SCENE 2: A STREET. — Shakespeare Retold

[Enter CAPULET, PARIS, and Servant]

CAPULET

But Montague is bound as well as I,

But Montague is bound as much as I am,

In penalty alike; and 'tis not hard, I think,

With equal penalties. It isn’t hard

For men so old as we to keep the peace.

For men as old as us to keep the peace.

PARIS

Of honourable reckoning are you both;

You are both men of honourability.

And pity 'tis you lived at odds so long.

It’s just a shame you’ve lived as foes so long.

But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?

But now, how will you answer my request?

CAPULET

But saying o'er what I have said before:

By saying what I’ve said to you before:

My child is yet a stranger in the world;

My child is young, a stranger in the world;

She hath not seen the change of fourteen years,

She isn’t even fourteen years old yet.

Let two more summers wither in their pride,

Let two more summers bloom and then subside

Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

Before we even think she’ll make a bride.

PARIS

Younger than she are happy mothers made.

They make for happy mothers even younger.

CAPULET

And too soon marred are those so early made.

And soon grow old, those girls who give birth younger.

The earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she,

This life has quashed my dreams, except for her,

She is the hopeful lady of my earth:

For in her I hope all my dreams come true.

But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart,

But chat her up then, Paris, win her heart,

My will to her consent is but a part;

For my consent is merely just a part;

An she agree, within her scope of choice

If she agrees, and it remains her choice,

Lies my consent and fair according voice.

I will consent and lend your love my voice.

This night I hold an old accustomed feast,

Tonight I host an old traditional feast

Whereto I have invited many a guest,

And I’ve invited many guests, at least,

Such as I love; and you, among the store,

All them I love; and you, at my request,

One more, most welcome, makes my number more.

Will be most welcome as another guest.

At my poor house look to behold this night

Come to my humble house and see tonight

Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light:

The stars within the sky like heaven’s light:

Such comfort as do lusty young men feel

That lovely feeling lusty young men feel

When well-apparelled April on the heel

When flowers of spring appear upon the heel

Of limping winter treads, even such delight

Of wilting winter plants, well that delight

Among fresh female buds shall you this night

From fresh-faced gorgeous girls you’ll see tonight

Inherit at my house; hear all, all see,

Round mine. Listen and look, and make a test,

And like her most whose merit most shall be:

And pick the one that you think is the best.

Which on more view, of many mine being one

And seeing many more, you might think mine,

May stand in number, though in reckoning none.

Amongst the others, isn’t worth your time.

Come, go with me.

Come on, let’s go.

[To Servant, giving a paper]

Go, sirrah, trudge about

Go, mister, walk about,

Through fair Verona; find those persons out

Through fair Verona; find these people out

Whose names are written there, and to them say,

Whose names are listed here, and then invite them

My house and welcome on their pleasure stay.

To my house for a feast; that will incite them.

[Exeunt CAPULET and PARIS]

SERVANT

Find them out whose names are written here! It is

Find the people whose names are written here! As far as

written, that the shoemaker should meddle with his

I can tell, it says the shoemaker and the tailor should

yard, and the tailor with his last, the fisher with

use each other’s tools of the trade, that the fisherman use

his pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I am

the painter’s pencil, the painter the fisherman’s nets. For I’m

sent to find those persons whose names are here

told to find the people whose names are written here

writ, and can never find what names the writing

but I can’t find the names the writer listed because

person hath here writ. I must to the learned.--In good time.

I cannot read. I must find someone clever. I’ll sort it out.

[Enter BENVOLIO and ROMEO]

BENVOLIO

Tut, man, one fire burns out another's burning,

A fresh fire puts out one that burnt before,

One pain is lessened by another's anguish;

A pain stops when a new pain has begun;

Turn giddy, and be holp by backward turning;

When giddy, spin the other way some more;

One desperate grief cures with another's languish:

An awful grief is cured when new ones come.

Take thou some new infection to thy eye,

Observe some women, then you might be tempted,

And the rank poison of the old will die.

And all your lovesick pain might be exempted.

ROMEO

Your plaintain-leaf is excellent for that.

Your dock-leaf bandage works a treat on that.

BENVOLIO

For what, I pray thee?

On what, I ask?

ROMEO

For your broken shin.

The cut upon your shin.

BENVOLIO

Why, Romeo, art thou mad?

What, Romeo, have you gone mad?

ROMEO

Not mad, but bound more than a mad-man is;

Not mad, although I’m tied up like a madman,

Shut up in prison, kept without my food,

Locked in a prison, kept without my food,

Whipped and tormented and--God-den, good fellow.

Whipped and tortured and…Good evening, good man.

SERVANT

God gi' god-den. I pray, sir, can you read?

A blessed evening. Please sir, can you read?

ROMEO

Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.

Yes: my misfortune in my misery.

SERVANT

Perhaps you have learned it without book: but, I

Perhaps you’ve learned that without using a book. But,

pray, can you read any thing you see?

please, can you read anything you see?

ROMEO

Ay, if I know the letters and the language.

Yes, if I know the letters and the language.

SERVANT

Ye say honestly: rest you merry!

I see. Have a nice day!

ROMEO

Stay, fellow; I can read.

Wait there, good man; I can read.

[Reads]

'Signior Martino and his wife and daughters;

“Signior Martino and his wife and daughters,

County Anselme and his beauteous sisters; the lady

County Anselme and his beautiful sisters; the lady

widow of Vitravio; Signior Placentio and his lovely

nieces; Mercutio and his brother Valentine; mine

nieces; Mercutio and his brother Valentine; my

uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters; my fair niece

uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters; my lovely niece

Rosaline; Livia; Signior Valentio and his cousin

Tybalt, Lucio and the lively Helena.' A fair

Tybalt; Lucio and the lively Helena.” That’s quite

assembly: whither should they come?

a crowd: to where should they attend?

SERVANT

Up.

ROMEO

Whither?

Where?

SERVANT

To supper; to our house.

To supper; at our house.

ROMEO

Whose house?

SERVANT

My master's.

My master’s.

ROMEO

Indeed, I should have asked you that before.

SERVANT

Now I'll tell you without asking: my master is the

Now I’ll tell you before you ask: my master is the

great rich Capulet; and if you be not of the house

great rich Capulet; and if you’re not one of the

of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine.

Montague family, please, come and down a glass of wine.

Rest you merry!

Stay happy!

[Exit]

BENVOLIO

At this same ancient feast of Capulet's

At this traditional feast of Capulet’s

Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lovest,

Drinks lovely Rosaline, the one you love,

With all the admired beauties of Verona:

Along with all Verona’s lovely ladies;

Go thither; and, with unattainted eye,

Let’s go, and with an open-mindedness,

Compare her face with some that I shall show,

Compare her face with some that I will show,

And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.

And I will make you think your swan’s a crow.

ROMEO

When the devout religion of mine eye

When things I trust, the sight out of my eye,

Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires;

Tell lies like this, then turn my tears to fires;

And these, who often drowned could never die,

And then my eyes, which drown but never die,

Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars!

For dreadful views, must burn for being liars!

One fairer than my love! The all-seeing sun

One better looking than my love! The sun

Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun.

Has never seen that since the world begun.

BENVOLIO

Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by,

You fancied her when no one else was with her,

Herself poised with herself in either eye:

Alone, no one comparison could give her;

But in that crystal scales let there be weighed

But on the scales where options can be weighed,

Your lady's love against some other maid

Assess your lady with another maid

That I will show you shining at this feast,

And I will show you, shining at this meal,

And she shall scant show well that now shows best.

She’s bland compared to those I will reveal.

ROMEO

I'll go along, no such sight to be shown,

I’ll come, safe in the knowledge no one’s better,

But to rejoice in splendour of mine own.

And I’ll rejoice in knowledge that I met her.

[Exeunt]