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  • Title: Romeo and Juliet (Modern, Quarto 2)
  • Editor: Erin Sadlack

    • ISBN: 1-55058-299-2

    Copyright Erin Sadlack. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Erin Sadlack
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Romeo and Juliet (Modern, Quarto 2)

    [Scene 6/II.i]
    Enter Romeo alone.
    Romeo
    Can I go forward when my heart is here?
    Turn back dull earth and find thy center out.
    750Enter Benvolio with Mercutio. [Romeo hides from them but remains onstage.]
    Benvolio
    Romeo! My cousin Romeo! Romeo!
    Mercutio
    He is wise, and on my life, hath stol'n him home to bed.
    Benvolio
    He ran this way and leapt this orchard wall.
    755Call, good Mercutio:
    Nay, I'll conjure too.
    Mercutio
    Romeo! Humors! Madman! Passion! Lover!
    Appear thou in the likeness of a sigh;
    Speak but one rhyme and I am satisfied:
    760Cry but "ay me"; pronounce but "love" and "dove."
    Speak to my gossip Venus one fair word,
    One nickname for her purblind son and heir,
    Young Abraham Cupid, he that shot so true
    When King Cophetua loved the beggar maid.
    765He heareth not, he stirreth not, he moveth not.
    The ape is dead, and I must conjure him.
    I conjure thee by Rosaline's bright eyes,
    By her high forehead, and her scarlet lip,
    By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh,
    770And the demesnes that there adjacent lie,
    That in thy likeness thou appear to us.
    Benvolio
    An if he hear thee, thou wilt anger him.
    Mercutio
    This cannot anger him; 'twould anger him
    To raise a spirit in his mistress' circle
    775Of some strange nature, letting it there stand
    Till she had laid it and conjured it down:
    That were some spite. My invocation
    Is fair and honest, in his mistress' name.
    I conjure only but to raise up him.
    780Benvolio
    Come, he hath hid himself among these trees
    To be consorted with the humorous night.
    Blind is his love and best befits the dark.
    Mercutio
    If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark.
    Now will he sit under a medlar tree
    785And wish his mistress were that kind of fruit
    As maids call medlars when they laugh alone.
    O Romeo, that she were, O that she were
    An open-arse, thou a popperin' pear!
    Romeo, good night, I'll to my truckle bed,
    790This field-bed is too cold for me to sleep.
    Come, shall we go?
    Benvolio
    Go then, for 'tis in vain to seek him here
    That means not to be found.
    Exit [Benvolio and Mercutio][Romeo comes forward.]
    Romeo
    He jests at scars that never felt a wound.
    795But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?[Juliet enters above.]
    It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
    Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
    Who is already sick and pale with grief
    That thou her maid art far more fair than she.
    800Be not her maid since she is envious.
    Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
    And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
    It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were!
    She speaks; yet she says nothing. What of that?
    805Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
    I am too bold; 'tis not to me she speaks.
    Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
    Having some business, do entreat her eyes
    To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
    810What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
    The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
    As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven
    Would through the airy region stream so bright
    That birds would sing and think it were not night.
    815See how she leans her cheek upon her hand.[Juliet rests her face on the palm of her hand.]
    O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
    That I might touch that cheek.
    Juliet
    Ay me.
    Romeo
    [To self] She speaks.
    820O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art
    As glorious to this night, being o'er my head,
    As is a wingèd messenger of heaven
    Unto the white upturnèd wond'ring eyes
    Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
    825When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds
    And sails upon the bosom of the air.
    Juliet
    [To herself]O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
    Deny thy father and refuse thy name,
    Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
    830And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
    Romeo
    [To self] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?
    Juliet
    'Tis but thy name that is my enemy.
    Thou art thy self, though not a Montague.
    What's Montague? It is nor hand nor foot,
    835Nor arm nor face, nor any other part
    Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
    What's in a name? That which we call a rose
    By any other word would smell as sweet.
    So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
    840Retain that dear perfection which he owes
    Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
    And for thy name which is no part of thee,
    Take all myself.
    Romeo
    [To Juliet] I take thee at thy word.
    845Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized.
    Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
    Juliet
    What man art thou, that thus bescreened in night
    So stumblest on my counsel?
    Romeo
    By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am.
    My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
    Because it is an enemy to thee.
    Had I it written, I would tear the word.
    Juliet
    My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words
    855Of thy tongue's uttering, yet I know the sound.
    Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?
    Romeo
    Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.
    Juliet
    How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?
    860The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
    And the place death, considering who thou art,
    If any of my kinsmen find thee here.
    Romeo
    With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls,
    865For stony limits cannot hold love out,
    And what love can do, that dares love attempt:
    Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.
    Juliet
    If they do see thee, they will murder thee.
    Romeo
    Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
    870Than twenty of their swords. Look thou but sweet,
    And I am proof against their enmity.
    Juliet
    I would not for the world they saw thee here.
    Romeo
    I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes,
    And but thou love me, let them find me here.
    875My life were better ended by their hate
    Than death proroguèd wanting of thy love.
    Juliet
    By whose direction found'st thou out this place?
    Romeo
    By love that first did prompt me to inquire.
    He lent me counsel, and I lent him eyes.
    880I am no pilot, yet wert thou as far
    As that vast shore washeth with the farthest sea,
    I should adventure for such merchandise.
    Juliet
    Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,
    Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
    885For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
    Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain, deny
    What I have spoke, but farewell, compliment.
    Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say "Ay,"
    And I will take thy word, yet if thou swear'st,
    890Thou mayst prove false. At lover's perjuries
    They say Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
    If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully;
    Or if thou thinkest I am too quickly won,
    I'll frown and be perverse, and say thee nay,
    895So thou wilt woo, but else not for the world.
    In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
    And therefore thou mayst think my behavior light,
    But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true
    Than those that have more coying to be strange.
    900I should have been more strange, I must confess,
    But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware,
    My true-love passion. Therefore pardon me,
    And not impute this yielding to light love,
    Which the dark night hath so discovered.
    905Romeo
    Lady, by yonder blessed moon I vow,
    That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops--
    Juliet
    O, swear not by the moon, th'inconstant moon,
    That monthly changes in her circle orb,
    Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.
    910Romeo
    What shall I swear by?
    Juliet
    Do not swear at all.
    Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
    Which is the god of my idolatry,
    And I'll believe thee.
    915Romeo
    If my heart's dear love--
    Juliet
    Well, do not swear. Although I joy in thee,
    I have no joy of this contract tonight.
    It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden,
    Too like the lightning which doth cease to be
    920Ere one can say, "It lightens." Sweet, good night.
    This bud of love by summer's ripening breath
    May prove a beautious flower when next we meet.
    Good night, good night. As sweet repose and rest
    Come to thy heart as that within my breast.
    925Romeo
    O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?
    Juliet
    What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?
    Romeo
    Th'exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.
    Juliet
    I gave thee mine before thou didst request it,
    And yet I would it were to give again.
    930Romeo
    Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?
    Juliet
    But to be frank and give it thee again,
    And yet I wish but for the thing I have.
    My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
    935My love as deep; the more I give to thee
    The more I have, for both are infinite.
    I hear some noise within. Dear love, adieu.--
    [To Nurse] Anon, good Nurse!--[To Romeo] Sweet Montague, be true.
    940Stay but a little; I will come again.
    Romeo
    O blessèd, blessèd night! I am afeard,
    Being in night, all this is but a dream,
    Too flattering sweet to be substantial.
    Juliet
    Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.
    If that thy bent of love be honorable,
    Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,
    By one that I'll procure to come to thee,
    Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,
    950And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay
    And follow thee, my lord, throughout the world--
    951.1Nurse
    [Calls from offstage]Madam.
    Juliet
    [To Nurse]I come, anon!--[To Romeo] But if thou meanest not well,
    I do beseech thee--[To Nurse] By and by I come!--
    954.1Nurse[Calls from offstage]Madam!
    Juliet[To Romeo] To cease thy strife, and leave me to my grief.
    Tomorrow will I send.
    Romeo
    So thrive my soul.
    Juliet
    A thousand times good night.
    960Romeo
    A thousand times the worse to want thy light.
    Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books,
    But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.
    [Romeo starts to leave.]
    Enter Juliet again.
    Juliet
    Hist, Romeo, hist! O for a falc'ner's voice
    965To lure this tassel-gentle back again.
    Bondage is hoarse and may not speak aloud,
    Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies
    And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine
    With repetition of my "Romeo."
    [Romeo returns to her.]
    970Romeo
    It is my soul that calls upon my name.
    How silver sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,
    Like softest music to attending ears.
    Juliet
    Romeo.
    Romeo
    My niesse?
    975Juliet
    What o'clock tomorrow
    Shall I send to thee?
    Romeo
    By the hour of nine.
    Juliet
    I will not fail; 'tis twenty year till then.
    I have forgot why I did call thee back.
    980Romeo
    Let me stand here till thou remember it.
    Juliet
    I shall forget to have thee still stand there,
    Rememb'ring how I love thy company.
    Romeo
    And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget,
    Forgetting any other home but this.
    985Juliet
    'Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone,
    And yet no farther then a wanton's bird,
    That lets it hop a little from his hand,
    Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,
    And with a silken thread, plucks it back again,
    990So loving-jealous of his liberty.
    Romeo
    I would I were thy bird.
    Juliet
    Sweet, so would I,
    Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.
    Good night, good night.
    995Parting is such sweet sorrow
    That I shall say "good night" till it be morrow.
    Romeo
    Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast.
    [Exit Juliet.]
    Romeo
    Would I were sleep and peace so sweet to rest.
    Hence will I to my ghostly Friar's close cell,
    His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell.
    Exit.
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