Romeo and Juliet : Act 1, Scene 1

Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY, with swords
and bucklers, of the house of Capulet .

1 Gregory, o' my word, we'll not carry coals.

2 No, for then we should be colliers.

3 I mean, and we be in choler, we'll draw.

4-5. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of collar: i.e., you'll be lucky if you live your life without being hanged. Gregory uses "collar" as slang for "hangman's noose."

4 Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of
5 collar.

6 I strike quickly, being mov'd.

7 But thou art not quickly mov'd to strike.

8. A dog of the house of Montague moves me: i.e., just seeing any S.O.B. of the house of Montague angers me.

8 A dog of the house of Montague moves me.

9. stand: make a stand. But Gregory then makes a joke out of the fact that "stand" also means "stand still."

9 To move is to stir; and to be valiant is to stand:
10 therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn'st away.

SAMPSON
11 A dog of that house shall move me to stand! I will

12. take the wall: The part of a street closest to the wall was always cleaner. To force someone else out into the horse dung zone was an insult.
13-14. the weakest goes to the wall: the weakest are always trampled by the powerful (proverbial).

12 take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's.

GREGORY
13 That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest
14 goes to the wall.

15 'Tis true, and therefore women, being the weaker
16 vessels, are ever thrust to the wall; therefore I
17 will push Montague's men from the wall, and
18 thrust his maids to the wall.

19. The quarrel . . . men: i.e., the quarrel is between men only: the masters, supported by their men. Perhaps Gregory is shocked that Sampson would think of attacking women. 21. one the same.

19 The quarrel is between our masters and us their
20 men.

SAMPSON
21 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I
22 have fought with the men, I will be civil with the
23 maids, and cut off their heads.

GREGORY
24 The heads of the maids?

25 Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads;
26 take it in what sense thou wilt.

27 They must take it in sense that feel it.

28 Me they shall feel while I am able to stand, and
29 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.

30 'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou
31 hadst been poor-John. Draw thy tool! here comes
32 two of the house of the Montagues.

Enter two other servingmen
[ABRAHAM and BALTHASAR].

33 My naked weapon is out. Quarrel, I will back
34 thee.

GREGORY
35 How! turn thy back and run?

37. marry: indeed. I fear thee!: I would never be afraid of you! Gregory is deliberately misinterpreting Sampson's previous "Fear me not."
38. Let us take the law of our sides: Let's keep the law on our side.

37 No, marry; I fear thee!

SAMPSON
38 Let us take the law of our sides;
39 let them begin.

GREGORY
40 I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as

42 Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them;
43 which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.

44 Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

SAMPSON
45 I do bite my thumb, sir.

ABRAHAM
46 Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

SAMPSON [ Aside to Gregory. ]
47 Is the law of our side, if I say
48 ay?

GREGORY [ Aside to Sampson. ]
49 No.

SAMPSON
50 No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir,
51 but I bite my thumb, sir.

GREGORY
52 Do you quarrel, sir?

ABRAHAM
53 Quarrel sir! no, sir.

SAMPSON
54 If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good
55 a man as you.

ABRAHAM
56 No better?

SAMPSON
57 Well, sir.

GREGORY
58 Say "better," here comes one of my master's kinsmen.

SAMPSON
60 Yes, better, sir.

ABRAHAM
61 You lie.

SAMPSON
62 Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy

BENVOLIO
64 Part, fools!
65 Put up your swords; you know not what you do.

[ Beats down their swords .]
Enter TYBALT.

66 What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?
67 Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.

BENVOLIO
68 I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword,
69 Or manage it to part these men with me.

TYBALT
70 What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word,
71 As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.

72 Have at thee, coward!

[ They fight .]
Enter three or four CITIZENS with clubs or

73. Clubs . partisans: rallying cry, calling apprentices into action against gentlemen. Bills and partisans are polearms.

73 Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down!
74 Down with the Capulets! down with the Montagues!

Enter old CAPULET in his gown, and his
wife [LADY CAPULET].

CAPULET
75 What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!

LADY CAPULET
76 A crutch, a crutch! why call you for a sword?

CAPULET
77 My sword, I say! Old Montague is come,

78 And flourishes his blade in spite of me.

Enter old MONTAGUE and his wife
[LADY MONTAGUE].

MONTAGUE
79 Thou villain Capulet!—Hold me not, let me go.

LADY MONTAGUE
80 Thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe.

Enter PRINCE ESCALUS with his TRAIN.

PRINCE
81 Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,

82 Profaners of this neighbor-stained steel—
83 Will they not hear? What, ho! you men, you beasts
84 That quench the fire of your pernicious rage

87 Throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground,
88 And hear the sentence of your moved prince.
89 Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,
90 By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
91 Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets,

92 And made Verona's ancient citizens
93 Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments,
94 To wield old partisans, in hands as old,

95. Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate: rusted with (disuse during) peace, to share your malignant hate.

95 Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate;
96 If ever you disturb our streets again,
97 Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.
98 For this time, all the rest depart away:
99 You Capulet; shall go along with me:
100 And, Montague, come you this afternoon,
101 To know our further pleasure in this case,

102 To old Free-town, our common judgment-place.
103 Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.

Exeunt [ all but Montague,
Lady Montague, and Benvolio ].

104 Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach?
105 Speak, nephew, were you by when it began?

BENVOLIO
106 Here were the servants of your adversary,

107 And yours, close fighting ere I did approach:
108 I drew to part them: in the instant came
109 The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepared,
110 Which, as he breathed defiance to my ears,
111 He swung about his head and cut the winds,

114 Came more and more and fought on part and part,
115 Till the prince came, who parted either part.

LADY MONTAGUE
116 O, where is Romeo? saw you him to-day?
117 Right glad I am he was not at this fray.

BENVOLIO
118 Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun
119 Peer'd forth the golden window of the east,
120 A troubled mind drave me to walk abroad;

121. sycamore: associated with melancholy lovers, who are "sick-amour." 122. this city side: the side of this city. 124. ware: (1) aware; (2) wary.

121 Where, underneath the grove of sycamore
122 That westward rooteth from this city side,
123 So early walking did I see your son:
124 Towards him I made, but he was ware of me
125 And stole into the covert of the wood:

126 I, measuring his affections by my own,
127 Which then most sought where most might
not be found,
128 Being one too many by my weary self,

129. Pursued my humour not pursuing his: indulged my own mood by not following him and inquiring about his mood. 130. who: him who.

129 Pursued my humour not pursuing his,
130 And gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me.

MONTAGUE
131 Many a morning hath he there been seen,
132 With tears augmenting the fresh morning dew,
133 Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs;

136 The shady curtains from Aurora's bed,
137 Away from the light steals home my heavy son,
138 And private in his chamber pens himself,
139 Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out
140 And makes himself an artificial night:

141. Black and portentous must this humor prove: this mood must turn out to be dangerous and full of portent [of something worse to come]. 142. good counsel: good advice, counseling.

141 Black and portentous must this humor prove,
142 Unless good counsel may the cause remove.

BENVOLIO
143 My noble uncle, do you know the cause?

MONTAGUE
144 I neither know it nor can learn of him.

145. Have you importuned him by any means?: Have you earnestly requested him [to talk—to reveal his secret] in any way?

145 Have you importuned him by any means?

MONTAGUE
146 Both by myself and many other friends:

147 But he, his own affections' counsellor,
148 Is to himself—I will not say how true—
149 But to himself so secret and so close,
150 So far from sounding and discovery,
151 As is the bud bit with an envious worm,
152 Ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air,
153 Or dedicate his beauty to the sun.
154 Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow.
155 We would as willingly give cure as know.

BENVOLIO
156 See, where he comes: so please you, step aside;

157. I'll know his grievance, or be much denied: I'll find out what is wrong with him, or he will have to refuse to answer the many questions I will ask.

157 I'll know his grievance, or be much denied.

158. I would thou wert so happy by thy stay, / To hear true shrift: I hope that you will be so fortunate, in your staying here and being persistent, as to hear a true confession [of Romeo's state of mind].

158 I would thou wert so happy by thy stay,
159 To hear true shrift. Come, madam, let's away.

Exeunt MONTAGUE and LADY MONTAGUE .

BENVOLIO
160 Good-morrow, cousin.

ROMEO
160 Is the day so young?

BENVOLIO
161 But new struck nine.

ROMEO
161 Ay me! sad hours seem long.
162 Was that my father that went hence so fast?

BENVOLIO
163 It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?

164. Not having that, which, having, makes them short: i.e. , Not having the love of Rosaline is that which makes the hours seem long, because if I had her love, the hours would seem short.

164 Not having that, which, having, makes them short.

BENVOLIO
165 In love?

BENVOLIO
167 Of love?

ROMEO
168 Out of her favor, where I am in love.

169 Alas, that love, so gentle in his view,
170 Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!

171. whose view is muffled still: whose eyes are always blindfolded. 172. see pathways to his will: find ways to get what he wants. 173. dine: have lunch. O me! What fray was here?: Apparently Romeo suddenly notices some evidence (dropped swords, clubs, etc.) of the riot. 175. Here's . love: Here [and everywhere] there is much ado (i.e., conflict, strife) about hate, but there is more conflict in love.
177. create: created.

171 Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still,
172 Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will!
173 Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here?
174 Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all.
175 Here's much to do with hate, but more with love.
176 Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!
177 O any thing, of nothing first create!
178 O heavy lightness! serious vanity!
179 Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
180 Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!

181. Still-waking: constantly awake.
182. that feel no love in this: I am not in love with the paradoxical, tortured, love which I experience.

181 Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
182 This love feel I, that feel no love in this.
183 Dost thou not laugh?

183 No, coz, I rather weep.

ROMEO
184 Good heart, at what?

BENVOLIO
184 At thy good heart's oppression.

187-188. Which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest / With more of thine: which you will increase, by having it weighed down with more of yours.

187 Which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest
188 With more of thine. This love that thou hast shown
189 Doth add more grief to too much of mine own.
190 Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs;

191 Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes;
192 Being vex'd a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears:
193 What is it else? a madness most discreet,
194 A choking gall and a preserving sweet.
195 Farewell, my coz.

195 Soft! I will go along;
196 And if you leave me so, you do me wrong.

ROMEO
197 Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here;
198 This is not Romeo, he's some other where.

199. sadness: seriousness. But in his next speech, Romeo speaks as if "sadness" means sadness. who is that you love: who it is that you love.

199 Tell me in sadness, who is that you love.

ROMEO
200 What, shall I groan and tell thee?

BENVOLIO
200 Groan! why, no.
201 But sadly tell me who.

ROMEO
202 Bid a sick man in sadness make his will:
203 Ah, word ill urged to one that is so ill!
204 In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.

BENVOLIO
205 I aim'd so near, when I supposed you loved.

206 A right good mark-man! And she's fair I love.

207 A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit.

ROMEO
208 Well, in that hit you miss: she'll not be hit

209. Dian's wit: i.e., the good sense to shun love. (Diana was the goddess of chastity.) 210. proof: armor of tested strength.

209 With Cupid's arrow; she hath Dian's wit;
210 And, in strong proof of chastity well arm'd,
211 From love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd.

212 She will not stay the siege of loving terms,
213 Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes,
214 Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold.
215 O, she is rich in beauty, only poor,

216. when she dies, with beauty dies her store: when she dies, her beauty dies, and with it, her treasury [of beauty]. In other words, since she has vowed to remain a virgin, she will never pass on her beauty to her children. 217. still: always.

216 That when she dies, with beauty dies her store.

BENVOLIO
217 Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?

218. sparing: frugality.
219. starved: i.e., starved to death. Romeo is again complaining that Rosaline is killing beauty itself by refusing to marry, have children, and so pass on her beauty to future generations.
221-222. She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair, / To merit bliss by making me despair:

218 She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste,
219 For beauty starved with her severity
220 Cuts beauty off from all posterity.
221 She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair,
222 To merit bliss by making me despair:
223 She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow
224 Do I live dead that live to tell it now.

BENVOLIO
225 Be ruled by me, forget to think of her.

ROMEO
226 O, teach me how I should forget to think.

BENVOLIO
227 By giving liberty unto thine eyes;
228 Examine other beauties.

228. 'Tis . . . more: it [examining the beauties of other ladies] is only a way to make me think even more about her beauty.
230. masks . . . Being black: In Shakespeare's time, women often wore black masks to plays, supposedly for modesty, but often for the opposite purpose.

228 'Tis the way
229 To call hers (exquisite!) in question more:
230 These happy masks that kiss fair ladies' brows
231 Being black put us in mind they hide the fair;
232 He that is strucken blind cannot forget
233 The precious treasure of his eyesight lost:

236 Where I may read who pass'd that passing fair?
237 Farewell: thou canst not teach me to forget.

238. I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt I will make good that theory [that looking on other beauties will cure Romeo's love-sickness], or die trying. —Benvolio has a "debt" to Romeo because he promised to cure Romeo of his love-sickness.

238 I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt.