A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Act 5 Scene 1

Original Text	Modern Text
LYSANDER This lion is a very fox, for his valor.	LYSANDER He’s as brave as a fox.
THESEUS 220True. And a goose for his discretion.	THESEUS True. And as wise as a goose.
DEMETRIUS Not so, my lord. For his valor cannot carry his discretion, and the fox carries the goose.	DEMETRIUS Oh, that’s not true, my lord. He’s not brave enough to be wise.
THESEUS His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his valor, for the goose carries not the fox. It is well. Leave it to his discretion, and let us listen to the moon.	THESEUS He’s not wise enough to be brave. Anyway, he is what he is. Let’s listen to the moon.
MOONSHINE (played by STARVELING) This lanthorn doth the hornèd moon present—	MOONSHINE This lantern represents the horned moon horned moon = crescent moon horned moon —
DEMETRIUS He should have worn the horns on his head.	DEMETRIUS He should have worn the horns on his head. Cuckolds (husbands whose wives cheat on them) were imagined as having horns. horns on his head.
THESEUS He is no crescent, and his horns are invisible within the circumference.	THESEUS He’s not a crescent moon, so his horns must be invisible inside the circle.
MOONSHINE This lanthorn doth the hornèd moon present. Myself the man i' th' moon do seem to be—	MOONSHINE This lantern represents the moon. I myself am playing the man in the moon—
THESEUS This is the greatest error of all the rest. The man should be put into the lanthorn. How is it else the “man i' th' moon”?	THESEUS Well then, that’s the biggest mistake of all. The man should be inside the lantern. How else is he the “man in the moon”?
DEMETRIUS 235He dares not come there for the candle. For you see, it is already in snuff.	DEMETRIUS He can’t go in there because of the candle. It’s too hot.
HIPPOLYTA I am aweary of this moon. Would he would change!	HIPPOLYTA I’m tired of this moon. I wish he’d wax or wane off the stage.
THESEUS It appears by his small light of discretion, that he is in the wane. But yet, in courtesy, in all reason, we must stay the time.	THESEUS It seems like he’s waning, but out of politeness we’ll have to wait and see.