Home
This site uses cookies
log out

Romeo and Juliet: Act I, Scene 1

Sign in with Google to add your annotations.

Romeo and Juliet
Act I, Scene 1

Verona. A public place.

Sketch for Romeo and Juliet

Draw, if you be men.

Sketch for Romeo and Juliet

Dimitri Tavadze, 1974

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

Sampson

1
  1. Gregory, on my word, we’ll not carry coals.

Gregory

2
  1. No, for then we should be colliers.

Sampson

3
  1. I mean, and we be in choler, we’ll draw.

Gregory

4
  1. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of collar.

Sampson

5
  1. I strike quickly, being mov’d.

Gregory

6
  1. But thou art not quickly mov’d to strike.

Sampson

7
  1. A dog of the house of Montague moves me.

Gregory

8 - 9
  1. To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand;
  2. therefore, if thou art mov’d, thou run’st away.

Sampson

10 - 11
  1. A dog of that house shall move me to stand! I will take the
  2. wall of any man or maid of Montague’s.

Gregory

12 - 13
  1. That shows thee a weak slave, for the weakest goes to the
  2. wall.

Sampson

14 - 17
  1. ’Tis true, and therefore women, being the weaker vessels,
  2. are ever thrust to the wall; therefore I will push
  3. Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the
  4. wall.

Gregory

18
  1. The quarrel is between our masters, and us their men.

Sampson

19 - 21
  1. ’Tis all one; I will show myself a tyrant: when I have
  2. fought with the men, I will be civil with the maids; I will
  3. cut off their heads.

Gregory

22
  1. The heads of the maids?

Sampson

23 - 24
  1. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads, take it in
  2. what sense thou wilt.

Gregory

25
  1. They must take it in sense that feel it.

Sampson

26 - 27
  1. Me they shall feel while I am able to stand, and ’tis known
  2. I am a pretty piece of flesh.

Gregory

28 - 30
  1. ’Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been
  2. poor-John. Draw thy tool, here comes two of the house of
  3. Montagues.
  1. Enter two other servingmen: Abram and Balthasar.

Sampson

31
  1. My naked weapon is out. Quarrel, I will back thee.

Gregory

32
  1. How, turn thy back and run?

Sampson

33
  1. Fear me not.

Gregory

34
  1. No, marry, I fear thee!

Sampson

35
  1. Let us take the law of our sides, let them begin.

Gregory

36 - 37
  1. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they
  2. list.

Sampson

38 - 39
  1. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them, which is
  2. disgrace to them if they bear it.

Abram

40
  1. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

Sampson

41
  1. I do bite my thumb, sir.

Abram

42
  1. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

Sampson

43
  1. Aside to Gregory
  2. Is the law of our side if I say ay?

Gregory

44
  1. Aside to Sampson
  2. No.

Sampson

45 - 46
  1. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my
  2. thumb, sir.

Gregory

47
  1. Do you quarrel, sir?

Abram

48
  1. Quarrel, sir? No, sir.

Sampson

49 - 50
  1. But if you do, sir, I am for you. I serve as good a man as
  2. you.

Abram

51
  1. No better?

Sampson

52
  1. Well, sir.
  1. Enter Benvolio.

Gregory

53
  1. Say “better,” here comes one of my master’s kinsmen.

Sampson

54
  1. Yes, better, sir.

Abram

55
  1. You lie.

Sampson

56
  1. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy washing blow.
  1. They fight.

Benvolio

57 - 58
  1. Part, fools!
  2. Put up your swords, you know not what you do.
  1. Beats down their swords.
  1. Enter Tybalt.

Tybalt

59 - 60
  1. What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?
  2. Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.

Benvolio

61 - 62
  1. I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword,
  2. Or manage it to part these men with me.

Tybalt

63 - 65
  1. What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word
  2. As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.
  3. Have at thee, coward!
  1. They fight.
  1. Enter three or four Citizens with clubs or partisans.

Byam Shaw, 1901

Citizens of Verona

66 - 67
  1. Clubs, bills, and partisans! Strike! Beat them down!
  2. Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues!
  1. Enter old Capulet in his gown, and his wife, Lady Capulet.

Capulet

68
  1. What noise is this? Give me my long sword ho!

Lady Capulet

69
  1. A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?

Capulet

70 - 71
  1. My sword, I say! Old Montague is come,
  2. And flourishes his blade in spite of me.
  1. Enter old Montague and his wife, Lady Montague.

Montague

72
  1. Thou villain Capulet!—Hold me not, let me go.

Lady Montague

73
  1. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.
  1. Enter Prince Escalus with his Train.

Prince

74 - 96
  1. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,
  2. Profaners of this neighbor-stained steel—
  3. Will they not hear?—What ho, you men, you beasts!
  4. That quench the fire of your pernicious rage
  5. With purple fountains issuing from your veins—
  6. On pain of torture, from those bloody hands
  7. Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground,
  8. And hear the sentence of your moved prince.
  9. Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,
  10. By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
  11. Have thrice disturb’d the quiet of our streets,
  12. And made Verona’s ancient citizens
  13. Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments
  14. To wield old partisans, in hands as old,
  15. Cank’red with peace, to part your cank’red hate;
  16. If ever you disturb our streets again
  17. Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.
  18. For this time all the rest depart away.
  19. You, Capulet, shall go along with me,
  20. And, Montague, come you this afternoon,
  21. To know our farther pleasure in this case,
  22. To old Free-town, our common judgment-place.
  23. Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.
  1. Exeunt all but Montague, Lady Montague, and Benvolio.

Montague

97 - 98
  1. Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach?
  2. Speak, nephew, were you by when it began?

Benvolio

99 - 108
  1. Here were the servants of your adversary,
  2. And yours, close fighting ere I did approach.
  3. I drew to part them. In the instant came
  4. The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepar’d,
  5. Which, as he breath’d defiance to my ears,
  6. He swung about his head and cut the winds,
  7. Who, nothing hurt withal, hiss’d him in scorn.
  8. While we were interchanging thrusts and blows,
  9. Came more and more, and fought on part and part,
  10. Till the Prince came, who parted either part.

Lady Montague

109 - 110
  1. O, where is Romeo? Saw you him today?
  2. Right glad I am he was not at this fray.

Benvolio

111 - 123
  1. Madam, an hour before the worshipp’d sun
  2. Peer’d forth the golden window of the east,
  3. A troubled mind drive me to walk abroad,
  4. Where, underneath the grove of sycamore
  5. That westward rooteth from this city side,
  6. So early walking did I see your son.
  7. Towards him I made, but he was ware of me,
  8. And stole into the covert of the wood.
  9. I, measuring his affections by my own,
  10. Which then most sought where most might not be found,
  11. Being one too many by my weary self,
  12. Pursued my humor not pursuing his,
  13. And gladly shunn’d who gladly fled from me.

Montague

124 - 135
  1. Many a morning hath he there been seen,
  2. With tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew,
  3. Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs,
  4. But all so soon as the all-cheering sun
  5. Should in the farthest east begin to draw
  6. The shady curtains from Aurora’s bed,
  7. Away from light steals home my heavy son,
  8. And private in his chamber pens himself,
  9. Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out,
  10. And makes himself an artificial night.
  11. Black and portendous must this humor prove,
  12. Unless good counsel may the cause remove.
Costume design for Prince Escalus

Costume design for Prince Escalus

Percy Anderson, circa 1900

Benvolio

136
  1. My noble uncle, do you know the cause?

Montague

137
  1. I neither know it, nor can learn of him.

Benvolio

138
  1. Have you importun’d him by any means?

Montague

139 - 148
  1. Both by myself and many other friends,
  2. But he, his own affections’ counsellor,
  3. Is to himself (I will not say how true)
  4. But to himself so secret and so close,
  5. So far from sounding and discovery,
  6. As is the bud bit with an envious worm,
  7. Ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air
  8. Or dedicate his beauty to the sun.
  9. Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow,
  10. We would as willingly give cure as know.
  1. Enter Romeo.

Benvolio

149 - 150
  1. See where he comes. So please you step aside,
  2. I’ll know his grievance, or be much denied.

Montague

151 - 152
  1. I would thou wert so happy by thy stay
  2. To hear true shrift. Come, madam, let’s away.
  1. Exeunt Montague and Lady.

Benvolio

153
  1. Good morrow, cousin.

Romeo

154
  1.                      Is the day so young?

Benvolio

155
  1. But new struck nine.

Romeo

156 - 157
  1.                      Ay me, sad hours seem long.
  2. Was that my father that went hence so fast?

Benvolio

158
  1. It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?

Romeo

159
  1. Not having that which, having, makes them short.

Benvolio

160
  1. In love?

Romeo

161
  1. Out—

Benvolio

162
  1. Of love?

Romeo

163
  1. Out of her favor where I am in love.

Benvolio

164 - 165
  1. Alas that love, so gentle in his view,
  2. Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!

Romeo

166 - 178
  1. Alas that love, whose view is muffled still,
  2. Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will!
  3. Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here?
  4. Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all:
  5. Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love.
  6. Why then, O brawling love! O loving hate!
  7. O any thing, of nothing first create!
  8. O heavy lightness, serious vanity,
  9. Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms,
  10. Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health,
  11. Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
  12. This love feel I, that feel no love in this.
  13. Dost thou not laugh?

Benvolio

179
  1.                      No, coz, I rather weep.

Romeo

180
  1. Good heart, at what?

Benvolio

181
  1.                      At thy good heart’s oppression.

Romeo

182 - 192
  1. Why, such is love’s transgression.
  2. Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast,
  3. Which thou wilt propagate to have it press’d
  4. With more of thine. This love that thou hast shown
  5. Doth add more grief to too much of mine own.
  6. Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs,
  7. Being purg’d, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes,
  8. Being vex’d, a sea nourish’d with loving tears.
  9. What is it else? A madness most discreet,
  10. A choking gall, and a preserving sweet.
  11. Farewell, my coz.
Frontpiece to Romeo and Juliet

Frontpiece to Romeo and Juliet

From Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare

Charles Cowden Clarke, Mary Cowden Clarke, 1866

Benvolio

193 - 194
  1.                   Soft, I will go along;
  2. And if you leave me so, you do me wrong.

Romeo

195 - 196
  1. Tut, I have lost myself, I am not here:
  2. This is not Romeo, he’s some other where.

Benvolio

197
  1. Tell me in sadness, who is that you love?

Romeo

198
  1. What, shall I groan and tell thee?

Benvolio

199 - 200
  1.                                    Groan? Why, no;
  2. But sadly tell me, who?

Romeo

201 - 203
  1. Bid a sick man in sadness make his will—
  2. A word ill urg’d to one that is so ill!
  3. In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.

Benvolio

204
  1. I aim’d so near when I suppos’d you lov’d.

Romeo

205
  1. A right good mark-man! And she’s fair I love.

Benvolio

206
  1. A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit.

Romeo

207 - 215
  1. Well, in that hit you miss: she’ll not be hit
  2. With Cupid’s arrow, she hath Dian’s wit;
  3. And in strong proof of chastity well arm’d,
  4. From Love’s weak childish bow she lives uncharm’d.
  5. She will not stay the siege of loving terms,
  6. Nor bide th’ encounter of assailing eyes,
  7. Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold.
  8. O, she is rich in beauty, only poor
  9. That, when she dies, with beauty dies her store.

Benvolio

216
  1. Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?

Romeo

217 - 223
  1. She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste;
  2. For beauty starv’d with her severity
  3. Cuts beauty off from all posterity.
  4. She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair,
  5. To merit bliss by making me despair.
  6. She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow
  7. Do I live dead that live to tell it now.

Benvolio

224
  1. Be rul’d by me, forget to think of her.

Romeo

225
  1. O, teach me how I should forget to think.

Benvolio

226 - 227
  1. By giving liberty unto thine eyes:
  2. Examine other beauties.

Romeo

228 - 237
  1.                         ’Tis the way
  2. To call hers (exquisite) in question more.
  3. These happy masks that kiss fair ladies’ brows,
  4. Being black, puts us in mind they hide the fair.
  5. He that is strucken blind cannot forget
  6. The precious treasure of his eyesight lost.
  7. Show me a mistress that is passing fair,
  8. What doth her beauty serve but as a note
  9. Where I may read who pass’d that passing fair?
  10. Farewell, thou canst not teach me to forget.

Benvolio

238
  1. I’ll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt.
  1. Exeunt.

Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

I. E. C., 19th century

© 2021 Unotate.com • contact • privacy policy • Creative Commons text from PlayShakespeare.com • All illustrations are public domain or Creative Commons