PERSONS REPRESENTED. ESCALUS, prince of Verona. PARIS, a young nobleman, kinsman to the prince. MONTAGUE, ર CAPULET, cads of two houses, at variance with each other.. An old Man, uncle to Capulet. MERCUTIO, kinsman to the prince, and friend to BENVOLIO, nephew to Montague, and friend to Romeo. Friar LAURENCE, a Franciscan. Chorus. Boy; Page to Paris; PETER; an Officer. Lady MONTAGUE, wife to Montague. Lady CAPULET, wife to Capulet. JULIET, daughter to Capulet. Nurse to Juliet. Citizens of Verona; several Men and Women, Relations to both houses; Maskers, Guards, Watchmen, and Attendants. SCENE during the greater part of the play, in Verona: once in the fifth act at Mantua. ROMEO AND JULIET. 、 ACT I. SCENE I-A Public Place. Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY, armed with swords and bucklers. Sampson. Gre. No, for then we shall be colliers. Sam. I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw. Gre. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of the collar. Sam. I strike quickly, being moved. Gre. But thou art not quickly moved to strike. Sam. A dog of the house of Montague moves me. Gre. To move, is-to stir; and to be valiant, is-to stand to it: therefore, if thou art moved, thou run'st away. Sam. A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's. Gre. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall. Sam. True; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall:-therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. Gre. The quarrel is between our masters, and us their men. Sam. 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids; I will cut off their heads. Gre. The heads of the maids? Sam. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt. Gre. They must take it in sense, that feel it. Sam. Me they shall feel, while I am able to stand: and, 'tis known, I am a pretty piece of flesh. [1] Dr. Warburton very justly observes, that this was a phrase formerly in use to signify the bearing injuries. STEEV. Gre. 'Tis well, thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been Poor John.2 Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of the Montagues. Enter ABRAM and BALTHASAR. Sam. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee. Gre. How turn thy back, and run? Sam. Fear me not. Gre. No, marry: I fear thee! Sam. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin. Gre. I will frown, as I pass by; and let them take it as they list. Sam. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them;3 which in a disgrace to them, if they bear it. Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Sam. I do bite my thumb, sir. Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Sam. Is the law on our side, if I say-ay ? Gre. No. Sam. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir. Gre. Do you quarrel, sir? Abr. Quarrel, sir? no, sir. Sam. If you do, sir, I am for you; I serve as good a man as you. Abr. No better. Sam. Well, sir. Enter BENVOLIO, at a distance. Gre. Say-better; here comes one of my master's kinsmen. Sam. Yes, better, sir. Abr. You lie. Sam. Draw, if you be men.-Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. [They fight. Ben. Part, fools; put up your swords; you know not what you do. [Beats down their swords. Enter TYBALT. Tyb.What,art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? MALONE. 123 Poor John is hake, dried and salted. 131 Dr. Lodge. in a pamphlet called Wits Miserie, &c. 1596, has this passage: "Behold next I see Contempt marching forth, giving mee the fice with his thombe in his mouth." In a translation from Stephens's Apology for Herodotus, 1607, I meet with these words: "It is said of the Italians, if they once bite their fingers' ends in a threatening manner, God knows, if they set npon their enemie face to face, it is because they cannot assail him behind his backe." STEEV. Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death. Tyb. What, drawn,and talk of peace ? I hate the word, [They fight. Enter several Partizans of both Houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs. Cit.Clubs, bills, and partizans! strike ! beat them down! Down with the Capulets! down with the Montagues! Enter CAPULET, in his gown; and Lady CAPULET. Cap. What noise is this?-Give me my long sword, ho! La. Cap. A crutch, a crutch !-Why call you for a sword? Cap. My sword, I say!-old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in spite of me. Enter MONTAGUE and Lady MONTAGUE. Mon. Thou villain Capulet,-Hold me not, let me go. La. Mon. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe. Enter Prince, with Attendants. Prince. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Will they not hear what ho! you men, you beasts,- Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets; Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, To wield old partizans, in hands as old, Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate : If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. For this time, all the rest depart away: You, Capulet, shall go along with me ; [4] The long sword was the sword used in war, which was sometimes wielded with both hands. JOHNSON. And, Montague, come you this afternoon, To know our further pleasure in this case, La. Mon. O, where is Romeo!-saw you him to-day? Right glad I am, he was not at this fray. Ben. Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun That most are busied when they are most alone,- And gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me. Mon. Many a morning hath he there been seen, Ben. My noble uncle, do you know the cause? |