Quin. Here is the scroll of every man’s name, which is 005 thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before 006 fore the duke and the duchess, on his wedding-day at night.

Bot. First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats 008 on; then read the names of the actors; and so grow to a point.

010 Quin. Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.

Bot. 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.

015 Quin. Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.

Bot. Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed.

Quin. You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.

Bot. What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?

019 Quin. A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.

020 Bot. That will ask some tears in the true performing of it: if I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will move 022 storms, I will condole in some measure. To the rest: yet my chief humour is for a tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, 024 or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split.

025 The raging rocks 026 And shivering shocks Shall break the locks Of prison-gates; And Phibbus’ car 030 Shall shine from far, And make and mar The foolish Fates.

This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players. This is Ercles’ vein, a tyrant’s vein; a lover is more condoling.

035 Quin. Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

Flu. Here, Peter Quince.

037 Quin. Flute, you must take Thisby on you.

Flu. What is Thisby? a wandering knight?

Quin. It is the lady that Pyramus must love.

040 Flu. Nay, faith, let not me play a woman; I have a beard coming.

Quin. That’s all one: you shall play it in a mask, and you may speak as small as you will.

Bot. An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too, I’ll 045 speak in a monstrous little voice, ‘Thisne, Thisne;’ ‘Ah Pyramus, my lover dear! thy Thisby dear, and lady dear!’

Quin. No, no; you must play Pyramus: and, Flute, you Thisby.

Bot. Well, proceed.

050 Quin. Robin Starveling, the tailor.

Star. Here, Peter Quince.

Quin. Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby’s mother. Tom Snout, the tinker.

Snout. Here, Peter Quince.

055 Quin. You, Pyramus’ father: myself, Thisby’s father: 056 Snug, the joiner; you, the lion’s part: and, I hope, here is a play fitted.

Snug. Have you the lion’s part written? pray you, if 059 it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.

060 Quin. You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.

Bot. Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me; I will roar, that I will make the duke say, ‘Let him roar again, let him roar 065 again.’

066 Quin. An you should do it too terribly, you would fright the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek; and that were enough to hang us all.

All. That would hang us, every mother’s son.

070 Bot. I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my voice so, that I 073 will roar you as gently as any sucking dove; I will roar you an ’twere any nightingale.

075 Quin. You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a summer’s day; a most lovely, gentleman-like man: therefore you must needs play Pyramus.

Bot. Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I 080 best to play it in?

Quin. Why, what you will.

Bot. I will discharge it in either your straw colour beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain 084 beard, or your French crown colour beard, your perfect 085 yellow.

Quin. Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play barefaced. But, masters, here are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request you, and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night; and meet me 090 in the palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight; 091 there will we rehearse, for if we meet in the city, we shall be dogged with company, and our devices known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties, such as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not.

095 Bot. We will meet; and there we may rehearse most obscenely 096 and courageously. Take pains; be perfect: adieu.

Quin. At the duke’s oak we meet.

Bot. Enough; hold or cut bow-strings. [Exeunt.