DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ESCALUS prince of Verona
PARIS a young count, kinsman to the prince
MONTAGUE heads of two houses at variance with each other
CAPULET heads of two houses at variance with each other
AN OLD MAN of the Capulet family
ROMEO son to Montague
TYBALT nephew to Lady Capulet
MERCUTIO kinsman to the prince and friend to Romeo
BENVOLIO nephew to Montague, and friend to Romeo
TYBALT nephew to Lady Capulet
FRIAR LAURENCE Franciscan
FRIAR JOHN Franciscan
BALTHASAR servant to Romeo
ABRAM servant to Montague
SAMPSON servant to Capulet
GREGORY servant to Capulet
PETER servant to Juliet’s nurse
APOTHECARY
OFFICER
LADY MONTAGUE wife to Montague
LADY CAPULET wife to Capulet
JULIET daughter to Capulet
NURSE to Juliet
CITIZENS of Verona, gentlemen and gentlewomen of both houses
MASKERS, TORCHBEARERS, PAGES, GUARDS, WATCHMEN, SERVANTS, ATTENDANTS, AND MUSICIANS
PROLOGUE
CHORU. Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents’ strife.
The fearful passage of their death-marked love,
And the continuance of their parents’ rage, 10
Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
ACT I SCENE I
Verona. A public place.
Enter Sampson and Gregory, of the house of Capulet, armed with swords and bucklers
SAMPS. Gregory, o’my word, we’ll not carry coals.
GREGO. No, for then we should be colliers.
SAMPS. I mean, an we be in choler, we’ll draw.
GREGO. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o’ the collar.
SAMPS. I strike quickly, being moved.
GREGO. But thou art not quickly moved to strike.
SAMPS. A dog of the house of Montague moves me.
GREGO. To move is to stir; and to be valiant is to stand:
therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn’st away.
SAMPS. A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will 10
take the wall of any man or maid of Montague’s.
GREGO. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes
to the wall.
SAMPS. 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.
GREGO. The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.
SAMPS. ’Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I
have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the 20
maids, and cut off their heads.
GREGO. The heads of the maids?
SAMPS. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads;
take it in what sense thou wilt.
GREGO. They must take it in sense that feel it.
SAMPS. Me they shall feel while I am able to stand: and
’tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.
GREGO. ’Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou
hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool! here comes
two of the house of the Montagues. 30
Enter Abraham and Balthasar
SAMPS. My naked weapon is out: quarrel, I will back thee.
GREGO. How! turn thy back and run?
SAMPS. Fear me not.
GREGO. No, marry; I fear thee!
SAMPS. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.
GREGO. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list.
SAMPS. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them;
which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.
ABRAH. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
SAMPS. I do bite my thumb, sir. 40
ABRAH. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
SAMPS. Is the law of our side, if I say ay?
GREGO. No.
SAMPS. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I
bite my thumb, sir.
GREGO. Do you quarrel, sir?
ABRAH. Quarrel sir! no, sir.
SAMPS. If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you.
ABRAH. No better. 50
SAMPS. Well, sir.
Enter Benvolio
GREGO. [seeing Tybalt]Say ‘better:’ here comes one of my master’s kinsmen.
SAMPS. Yes, better, sir.
ABRAH. You lie.
SAMPS. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. [They fight]
BENVO. Part, fools!
Put up your swords; you know not what you do.
Beats down their swords
Enter Tybalt
TYBAL. What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? 60
Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.
BENVO. I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword,
Or manage it to part these men with me.
TYBAL. What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word,
As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee:
Have at thee, coward!
They fight
Enter, several of both houses,
who join the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs
CITIZ. 1 Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down!
Down with the Capulets! down with the Montagues!
Enter Capulet in his gown, and Lady Capulet
CAPUL. What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!
LADYC. A crutch, a crutch! why call you for a sword? 70
CAPUL. My sword, I say! Old Montague is come,
And flourishes his blade in spite of me.
Enter Montague and Lady Montague