The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet

1 Enter Mercutio, Benvolio, Page and Servants.
2 BENVOLIO.
3 I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire:
4 The day is hot, the Capulets abroad,
5 And if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl,
6 For now these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.
7 MERCUTIO.
8 Thou art like one of these fellows that, when he enters the confines of
9 a tavern, claps me his sword upon the table, and says ‘God send me no
10 need of thee!’ and by the operation of the second cup draws him on the
11 drawer, when indeed there is no need.
12 BENVOLIO.
13 Am I like such a fellow?
14 MERCUTIO.
15 Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy; and as
16 soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved.
17 BENVOLIO.
18 And what to?
19 MERCUTIO.
20 Nay, an there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would
21 kill the other. Thou? Why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a
22 hair more or a hair less in his beard than thou hast. Thou wilt quarrel
23 with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou
24 hast hazel eyes. What eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel?
25 Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy
26 head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling. Thou hast
27 quarrelled with a man for coughing in the street, because he hath
28 wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall
29 out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter? with
30 another for tying his new shoes with an old riband? And yet thou wilt
31 tutor me from quarrelling!
32 BENVOLIO.
33 And I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy the fee
34 simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.
35 MERCUTIO.
36 The fee simple! O simple!
37 Enter Tybalt and others.
38 BENVOLIO.
39 By my head, here comes the Capulets.
40 MERCUTIO.
41 By my heel, I care not.
42 TYBALT.
43 Follow me close, for I will speak to them.
44 Gentlemen, good-den: a word with one of you.
45 MERCUTIO.
46 And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something; make it a
47 word and a blow.
48 TYBALT.
49 You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, and you will give me
50 occasion.
51 MERCUTIO.
52 Could you not take some occasion without giving?
53 TYBALT.
54 Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo.
55 MERCUTIO.
56 Consort? What, dost thou make us minstrels? And thou make minstrels of
57 us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here’s my fiddlestick, here’s
58 that shall make you dance. Zounds, consort!
59 BENVOLIO.
60 We talk here in the public haunt of men.
61 Either withdraw unto some private place,
62 And reason coldly of your grievances,
63 Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.
64 MERCUTIO.
65 Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze.
66 I will not budge for no man’s pleasure, I.
67 Enter Romeo.
68 TYBALT.
69 Well, peace be with you, sir, here comes my man.
70 MERCUTIO.
71 But I’ll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery.
72 Marry, go before to field, he’ll be your follower;
73 Your worship in that sense may call him man.
74 TYBALT.
75 Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford
76 No better term than this: Thou art a villain.
77 ROMEO.
78 Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
79 Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
80 To such a greeting. Villain am I none;
81 Therefore farewell; I see thou know’st me not.
82 TYBALT.
83 Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
84 That thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw.
85 ROMEO.
86 I do protest I never injur’d thee,
87 But love thee better than thou canst devise
88 Till thou shalt know the reason of my love.
89 And so good Capulet, which name I tender
90 As dearly as mine own, be satisfied.
91 MERCUTIO.
92 O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!
93 [_Draws._] Alla stoccata carries it away.
94 Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?
95 TYBALT.
96 What wouldst thou have with me?
97 MERCUTIO.
98 Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives; that I mean to
99 make bold withal, and, as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest
100 of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears?
101 Make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out.
102 TYBALT.
103 [_Drawing._] I am for you.
104 ROMEO.
105 Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
106 MERCUTIO.
107 Come, sir, your passado.
108 [_They fight._]
109 ROMEO.
110 Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons.
111 Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage,
112 Tybalt, Mercutio, the Prince expressly hath
113 Forbid this bandying in Verona streets.
114 Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!
115 [_Exeunt Tybalt with his Partizans._]
116 MERCUTIO.
117 I am hurt.
118 A plague o’ both your houses. I am sped.
119 Is he gone, and hath nothing?
120 BENVOLIO.
121 What, art thou hurt?
122 MERCUTIO.
123 Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Marry, ’tis enough.
124 Where is my page? Go villain, fetch a surgeon.
125 [_Exit Page._]
126 ROMEO.
127 Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much.
128 MERCUTIO.
129 No, ’tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but ’tis
130 enough, ’twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a
131 grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o’ both
132 your houses. Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to
133 death. A braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of
134 arithmetic!—Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your
135 arm.
136 ROMEO.
137 I thought all for the best.
138 MERCUTIO.
139 Help me into some house, Benvolio,
140 Or I shall faint. A plague o’ both your houses.
141 They have made worms’ meat of me.
142 I have it, and soundly too. Your houses!
143 [_Exeunt Mercutio and Benvolio._]
144 ROMEO.
145 This gentleman, the Prince’s near ally,
146 My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt
147 In my behalf; my reputation stain’d
148 With Tybalt’s slander,—Tybalt, that an hour
149 Hath been my cousin. O sweet Juliet,
150 Thy beauty hath made me effeminate
151 And in my temper soften’d valour’s steel.
152 Re-enter Benvolio.
153 BENVOLIO.
154 O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio’s dead,
155 That gallant spirit hath aspir’d the clouds,
156 Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.
157 ROMEO.
158 This day’s black fate on mo days doth depend;
159 This but begins the woe others must end.
160 Re-enter Tybalt.
161 BENVOLIO.
162 Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.
163 ROMEO.
164 Again in triumph, and Mercutio slain?
165 Away to heaven respective lenity,
166 And fire-ey’d fury be my conduct now!
167 Now, Tybalt, take the ‘villain’ back again
168 That late thou gav’st me, for Mercutio’s soul
169 Is but a little way above our heads,
170 Staying for thine to keep him company.
171 Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.
172 TYBALT.
173 Thou wretched boy, that didst consort him here,
174 Shalt with him hence.
175 ROMEO.
176 This shall determine that.
177 [_They fight; Tybalt falls._]
178 BENVOLIO.
179 Romeo, away, be gone!
180 The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.
181 Stand not amaz’d. The Prince will doom thee death
182 If thou art taken. Hence, be gone, away!
183 ROMEO.
184 O, I am fortune’s fool!
185 BENVOLIO.
186 Why dost thou stay?
187 [_Exit Romeo._]
188 Enter Citizens.
189 FIRST CITIZEN.
190 Which way ran he that kill’d Mercutio?
191 Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?
192 BENVOLIO.
193 There lies that Tybalt.
194 FIRST CITIZEN.
195 Up, sir, go with me.
196 I charge thee in the Prince’s name obey.
197 Enter Prince, attended; Montague, Capulet, their Wives and others.
198 PRINCE.
199 Where are the vile beginners of this fray?
200 BENVOLIO.
201 O noble Prince, I can discover all
202 The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl.
203 There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,
204 That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.
205 LADY CAPULET.
206 Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother’s child!
207 O Prince! O husband! O, the blood is spill’d
208 Of my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,
209 For blood of ours shed blood of Montague.
210 O cousin, cousin.
211 PRINCE.
212 Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?
213 BENVOLIO.
214 Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo’s hand did slay;
215 Romeo, that spoke him fair, bid him bethink
216 How nice the quarrel was, and urg’d withal
217 Your high displeasure. All this uttered
218 With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow’d
219 Could not take truce with the unruly spleen
220 Of Tybalt, deaf to peace, but that he tilts
221 With piercing steel at bold Mercutio’s breast,
222 Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point,
223 And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
224 Cold death aside, and with the other sends
225 It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity
226 Retorts it. Romeo he cries aloud,
227 ‘Hold, friends! Friends, part!’ and swifter than his tongue,
228 His agile arm beats down their fatal points,
229 And ’twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm
230 An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life
231 Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled.
232 But by and by comes back to Romeo,
233 Who had but newly entertain’d revenge,
234 And to’t they go like lightning; for, ere I
235 Could draw to part them was stout Tybalt slain;
236 And as he fell did Romeo turn and fly.
237 This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.
238 LADY CAPULET.
239 He is a kinsman to the Montague.
240 Affection makes him false, he speaks not true.
241 Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,
242 And all those twenty could but kill one life.
243 I beg for justice, which thou, Prince, must give;
244 Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.
245 PRINCE.
246 Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio.
247 Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?
248 MONTAGUE.
249 Not Romeo, Prince, he was Mercutio’s friend;
250 His fault concludes but what the law should end,
251 The life of Tybalt.
252 PRINCE.
253 And for that offence
254 Immediately we do exile him hence.
255 I have an interest in your hate’s proceeding,
256 My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding.
257 But I’ll amerce you with so strong a fine
258 That you shall all repent the loss of mine.
259 I will be deaf to pleading and excuses;
260 Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses.
261 Therefore use none. Let Romeo hence in haste,
262 Else, when he is found, that hour is his last.
263 Bear hence this body, and attend our will.
264 Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.
265 [_Exeunt._]