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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 11/III.i]
    Enter Mercutio, Benvolio, and men.
    Benvolio
    I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire.
    The day is hot, the Capels are abroad,
    And if we meet we shall not scape a brawl, for now these hot
    1435days, is the mad blood stirring.
    Mercutio
    Thou art like one of these fellows, that when he enters the confines of a tavern, claps me his sword upon the table and says, "God send me no need of thee" and by the operation of the second cup, draws him on the drawer, when indeed there 1440is no need.
    Benvolio
    Am I like such a fellow?
    Mercutio
    Come, come, thou art as hot a jack in thy mood as any in Italy, and as soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved.
    1445Benvolio
    And what to?
    Mercutio
    Nay, an there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou? Why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less in his beard than thou hast. Thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking 1450nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes. What eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel? Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarreling. Thou hast quarreled with a man for coughing in the street because he 1455hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter, with another for tying his new shoes with old ribbon? And yet thou wilt tutor me from quarreling?
    Benvolio
    An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy the fee-simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.
    Mercutio
    The fee-simple? O, simple!
    1465Enter Tybalt, Petruchio, and others.
    Benvolio
    By my head, here comes the Capulets.
    Mercutio
    By my heel, I care not.
    Tybalt
    [To Companions] Follow me close, for I will speak to them.
    [To Mercutio and Benvolio] Gentlemen, good e'en, a word with one of you.
    1470Mercutio
    And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something; make it a word and a blow.
    Tybalt
    You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an you will give me occasion.
    Mercutio
    Could you not take some occasion without 1475giving?
    Tybalt
    Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo.
    Mercutio
    Consort? What, dost thou make us minstrels? An thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here's my fiddlestick[Draws sword.]; here's that shall make you dance. Zounds, 1480consort!
    [Points to his sword.]
    Benvolio
    We talk here in the public haunt of men.
    Either withdraw unto some private place,
    Or reason coldly of your grievances,
    Or else depart. Here all eyes gaze on us.
    1485Mercutio
    Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze.
    I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I.
    Enter Romeo.
    Tybalt
    Well, peace be with you, sir. Here comes my man.
    Mercutio
    But I'll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery.
    1490Marry, go before to field; he'll be your follower,
    Your worship in that sense may call him "man."
    Tybalt
    Romeo, the love I bear thee, can afford
    No better term than this: thou art a villain.
    Romeo
    Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
    1495Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
    To such a greeting: villain am I none.
    Therefore, farewell, I see thou knowest me not.
    Tybalt
    Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
    That thou hast done me. Therefore turn and draw.
    1500Romeo
    I do protest I never injured thee,
    But love thee better than thou canst devise
    Till thou shalt know the reason of my love.
    And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
    As dearly as mine own, be satisfied.
    1505Mercutio
    O calm, dishonorable, vile submission!
    Alla stucatho carries it away.
    Tybalt, you ratcatcher, will you walk?
    Tybalt
    What wouldst thou have with me?
    Mercutio
    Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives,
    1510that I mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use me
    hereafter dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your
    sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make haste, lest mine be
    about your ears ere it be out.
    Tybalt
    I am for you.
    [They draw and fight.]
    1515Romeo
    Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
    Mercutio
    Come sir, your passado.
    Romeo
    Draw, Benvolio, beat down their weapons.
    [Draws his sword to intervene.]
    Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage!
    Tybalt, Mercutio, the Prince expressly hath
    1520Forbid this bandying in Verona streets.
    Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!
    1521.1[Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo's arm.]
    Away Tybalt.
    Mercutio
    [Fatally wounded.]I am hurt.
    A plague a both houses! I am sped.
    1525Is he gone and hath nothing?
    Benvolio
    What, art thou hurt?
    Mercutio
    Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Marry 'tis enough,
    Where is my page?--[To Page] Go, villain, fetch a surgeon.
    Romeo
    Courage, man, the hurt cannot be much.
    1530Mercutio
    No 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church
    door, but 'tis enough. 'Twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow, and you
    shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this
    world. A plague a both your houses! Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse,
    a cat, to scratch a man to death! A braggart, a rogue, a villain
    1535that fights by the book of arithmatic! Why the devil came you
    between us? I was hurt under your arm.
    Romeo
    I thought all for the best.
    Mercutio
    Help me into some house, Benvolio,
    1540Or I shall faint. A plague a both your houses!
    They have made worms' meat of me.
    I have it, and soundly too. Your houses!
    Exit.[Benvolio assists Mercutio.]
    Romeo
    This gentleman, the Prince's near ally,
    My very friend hath got this mortal hurt
    1545In my behalf. My reputation stained
    With Tybalt's slander--Tybalt that an hour
    Hath been my cousin. O sweet Juliet,
    Thy beauty hath made me effeminate
    And in my temper softened valor's steel.
    1550Enter Benvolio.
    Benvolio
    O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead,
    That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds,
    Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.
    Romeo
    This day's black fate on more days doth depend.
    1555This but begins the woe others must end.[Enter Tybalt.]
    Benvolio
    Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.
    Romeo
    He 'gain? In triumph and Mercutio slain?
    Away to heaven, respective lenity,
    1560And fire and fury be my conduct now.
    Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again
    That late thou gavest me, for Mercutio's soul
    Is but a little way above our heads,
    Staying for thine to keep him company.
    1565Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.
    Tybalt
    Thou wretched boy, that didst consort him here,
    Shalt with him hence.
    Romeo
    This shall determine that.
    They fight. Tybalt falls.
    1570Benvolio
    Romeo, away, be gone!
    The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.
    Stand not amazed; the Prince will doom thee death
    If thou art taken. Hence, be gone, away!
    Romeo
    O, I am fortune's fool.
    1575Benvolio
    Why dost thou stay?
    Exit Romeo.
    Enter Citizens.
    Citizen
    Which way ran he that killed Mercutio?
    Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?
    1580Benvolio
    There lies that Tybalt.
    Citizen
    Up sir, go with me.
    I charge thee in the Prince's name, obey.
    Enter Prince, old Montague, Capulet, their wives, and all.
    1585Prince
    Where are the vile beginners of this fray?
    Benvolio
    O noble Prince, I can discover all
    The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl.
    There lies the man slain by young Romeo,
    That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.
    1590Capulet's Wife
    Tybalt, my cousin, O my brother's child!
    O Prince, O cousin, husband, O, the blood is spilled
    Of my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,
    For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague.
    O cousin, cousin!
    1595Prince
    Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?
    Benvolio
    Tybalt here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay--
    Romeo, that spoke him fair, bid him bethink
    How nice the quarrel was and urged withal
    Your high displeasure. All this--uttered
    1600With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bowed--
    Could not take truce with the unruly spleen
    Of Tybalt, deaf to peace, but that he tilts
    With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast,
    Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point,
    1605And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
    Cold death aside, and with the other sends
    It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity
    Retorts it; Romeo, he cries aloud,
    "Hold friends, friends part!" and swifter than his tongue,
    1610His agile arm beats down their fatal points,
    And 'twixt them rushes, underneath whose arm
    An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life
    Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled,
    But by and by comes back to Romeo,
    1615Who had but newly entertained revenge,
    And to't they go like lightning, for ere I
    Could draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain,
    And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly;
    This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.
    1620Capulet's Wife
    He is a kinsman to the Montague.
    Affection makes him false; he speaks not true.
    Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,
    And all those twenty could but kill one life.
    I beg for justice, which thou, Prince, must give.
    1625Romeo slew Tybalt; Romeo must not live.
    Prince
    Romeo slew him; he slew Mercutio.
    Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?
    Montague
    Not Romeo, Prince, he was Mercutio's friend.
    His fault concludes but what the law should end:
    1630The life of Tybalt.
    Prince
    And for that offense,
    Immediately we do exile him hence.
    I have an interest in your hearts' proceeding;
    My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding.
    1635But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine
    That you shall all repent the loss of mine.
    It will be deaf to pleading and excuses,
    Nor tears, nor prayers shall purchase out abuses.
    Therefore use none. Let Romeo hence in haste,
    1640Else, when he is found, that hour is his last.
    Bear hence this body and attend our will,
    Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.
    Exit.
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