ACT 1
[Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY, of the house of Capulet, armed with swords and bucklers]
SAMPSON
Gregory, o' my word, we'll not carry coals.
Gregory, like we won’t carry coal, we won’t take insults.
GREGORY
No, for then we should be colliers.
No, for if we did, we’d just be coalminers.
SAMPSON
I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw.
I mean that, if they irritate us, we’ll draw our swords.
GREGORY
Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.
Yes, while alive, you’ve got to stick your neck out.
SAMPSON
I strike quickly, being moved.
I strike out quickly when wound up.
GREGORY
But thou art not quickly moved to strike.
But you aren’t quickly wound up to start a fight.
SAMPSON
A dog of the house of Montague moves me.
A jerk from the house of Montague winds me up.
GREGORY
To move is to stir; and to be valiant is to stand:
If you move, you’ll annoy them; you’re brave standing still:
therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn'st away.
so, if you say you’re moved, that means you’ll run away.
SAMPSON
A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will
A jerk from that house has moved me to stand my ground;
take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's.
I’ll walk close to the wall to force a Montague into the gutter.
GREGORY
That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes
That makes you look a weakling, for the weakest people
to the wall.
go to the wall.
SAMPSON
True; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels,
That’s true; so women, seeing as they’re weaker,
are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push
are always thrust up against the wall. So I’ll push
Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids
the Montague men into the gutter and thrust their ladies
to the wall.
up against the wall.
GREGORY
The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.
The fight is between our masters and us men, their servants.
SAMPSON
'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I
They’re all the same; I’ll show them I’m a bully. When I
have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the
have beaten up their men, I will be cruel to their
maids, and cut off their heads.
ladies, and cut off their heads.
GREGORY
The heads of the maids?
Cut off the ladies’ heads?
SAMPSON
Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads;
Yep, the heads of their maids, meaning take their virginity;
take it in what sense thou wilt.
take that whichever way you like.
GREGORY
They must take it in sense that feel it.
The ladies you rape will feel it.
SAMPSON
Me they shall feel while I am able to stand: and
The ladies will feel me whilst I’m standing; and
'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.
they all know I’ve got a gorgeous body.
GREGORY
'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou
Good job you’re not a fish; if you were, you’d
hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool! Here comes
be a codpiece. Get your weapon out! Here come
two of the house of the Montagues.
two of those jerks from the house of Montague.
SAMPSON
My naked weapon is out: quarrel, I will back thee.
I’ve got my naked weapon out. Argue; I’ll back you up.
GREGORY
How! Turn thy back and run?
How? By turning and running?
SAMPSON
Fear me not.
Don’t worry about me.
GREGORY
No, marry; I fear thee!
Shut up; I do worry about you!
SAMPSON
Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.
Let’s stay the right side of the law, and let them start the fight.
GREGORY
I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as
I will sneer as we pass them, then let them take it as
they list.
they see fit.
SAMPSON
Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them;
No, as they dare. I’ll flip the bird at them,
which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.
which will upset them, if they don’t respond.
[Enter ABRAHAM and BALTHASAR]
ABRAHAM
Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
Do you flip the bird at us, mate?
SAMPSON
I do bite my thumb, sir.
I do flip the bird, mate.
ABRAHAM
Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
Do you flip the bird at us, mate?
SAMPSON
[Aside to GREGORY]
Is the law of our side, if I say ay?
Are we on the right side of the law if I say yes?
GREGORY
No.
No.
SAMPSON
No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I
No, mate, I do not flip the bird at you mate, but I do
bite my thumb, sir.
flip the bird, mate.
GREGORY
Do you quarrel, sir?
Are you looking for a fight, mate?
ABRAHAM
Quarrel sir! No, sir.
Fight, mate? No, mate.
SAMPSON
If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you.
If you are, mate, I’m ready. My boss is as good as yours.
ABRAHAM
No better.
He’s no better.
SAMPSON
Well, sir.
Well, mate.
GREGORY
Say 'better:' here comes one of my master's kinsmen.
Talking of better: here comes one of my master’s relatives.
SAMPSON
Yes, better, sir.
Yes, better, mate.
ABRAHAM
You lie.
You’re lying.
SAMPSON
Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow.
Let’s fight then, if you’re men. Gregory, remember your jab.
[They fight]
[Enter BENVOLIO]
BENVOLIO
Part, fools!
Break this up, you idiots!
Put up your swords; you know not what you do.
Put your swords away; you don’t know what you’re doing.
[Beats down their swords]
[Enter TYBALT]
TYBALT
What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?
What, do you plan to fight these gutless servants?
Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.
Turn round, Benvolio, and face your death.
BENVOLIO
I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword,
I’m trying to keep the peace. Put down your sword,
Or manage it to part these men with me.
Or use it to break up these men with me.
TYBALT
What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word,
What, with a sword, talk peace! I hate the word,
As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee:
As I hate hell, all Montagues, and you:
Have at thee, coward!
I’ll fight you, coward!
[They fight]
[Enter, several of both houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs]
FIRST CITIZEN
Clubs, bills, and partisans! Strike! Beat them down!
Bring clubs and spears! Strike at them! Beat them down!
Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues!
Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues!
[Enter CAPULET in his gown, and LADY CAPULET]
CAPULET
What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!
What’s this commotion? Give me my long sword!
LADY CAPULET
A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?
You need a crutch to walk! Why get a sword?
CAPULET
My sword, I say! Old Montague is come,
Give me my sword! Old Montague is here
And flourishes his blade in spite of me.
And waves his sword in front of me in anger.
[Enter MONTAGUE and LADY MONTAGUE]
MONTAGUE
Thou villain Capulet,--Hold me not, let me go.
You evil Capulet. Don’t hold me back, let me go.
LADY MONTAGUE
Thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe.
You will not walk towards your enemy.
[Enter PRINCE, with Attendants]
PRINCE
Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,
You rebels and you enemies of peace,
Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,--
Slandering your weapons with your neighbours’ blood…
Will they not hear? What, ho! You men, you beasts,
Why don’t they listen! Hey! You men, you thugs,
That quench the fire of your pernicious rage
Who seek to quell your own destructive anger
With purple fountains issuing from your veins,
With gushing blood that spurts out of your veins,
On pain of torture, from those bloody hands
You will be tortured if your bloody hands
Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground,
Don’t drop your wrathful weapons to the ground
And hear the sentence of your moved prince.
And hear the verdict of your livid prince.
Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,
Three fights in town, begun by flippant comments,
By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
By you, old Capulet and Montague,
Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets,
Have three times shattered peace within our streets,
And made Verona's ancient citizens
And made Verona’s adult citizens
Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments,
Take off their charming jewellery,
To wield old partisans, in hands as old,
To pick up spears in weary hands, all cut
Cankered with peace, to part your cankered hate:
And scarred from fights to quell your vengeful hatred.
If ever you disturb our streets again,
If ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.
You’ll pay the price by paying with your life.
For this time, all the rest depart away:
For now, the rest of you, get out of here.
You Capulet; shall go along with me:
You, Capulet, you’re going to come with me.
And, Montague, come you this afternoon,
And, Montague, you come this afternoon
To know our further pleasure in this case,
To learn what I’ve decided in this case,
To old Free-town, our common judgment-place.
To old Freetown, our public house of justice.
Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.
Again, all leave, or else you will be killed.
[Exeunt all but MONTAGUE, LADY MONTAGUE, and BENVOLIO]
MONTAGUE
Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach?
Who reignited our long-standing grudge match?
Speak, nephew, were you by when it began?
Speak, nephew, were you here when it began?
BENVOLIO
Here were the servants of your adversary,
The servants of your foe were standing there
And yours, close fighting ere I did approach:
Whilst yours were here, both fighting when I got here.
I drew to part them: in the instant came
I drew my sword to separate them, then came
The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepared,
The angry Tybalt, brandishing his sword
Which, as he breathed defiance to my ears,
Which, as he shouted accusations at me,
He swung about his head and cut the winds,
He swung above his head, swiping in the air,
Who nothing hurt withal hissed him in scorn:
Which hurt no one but made a sneery hiss.
While we were interchanging thrusts and blows,
Whilst fighting, swiping, thrusting with our swords,
Came more and more and fought on part and part,
Increasing vigour, both holding our own,
Till the prince came, who parted either part.
Until the prince arrived to break us up.
LADY MONTAGUE
O, where is Romeo? Saw you him to-day?
Where’s Romeo? Have you seen him today?
Right glad I am he was not at this fray.
I’m pleased he wasn’t fighting in this fray.
BENVOLIO
Madam, an hour before the worshipped sun
Madam, an hour before the lovely sun
Peered forth the golden window of the east,
Appeared from the horizon to the east,
A troubled mind drave me to walk abroad;
I had things on my mind, so took a wander,
Where, underneath the grove of sycamore
And there, beneath the grove of sycamore trees
That westward rooteth from the city's side,
That grow along the west side of our city,
So early walking did I see your son:
I saw your son out walking really early.
Towards him I made, but he was ware of me
I walked towards him, but he spotted me
And stole into the covert of the wood:
And darted off to hide within the trees.
I, measuring his affections by my own,
I guessed that, based on how I felt myself,
That most are busied when they're most alone,
That people’s minds are busy when alone,
Pursued my humour not pursuing his,
So kept out of his way, like I was pondering,
And gladly shunned who gladly fled from me.
And left him all alone, as he desired.
MONTAGUE
Many a morning hath he there been seen,
There have been many mornings he’s been seen there,
With tears augmenting the fresh morning dew.
In tears that add to early morning dew.
Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs;
His sighs create condensing breath, like clouds;
But all so soon as the all-cheering sun
But then, just as the lovely sun begins
Should in the furthest east begin to draw
To rise up in the sky out in the east
The shady curtains from Aurora's bed,
To draw Goddess of Dawn Aurora’s curtains,
Away from the light steals home my heavy son,
My melancholy son sneaks home, from sunlight,
And private in his chamber pens himself,
And locks himself away within his bedroom,
Shuts up his windows, locks far daylight out
Closing the windows, shutting out the daylight
And makes himself an artificial night:
To make his room seem like it’s still the night-time.
Black and portentous must this humour prove,
This attitude suggests there’s worse to come
Unless good counsel may the cause remove.
Unless, from good advice, it is undone.
BENVOLIO
My noble uncle, do you know the cause?
My noble uncle, do you know the cause?
MONTAGUE
I neither know it nor can learn of him.
I neither know it nor can make him tell me.
BENVOLIO
Have you importuned him by any means?
Have you used every way you have to ask him?
MONTAGUE
Both by myself and many other friends:
I’ve tried myself, and so have many friends,
But he, his own affections' counsellor,
But he keeps his emotions closely guarded,
Is to himself--I will not say how true--
Known only to himself – which isn’t wise –
But to himself so secret and so close,
And keeps them all so secretly contained
So far from sounding and discovery,
So nobody can hear or understand him,
As is the bud bit with an envious worm,
Much like a rose infected with a worm
Ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air,
That eats it up before its leaves have flowered
Or dedicate his beauty to the sun.
Or had the chance to share its sun-drenched beauty.
Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow.
If only we could learn what makes him sad,
We would as willingly give cure as know.
Then we could help to stop him feeling bad.
[Enter ROMEO]
BENVOLIO
See, where he comes: so please you, step aside;
Look, here he comes. Now, please, you both should go;
I'll know his grievance, or be much denied.
He’ll either say what’s wrong, or tell me no.
MONTAGUE
I would thou wert so happy by thy stay,
I hope you spend some happy times, achieving
To hear true shrift. Come, madam, let's away.
The truth from him. Madam, we must be leaving.
[Exeunt MONTAGUE and LADY MONTAGUE]
BENVOLIO
Good-morrow, cousin.
Good morning, cousin.
ROMEO
Is the day so young?
Is it still just morning?
BENVOLIO
But new struck nine.
It’s just turned nine.
ROMEO
Ay me! Sad hours seem long.
Oh no! Sad hours drag on.
Was that my father that went hence so fast?
Was that my father who just left here swiftly?
BENVOLIO
It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?
It was. What makes you sad that makes the hours drag?
ROMEO
Not having that, which, having, makes them short.
Because I haven’t got what makes them fly by.
BENVOLIO
In love?
Are you in love?
ROMEO
Out--
Out…
BENVOLIO
Of love?
Of love?
ROMEO
Out of her favour, where I am in love.
I’m out of favour with the one I love.
BENVOLIO
Alas, that love, so gentle in his view,
Oh dear; that love appears so sweet in theory,
Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!
Should turn out wretched in reality!
ROMEO
Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still,
Oh dear; this love, that other’s say is blind,
Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will!
Should, though it cannot see, control your mind!
Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here?
Where shall we eat? Hang on – what’s happened here?
Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all.
No need to say; I’ve heard it all before.
Here's much to do with hate, but more with love.
It’s somewhat caused by hate, but more by love.
Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!
Why bother? Fighting love! Or loving hate!
O any thing, of nothing first create!
From nothing these two forces activate!
O heavy lightness! Serious vanity!
Oh, woeful happiness and wretched pride!
Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
What chaos caused by well-intentioned people!
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!
It’s like lead feathers, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
Or walking in your sleep! But that’s not my love!
This love feel I, that feel no love in this.
I feel this love, yet no one loves me back.
Dost thou not laugh?
Why are you laughing?
BENVOLIO
No, coz, I rather weep.
Cousin, I am crying.
ROMEO
Good heart, at what?
What are you crying at, good man?
BENVOLIO
At thy good heart's oppression.
Your sadness.
ROMEO
Why, such is love's transgression.
Well that, it seems, is how it works with love.
Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast,
My grief is hurting from my own lamenting,
Which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest
But now the grief you feel is supplementing
With more of thine: this love that thou hast shown
The pain I feel. This love that you have shown
Doth add more grief to too much of mine own.
Is piling heartache up upon my own.
Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs;
What’s love? It’s condensation formed by sighing,
Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes;
Which, gone, shows lovers eyes electrifying;
Being vexed a sea nourished with lovers' tears:
If they’re annoyed, they’re overwhelmed with tears.
What is it else? A madness most discreet,
What else is love? It’s like a subtle joke,
A choking gall and a preserving sweet.
A soothing lozenge that’ll make you choke.
Farewell, my coz.
Goodbye, my cousin.
BENVOLIO
Soft! I will go along;
I will come along!
An if you leave me so, you do me wrong.
And if you turn me down, you’ve done me wrong.
ROMEO
Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here;
You know, I’ve lost mind; I’m barely here;
This is not Romeo, he's some other where.
This isn’t me; I’m lost, that much is clear.
BENVOLIO
Tell me in sadness, who is that you love.
Tell me in sadness, who are you in love with?
ROMEO
What, shall I groan and tell thee?
What, shall I groan and tell you?
BENVOLIO
Groan! Why, no.
Groan! Well, no.
But sadly tell me who.
But through your sadness, tell me who it is.
ROMEO
Bid a sick man in sadness make his will:
Advise one sad and sick to write a will,
Ah, word ill urged to one that is so ill!
And that is bad advice to someone ill!
In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.
In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.
BENVOLIO
I aimed so near, when I supposed you loved.
My aim was close, by thinking you’re in love.
ROMEO
A right good mark-man! And she's fair I love.
You’re a good shot! The one I love is lovely.
BENVOLIO
A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit.
A lovely target is the first one hit.
ROMEO
Well, in that hit you miss: she'll not be hit
You’ve aimed right, but you’ll miss: she won’t be hit
With Cupid's arrow; she hath Dian's wit;
By Cupid’s arrow; she has Diana’s wit,
And, in strong proof of chastity well armed,
Goddess of Chastity, who’s armed her well,
From love's weak childish bow she lives unharmed.
And Cupid’s childish arrows she’ll repel.
She will not stay the siege of loving terms,
She doesn’t wait for endless terms of love,
Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes,
Nor interact with flirting eyes of others,
Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold:
Nor gold, that saintly folk adore, she’ll take.
O, she is rich in beauty, only poor,
She’s beautiful, but one part is bereft:
That when she dies with beauty dies her store.
Her beauty dies if she’s no children left.
BENVOLIO
Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?
So, has she sworn she’ll never be embraced?
ROMEO
She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste,
She has, and her decision is a waste,
For beauty starved with her severity
For beauty treated by her strict endeavour
Cuts beauty off from all posterity.
Means that her beauty won’t live on forever.
She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair,
She is too wise and fair to make it fair
To merit bliss by making me despair:
She’s happy out of making me despair.
She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow
She’s sworn she’ll never love, and with that vow
Do I live dead that live to tell it now.
I am the living-dead that’s living now.
BENVOLIO
Be ruled by me, forget to think of her.
Do as I say: forget to think about her.
ROMEO
O, teach me how I should forget to think.
Oh, teach me how I can forget to think.
BENVOLIO
By giving liberty unto thine eyes;
By giving freedom to your eyes to wander
Examine other beauties.
And look at other beauties.
ROMEO
'Tis the way
That’s the way
To call hers exquisite, in question more:
To show how gorgeous she is next to others.
These happy masks that kiss fair ladies' brows
When gorgeous ladies wear a masquerade mask,
Being black put us in mind they hide the fair;
The black mask then suggests the lady’s gorgeous.
He that is strucken blind cannot forget
A man who has gone blind cannot forget
The precious treasure of his eyesight lost:
The sight of gorgeous women once his sight’s gone.
Show me a mistress that is passing fair,
Show me a woman who is quite attractive,
What doth her beauty serve, but as a note
And ask what does her beauty do except
Where I may read who passed that passing fair?
Remind me of the one more gorgeous than her.
Farewell: thou canst not teach me to forget.
Goodbye: you cannot teach me to forget.
BENVOLIO
I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt.
I bet I can, or else die in your debt.
[Exeunt]
