William Shakespeare

“ How chance Moonshine is gone before Thisbe comes back and finds her lover?
Theseus.
She will find him by starlight. Here she comes; and her passion ends the play.
Re-enter Thisbe.
Hippolyta.
Methinks she should not use a long one for such a Pyramus: I hope she will be brief.
Demetrius.
A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus, which Thisbe, is the better; he for a man, God warrant us; she for a woman, God bless us. ”

“ A very gentle beast, and of a good conscience.
Demetrius.
The very best at a beast, my lord, that e’er I saw.
Lysander.
This lion is a very fox for his valour.
Theseus.
True; and a goose for his discretion,
Demetrius.
Not so, my lord; for his valour cannot carry his discretion; and the fox carries the goose.
Theseus.
His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his valour; for the goose carries not the fox. It is well: leave it to his discretion, and let us listen to the moon. ”

“ All that I have to say, is, to tell you that the lanthorn is the moon; I, the man in the moon; this thorn-bush, my thorn-bush; and this dog, my dog.
Demetrius.
Why, all these should be in the lanthorn; for all these are in the moon. But, silence! here comes Thisbe.
Enter Thisbe.
Thisbe.
This is old Ninny’s tomb, Where is my love? ”

“ Enter Quince for the Prologue.
Prologue.
If we offend, it is with our good will.
That you should think, we come not to offend,
But with good will. To show our simple skill,
That is the true beginning of our end. ”

“ He hath rid his prologue like a rough colt; he knows
not the stop. A good moral, my lord: it is not
enough to speak, but to speak true.
Hippolyta.
Indeed he hath played on his prologue like a child on
a recorder; a sound, but not in government.
Theseus.
His speech was like a tangled chain; nothing impaired,
but all disordered. Who is next?
Enter Pyramus and Thisbe, Wall, Moonshine, and Lion. ”

“ Ay, and Wall too.
Bottom.
[Starting up] No, I assure you; the wall is down that parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance between two of our company?
Theseus.
No epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no excuse. Never excuse; for when the players are all dead, there need none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it had played Pyramus and hanged himself in Thisbe’s garter, it would have been a fine tragedy: and so it is, truly ”