_The._ Go, one of you, find out the forester; 100 For now our observation is perform’d; And since we have the vaward of the day, My love shall hear the music of my hounds. Uncouple in the western valley; let them go: Dispatch, I say, and find the forester. [_Exit an Attend._ 105 We will, fair queen, up to the mountain’s top, And mark the musical confusion Of hounds and echo in conjunction. _Hip._ I was with Hercules and Cadmus once, When in a wood of Crete they bay’d the bear 110 With hounds of Sparta: never did I hear Such gallant chiding; for, besides the groves, The skies, the fountains, every region near Seem’d all one mutual cry: I never heard So musical a discord, such sweet thunder. 115 _The._ My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind, So flew’d, so sanded; and their heads are hung With ears that sweep away the morning dew; Crook-knee’d, and dew-lapp’d like Thessalian bulls; Slow in pursuit, but match’d in mouth like bells, 120 Each under each. A cry more tuneable Was never holla’d to, nor cheer’d with horn, In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly: Judge when you hear. But, soft! what nymphs are these? _Ege._ My lord, this is my daughter here asleep; 125 And this, Lysander; this Demetrius is; This Helena, old Nedar’s Helena: I wonder of their being here together. _The._ No doubt they rose up early to observe The rite of May; and, hearing our intent, 130 Came here in grace of our solemnity. But speak, Egeus; is not this the day That Hermia should give answer of her choice? _Ege._ It is, my lord. _The._ Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns. 135 [_Horns and shout within. Lys., Dem., Hel., and Her., wake and start up._ Good morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past: Begin these wood-birds but to couple now? _Lys._ Pardon, my lord. _The._ I pray you all, stand up. I know you two are rival enemies: How comes this gentle concord in the world, 140 That hatred is so far from jealousy, To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity? _Lys._ My lord, I shall reply amazedly, Half sleep, half waking: but as yet, I swear, I cannot truly say how I came here; 145 But, as I think,—for truly would I speak, And now I do bethink me, so it is,— I came with Hermia hither: our intent Was to be gone from Athens, where we might, Without the peril of the Athenian law. 150 _Ege._ Enough, enough, my lord; you have enough: I beg the law, the law, upon his head. They would have stolen away; they would, Demetrius, Thereby to have defeated you and me, You of your wife and me of my consent, 155 Of my consent that she should be your wife.