Miko: annotations

Pronounced with a long “y” to rhyme with “eye”.

But must you make fun of my inferiority to Hermia?

Lysander insists that he meant only innocent things when he said they should sleep together.

“Good troth” and “good sooth” are mild expletives meaning “in truth”.

People most hate the heresies that they themselves had believed.

in the name of love

Lysander believes that he didn't love Helena until now because he was young and immature. Now that he is older and wiser (“touching now the point of human skill”) he now sees reason (and so is in love with Helena).

“Transparent” here has two meanings: 1) its modern meaning that you can see through it, and 2) bright. So Lysander is calling Helena bright, and furthermore, he can see through to her heart.

Helena compares herself to a monster, saying that Demetrius runs from her like he would run from a monster.

The more I pray, the less good luck I have. In this context, “grace” is the reward of prayer.