Bottom Quotes in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)

Bottom: I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream; past the wit of man to say what dream it was. Methought I was - -man is but an ass if he go about to expound this dream. Methought I was - -and methought I had - -man is but a patched fool if he will offer to say

[chuckling]

Bottom: what methought I was and what methought I had.

[breaks into uncontrollable laughter and suddenly brays like a jackass]

Quince, the Carpenter: Nick Bottom, you are set down for... Pyramus.

Bottom: I play Pyramus! I play Pyramus! I play Pyramus!... What is Pyramus?

Quince, the Carpenter: Come, sit down, every mother's son, and rehearse your parts. And we will do it in action as we will do it before the duke. Pyramus, you begin.

Bottom: Well, I begin. Oh, Thisny!

Quince, the Carpenter: And when you have spoken your speech...

Bottom: Then I stop.

Quince, the Carpenter: No, no.

Bottom: Well, then I go on.

Quince, the Carpenter: No, no! Then you enter into that brake; and so everyone according to his cue. Thisby! Stand forth. Speak, Pyramus.

Bottom: Oh, Thisny, the flowers -...

Quince, the Carpenter: "Oh, Thisby."

Bottom: This-nee.

Quince, the Carpenter: This-bee!

Bottom: Nay!

Quince, the Carpenter: Ay!

Bottom: Nay!

Quince, the Carpenter: Ay!

Bottom: This

[he pulls his copy of the script from his waist]

Bottom: ... This

[he reads the scroll and scowls]

Bottom: ... This... neebay. "The flowers of odious - -"

Quince, the Carpenter: Odorous, odorous!

Bottom: Odorous, odorous. The flowers odi - - the flowers odorous savors sweet. "Oh, Thisby, the flowers of odorous savors sweet; so have thy breath...

[He gets a whiff of Flute's breath and recoils]

Bottom: Oh, Thisby, my dearest Thisby dear. But hark!"

[Flute erupts into a coughing fit. Bottom throws down his scroll, storms off, and is led back by Quince. He points accusatively at Flute]

Bottom: Thisny!

Quince, the Carpenter: [handing back Bottom's scroll] Thisby.

Bottom: "But hark, a voice! Stay you but here a while, and by and by I will to you appear."

[He exits the wrong way]

Quince, the Carpenter: Into that brake!

Bottom: To say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays.

Bottom: Reason and love keep little company together nowadays.