by their show | MND V.i.116 |
| You shall know all, that you are like to know. | You shall know all that you are like to know. | MND V.i.117 |
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| Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show, | Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show; | MND V.i.126 |
| But wonder on, till truth make all things plaine. | But wonder on, till truth make all things plain. | MND V.i.127 |
| This man is Piramus, if you would know; | This man is Pyramus, if you would know; | MND V.i.128 |
| This beauteous Lady, Thisby is certaine. | This beauteous lady Thisbe is, certain. | MND V.i.129 |
| This man, with lyme and rough-cast, doth present | This man with lime and roughcast doth present | MND V.i.130 |
| Wall, that vile wall, which did these louers sunder: | Wall – that vile wall which did these lovers sunder; | MND V.i.131 |
| And through walls chink (poor soules) they are content | And through Wall's chink, poor souls, they are content | MND V.i.132 |
| To whisper. At the which, let no man wonder. | To whisper. At the which let no man wonder. | MND V.i.133 |
| This man, with Lanthorne, dog, and bush of thorne, | This man with lantern, dog, and bush of thorn | MND V.i.134 |
| Presenteth moone-shine. For if you will know, | Presenteth Moonshine. For if you will know | MND V.i.135 |
| By moone-shine did these Louers thinke no scorne | By moonshine did these lovers think no scorn | MND V.i.136 |
| To meet at Ninus toombe, there, there to wooe: | To meet at Ninus' tomb, there, there to woo. | MND V.i.137 |
| This grizly beast (which Lyon hight by name) | This grisly beast – which Lion hight by name – | MND V.i.138 |
| The trusty Thisby, comming first by night, | The trusty Thisbe coming first by night | MND V.i.139 |
| Did scarre away, or rather did affright: | Did scare away, or rather did affright. | MND V.i.140 |
| And as she fled, her mantle she did fall; | And as she fled, her mantle she did fall, | MND V.i.141 |
| Which Lyon vile with bloody mouth did staine. | Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain. | MND V.i.142 |
| Anon comes Piramus, sweet youth and tall, | Anon comes Pyramus – sweet youth and tall – | MND V.i.143 |
| And findes his Thisbies Mantle slaine; | And finds his trusty Thisbe's mantle slain. | MND V.i.144 |
| Whereat, with blade, with bloody blamefull blade, | Whereat with blade – with bloody, blameful blade – | MND V.i.145 |
| He brauely broacht his boiling bloudy breast, | He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast. | MND V.i.146 |
| And Thisby, tarrying in Mulberry shade, | And Thisbe, tarrying in mulberry shade, | MND V.i.147 |
| His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest, | His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest, | MND V.i.148 |
| Let Lyon, Moone-shine, Wall, and Louers twaine, | Let Lion, Moonshine, Wall, and lovers twain | MND V.i.149 |
| At large discourse, while here they doe remaine. | At large discourse while here they do remain. | MND V.i.150 |