1 I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire: 2 The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, 3 And, if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl; 4 For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.
MERCUTIO
5 Thou art like one of those fellows that when he 6 enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword 7 upon the table and says 'God send me no need of 8 thee!' and by the operation of the second cup draws 9 it on the drawer, when indeed there is no need.
BENVOLIO
10 Am I like such a fellow?
MERCUTIO
11 Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as 12 any in Italy, and as soon moved to be moody, and as 13 soon moody to be moved.
BENVOLIO
14 And what to?
MERCUTIO
15 Nay, an there were two such, we should have none 16 shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou! why, 17 thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more, 18 or a hair less, in his beard, than thou hast: thou 19 wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no 20 other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes: what 21 eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel? 22 Thy head is as fun of quarrels as an egg is full of 23 meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as 24 an egg for quarrelling: thou hast quarrelled with a 25 man for coughing in the street, because he hath 26 wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun: 27 didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing 28 his new doublet before Easter? with another, for 29 tying his new shoes with old riband? and yet thou 30 wilt tutor me from quarrelling!
BENVOLIO
31 An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man 32 should buy the fee-simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.
MERCUTIO
33 The fee-simple! O simple!
BENVOLIO
34 By my head, here come the Capulets.
MERCUTIO
35 By my heel, I care not.
Enter TYBALT and others
TYBALT
36 Follow me close, for I will speak to them. 37 Gentlemen, good den: a word with one of you.
MERCUTIO
38 And but one word with one of us? couple it with 39 something; make it a word and a blow.
TYBALT
40 You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an you 41 will give me occasion.
MERCUTIO
42 Could you not take some occasion without giving?
TYBALT
43 Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo,--
MERCUTIO
44 Consort! what, dost thou make us minstrels? an 45 thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but 46 discords: here's my fiddlestick; here's that shall 47 make you dance. 'Zounds, consort!
BENVOLIO
48 We talk here in the public haunt of men: 49 Either withdraw unto some private place, 50 And reason coldly of your grievances, 51 Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.
MERCUTIO
52 Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze; 53 I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I.
Enter ROMEO
TYBALT
54 Well, peace be with you, sir: here comes my man.
MERCUTIO
55 But I'll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery: 56 Marry, go before to field, he'll be your follower; 57 Your worship in that sense may call him 'man.'
TYBALT
58 Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford 59 No better term than this,--thou art a villain.
ROMEO
60 Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee 61 Doth much excuse the appertaining rage 62 To such a greeting: villain am I none; 63 Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not.
TYBALT
64 Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries 65 That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw.
ROMEO
66 I do protest, I never injured thee, 67 But love thee better than thou canst devise, 68 Till thou shalt know the reason of my love: 69 And so, good Capulet,--which name I tender 70 As dearly as my own,--be satisfied.
MERCUTIO
71 O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! 72 Alla stoccata carries it away. Draws 73 Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?
TYBALT
74 What wouldst thou have with me?
MERCUTIO
75 Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine 76 lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you 77 shall use me hereafter, drybeat the rest of the 78 eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pitcher 79 by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your 80 ears ere it be out.
TYBALT
81 I am for you.
Drawing
ROMEO
82 Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
MERCUTIO
83 Come, sir, your passado.
They fight
ROMEO
84 Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons. 85 Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage! 86 Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath 87 Forbidden bandying in Verona streets: 88 Hold, Tybalt! good Mercutio!
MERCUTIO
89 I am hurt. 90 A plague o' both your houses! I am sped. 91 Is he gone, and hath nothing?
BENVOLIO
92 What, art thou hurt?
MERCUTIO
93 Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough. 94 Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon.
Exit Page
ROMEO
95 Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much.
MERCUTIO
96 No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a 97 church-door; but 'tis enough,'twill serve: ask for 98 me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I 99 am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o' 100 both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a 101 cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a 102 rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of 103 arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I 104 was hurt under your arm.
ROMEO
105 I thought all for the best.
MERCUTIO
106 Help me into some house, Benvolio, 107 Or I shall faint. A plague o' both your houses! 108 They have made worms' meat of me: I have it, 109 And soundly too: your houses!
Exeunt MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO
ROMEO
110 This gentleman, the prince's near ally, 111 My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt 112 In my behalf; my reputation stain'd 113 With Tybalt's slander,--Tybalt, that an hour 114 Hath been my kinsman! O sweet Juliet, 115 Thy beauty hath made me effeminate 116 And in my temper soften'd valour's steel!
Re-enter BENVOLIO
BENVOLIO
117 O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's dead! 118 That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds, 119 Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.
ROMEO
120 This day's black fate on more days doth depend; 121 This but begins the woe, others must end.
BENVOLIO
122 Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.
ROMEO
123 Alive, in triumph! and Mercutio slain! 124 Away to heaven, respective lenity, 125 And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! Re-enter TYBALT 126 Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again, 127 That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soul 128 Is but a little way above our heads, 129 Staying for thine to keep him company: 130 Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.
TYBALT
131 Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here, 132 Shalt with him hence.
ROMEO
133 This shall determine that.
They fight; TYBALT falls
BENVOLIO
134 Romeo, away, be gone! 135 The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain. 136 Stand not amazed: the prince will doom thee death, 137 If thou art taken: hence, be gone, away!
ROMEO
138 O, I am fortune's fool!
BENVOLIO
139 Why dost thou stay?
Exit ROMEO
Enter Citizens, &c
First Citizen
140 Which way ran he that kill'd Mercutio? 141 Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?
BENVOLIO
142 There lies that Tybalt.
First Citizen
143 Up, sir, go with me; 144 I charge thee in the princes name, obey.
PRINCE
145 Where are the vile beginners of this fray?
BENVOLIO
146 O noble prince, I can discover all 147 The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl: 148 There lies the man, slain by young Romeo, 149 That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.
LADY CAPULET
150 Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child! 151 O prince! O cousin! husband! O, the blood is spilt 152 O my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true, 153 For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague. 154 O cousin, cousin!
PRINCE
155 Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?
BENVOLIO
156 Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay; 157 Romeo that spoke him fair, bade him bethink 158 How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal 159 Your high displeasure: all this uttered 160 With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow'd, 161 Could not take truce with the unruly spleen 162 Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tilts 163 With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast, 164 Who all as hot, turns deadly point to point, 165 And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats 166 Cold death aside, and with the other sends 167 It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity, 168 Retorts it: Romeo he cries aloud, 169 'Hold, friends! friends, part!' and, swifter than 170 his tongue, 171 His agile arm beats down their fatal points, 172 And 'twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm 173 An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life 174 Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled; 175 But by and by comes back to Romeo, 176 Who had but newly entertain'd revenge, 177 And to 't they go like lightning, for, ere I 178 Could draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain. 179 And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly. 180 This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.
LADY CAPULET
181 He is a kinsman to the Montague; 182 Affection makes him false; he speaks not true: 183 Some twenty of them fought in this black strife, 184 And all those twenty could but kill one life. 185 I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give; 186 Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.
PRINCE
187 Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio; 188 Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?
MONTAGUE
189 Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's friend; 190 His fault concludes but what the law should end, 191 The life of Tybalt.
PRINCE
192 And for that offence 193 Immediately we do exile him hence: 194 I have an interest in your hate's proceeding, 195 My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding; 196 But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine 197 That you shall all repent the loss of mine: 198 I will be deaf to pleading and excuses; 199 Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses: 200 Therefore use none: let Romeo hence in haste, 201 Else, when he's found, that hour is his last. 202 Bear hence this body and attend our will: 203 Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.