William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (178 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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BENVOLIO (to Romeo)
Tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning,
One pain is lessened by another’s anguish.
Turn giddy, and be holp by backward turning.
One desperate grief cures with another’s languish.
Take thou some new infection to thy eye,
And the rank poison of the old will die.
One pain is lessened by another’s anguish.
Turn giddy, and be holp by backward turning.
One desperate grief cures with another’s languish.
Take thou some new infection to thy eye,
And the rank poison of the old will die.
ROMEO
Your plantain leaf is excellent for that.
BENVOLIO For what, I pray thee?
ROMEO For your broken shin.
BENVOLIO Why, Romeo, art thou mad?
ROMEO
Not mad, but bound more than a madman is;
Shut up in prison, kept without my food,
Whipped and tormented and—(
to
⌈
Peter
⌉ Good e’en,
good fellow.
Shut up in prison, kept without my food,
Whipped and tormented and—(
to
⌈
Peter
⌉ Good e’en,
good fellow.
⌈PETER⌉
God gi‘good e’en. I pray, sir, can you read?
ROMEO
Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.
⌈PETER⌉ erhaps you have learned it without book. But I pray, can you read anything you see?
ROMEO
Ay, if I know the letters and the language.
⌈PETER⌉ Ye say honestly. Rest you merry.
ROMEO Stay, fellow, I can read.
He reads the letter
‘Signor Martino and his wife and daughters,
County Anselme and his beauteous sisters,
The lady widow of Vitruvio,
Signor Placentio and his lovely nieces,
Mercutio and his brother Valentine,
Mine uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters,
My fair niece Rosaline and Livia,
Signor Valentio and his cousin Tybalt,
Lucio and the lively Helena.’
A fair assembly. Whither should they come?
County Anselme and his beauteous sisters,
The lady widow of Vitruvio,
Signor Placentio and his lovely nieces,
Mercutio and his brother Valentine,
Mine uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters,
My fair niece Rosaline and Livia,
Signor Valentio and his cousin Tybalt,
Lucio and the lively Helena.’
A fair assembly. Whither should they come?
⌈PETER⌉ Up.
ROMEO Whither?
⌈PETER⌉ To supper to our house.
ROMEO Whose house?
⌈PETER⌉ My master’s.
ROMEO
Indeed, I should have asked thee that before.
⌈PETER⌉ Now I’ll tell you without asking. My master is
the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house
of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine.
Rest you merry. Exit
the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house
of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine.
Rest you merry. Exit
BENVOLIO
At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s
Sups the fair Rosaline, whom thou so loves,
With all the admirèd beauties of Verona.
Go thither, and with unattainted eye
Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.
Sups the fair Rosaline, whom thou so loves,
With all the admirèd beauties of Verona.
Go thither, and with unattainted eye
Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.
ROMEO
When the devout religion of mine eye
Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires;
And these who, often drowned, could never die,
Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars.
One fairer than my love !—the all-seeing sun
Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun.
Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires;
And these who, often drowned, could never die,
Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars.
One fairer than my love !—the all-seeing sun
Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun.
BENVOLIO
Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by,
Herself poised with herself in either eye;
But in that crystal scales let there be weighed
Your lady’s love against some other maid
That I will show you shining at this feast,
And she shall scant show well that now seems best.
Herself poised with herself in either eye;
But in that crystal scales let there be weighed
Your lady’s love against some other maid
That I will show you shining at this feast,
And she shall scant show well that now seems best.
ROMEO
I’ll go along, no such sight to be shown,
But to rejoice in splendour of mine own. Exeunt
1.3But to rejoice in splendour of mine own. Exeunt
Enter Capulet’s Wife and the Nurse
CAPULET’S WIFE
Nurse, where’s my daughter? Call her forth to me.
NURSE
Now, by my maidenhead at twelve year old,
I bade her come. What, lamb, what, ladybird—
God forbid—where is this girl? What, Juliet!
Enter Juliet
I bade her come. What, lamb, what, ladybird—
God forbid—where is this girl? What, Juliet!
Enter Juliet
JULIET How now, who calls?
NURSE Your mother.
JULIET
Madam, I am here. What is your will?
CAPULET’S WIFE
This is the matter.—Nurse, give leave a while.
We must talk in secret.—Nurse, come back again.
I have remembered me, thou s’ hear our counsel.
Thou knowest my daughter’s of a pretty age.
We must talk in secret.—Nurse, come back again.
I have remembered me, thou s’ hear our counsel.
Thou knowest my daughter’s of a pretty age.
NURSE
Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour.
CAPULET’S WIFE She’s not fourteen.
NURSE I’ll lay fourteen of my teeth—and yet, to my teen be it spoken, I have but four—she’s not fourteen. How long is it now to Lammastide?
CAPULET’S WIFE A fortnight and odd days.
NURSE
Even or odd, of all days in the year
Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen.
Susan and she—God rest all Christian souls!—
Were of an age. Well, Susan is with God;
She was too good for me. But, as I said,
On Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen,
That shall she, marry, I remember it well.
‘Tis since the earthquake now eleven years,
And she was weaned—I never shall forget it–
Of all the days of the year upon that day,
For I had then laid wormwood to my dug,
Sitting in the sun under the dovehouse wall.
My lord and you were then at Mantua.
Nay, I do bear a brain! But, as I said,
When it did taste the wormwood on the nipple
Of my dug and felt it bitter, pretty fool,
To see it tetchy and fall out wi’th’ dug!
‘Shake’, quoth the dove-housed‘Twas no need, I trow,
To bid me trudge;
And since that time it is eleven years,
For then she could stand high-lone. Nay, by th’ rood,
She could have run and waddled all about,
For even the day before, she broke her brow,
And then my husband—God be with his soul,
A was a merry man!—took up the child.
‘Yea,’ quoth he, ‘dost thou fall upon thy face?
Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit,
Wilt thou not, Jule?’ And, by my halidom,
The pretty wretch left crying and said ‘Ay’.
To see now how a jest shall come about!
I warrant an I should live a thousand years
I never should forget it. ‘Wilt thou not, Jule?’ quoth he,
And, pretty fool, it stinted and said ‘Ay’.
Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen.
Susan and she—God rest all Christian souls!—
Were of an age. Well, Susan is with God;
She was too good for me. But, as I said,
On Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen,
That shall she, marry, I remember it well.
‘Tis since the earthquake now eleven years,
And she was weaned—I never shall forget it–
Of all the days of the year upon that day,
For I had then laid wormwood to my dug,
Sitting in the sun under the dovehouse wall.
My lord and you were then at Mantua.
Nay, I do bear a brain! But, as I said,
When it did taste the wormwood on the nipple
Of my dug and felt it bitter, pretty fool,
To see it tetchy and fall out wi’th’ dug!
‘Shake’, quoth the dove-housed‘Twas no need, I trow,
To bid me trudge;
And since that time it is eleven years,
For then she could stand high-lone. Nay, by th’ rood,
She could have run and waddled all about,
For even the day before, she broke her brow,
And then my husband—God be with his soul,
A was a merry man!—took up the child.
‘Yea,’ quoth he, ‘dost thou fall upon thy face?
Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit,
Wilt thou not, Jule?’ And, by my halidom,
The pretty wretch left crying and said ‘Ay’.
To see now how a jest shall come about!
I warrant an I should live a thousand years
I never should forget it. ‘Wilt thou not, Jule?’ quoth he,
And, pretty fool, it stinted and said ‘Ay’.
CAPULET’S WIFE
Enough of this. I pray thee hold thy peace.
NURSE
Yes, madam. Yet I cannot choose but laugh
To think it should leave crying and say ‘Ay’.
And yet, I warrant, it had upon it brow
A bump as big as a young cock‘rel’s stone.
A perilous knock, and it cried bitterly.
‘Yea,’ quoth my husband, ‘fall’st upon thy face?
Thou wilt fall backward when thou com’st to age,
Wilt thou not, Jule?’ It stinted and said ‘Ay’.
To think it should leave crying and say ‘Ay’.
And yet, I warrant, it had upon it brow
A bump as big as a young cock‘rel’s stone.
A perilous knock, and it cried bitterly.
‘Yea,’ quoth my husband, ‘fall’st upon thy face?
Thou wilt fall backward when thou com’st to age,
Wilt thou not, Jule?’ It stinted and said ‘Ay’.
JULIET
And stint thou too, I pray thee, Nurse, say
I.
I.
NURSE
Peace, I have done. God mark thee to his grace,
Thou wast the prettiest babe that e’er I nursed.
An I might live to see thee married once,
I have my wish.
Thou wast the prettiest babe that e’er I nursed.
An I might live to see thee married once,
I have my wish.
CAPULET’S WIFE
Marry, that ’marry’ is the very theme
I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet,
How stands your dispositions to be married?
I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet,
How stands your dispositions to be married?
JULIET
It is an honour that I dream not of.
NURSE
‘An honour’! Were not I thine only nurse,
I would say thou hadst sucked wisdom from thy teat.
I would say thou hadst sucked wisdom from thy teat.
CAPULET’S WIFE
Well, think of marriage now. Younger than you
Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,
Are made already mothers. By my count
I was your mother much upon these years
That you are now a maid. Thus then, in brief:
The valiant Paris seeks you for his love.
Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,
Are made already mothers. By my count
I was your mother much upon these years
That you are now a maid. Thus then, in brief:
The valiant Paris seeks you for his love.
NURSE
A man, young lady, lady, such a man
As all the world—why, he’s a man of wax.
As all the world—why, he’s a man of wax.
CAPULET’S WIFE
Verona’s summer hath not such a flower.
NURSE
Nay, he’s a flower, in faith, a very flower.
CAPULET’S WIFE (to
Juliet)
Juliet)
What say you ? Can you love the gentleman ?
This night you shall behold him at our feast.
Read o‘er the volume of young Paris’ face,
And find delight writ there with beauty’s pen.
Examine every married lineament,
And see how one another lends content;
And what obscured in this fair volume lies
Find written in the margin of his eyes.
This precious book of love, this unbound lover,
To beautify him only lacks a cover.
The fish lives in the sea, and ’tis much pride
For fair without the fair within to hide.
That book in many’s eyes doth share the glory
That in gold clasps locks in the golden story.
So shall you share all that he doth possess
By having him, making yourself no less.
This night you shall behold him at our feast.
Read o‘er the volume of young Paris’ face,
And find delight writ there with beauty’s pen.
Examine every married lineament,
And see how one another lends content;
And what obscured in this fair volume lies
Find written in the margin of his eyes.
This precious book of love, this unbound lover,
To beautify him only lacks a cover.
The fish lives in the sea, and ’tis much pride
For fair without the fair within to hide.
That book in many’s eyes doth share the glory
That in gold clasps locks in the golden story.
So shall you share all that he doth possess
By having him, making yourself no less.
NURSE
No less, nay, bigger. Women grow by men.
CAPULET’s WIFE
(to Juliet
)
(to Juliet
)
Speak briefly: can you like of Paris’ love?
JULIET
I’ll look to like, if looking liking move;
But no more deep will I endart mine eye
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.
But no more deep will I endart mine eye
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.
Enter
⌈
Peter
⌉
⌈PETER⌉ Madam, the guests are come, supper served up,
you called, my young lady asked for, the Nurse cursed
in the pantry, and everything in extremity. I must hence
to wait. I beseech you follow straight.
you called, my young lady asked for, the Nurse cursed
in the pantry, and everything in extremity. I must hence
to wait. I beseech you follow straight.
CAPULET’S WIFE
We follow thee. Exit ⌈
Peter
⌉
Peter
⌉
Juliet, the County stays.
NURSE
Go, girl; seek happy nights to happy days.
Exeunt
1.4Exeunt
Enter Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio, as masquers, with five or six other masquers,
⌈
bearing a drum and torches
⌉
ROMEO
What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse,
Or shall we on without apology?
Or shall we on without apology?
BENVOLIO
The date is out of such prolixity.
We’ll have no Cupid hoodwinked with a scarf,
Bearing a Tartar’s painted bow of lath,
Scaring the ladies like a crowkeeper,
Nor no without-book Prologue faintly spoke
After the prompter for our entrance.
But let them measure us by what they will,
We’ll measure them a measure, and be gone.
We’ll have no Cupid hoodwinked with a scarf,
Bearing a Tartar’s painted bow of lath,
Scaring the ladies like a crowkeeper,
Nor no without-book Prologue faintly spoke
After the prompter for our entrance.
But let them measure us by what they will,
We’ll measure them a measure, and be gone.
ROMEO
Give me a torch. I am not for this ambling;
Being but heavy, I will bear the light.
Being but heavy, I will bear the light.
MERCUTIO
Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.
ROMEO
Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes
With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead
So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.
With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead
So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.
MERCUTIO
You are a lover; borrow Cupid’s wings,
And soar with them above a common bound.
And soar with them above a common bound.
ROMEO
I am too sore empiercèd with his shaft
To soar with his light feathers, and so bound
I cannot bound a pitch above dull woe;
Under love’s heavy burden do I sink.
To soar with his light feathers, and so bound
I cannot bound a pitch above dull woe;
Under love’s heavy burden do I sink.
MERCUTIO
And to sink in it should you burden love—
Too great oppression for a tender thing.
Too great oppression for a tender thing.
ROMEO
Is love a tender thing? It is too rough,
Too rude, too boist’rous, and it pricks like thorn.
Too rude, too boist’rous, and it pricks like thorn.
MERCUTIO
If love be rough with you, be rough with love.
Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.
Give me a case to put my visage in,
A visor for a visor. What care I
What curious eye doth quote deformity?
Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me.
Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.
Give me a case to put my visage in,
A visor for a visor. What care I
What curious eye doth quote deformity?
Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me.
⌈
They put on visors
⌉
BENVOLIO
Come, knock and enter, and no sooner in
But every man betake him to his legs.
But every man betake him to his legs.
ROMEO
A torch for me. Let wantons light of heart
Tickle the sense-less rushes with their heels,
For I am proverbed with a grandsire phrase.
I’ll be a candle-holder and look on.
The game was ne’er so fair, and I am done.
⌈
He takes a torch
⌉
Tickle the sense-less rushes with their heels,
For I am proverbed with a grandsire phrase.
I’ll be a candle-holder and look on.
The game was ne’er so fair, and I am done.
⌈
He takes a torch
⌉
MERCUTIO
Tut, dun’s the mouse, the constable’s own word.
If thou art dun we’ll draw thee from the mire
Of—save your reverence—love, wherein thou stickest
Up to the ears. Come, we burn daylight, ho!
If thou art dun we’ll draw thee from the mire
Of—save your reverence—love, wherein thou stickest
Up to the ears. Come, we burn daylight, ho!
ROMEO
Nay, that’s not so.
MERCUTIO I mean, sir, in delay
We waste our lights in vain, like lights by day.
Take our good meaning, for our judgement sits
Five times in that ere once in our five wits.
Take our good meaning, for our judgement sits
Five times in that ere once in our five wits.
ROMEO
And we mean well in going to this masque,
But ’tis no wit to go.
But ’tis no wit to go.
MERCUTIO Why, may one ask?
ROMEO
I dreamt a dream tonight.
MERCUTIO And so did I.
ROMEO
Well, what was yours?
MERCUTIO That dreamers often lie.
ROMEO
In bed asleep while they do dream things true.
MERCUTIO
O, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
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