國有六職，百工與居一焉。
或坐而論道；或作而行之；或審曲面埶，以飭五材，以辨民器；或通四方之珍異以資之；或飭力以長地財；或治絲麻以成之。
坐而論道，謂之王公。作而行之，謂之士大夫。審曲面埶，以飭五材，以辨民器，謂之百工。通四方之珍異以資之，謂之商旅。飭力以長地財，謂之農夫。治絲麻以成之，謂之婦功。
粵無鎛，燕無函，秦無廬，胡無弓車。粵之無鎛也，非無鎛也，夫人而能為鎛也。燕之無函也，非無函也，夫人而能為函也。秦之無廬也，非無廬也，夫人而能為廬也。胡之無弓車也，非無弓車也，夫人而能為弓車也。
知者創物，巧者述之，守之世，謂之工。百工之事，皆聖人之作也。爍金以為刃，凝土以為器，作車以行陸，作舟以行水，此皆聖人之所作也。
天有時，地有氣，材有美，工有巧。合此四者，然後可以為良。材美工巧，然而不良，則不時、不得地氣也。橘踰淮而北為枳，鸜鵒不踰濟，貉踰汶則死，此地氣然也。鄭之刀，宋之斤，魯之削，吳粵之劍，遷乎其地而弗能為良，地氣然也。燕之角，荊之幹，妢胡之笴，吳粵之金錫，此材之美者也。天有時以生，有時以殺；草木有時以生，有時以死；石有時以泐；水有時以凝，有時以澤，此天時也。（下略）
大司樂。掌成均之法，以治建國之學政，而合國之子弟焉。凡有道者，有德者，使教焉。死則以為樂祖，祭於瞽宗。以樂德教國子：中、和、祗、庸、孝、友。以樂語教國子：興、道、諷、誦、言、語。以樂舞教國子，舞《雲門》、《大卷》、《大咸》、《大㲈》、《大夏》、《大濩》、《大武》。以六律、六同、五聲、八音、六舞、大合樂以致鬼神祇，以和邦國，以諧萬民，以安賓客，以說遠人，以作動物。
乃分樂而序之，以祭，以享，以祀。乃奏黃鐘，歌大呂，舞《雲門》，以祀天神。乃奏大蔟，歌應鐘，舞《咸池》，以祭地祇。乃奏姑洗，歌南呂，舞《大㲈》，以祀四望。乃奏蕤賓，歌函鐘，舞《大夏》，以祭山川。乃奏夷則，歌小呂，舞《大濩》，以享先妣。乃奏無射，歌夾鐘，舞《大武》，以享先祖。凡六樂者，文之以五聲，播之以八音。凡六樂者，一變而致羽物及川澤之祇，再變而致臝物及山林之祇，三變而致鱗物及丘陵之祇，四變而致毛物及墳衍之祇，五變而致介物及土祇，六變而致象物及天神。
凡樂，圜鐘為宮，黃鐘為角，大蔟為徵，姑洗為羽，雷鼓雷鼗，孤竹之管，雲和之琴瑟，《雲門》之舞；冬日至，於地上之圜丘奏之，若樂六變，則天神皆降，可得而禮矣。凡樂，函鐘為宮，大蔟為角，姑洗為徵，南呂為羽，靈鼓靈鼗，孫竹之管，空桑之琴瑟，《咸池》之舞；夏日至，於澤中之方丘奏之，若樂八變，則地祇皆出，可得而禮矣。凡樂，黃鐘為宮，大呂為角，大蔟為徵，應鐘為羽，路鼓路鼗，陰竹之管，龍門之琴瑟，《九德》之歌，《九㲈》之舞；於宗廟之中奏之，若樂九變，則人鬼可得而禮矣。
凡樂事：大祭祀，宿縣，遂以聲展之。王出入，則令奏《王夏》；尸出入，則令奏《肆夏》；牲出入，則令奏《昭夏》。帥國子而舞，大饗不入牲，其他皆如祭祀。大射，王出入，令奏《王夏》；及射，令奏《騶虞》。詔諸侯以弓矢舞。王大食，三宥，皆令奏鐘鼓。王師大獻，則令奏愷樂。凡日月食，四鎮五嶽崩，大傀異烖，諸侯薨，令去樂。大札、大凶、大烖、大臣死，凡國之大憂，令弛縣。凡建國，禁其淫聲、過聲、凶聲、慢聲。大喪，蒞廞樂器；及葬，藏樂器，亦如之。
公曰：「嗟！我士！聽無譁！予誓告汝群言之首。古人有言曰：『民訖自若是多盤。責人斯無難；惟受責俾如流，是惟艱哉。』我心之憂：日月逾邁，若弗云來。惟古之謀人，則曰未就予忌；惟今之謀人，姑將以為親。雖則云然，尚猷詢茲黃髮，則罔所愆。番番良士，旅力既愆，我尚有之。仡仡勇夫，射御不違，我尚不欲。惟截截善諞言，俾君子易辭，我皇多有之！
「昧昧我思之：如有一介臣，斷斷猗，無他技；其心休休焉，其如有容。人之有技，若己有之；人之彥聖，其心好之，不啻若自其口出：是能容之。以保我子孫黎民，亦職有利哉。人之有技，冒疾以惡之；人之彥聖，而違之俾不達；是不能容。以不能保我子孫黎民，亦曰殆哉。 邦之杌隉，曰由一人；邦之榮懷，亦尚一人之慶。」
惟二月既望，越六日乙未，王朝步自周，則至于豐。
惟太保先周公相宅，越若來三月，惟丙午朏。越三日戊申，太保朝至于洛，卜宅。厥既得卜，則經營。越三日庚戌，太保乃以庶殷，攻位於洛汭；越五日甲寅，位成。若翼日乙卯，周公朝至于洛，則達觀于新邑營。越三日丁巳，用牲于郊，牛二。越翼日戊午，乃社于新邑，牛一，羊一，豕一。越七日甲子，周公乃朝用書命庶殷——侯、甸、男、邦伯。厥既命殷庶，庶殷丕作。
太保乃以庶邦冢君，出取幣，乃復入，錫周公。曰：「拜手稽首，旅王若公。誥告庶殷，越自乃御事。嗚呼！皇天上帝，改厥元子茲大國殷之命。惟王受命，無疆惟休，亦無疆惟恤。嗚呼！曷其奈何弗敬！
「天既遐終大邦殷之命，茲殷多先哲王在天，越厥後王後民，茲服厥命；厥終智藏瘝在。夫知保抱攜持厥婦子，以哀籲天；徂厥亡出執。
「嗚呼！天亦哀于四方民，其眷命用懋，王其疾敬德！相古先民有夏，天迪從子保；面稽天若，今時既墜厥命。今相有殷，天迪格保面稽天若，今時既墜厥命。今沖子嗣，則無遺壽耇；曰其稽我古人之德，矧曰其有能稽謀自天。嗚呼！有王雖小，元子哉。其丕能諴于小民。今休。王不敢後，用顧畏于民碞。
「王來紹上帝，自服于土中。旦曰：『其作大邑，其自時配皇天：毖祀于上下，其自時中乂。王厥有成命，治民今休。』王先服殷御事，比介于我有周御事。節性，惟日其邁；王敬作所，不可不敬德。
「我不可不監于有夏，亦不可不監于有殷。我不敢知，曰有夏服天命，惟有歷年；我不敢知，曰不其延，惟不敬厥德，乃早墜厥命。我不敢知，曰有殷受天命，惟有歷年；我不敢知，曰不其延，惟不敬厥德，乃早墜厥命。今王嗣受厥命，我亦惟茲二國命，嗣若功。王乃初服；嗚呼！若生子，罔不在厥初生；自貽哲命。今天其命哲，命吉凶，命歷年。知今我初服，宅新邑，肆惟王其疾敬德。王其德之用，祈天永命。
「其惟王勿以小民淫用非彞，亦敢殄戮；用乂民，若有功。其惟王位在德元，小民乃惟刑；用于天下，越王顯。上下勤恤，其曰：『我受天命，丕若有夏歷年，式勿替有殷歷年。』欲王以小民受天永命。」
拜手稽首曰：「予小臣，敢以王之讎民、百君子、越友民，保受王威命明德。王末有成命，王亦顯。我非敢勤，惟恭奉幣，用供王，能祈天永命。」
惟十有三祀，王訪於箕子。王乃言曰：「嗚呼！箕子，惟天陰騭下民，相協厥居，我不知其彞倫攸敘。」
箕子乃言曰：「我聞在昔，鯀陻洪水，汩陳其五行；帝乃震怒，不畀洪範九疇，彞倫攸斁。鯀則殛死，禹乃嗣興，天乃錫禹洪範九疇，彞倫攸敘。
「初一曰五行，次二曰敬用五事，次三曰農用八政，次四曰協用五紀，次五曰建用皇極，次六曰乂用三德，次七曰明用稽疑，次八曰念用庶徵，次九曰嚮用五福，威用六極。
「一、五行：一曰水，二曰火，三曰木，四曰金，五曰土。水曰潤下，火曰炎上，木曰曲直，金曰從革，土爰稼穡。潤下作鹹，炎上作苦，曲直作酸，從革作辛，稼穡作甘。
「二、五事：一曰貌，二曰言，三曰視，四曰聽，五曰思。貌曰恭，言曰從，視曰明，聽曰聰，思曰睿。恭作肅，從作乂，明作哲，聰作謀，睿作聖。
「三、八政：一曰食，二曰貨，三曰祀，四曰司空，五曰司徒，六曰司寇，七曰賓，八曰師。
「四、五紀：一曰歲，二曰月，三曰日，四曰星辰，五曰厤數。
「五、皇極：皇建其有極，斂時五福，用敷錫厥庶民。惟時厥庶民于汝極，錫汝保極。凡厥庶民，無有淫朋，人無有比德，惟皇作極。凡厥庶民，有猷有為有守，汝病則念之。不協于極，不罹于咎；皇則受之。而康而色，曰：『予攸好德。』汝則錫之福。時人斯其惟皇之極。無虐煢獨而畏高明。人之有能有為，使羞其行而邦其昌。凡厥正人，既富方穀；汝弗能使有好于而家，時人斯其辜。于其無好德，汝雖錫之福，其作汝用咎。無偏無陂，遵王之義；無有作好，遵王之道；無有作惡，尊王之路。無偏無黨，王道蕩蕩；無黨無偏，王道平平；無反無側，王道正直。會其有極，歸其有極。曰皇極之敷言，是彞是訓，于帝其訓。凡厥庶民，極之敷言，是訓是行，以近天子之光。曰，天子作民父母，以為天下王。
「六、三德：一曰正直，二曰剛克，三曰柔克。平康正直；彊弗友剛克；燮友柔克；沈潛剛克，高明柔克。惟辟作福，惟辟作威，惟辟玉食。臣無有作福作威玉食；臣之有作福作威玉食，其害于而家，凶于而國。人用側頗僻，民用僭忒。
「七、稽疑：擇建立卜筮人，乃命卜筮。曰雨，曰霽，曰蒙，曰驛，曰克，曰貞，曰悔。凡七，卜五，占用二，衍忒。立時人作卜筮，三人占，則從二人之言。汝則有大疑，謀及乃心，謀及卿士，謀及庶人，謀及卜筮。汝則從、龜從、筮從、卿士從、庶民從，是之謂大同；身其康彊，子孫其逢：吉。汝則從、龜從、筮從，卿士逆、庶民逆：吉。卿士從、龜從、筮從，汝則逆、庶民逆：吉。庶民從，龜從，筮從，汝則逆，卿士逆：吉。汝則從、龜從，筮逆、卿士逆、庶民逆：作內吉，作外凶。龜筮共違于人：用靜，吉；用作，凶。
「八、庶徵：曰雨、曰暘、曰燠、曰寒、曰風、曰時。五者來備，各以其敘，庶草蕃廡。一極備凶，一極無凶。曰休徵：曰肅，時雨若；曰乂，時暘若；曰哲，時燠若；曰謀，時寒若；曰聖，時風若。曰咎徵：曰狂，恆雨若；曰僭，恆暘若；曰豫，恆燠若；曰急，恆寒若；曰蒙，恆風若。（曰王省惟歲，卿士惟月，師尹惟日。歲月日時無易，百穀用成，乂用明，俊民用章，家用平康。日月歲時既易，百穀用不成，乂用昏不明，俊民用微，家用不寧。庶民惟星，星有好風，星有好雨。日月之行，則有冬有夏；月之從星，則以風雨。）
「九、五福：一曰壽，二曰富，三曰康寧，四曰攸好德，五曰考終命。六極：一曰凶短折，二曰疾，三曰憂，四曰貧，五曰惡，六曰弱。」
曰若稽古皐陶，曰：「允迪厥德，謨明弼諧。」禹曰：「俞，如何？」皐陶曰：「都！慎厥身修，思永。惇敘九族，庶明勵翼，邇可遠，在茲。」禹拜昌言曰：「俞。」皐陶曰：「都！在知人，在安民。」禹曰：「吁！咸若時，惟帝其難之。知人則哲，能官人；安民則惠，黎民懷之。能哲而惠，何憂乎驩兜？何遷乎有苗？何畏乎巧言令色孔壬？」
皐陶曰：「都！亦行有九德；亦言其人有德，乃言曰：載采采。」禹曰：「何？」皐陶曰：「寬而栗，柔而立，愿而恭，亂而敬，擾而毅，直而溫，簡而廉，剛而塞，彊而義；彰厥有常，吉哉。日宣三德，夙夜浚明有家；日嚴祗敬六德，亮采有邦。翕受敷施，九德咸事；俊乂在官，百僚師師，百工惟時。撫于五辰，庶績其凝。無教逸欲有邦，兢兢業業，一日二日萬幾。無曠庶官，天工人其代之。天敘有典，勑我五典五惇哉；天秩有禮，自我五禮有庸哉。同寅協恭和衷哉。天命有德，五服五章哉；天討有罪，五刑五用哉。政事懋哉懋哉。天聰明，自我民聰明；天明畏，自我民明威。達于上下，敬哉有土！」
皐陶曰：「朕言惠，可厎行？」禹曰：「俞，乃言厎可績。」皐陶曰：「予未有知，思曰贊贊襄哉。」
帝曰：「來，禹！汝亦昌言。」禹拜曰：「都！帝！予何言？予思日孜孜。」皐陶曰：「吁！如何？」禹曰：「洪水滔天，浩浩懷山襄陵；下民昏墊。予乘四載，隨山刊木，暨益奏庶鮮食。予決九川，距四海；濬畎澮，距川。暨稷播奏庶艱食、鮮食，懋遷有無化居。烝民乃粒，萬邦作乂。」皐陶曰：「俞！師汝昌言。」
禹曰：「都，帝！慎乃在位。」帝曰：「俞。」禹曰：「安汝止，惟幾惟康，其弼直；惟動丕應。徯志以昭受上帝，天其申命用休。」
帝曰：「吁！臣哉鄰哉！鄰哉臣哉！」禹曰：「俞。」帝曰：「臣作朕股肱耳目：予欲左右有民，汝翼；予欲宣力四方，汝為；予欲觀古人之象，日、月、星辰、山、龍、華蟲，作會，宗彞、藻、火、粉米、黼、黻，絺繡，以五采彰施于五色，作服，汝明；予欲聞六律、五聲、八音，在治忽，以出納五言，汝聽。予違，汝弼；汝無面從，退有後言。欽四鄰，庶頑讒說，若不在時，侯以明之，撻以記之；書用識哉，欲竝生哉。工以納言，時而颺之；格則承之庸之，否則威之。」
禹曰：「俞哉，帝！光天之下，至于海隅蒼生，萬邦黎獻，共惟帝臣，惟帝時舉。敷納以言，明庶以功，車服以庸。誰敢不讓，敢不敬應？帝不時敷，同日奏、罔功。無若丹朱傲，惟慢遊是好，傲虐是作，罔晝夜頟頟；罔水行舟，朋淫于家，用殄厥世。予創若時，娶于塗山，辛壬癸甲；啟呱呱而泣，予弗子，惟荒度土功。弼成五服，至于五千；州十有二師；外薄四海，咸建五長。各迪有功，苗頑弗即工。帝其念哉！」
帝曰：「迪朕德，時乃功惟敘。皐陶方祗厥敘，方施象刑，惟明。」
夔曰：「戛擊鳴球，搏拊琴瑟以詠，祖考來格。」虞賓在位，群后德讓。下管鼗鼓，合止柷敔，笙鏞以間；鳥獸蹌蹌。簫韶九成，鳳凰來儀。夔曰：「於！予擊石拊石，百獸率舞，庶尹允諧。」
帝庸作歌，曰：「勑天之命，惟時惟幾。」乃歌曰：「股肱喜哉，元首起哉，百工熙哉！」皐陶拜手稽首，颺言曰：「念哉！率作興事，慎乃憲，欽哉！屢省乃成，欽哉！」乃賡載歌曰：「元首明哉，股肱良哉，庶事康哉！」又歌曰：「元首叢脞哉，股肱惰哉，萬事墮哉！」帝拜曰：「俞，往欽哉！」
Another part of the wood.
Enter TITANIA, with her train.
TITANIA
Come, now a roundel and a fairy song;
Then, for the third part of a minute, hence —
Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds;
Some war with rere-mice for their leathern wings,
To make my small elves coats; and some keep back
The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots and wonders
At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep;
Then to your offices, and let me rest.
The Fairies sing.
You spotted snakes with double tongue,
Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen;
Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong,
Come not near our fairy queen.
Philomel, with melody,
Sing in our sweet lullaby;
Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby:
Never harm,
Nor spell, nor charm,
Come our lovely lady nigh;
So, good night, with lullaby.
Weaving spiders, come not here;
Hence, you long-legg’d spinners, hence!
Beetles black, approach not near;
Worm nor snail, do no offence.
Philomel, with melody, etc.
Fairy
Hence, away! now all is well:
One aloof stand sentinel.
[Exeunt Fairies. TITANIA sleeps.]
Enter OBERON, and squeezes the flower on TITANIA’s eyelids.
OBERON
What thou seest when thou dost wake,
Do it for thy true-love take;
Love and languish for his sake:
Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,
Pard, or boar with bristled hair,
In thy eye that shall appear
When thou wakest, it is thy dear:
Wake when some vile thing is near.
[Exit.]
Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA.
LYSANDER
Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood;
And to speak troth, I have forgot our way:
We’ll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good,
And tarry for the comfort of the day.
HERMIA
Be it so, Lysander: find you out a bed;
For I upon this bank will rest my head.
LYSANDER
One turf shall serve as pillow for us both;
One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth.
HERMIA
Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, my dear,
Lie further off yet, do not lie so near.
LYSANDER
O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence!
Love takes the meaning in love’s conference.
I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit,
So that but one heart we can make of it;
Two bosoms interchainèd with an oath;
So then two bosoms and a single troth.
Then by your side no bed-room me deny;
For lying so, Hermia, I do not lie.
HERMIA
Lysander riddles very prettily:
Now much beshrew my manners and my pride,
If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied.
But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy
Lie further off; in human modesty;
Such separation as may well be said
Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid,
So far be distant: and, good night, sweet friend:
Thy love ne’er alter till thy sweet life end!
LYSANDER
Amen, amen, to that fair prayer, say I;
And then end life when I end loyalty!
Here is my bed: sleep give thee all his rest!
HERMIA
With half that wish the wisher’s eyes be press’d!
[They sleep.]
Enter PUCK.
PUCK
Through the forest have I gone.
But Athenian found I none,
On whose eyes I might approve
This flower’s force in stirring love.
Night and silence. — Who is here?
Weeds of Athens he doth wear:
This is he, my master said,
Despised the Athenian maid;
And here the maiden, sleeping sound,
On the dank and dirty ground.
Pretty soul! she durst not lie
Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.
Churl, upon thy eyes I throw
All the power this charm doth owe.
When thou wakest, let love forbid
Sleep his seat on thy eyelid:
So awake when I am gone;
For I must now to Oberon.
[Exit.]
Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running.
HELENA
Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius.
DEMETRIUS
I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus.
HELENA
O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so.
DEMETRIUS
Stay, on thy peril: I alone will go.
[Exit.]
HELENA
O, I am out of breath in this fond chase!
The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace.
Happy is Hermia, wheresoe’er she lies;
For she hath blessed and attractive eyes.
How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears:
If so, my eyes are oftener wash’d than hers.
No, no, I am as ugly as a bear;
For beasts that meet me run away for fear:
Therefore no marvel though Demetrius
Do, as a monster, fly my presence thus.
What wicked and dissembling glass of mine
Made me compare with Hermia’s sphery eyne?
But who is here? Lysander! on the ground!
Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound.
Lysander if you live, good sir, awake.
LYSANDER [Awaking]
And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake.
Transparent Helena! Nature shows art,
That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart.
Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word
Is that vile name to perish on my sword!
HELENA
Do not say so, Lysander; say not so
What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though?
Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content.
LYSANDER
Content with Hermia! No; I do repent
The tedious minutes I with her have spent.
Not Hermia but Helena I love:
Who will not change a raven for a dove?
The will of man is by his reason sway’d
And reason says you are the worthier maid.
Things growing are not ripe until their season:
So, I being young, till now ripe not to reason;
And touching now the point of human skill,
Reason becomes the marshal to my will,
And leads me to your eyes; where I o’erlook
Love’s stories, written in love’s richest book.
HELENA
Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?
When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?
Is’t not enough, is’t not enough, young man,
That I did never, no, nor never can,
Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius’ eye,
But you must flout my insufficiency?
Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do,
In such disdainful manner me to woo.
But fare you well: perforce I must confess
I thought you lord of more true gentleness.
O, that a lady, of one man refused,
Should of another therefore be abused!
[Exit.]
LYSANDER
She sees not Hermia. Hermia, sleep thou there:
And never mayst thou come Lysander near!
For as a surfeit of the sweetest things
The deepest loathing to the stomach brings,
Or as the heresies that men do leave
Are hated most of those they did deceive,
So thou, my surfeit and my heresy,
Of all be hated, but the most of me!
And, all my powers, address your love and might
To honor Helen and to be her knight!
[Exit.]
HERMIA [Awaking]
Help me, Lysander, help me! do thy best
To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast!
Aye me, for pity! what a dream was here!
Lysander, look how I do quake with fear:
Methought a serpent eat my heart away,
And you sat smiling at his cruel prey.
Lysander! what, removed? Lysander! lord!
What, out of hearing? gone? no sound, no word?
Alack, where are you? speak, an if you hear;
Speak, of all loves! I swoon almost with fear.
No? then I well perceive you all not nigh:
Either death or you I’ll find immediately.
[Exit.]
A wood near Athens.
Enter, from opposite sides, a Fairy, and PUCK.
PUCK
How now, spirit! whither wander you?
Fairy
Over hill, over dale,
Thorough bush, thorough brier,
Over park, over pale,
Thorough flood, thorough fire,
I do wander everywhere,
Swifter than the moon’s sphere;
And I serve the fairy queen,
To dew her orbs upon the green.
The cowslips tall her pensioners be:
In their gold coats spots you see;
Those be rubies, fairy favors,
In those freckles live their savors:
I must go seek some dewdrops here,
And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.
Farewell, thou lob of spirits; I’ll be gone:
Our Queen and all her elves come here anon.
PUCK
The king doth keep his revels here to-night:
Take heed the queen come not within his sight;
For Oberon is passing fell and wrath,
Because that she as her attendant hath
A lovely boy, stolen from an Indian king;
She never had so sweet a changeling:
And jealous Oberon would have the child
Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild;
But she perforce withholds the lovèd boy,
Crowns him with flowers, and makes him all her joy:
And now they never meet in grove or green,
By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen,
But they do square, that all their elves for fear
Creep into acorn cups and hide them there.
Fairy
Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite
Called Robin Goodfellow. Are not you he
That frights the maidens of the villagery;
Skim milk, and sometimes labor in the quern,
And bootless make the breathless housewife churn;
And sometime make the drink to bear no barm;
Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?
Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck,
You do their work, and they shall have good luck:
Are not you he?
PUCK
Thou speak’st aright;
I am that merry wanderer of the night.
I jest to Oberon, and make him smile,
When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile,
Neighing in likeness of a filly foal:
And sometimes lurk I in a gossip’s bowl,
In very likeness of a roasted crab;
And when she drinks, against her lips I bob
And on her withered dewlap pour the ale.
The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale,
Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me:
Then slip I from her bum, down topples she,
And ‘tailor’ cries, and falls into a cough:
And then the whole quire hold their hips and laugh;
And waxen in their mirth, and neeze, and swear
A merrier hour was never wasted there.
But room, fairy! here comes Oberon.
Fairy
And here my mistress. Would that he were gone!
Enter, from one side, OBERON, with his train; from the other, TITANIA, with hers.
OBERON
Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania.
TITANIA
What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, skip hence:
I have forsworn his bed and company.
OBERON
Tarry, rash wanton; am not I thy lord?
TITANIA
Then I must be thy lady: but I know
When thou hast stolen away from fairy land,
And in the shape of Corin sat all day,
Playing on pipes of corn, and versing love
To amorous Phillida. Why art thou here,
Come from the farthest steepe of India?
But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon,
Your buskin’d mistress and your warrior love,
To Theseus must be wedded, and you come
To give their bed joy and prosperity.
OBERON
How canst thou thus for shame, Titania,
Glance at my credit with Hippolyta,
Knowing I know thy love to Theseus?
Didst thou not lead him through the glimmering night
From Perigouna, whom he ravishèd?
And make him with fair AEgles break his faith,
With Ariadne and Antiopa?
TITANIA
These are the forgeries of jealousy:
And never, since the middle summer’s spring,
Met we on hill, in dale, forest, or mead,
By pavèd fountain or by rushy brook,
Or in the beachèd margent of the sea,
To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind,
But with thy brawls thou hast disturb’d our sport.
Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain,
As in revenge, have suck’d up from the sea
Contagious fogs; which, falling in the land,
Hath every pelting river made so proud,
That they have overborne their continents.
The ox hath therefore stretch’d his yoke in vain,
The ploughman lost his sweat; and the green corn
Hath rotted ere his youth attain’d a beard:
The fold stands empty in the drownèd field,
And crows are fatted with the murrion flock;
The nine men’s morris is fill’d up with mud;
And the quaint mazes in the wanton green,
For lack of tread, are undistinguishable.
The human mortals want their winter here;
No night is now with hymn or carol blest:
Therefore the moon, the governess of floods,
Pale in her anger, washes all the air,
That rheumatic diseases do abound:
And thorough this distemperature we see
The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts
Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose;
And on old Hiems’ thin and icy crown
An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds
Is, as in mockery, set: the spring, the summer,
The childing autumn, angry winter, change
Their wonted liveries, and the mazèd world,
By their increase, now knows not which is which.
And this same progeny of evils comes
From our debate, from our dissension;
We are their parents and original.
OBERON
Do you amend it, then; it lies in you:
Why should Titania cross her Oberon?
I do but beg a little changeling boy
To be my henchman.
TITANIA
Set your heart at rest:
The fairy land buys not the child of me.
His mother was a votaress of my order:
And, in the spiced Indian air, by night,
Full often hath she gossip’d by my side;
And sat with me on Neptune’s yellow sands,
Marking the embarkèd traders on the flood;
When we have laugh’d to see the sails conceive
And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind;
Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait
Following, — her womb then rich with my young squire, —
Would imitate, and sail upon the land,
To fetch me trifles, and return again,
As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.
But she, being mortal, of that boy did die;
And for her sake do I rear up her boy;
And for her sake I will not part with him.
OBERON
How long within this wood intend you stay?
TITANIA
Perchance till after Theseus’ wedding-day.
If you will patiently dance in our round,
And see our moonlight revels, go with us;
If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts.
OBERON
Give me that boy, and I will go with thee.
TITANIA
Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away!
We shall chide downright, if I longer stay.
[Exit TITANIA with her train.]
OBERON
Well, go thy way; thou shalt not from this grove
Till I torment thee for this injury.
My gentle Puck, come hither. Thou rememberest
Since once I sat upon a promontory,
And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin’s back
Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath,
That the rude sea grew civil at her song,
And certain stars shot madly from their spheres,
To hear the sea-maid’s music.
PUCK
I remember.
OBERON
That very time I saw, but thou couldst not,
Flying between the cold moon and the earth,
Cupid all arm’d: a certain aim he took
At a fair vestal thronèd by the west,
And loosed his love-shaft smartly from his bow,
As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts.
But I might see young Cupid’s fiery shaft
Quench’d in the chaste beams of the watery moon,
And the imperial voteress passèd on,
In maiden meditation, fancy-free.
Yet mark’d I where the bolt of Cupid fell:
It fell upon a little western flower,
Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound,
And maidens call it love-in-idleness.
Fetch me that flower; the herb I show’d thee once:
The juice of it on sleeping eye-lids laid
Will make or man or woman madly dote
Upon the next live creature that it sees.
Fetch me this herb; and be thou here again
Ere the leviathan can swim a league.
PUCK
I’ll put a girdle round about the earth
In forty minutes.
[Exit.]
OBERON
Having once this juice,
I’ll watch Titania when she is asleep,
And drop the liquor of it in her eyes.
The next thing then she waking looks upon,
Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull,
On meddling monkey, or on busy ape,
She shall pursue it with the soul of love:
And ere I take this charm from off her sight,
As I can take it with another herb,
I’ll make her render up her page to me.
But who comes here? I am invisible;
And I will overhear their conference.
Enter DEMETRIUS, HELENA, following him.
DEMETRIUS
I love thee not, therefore pursue me not.
Where is Lysander and fair Hermia?
The one I’ll slay, the other slayeth me.
Thou told’st me they were stolen unto this wood,
And here am I, and wood within this wood,
Because I cannot meet my Hermia.
Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.
HELENA
You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant:
But yet you draw not iron, for my heart
Is true as steel: leave you your power to draw,
And I shall have no power to follow you.
DEMETRIUS
Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair?
Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth
Tell you, I do not nor I cannot love you?
HELENA
And even for that do I love you the more.
I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius,
The more you beat me, I will fawn on you:
Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me,
Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave,
Unworthy as I am, to follow you.
What worser place can I beg in your love, —
And yet a place of high respect with me, —
Than to be usèd as you use your dog?
DEMETRIUS
Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;
For I am sick when I do look on thee.
HELENA
And I am sick when I look not on you.
DEMETRIUS
You do impeach your modesty too much,
To leave the city, and commit yourself
Into the hands of one that loves you not;
To trust the opportunity of night
And the ill counsel of a desert place
With the rich worth of your virginity.
HELENA
Your virtue is my privilege: for that
It is not night when I do see your face,
Therefore I think I am not in the night;
Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company,
For you in my respect are all the world.
Then how can it be said I am alone,
When all the world is here to look on me?
DEMETRIUS
I’ll run from thee and hide me in the brakes,
And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts.
HELENA
The wildest hath not such a heart as you.
Run when you will, the story shall be changed:
Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase;
The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind
Makes speed to catch the tiger; bootless speed,
When cowardice pursues, and valour flies.
DEMETRIUS
I will not stay thy questions; let me go:
Or, if thou follow me, do not believe
But I shall do thee mischief in the wood.
HELENA
Aye, in the temple, in the town, the field,
You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius!
Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex:
We cannot fight for love, as men may do;
We should be woo’d and were not made to woo.
[Exit DEMETRIUS.]
I’ll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell,
To die upon the hand I love so well.
[Exit.]
OBERON
Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove,
Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love.
Re-enter PUCK.
Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer.
PUCK
Aye, there it is.
OBERON
I pray thee, give it me.
I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows;
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lull’d in these flowers with dances and delight;
And there the snake throws her enamell’d skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:
And with the juice of this I’ll streak her eyes,
And make her full of hateful fantasies.
Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove:
A sweet Athenian lady is in love
With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes;
But do it when the next thing he espies
May be the lady: thou shalt know the man
By the Athenian garments he hath on.
Effect it with some care that he may prove
More fond on her than she upon her love:
And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow.
PUCK
Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so.
[Exeunt.]
曰若稽古帝堯，曰放勳，欽明文思安安，允恭克讓，光被四表，格于上下。克明俊德，以親九族；九族既睦，平章百姓；百姓昭明，協和萬邦。黎民於變時雍。
乃命羲和，欽若昊天；歷象日月星辰，敬授人時。分命羲仲，宅嵎夷，曰暘谷，寅賓出日，平秩東作；日中、星鳥，以殷仲春；厥民析，鳥獸孳尾。申命羲叔，宅南交；平秩南訛，敬致；日永、星火，以正仲夏；厥民因，鳥獸希革。分命和仲，宅西，曰昧谷；寅餞納日，平秩西成；宵中、星虛，以殷仲秋；厥民夷，鳥獸毛毨。申命和叔，宅朔方，曰幽都；平在朔易，日短、星昴，以正仲冬；厥民隩，鳥獸氄毛。帝曰：「咨！汝羲暨和。朞三百有六旬有六日，以閏月定四時成歲。」允釐百工，庶績咸熙。
帝曰：「疇咨！若時登庸？」放齊曰：「胤子朱啟明。」帝曰：「吁！嚚訟，可乎！」帝曰：「疇咨！若予采？」驩兜曰：「都！共工方鳩僝功。」帝曰：「吁！靜言庸違，象恭、滔天。」帝曰：「咨！四岳。湯湯洪水方割，蕩蕩懷山襄陵，浩浩滔天。下民其咨。有能俾乂？」僉曰：「於！鯀哉！」帝曰：「吁！咈哉！方命圮族。」岳曰：「异哉！試可，乃已。」帝曰：「往，欽哉！」九載，績用弗成。
帝曰：「咨！四岳。朕在位七十載，汝能庸命，巽朕位。」岳曰：「否德忝帝位。」曰：「明明揚側陋。」師錫帝曰：「有鰥在下，曰虞舜。」帝曰：「俞，予聞；如何？」岳曰：「瞽子，父頑，母嚚，象傲；克諧以孝，烝烝乂，不格姦。」帝曰：「我其試哉。」女于時，觀厥刑于二女。釐降二女于媯汭，嬪于虞。帝曰：「欽哉！」
慎微五典，五典克從；納于百揆，百揆時敘；賓于四門，四門穆穆；納于大麓，烈風雷雨弗迷。帝曰：「格汝舜！詢事考言，乃言厎可績，三載，汝陟帝位。」舜讓于德，弗嗣。
正月上日，受終於文祖。在璿璣玉衡，以齊七政，肆類于上帝，禋于六宗，望于山川，徧于群神。輯五瑞，既月乃日，覲四岳群牧，班瑞于群后。歲二月，東巡守，至于岱宗，柴；望秩于山川。肆覲東后。協時、月，正日；同律、度、量、衡。修五禮，五玉，三帛，二生，一死，贄。如五器，卒乃復。五月，南巡守，至于南岳，如岱禮。八月，西巡守，至于西岳，如初。十有一月，朔巡守，至于北岳，如西禮。歸，格于藝祖，用特。五載一巡守，群后四朝；敷奏以言，明試以功，車服以庸。
肇十有二州，封十有二山，濬川。象以典刑。流宥五刑，鞭作官刑，扑作教刑，金作贖刑。眚災肆赦，怙終賊刑。「欽哉，欽哉！惟刑之恤哉！」流共工于幽州，放驩兜于崇山，竄三苗于三危，殛鯀于羽山；四罪而天下咸服。二十有八載，帝乃殂落，百姓如喪考妣，三載，四海遏密八音。
月正元日，舜格于文祖，詢于四岳，闢四門，明四目，達四聰。咨十有二牧，曰：「食哉，惟時！柔遠能邇，惇德允元，而難任人，蠻夷率服。」
舜曰：「咨！四岳。有能奮庸，熙帝之載，使宅百揆，亮采惠疇？」僉曰：「伯禹作司空。」帝曰：「俞咨！禹，汝平水土，惟時懋哉！」禹拜稽首，讓于稷、契暨皐陶。帝曰：「俞，汝往哉！」帝曰：「棄！黎民阻飢。汝后稷，播時百穀。」帝曰：「契，百姓不親，五品不遜。汝作司徒，敬敷五教，在寬。」帝曰：「皐陶！蠻夷猾夏，寇賊姦宄。汝作士，五刑有服，五服三就；五流有宅，五宅三居；惟明克允。」帝曰：「疇若于工？」僉曰：「垂哉。」帝曰：「俞咨！垂，汝共工。」垂拜稽首，讓于殳斨暨伯與。帝曰：「俞，往哉！汝諧。」帝曰：「疇若予上下草木鳥獸？」僉曰：「益哉！」帝曰：「俞咨！益，汝作朕虞。」益拜稽首，讓于朱、虎、熊、羆。帝曰：「俞，往哉！汝諧。」帝曰：「咨，四岳，有能典朕三禮？」僉曰：「伯夷。」帝曰：「俞咨！伯，汝作秩宗。夙夜惟寅，直哉惟清。」伯拜稽首，讓于夔、龍。帝曰：「俞，往，欽哉！」帝曰：「夔！命汝典樂，教胄子。直而溫，寬而栗，剛而無虐，簡而無傲。詩言志，歌永言，聲依永，律和聲；八音克諧，無相奪倫；神人以和。」夔曰：「於！予擊石拊石，百獸率舞。」帝曰：「龍，朕堲讒說殄行，震驚朕師。命汝作納言，夙夜出納朕命，惟允。」帝曰：「咨！汝二十有二人，欽哉！惟時亮天功。」
三載考績；三考，黜陟幽明！庶績咸熙。分北三苗。
舜生三十徵庸，三十在位，五十載，陟方乃死。
Athens. QUINCE’S house.
Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING.
QUINCE
Is all our company here?
BOTTOM
You were best to call them generally,
man by man, according to the scrip.
QUINCE
Here is the scroll 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;
then read the names of the actors; and so grow to a point.
QUINCE
Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy,
and most 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 move storms, I will condole in some measure.
To the rest: yet my chief humour is for a tyrant:
I could play Ercles rarely,
or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split.
The raging rocks
And shivering shocks
Shall break the locks
Of prison-gates;
And Phibbus’ car
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.
QUINCE
Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.
FLUTE
Here, Peter Quince.
QUINCE
Flute, you must take Thisby on you.
FLUTE
What is Thisby? a wandering knight?
QUINCE
It is the lady that Pyramus must love.
FLUTE
Nay, faith, let me not play a woman;
I have a beard coming.
QUINCE
That’s all one: you shall play it in a mask,
and you may speak as small as you will.
BOTTOM
An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too,
I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice,
‘Thisne, Thisne!’
‘Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear!
thy Thisby dear, and lady dear!’
QUINCE
No, no; you must play Pyramus:
and, Flute, you Thisby.
BOTTOM
Well, proceed.
QUINCE
Robin Starveling, the tailor.
STARVELING
Here, Peter Quince.
QUINCE
Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby’s mother.
Tom Snout, the tinker.
SNOUT
Here, Peter Quince.
QUINCE
You, Pyramus’ father:
myself, Thisby’s father:
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 it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.
QUINCE
You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.
BOTTOM
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 again.’
QUINCE
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.
BOTTOM
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 will roar you as gently as any sucking dove;
I will roar you an ’twere any nightingale.
QUINCE
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.
BOTTOM
Well, I will undertake it.
What beard were I best to play it in?
QUINCE
Why, what you will.
BOTTOM
I will discharge it in either your straw color beard,
your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard,
or your French-crown color beard, your perfect yellow.
QUINCE
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 in the palace wood,
a mile without the town, by moonlight;
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.
BOTTOM
We will meet;
and there we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously.
Take pains; be perfect: adieu.
QUINCE
At the duke’s oak we meet.
BOTTOM
Enough; hold or cut bow-strings.
[Exeunt.]
