In the dim half-light of dawn Octavius, Antony, Messala, Lucilius, and the army arrive here. Octavius. What man is that? Lucilius. So Brutus should be found. [No one speaks to confirm the guess, for all have recognized Brutus.] Messala. How died my master, Strato? Strato. I held the sword, and he did run on it. Did what they did in envy of great Cæsar; So mixed in him that Nature might stand up [Curtain.] ADDITIONAL READINGS Some of the other fine delineations of the complete play of Julius Cæsar are: Flavius and Marullus. I, i; ii, 288–290.1 Julius Cæsar. I, ii, 1-24, 178-214. II, i, 193-220; ii, iii. I, ii, 215-306; iii. Portia. II, i, 233-309; iv. IV, iii, 144-157. Antony. I, ii, 1–11. III, i, from 122; ii. IV, i. V, i, 1–66. 1 The line numbers refer to The Macmillan Pocket Classics edition of Julius Cæsar. BOTTOM A Playlet in Four Scenes from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM THE IMPERSONATIONS THESEUS (the'sē-us), hero of Grecian mythology, and the "duke" of Athens. HIPPOLYTA (hi-pŏl'I-tȧ), queen of the Amazons, whom Theseus PHILOSTRATE (fil'ō-strāt), master of the revels for Theseus' wedding. QUINCE (kwins), a carpenter, and director of a play to be presented SETTING: Athens (ăth'ěnz), and a wood near there, in prehistoric times. SYNOPSIS Scene I. Quince's house,1 in prehistoric Athens. Scene II. A wood near Athens. Puck frolics with a fairy, watches a rehearsal, and takes part in it. Scene III. At dawn the next day, before the palace wall. Bottom's awakening. Scene IV. On the evening of the same day. *Cast reducible to 13 by doubling Hermia and Puck, Helena and the fairy. 1 Quince's house or Before the wall to Theseus' palace, an alternative setting; Quince's house preferred. PROLOG-INTRODUCTION 1 The scene is in ancient Greece, before the dawn of history. Theseus is a hero of Greek mythology, and a contemporary of Hercules. He is marrying the queen of the Amazons, and a play for the revels at his wedding has been prepared by Quince, the carpenter, for Snug, the joiner, Bottom, the weaver, Flute, the bellowsmender, Snout, the tinker, and Starveling, the tailor. These men are not actors; they are the common working men of Athens. They probably can scarcely read or write. The play that Quince contrives is the oddest assortment of high-sounding phrases and tragic utterances ever heard. And each of the players, inaccurate and rough in memorizing, contributes a good share to the confusion of the comedy. From the first meeting of the six worthies down to the final presentation of the play before "Duke" Theseus, the play goes through amazing adventures. But indeed, the fortunes of the play are not more strange than the adventures of Bottom, the principal actor, who at the rehearsal in the wood meets the fairies and disappears— transformed by the mischievous, fun-loving fairy Puck into a man with an ass's head. 1 The Master of the Revels, Philostrate, may take the Prolog lines. That Shakespeare was able so successfully to bring together in a single play such a diverse set of characters as Theseus and Hippolyta from the Greek myths, fairies from the English folklore, classical Grecians, and the hard-handed men of Athens has been a never-ending source of wonder and delight to the critics. Indeed our own admiration becomes so great that when we lay down our books after the spell of A Midsummer Night's Dream is done (if ever really it is done), we share somewhat the feelings of Bottom as he looms up from the depths of the shadows outside the palace wall on the day after his strange disappearance: we have had a most rare vision. We have had a dream past the wit of man to say what dream it was. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what our dream was. Scene 1. Quince's house in prehistoric Athens Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling enter [R.]. Quince. Here is the scroll1 of every man's name, which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the Duke and the Duchess, on his wedding-day at night. Bottom. First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on. Quince. Our play is, The most sad comedy, and cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby. Bottom. A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves. Quince. Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver. Bottom. Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed. Quince. You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus. Bottom. What is Pyramus? A lover, or a tyrant? Quince. A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love. Bottom. That will ask some tears in the true performing of it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will 1 scroll: a paper written on, usually rolled up. move storms. Yet my chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play Hercules1 rarely, or a part to tear a cat in,2 to make all split. "The raging rocks And shivering shocks Shall shine from far And make and mar1 The foolish Fates." This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players. Quince. Francis Flute, the bellows-mender. Flute. Here, Peter Quince. Quince. Flute, you must take Thisby. Flute. What is Thisby? a wandering5 knight? Quince. It is the lady that Pyramus must love. Flute. Nay, let not me play a woman; I have a beard coming. Quince. That's all one; you shall play it in a mask. Bottom. If I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too. Quince. No, no; you must play Pyramus. Quince. Robin Starveling, the tailor. Starveling. Here, Peter Quince. Quince. Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's mother. — Tom Snout, the tinker. 1 Hercules (hûr'kū-lēz). 2 tear a cat in. He may be thinking of the killing of the Nemean lion by Hercules. Phibbus (fib'us) car: Phoebus' car: the sun. Phoebus Apollo drove his chariot across the heavens every day. 4 mar (mär): defeat. 5 wandering: in search of quests, as King Arthur's knights. |