| Original text | Modern text | Key line |
| Foure daies wil quickly steep thẽselues in nights | Four days will quickly steep themselves in night; | MND I.i.7 |
| Foure nights wil quickly dreame away the time: | Four nights will quickly dream away the time: | MND I.i.8 |
| And then the Moone, like to a siluer bow, | And then the moon – like to a silver bow | MND I.i.9 |
| Now bent in heauen, shal behold the night | New-bent in heaven – shall behold the night | MND I.i.10 |
| Of our solemnities. | Of our solemnities. | MND I.i.11.1 |
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| I was with Hercules and Cadmus once. | I was with Hercules and Cadmus once, | MND IV.i.111 |
| When in a wood of Creete they bayed the Beare | When in a wood of Crete they bayed the bear | MND IV.i.112 |
| With hounds of Sparta; neuer did I heare | With hounds of Sparta. Never did I hear | MND IV.i.113 |
| Such gallant chiding. For besides the groues, | Such gallant chiding, for besides the groves, | MND IV.i.114 |
| The skies, the fountaines, euery region neere, | The skies, the fountains, every region near | MND IV.i.115 |
| Seeme all one mutuall cry. I neuer heard | Seemed all one mutual cry. I never heard | MND IV.i.116 |
| So musicall a discord, such sweet thunder. | So musical a discord, such sweet thunder. | MND IV.i.117 |
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| 'Tis strange my Theseus, yt these louers speake of. | 'Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of. | MND V.i.1 |
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| But all the storie of the night told ouer, | But all the story of the night told over, | MND V.i.23 |
| And all their minds transfigur'd so together, | And all their minds transfigured so together, | MND V.i.24 |
| More witnesseth than fancies images, | More witnesseth than fancy's images, | MND V.i.25 |
| And growes to something of great constancie; | And grows to something of great constancy; | MND V.i.26 |
| But howsoeuer, strange, and admirable. | But, howsoever, strange and admirable. | MND V.i.27 |
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| I loue not to see wretchednesse orecharged; | I love not to see wretchedness o'ercharged, | MND V.i.85 |
| And duty in his seruice perishing. | And duty in his service perishing. | MND V.i.86 |
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| He saies, they can doe nothing in this kinde. | He says they can do nothing in this kind. | MND V.i.88 |
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| Indeed hee hath plaid on his Prologue, like a | Indeed, he hath played on his prologue like a | MND V.i.122 |
| childe on a Recorder, a sound, but not in gouernment. | child on a recorder – a sound, but not in government. | MND V.i.123 |
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| This is the silliest stuffe that ere I heard. | This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard. | MND V.i.207 |
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| It must be your imagination then, & not | It must be your imagination then, and not | MND V.i.210 |
| theirs. | theirs. | MND V.i.211 |
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| I am wearie of this Moone; would he would change. | I am aweary of this moon. Would he would change. | MND V.i.244 |
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| Well shone Moone. / Truly the Moone shines | Well shone, Moon! Truly, the moon shines | MND V.i.259 |
| with a good grace. | with a good grace. | MND V.i.260 |
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| Beshrew my heart, but I pittie the man. | Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man. | MND V.i.282 |
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| How chance Moone-shine is gone before? | How chance Moonshine is gone before | MND V.i.304 |
| Thisby comes backe, and findes her Louer. | Thisbe comes back and finds her lover? | MND V.i.305 |
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| Me thinkes shee should not vse a long one for | Methinks she should not use a long one for | MND V.i.308 |
| such a Piramus: I hope she will be breefe. | such a Pyramus. I hope she will be brief. | MND V.i.309 |