Romeo and Juliet Act I Scene II
Original
Modern
Notes
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SCENE II. A Street.
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SCENE II. A Street.
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[Enter Capulet, Paris and Servant.]
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[Enter Capulet, Paris and a Servant.]
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CAPULET. But Montague is bound as well as I, In penalty alike; and ’tis not hard, I think, For men so old as we to keep the peace.
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CAPULET. But Montague is bound by the same penalty as I am; and I don’t think it’s hard for men as old as we are to keep the peace.
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PARIS. Of honourable reckoning are you both, And pity ’tis you liv’d at odds so long. But now my lord, what say you to my suit?
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PARIS. You are both men of honourable reputation, and it’s a pity you have lived at odds for so long. But now, my lord, what do you say to my proposal?
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CAPULET. But saying o’er what I have said before. My child is yet a stranger in the world, She hath not seen the change of fourteen years; Let two more summers wither in their pride Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.
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CAPULET. Only repeating what I have said before. My child is still a stranger to the world; she has not yet turned fourteen. Let two more summers fade in their glory before we think her ready to be a bride.
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PARIS. Younger than she are happy mothers made.
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PARIS. Girls younger than she are already happy mothers.
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CAPULET. And too soon marr’d are those so early made. The earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she, She is the hopeful lady of my earth: But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart, My will to her consent is but a part; And she agree, within her scope of choice Lies my consent and fair according voice.
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CAPULET. And those who are made mothers so early are too soon spoiled. The earth has swallowed all my other hopes; she is the only hopeful lady left of my estate. But woo her, gentle Paris, win her heart. My will is only part of her consent; if she agrees, within the range of her own choice lies my consent and my fair approving voice.
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CAPULET. This night I hold an old accustom’d feast, Whereto I have invited many a guest, Such as I love, and you among the store, One more, most welcome, makes my number more. At my poor house look to behold this night Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light: Such comfort as do lusty young men feel When well apparell’d April on the heel Of limping winter treads, even such delight Among fresh female buds shall you this night Inherit at my house. Hear all, all see, And like her most whose merit most shall be: Which, on more view of many, mine, being one, May stand in number, though in reckoning none.
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CAPULET. Tonight I am holding an old customary feast, to which I have invited many guests, people I love, and you among the number—one more, most welcome, makes my company larger. At my humble house expect to see tonight earth-walking stars that make the dark sky bright. Such pleasure as vigorous young men feel when well-dressed April treads on the heels of limping winter—exactly such delight among fresh young girls shall you enjoy tonight at my house. Hear everyone, see everyone, and like best the one whose merit is greatest. Which, after looking at many, my daughter, being only one, may count in the total though she ranks as none.
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CAPULET. Come, go with me. Go, sirrah, trudge about Through fair Verona; find those persons out Whose names are written there, [gives a paper] and to them say, My house and welcome on their pleasure stay.
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CAPULET. Come, go with me. Go, sirrah, walk about through fair Verona; find out those people whose names are written there [he gives a paper], and tell them my house and welcome await their pleasure.
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[Exeunt Capulet and Paris.]
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[Exit Capulet and Paris.]
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SERVANT. Find them out whose names are written here! It is written that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard and the tailor with his last, the fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I am sent to find those persons whose names are here writ, and can never find what names the writing person hath here writ. I must to the learned. In good time!
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SERVANT. Find out the people whose names are written here! It’s said that the shoemaker should stick to his measuring stick and the tailor to his last, the fisherman to his pencil, and the painter to his nets; but I’ve been sent to find the people whose names are written here, and I can never make out what names the person who wrote this has put down. I must go to someone educated. Just in time!
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[Enter Benvolio and Romeo.]
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[Enter Benvolio and Romeo.]
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BENVOLIO. Tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning, One pain is lessen’d by another’s anguish; Turn giddy, and be holp by backward turning; One desperate grief cures with another’s languish: Take thou some new infection to thy eye, And the rank poison of the old will die.
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BENVOLIO. Come on, man—one fire burns out another’s flame, one pain is lessened by another’s suffering; spin around until you’re dizzy and be helped by turning the other way; one desperate grief is cured by another’s misery. Catch some new infection in your eye, and the foul poison of the old one will die.
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ROMEO. Your plantain leaf is excellent for that.
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ROMEO. Your plantain leaf is excellent for that.
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BENVOLIO. For what, I pray thee?
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BENVOLIO. For what, I ask you?
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ROMEO. For your broken shin.
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ROMEO. For your broken shin.
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BENVOLIO. Why, Romeo, art thou mad?
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BENVOLIO. Why, Romeo, are you mad?
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ROMEO. Not mad, but bound more than a madman is: Shut up in prison, kept without my food, Whipp’d and tormented and—God-den, good fellow.
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ROMEO. Not mad, but bound more tightly than a madman is: locked up in prison, kept without food, whipped and tormented, and—good evening, good fellow.
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SERVANT. God gi’ go-den. I pray, sir, can you read?
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SERVANT. God give you good evening. Please, sir, can you read?
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ROMEO. Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.
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ROMEO. Yes—my own fortune in my misery.
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SERVANT. Perhaps you have learned it without book. But I pray, can you read anything you see?
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SERVANT. Perhaps you’ve learned that by heart. But please, can you read anything you see?
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ROMEO. Ay, If I know the letters and the language.
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ROMEO. Yes, if I know the letters and the language.
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SERVANT. Ye say honestly, rest you merry!
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SERVANT. You speak honestly—rest you merry!
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ROMEO. Stay, fellow; I can read.
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ROMEO. Wait, fellow; I can read.
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[He reads the letter.]
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[He reads the letter.]
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ROMEO. Signior Martino and his wife and daughters; County Anselmo and his beauteous sisters; The lady widow of Utruvio; Signior Placentio and his lovely nieces; Mercutio and his brother Valentine; Mine uncle Capulet, his wife, and daughters; My fair niece Rosaline and Livia; Signior Valentio and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio and the lively Helena.
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ROMEO. Signior Martino and his wife and daughters; Count Anselmo and his beautiful sisters; the lady widow of Vitruvio; Signior Placentio and his lovely nieces; Mercutio and his brother Valentine; my uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters; my fair niece Rosaline and Livia; Signior Valentio and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio and the lively Helena.
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ROMEO. A fair assembly. [Gives back the paper] Whither should they come?
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ROMEO. A fine gathering. [Gives back the paper] Where are they to come?
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SERVANT. Up.
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SERVANT. Up.
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ROMEO. Whither to supper?
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ROMEO. Where to supper?
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SERVANT. To our house.
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SERVANT. To our house.
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ROMEO. Whose house?
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ROMEO. Whose house?
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SERVANT. My master’s.
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SERVANT. My master’s.
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ROMEO. Indeed I should have ask’d you that before.
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ROMEO. Indeed I should have asked you that before.
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SERVANT. Now I’ll tell you without asking. My master is the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry.
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SERVANT. Now I’ll tell you without being asked. My master is the great rich Capulet, and if you are not of the house of Montague, please come and drink a cup of wine. Rest you merry.
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[Exit.]
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[Exit.]
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BENVOLIO. At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lov’st; With all the admired beauties of Verona. Go thither and with unattainted eye, Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.
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BENVOLIO. At this same old feast of Capulet’s the fair Rosaline whom you love so much will be dining, along with all the admired beauties of Verona. Go there and with an unprejudiced eye compare her face with some that I will point out, and I will make you think your swan a crow.
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ROMEO. When the devout religion of mine eye Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fire; And these who, often drown’d, could never die, Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars. One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun.
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ROMEO. When the devout religion of my eyes maintains such a falsehood, then turn my tears to fire; and these eyes, which have often been drowned yet never died, transparent heretics, let them be burned for liars. One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun has never seen her equal since the world first began.
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BENVOLIO. Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by, Herself pois’d with herself in either eye: But in that crystal scales let there be weigh’d Your lady’s love against some other maid That I will show you shining at this feast, And she shall scant show well that now shows best.
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BENVOLIO. Come, you saw her as fair when no one else was present, herself balanced against herself in each of your eyes. But in those crystal scales let your lady’s beauty be weighed against some other girl that I will show you shining at this feast, and the one who now seems best will scarcely show well.
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ROMEO. I’ll go along, no such sight to be shown, But to rejoice in splendour of my own.
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ROMEO. I’ll go along—not to be shown any such sight, but to rejoice in the splendour of my own love.
Pun · Marriage
Marr’d – Both “married” and “spoiled / damaged.” Capulet plays on the idea that girls married too young are quickly worn out or ruined.
Address · Social
Sirrah – A form of address used to a social inferior, often a servant or boy. Slightly contemptuous or familiar.
Folk medicine
Plantain leaf – A common herb used in Shakespeare’s time to bind wounds and ease bruises. Romeo jokingly treats Benvolio’s advice as a remedy for a physical injury.
Idiom · Drinking
Crush a cup of wine – An informal invitation meaning “come and drink a cup of wine with us.”
Legal · Metaphor
Unattainted – Unprejudiced, free from bias (from the legal term “attainted,” meaning corrupted or condemned). Benvolio urges Romeo to look with clear, impartial eyes.