Citizens of Verona; kinsfolk of both houses; Maskers, Guards,

Watchmen, and Attendants.

Chorus.

SCENE: Verona; Mantua.

The Tragedy of
Romeo and Juliet.

The Prologue.

Enter Chorus.

Chor. 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-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows

ΙΟ

Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
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 FIRST.

Scene I.

Verona. A public place.

Enter Sampson and Gregory, of the house of Capulet,
with swords and bucklers.

Sam. Gregory, on my word, we'll not carry coals.
Gre. No, for then we should be colliers.

Sam. I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw.

Gre. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.
Sam. I strike quickly, being moved.

Gre. But thou art not quickly moved to strike.
Sam. A dog of the house of Montague moves me.
Gre. To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand:
therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn'st away.
Sam. A dog of that house shall move me to stand:
I will take the wall of any man or maid of

Montague's.

Gre. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall.

Sam. 'Tis 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.

Gre. The quarrel is between our masters and us their

men.

Sam. 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids; I will cut off their heads.

Gre. The heads of the maids?

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

Gre. They must take in sense that feel it.

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

ΙΟ

20

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

Enter Abraham aud Balthasar.

Sam. My naked weapon is out: quarrel; I will back thee.

Gre. How! turn thy back and run?

Sam. Fear me not.

Gre. No, marry; I fear thee!

Sam. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.

Gre. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it

as they list.

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

Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
Sam. I do bite my thumb, sir.

Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

Sam. [Aside to Gre.] Is the law of our side, if I say ay?
Gre. No.

Sam. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir;
but I bite my thumb, sir.

Gre. Do you quarrel, sir?

Abr. Quarrel, sir! no, sir.

Sam. But if you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good

a man as you.

Abr. No better.

40

50

Sam. Well, sir.

Enter Benvolio.

Gre. [Aside to Sam.] Say 'better': here comes one of

my master's kinsmen.

Sam. Yes, better, sir.

Abr. You lie.

Sam. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy

swashing blow.

Ben. Part, fools!

60

[They fight.

[Beating down their weapons.

Put up your swords; you know not what you do.

Enter Tybalt.

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

Ben. I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword,

Or manage it to part these men with me.

Tyb. What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word,
As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee:
Have at thee, coward!

70

[They fight.

Enter several of both houses, who join the fray; then
enter Citizens and Peace-officers, with clubs.

First Off. Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down!

Down with the Capulets! down with the Montagues!

Enter old Capulet in his gown, and Lady Capulet.

Cap. What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!
La. Cap. A crutch, a crutch! why call you for a sword?
Cap. My sword, I say! Old Montague is come,
And flourishes his blade in spite of me.

Enter old Montague and Lady Montague.

Mon. Thou villain Capulet !-Hold me not, let me go.
La. Mon. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.

Enter Prince Escalus, with his train.

Prin. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,
Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,-

80

Will they not hear? What, ho! you men, you beasts,

That quench the fire of your pernicious rage

With purple fountains issuing from your veins,