A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 4, Scene 2

Have you sent to Bottom’s house? Is he come home yet?

Have you sent someone to Bottom's house? Has he come home yet?

He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt he is transported.

There's no news of him at all. No doubt about it, he's been carried off.

If he come not, then the play is marred. It goes not forward, doth it?

If he doesn't come, then the play is ruined. It can't go ahead, can it?

It is not possible. You have not a man in all Athens able to discharge Pyramus but he.

It's impossible. You don't have a single man in all of Athens who can perform Pyramus except him.

No, he hath simply the best wit of any handicraft man in Athens.

No, he simply has the best mind of any craftsman in Athens.

Yea, and the best person too, and he is a very paramour for a sweet voice.

Yes, and the best looks too, and he's an absolute paramour for a sweet voice.

You must say paragon. A paramour is, God bless us, a thing of naught.

You have to say paragon. A paramour is — God help us — a shameful thing.

SNUG Masters, the Duke is coming from the temple, and there is two or three lords and ladies more married. If our sport had gone forward, we had all been made men.

SNUG Gentlemen, the Duke is on his way back from the temple, and two or three more lords and ladies have been married as well. If our entertainment had gone ahead, we'd all have been set up for life.

O sweet bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost sixpence a day during his life; he could not have ’scaped sixpence a day. An the Duke had not given him sixpence a day for playing Pyramus, I’ll be hanged. He would have deserved it: sixpence a day in Pyramus, or nothing.

Oh, sweet, good old Bottom! So he's lost sixpence a day for the rest of his life; he couldn't have missed out on sixpence a day. If the Duke wouldn't have given him sixpence a day for playing Pyramus, then hang me. He would have earned it: sixpence a day for Pyramus, or nothing.

Where are these lads? Where are these hearts?

Where are these lads? Where are these brave hearts?

Bottom! O most courageous day! O most happy hour!

Bottom! Oh, most courageous day! Oh, most happy hour!

Masters, I am to discourse wonders: but ask me not what; for if I tell you, I am not true Athenian. I will tell you everything, right as it fell out.

Gentlemen, I have wonders to tell you about — but don't ask me what they are, because if I tell you, I'm no true Athenian. I'll tell you everything, exactly as it happened.

Let us hear, sweet Bottom.

Let's hear it, sweet Bottom.

Not a word of me. All that I will tell you is, that the Duke hath dined. Get your apparel together, good strings to your beards, new ribbons to your pumps; meet presently at the palace; every man look o’er his part. For the short and the long is, our play is preferred. In any case, let Thisbe have clean linen; and let not him that plays the lion pare his nails, for they shall hang out for the lion’s claws. And most dear actors, eat no onions nor garlick, for we are to utter sweet breath; and I do not doubt but to hear them say it is a sweet comedy. No more words. Away! Go, away!

Not a word out of me. All I'll tell you is that the Duke has finished dinner. Gather your costumes together, get good strings for your beards, new ribbons for your shoes; meet right away at the palace; every man should look over his part. Because the short and the long of it is, our play has been chosen. Whatever happens, make sure Thisbe has clean linen, and don't let the man who plays the lion cut his nails, because they're to stick out as the lion's claws. And, dearest actors, eat no onions or garlic, because we're supposed to breathe out sweet breath, and I have no doubt we'll hear them say it's a sweet comedy. No more talking. Off we go! Go on, away!