Midsummer nights dream quote?

Question

I'm looking for a specific quote from a Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

It's a quote from Helena, directed to Demetrius.

I want to know what the quote was exacly.

It was when Demetrius is storming through the forest, looking for Hermia and Lysander, and Helena is just following him, telling him how much she loves him.

Helena says it just after he leaves her. It was something about "walking through flames" or "fire" just so should could be with him.

Anyone know the exact quote?

Answer 1

I had trouble finding exactly what you were looking for, but this is what I could find.

"   Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running

HELENA

   Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius.

DEMETRIUS

   I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus.

HELENA

   O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so.

DEMETRIUS

   Stay, on thy peril: I alone will go.

   Exit

HELENA

   O, I am out of breath in this fond chase!

   The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace.

   Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er she lies;

   For she hath blessed and attractive eyes.

   How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears:

   If so, my eyes are oftener wash'd than hers.

   No, no, I am as ugly as a bear;

   For beasts that meet me run away for fear:

   Therefore no marvel though Demetrius

   Do, as a monster fly my presence thus.

   What wicked and dissembling glass of mine

   Made me compare with Hermia's sphery eyne?

   But who is here? Lysander! on the ground!

   Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound.

   Lysander if you live, good sir, awake.

LYSANDER

   [Awaking] And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake.

   Transparent Helena! Nature shows art,

   That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart.

   Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word

   Is that vile name to perish on my sword!

HELENA

   Do not say so, Lysander; say not so

   What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though?

   Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content.

LYSANDER

   Content with Hermia! No; I do repent

   The tedious minutes I with her have spent.

   Not Hermia but Helena I love:

   Who will not change a raven for a dove?

   The will of man is by his reason sway'd;

   And reason says you are the worthier maid.

   Things growing are not ripe until their season

   So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason;

   And touching now the point of human skill,

   Reason becomes the marshal to my will

   And leads me to your eyes, where I o'erlook

   Love's stories written in love's richest book.

HELENA

   Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?

   When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?

   Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man,

   That I did never, no, nor never can,

   Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye,

   But you must flout my insufficiency?

   Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do,

   In such disdainful manner me to woo.

   But fare you well: perforce I must confess

   I thought you lord of more true gentleness.

   O, that a lady, of one man refused.

   Should of another therefore be abused!

   Exit

LYSANDER

   She sees not Hermia. Hermia, sleep thou there:

   And never mayst thou come Lysander near!

   For as a surfeit of the sweetest things

   The deepest loathing to the stomach brings,

   Or as tie heresies that men do leave

   Are hated most of those they did deceive,

   So thou, my surfeit and my heresy,

   Of all be hated, but the most of me!

   And, all my powers, address your love and might

   To honour Helen and to be her knight!

   Exit

HERMIA

   [Awaking] Help me, Lysander, help me! do thy best

   To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast!

   Ay me, for pity! what a dream was here!

   Lysander, look how I do quake with fear:

   Methought a serpent eat my heart away,

   And you sat smiling at his cruel pray.

   Lysander! what, removed? Lysander! lord!

   What, out of hearing? gone? no sound, no word?

   Alack, where are you speak, an if you hear;

   Speak, of all loves! I swoon almost with fear.

   No? then I well perceive you all not nigh

   Either death or you I'll find immediately.

   Exit"