All 16 Uses of
ancient Athens
in
A Midsummer Night's Dream
- THESEUS Go, Philostrate, Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth; Turn melancholy forth to funerals—The pale companion is not for our pomp.†
Scene 1.1
- There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; And to that place the sharp Athenian law Cannot pursue us.†
Scene 1.1
- Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove: A sweet Athenian lady is in love With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes; But do it when the next thing he espies May be the lady: thou shalt know the man By the Athenian garments he hath on.†
Scene 2.1
- Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove: A sweet Athenian lady is in love With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes; But do it when the next thing he espies May be the lady: thou shalt know the man By the Athenian garments he hath on.†
Scene 2.1
- PUCK Through the forest have I gone, But Athenian found I none, On whose eyes I might approve This flower's force in stirring love.†
Scene 2.2
- Weeds of Athens he doth wear: This is he, my master said, Despised the Athenian maid; And here the maiden, sleeping sound, On the dank and dirty ground.†
Scene 2.2
- Near to her close and consecrated bower, While she was in her dull and sleeping hour, A crew of patches, rude mechanicals, That work for bread upon Athenian stalls, Were met together to rehearse a play Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day.†
Scene 3.2
- But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?†
Scene 3.2
- PUCK I took him sleeping,—that is finish'd too,—And the Athenian woman by his side; That, when he wak'd, of force she must be ey'd.†
Scene 3.2
- OBERON Stand close; this is the same Athenian.†
Scene 3.2
- Did not you tell me I should know the man By the Athenian garments he had on?†
Scene 3.2
- And so far blameless proves my enterprise That I have 'nointed an Athenian's eyes: And so far am I glad it so did sort, As this their jangling I esteem a sport.†
Scene 3.2
- And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp From off the head of this Athenian swain, That he awaking when the other do, May all to Athens back again repair, And think no more of this night's accidents But as the fierce vexation of a dream.†
Scene 4.1
- LYSANDER My lord, I shall reply amazedly, Half 'sleep, half waking; but as yet, I swear, I cannot truly say how I came here: 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 be, Without the peril of the Athenian law.†
Scene 4.1
- BOTTOM Masters, I am to discourse wonders: but ask me not what; for if I tell you, I am not true Athenian.†
Scene 4.2 *
- 'The battle with the Centaurs, to be sung By an Athenian eunuch to the harp.'†
Scene 5.1
Definitions:
-
(1)
(ancient Athens) the center of the intellectual and artistic developments that created the Golden Age of Greece (5th century BC); named after Athena (its patron goddess)Modern Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece.
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Athenian can also refer to the modern city of Athens.