DEMETRIUS AND HELENA

by: William Shakespeare

DEMETRIUS: I love you not; therefore pursue me not

Where is Lysander and fair Hermia?
The one I slay, the other shall slay me.
You told me they came into this wood,
And here am I - I do not see them!
Get you gone! Follow me no more

HELENA : You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant!

And yet you draw not iron,
For my heart is true as steel
Leave me your power to draw
And I shall have no power to follow you.

DEMETRIUS: Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair?

Or rather do I not in plainest truth
Tell you I do not nor I can not love you.

HELENA : And even for that – do I love you the more,

I am your spaniel; and Demetrius,
The more you beat me, I fawn on you.
Spurn me, strike me, neglect me, lose me;
Only give me leave to follow you.

DEMETRIUS: You do impeach your modesty too much

To commit yourself into the hands that loves you not

HELENA : Your virtue is my privilege, for that is not right when I do see
your face.
You in my respect are all the world; How can I be alone when
all the world is here to look on me?
Run when you will: the story shall be changed-Apollo flies, and
Daphne holds the chase. Cowerdice pursues and valor flies !

DEMETRIUS: I will not stay your questions. Let me go! Or if you will follow
me, do not believe I shall do you mischief in the wood.

HELENA : Aye , in the temple, in the town, the field, you do me mischief
FIE, Demetrius! Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex. We
can not fight for love, as men may do; We should be wooed, and
were not made to woo.

DEMETRIUS: Farewell (exit)

HELENA : ( Cries ) I’ll follow you, and make a heaven of hell to die upon
the hands I love so well.