<p>Act 1</p> <p>Scene 1</p> <p>[Athens. The palace of THESEUS.]</p> <p>[Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants]</p> <p>THESEUS</p> <p>Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour<br />Draws on apace; four happy days bring in<br />Another moon: but, O, methinks, how slow<br />This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires,<br />Like to a step-dame or a dowager<br />Long withering out a young man revenue.</p> <p>HIPPOLYTA</p> <p>Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;<br />Four nights will quickly dream away the time;<br />And then the moon, like to a silver bow<br />New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night<br />Of our solemnities.</p> <p>THESEUS</p> <p>Go, Philostrate,<br />Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;<br />Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;<br />Turn melancholy forth to funerals;<br />The pale companion is not for our pomp.</p> <p>[Exit PHILOSTRATE]</p> <p>Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,<br />And won thy love, doing thee injuries;<br />But I will wed thee in another key,<br />With pomp, with triumph and with revelling.</p> <p>[Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS]</p> <p>EGEUS</p> <p>Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!</p> <p>THESEUS</p> <p>Thanks, good Egeus: what's the news with thee?</p> <p>EGEUS</p> <p>Full of vexation come I, with complaint<br />Against my child, my daughter Hermia.<br />Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord,<br />This man hath my consent to marry her.<br />Stand forth, Lysander: