Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene III
Original
Modern
Notes
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SCENE III. Friar Lawrence’s Cell.
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SCENE III. Friar Lawrence’s cell.
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[Enter Friar Lawrence with a basket.]
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[Enter Friar Lawrence with a basket.]
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. The grey-ey’d morn smiles on the frowning night, Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light; And fleckled darkness like a drunkard reels From forth day’s pathway, made by Titan’s fiery wheels. Now, ere the sun advance his burning eye, The day to cheer, and night’s dank dew to dry, I must upfill this osier cage of ours With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. The grey-eyed morning smiles on the frowning night, chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light; and spotted darkness reels like a drunkard out of the pathway of day, made by Titan’s fiery wheels. Now, before the sun advances his burning eye to cheer the day and dry night’s damp dew, I must fill up this willow basket of ours with harmful weeds and flowers of precious juice.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. The earth that’s nature’s mother, is her tomb; What is her burying grave, that is her womb: And from her womb children of divers kind We sucking on her natural bosom find. Many for many virtues excellent, None but for some, and yet all different. O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies In plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities. For naught so vile that on the earth doth live But to the earth some special good doth give; Nor aught so good but, strain’d from that fair use, Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse. Virtue itself turns vice being misapplied, And vice sometime’s by action dignified.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. The earth that is nature’s mother is also her tomb; what is her burying grave is also her womb. And from her womb we find children of various kinds, sucking on her natural bosom. Many are excellent for many virtues, none without some, and yet all different. Oh, great is the powerful grace that lies in plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities. For nothing so vile lives on the earth but gives some special good to the earth; nor anything so good but, forced away from its proper use, rebels against its true nature and stumbles into abuse. Virtue itself turns into vice when misapplied, and vice is sometimes made honourable by action.
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[Enter Romeo.]
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[Enter Romeo.]
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Within the infant rind of this weak flower Poison hath residence, and medicine power: For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart. Two such opposed kings encamp them still In man as well as herbs,—grace and rude will; And where the worser is predominant, Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Within the tender rind of this weak flower poison has its home, and also medicinal power: for this, being smelled, with that part cheers every part; being tasted, it kills all the senses along with the heart. Two such opposed kings still encamp themselves in man as well as in herbs—grace and rough will; and where the worse one is predominant, very soon the canker of death eats up that plant.
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ROMEO. Good morrow, father.
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ROMEO. Good morning, father.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Benedicite! What early tongue so sweet saluteth me? Young son, it argues a distemper’d head So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed. Care keeps his watch in every old man’s eye, And where care lodges sleep will never lie; But where unbruised youth with unstuff’d brain Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign. Therefore thy earliness doth me assure Thou art uprous’d with some distemperature; Or if not so, then here I hit it right, Our Romeo hath not been in bed tonight.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Bless you! What early tongue greets me so sweetly? Young son, it suggests a disturbed mind to bid good morning to your bed so soon. Care keeps watch in every old man’s eye, and where care lodges, sleep will never lie; but where unbruised youth with uncluttered brain lays down his limbs, there golden sleep reigns. Therefore your early rising assures me you are stirred up by some disorder; or if not so, then I hit it right here—our Romeo has not been in bed tonight.
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ROMEO. That last is true; the sweeter rest was mine.
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ROMEO. That last is true; the sweeter rest was mine.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. God pardon sin. Wast thou with Rosaline?
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. God pardon sin. Were you with Rosaline?
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ROMEO. With Rosaline, my ghostly father? No. I have forgot that name, and that name’s woe.
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ROMEO. With Rosaline, my spiritual father? No. I have forgotten that name, and that name’s sorrow.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. That’s my good son. But where hast thou been then?
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. That’s my good son. But where have you been then?
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ROMEO. I’ll tell thee ere thou ask it me again. I have been feasting with mine enemy, Where on a sudden one hath wounded me That’s by me wounded. Both our remedies Within thy help and holy physic lies. I bear no hatred, blessed man; for lo, My intercession likewise steads my foe.
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ROMEO. I’ll tell you before you ask me again. I have been feasting with my enemy, where suddenly one has wounded me who is also wounded by me. Both our remedies lie within your help and holy medicine. I bear no hatred, blessed man; for look, my request for help will also benefit my foe.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift; Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Be plain, good son, and simple in your meaning; a riddling confession receives only a riddling absolution.
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ROMEO. Then plainly know my heart’s dear love is set On the fair daughter of rich Capulet. As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine; And all combin’d, save what thou must combine By holy marriage. When, and where, and how We met, we woo’d, and made exchange of vow, I’ll tell thee as we pass; but this I pray, That thou consent to marry us today.
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ROMEO. Then know plainly that my heart’s dear love is set on the fair daughter of rich Capulet. As mine is set on hers, so hers is set on mine; and everything is agreed, except what you must join by holy marriage. When, and where, and how we met, we courted, and exchanged vows, I’ll tell you as we go; but this I beg, that you consent to marry us today.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Holy Saint Francis! What a change is here! Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes. Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine Hath wash’d thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline! How much salt water thrown away in waste, To season love, that of it doth not taste. The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears, Thy old groans yet ring in mine ancient ears. Lo here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit Of an old tear that is not wash’d off yet. If ere thou wast thyself, and these woes thine, Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline, And art thou chang’d? Pronounce this sentence then, Women may fall, when there’s no strength in men.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Holy Saint Francis! What a change is here! Is Rosaline, whom you loved so dearly, so soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes. Jesus Mary, what a quantity of salt water has washed your pale cheeks for Rosaline! How much salt water thrown away in waste, to season a love that does not even taste of it. The sun has not yet cleared your sighs from heaven; your old groans still ring in my aged ears. Look, here upon your cheek sits the stain of an old tear that is not yet washed off. If ever you were yourself, and these sorrows yours, you and these sorrows were all for Rosaline—and are you changed? Pronounce this sentence then: women may fall when there is no strength in men.
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ROMEO. Thou chidd’st me oft for loving Rosaline.
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ROMEO. You often scolded me for loving Rosaline.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. For doting, not for loving, pupil mine.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. For doting, not for loving, my pupil.
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ROMEO. And bad’st me bury love.
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ROMEO. And told me to bury love.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Not in a grave To lay one in, another out to have.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Not in a grave, to lay one in and take another out.
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ROMEO. I pray thee chide me not, her I love now Doth grace for grace and love for love allow. The other did not so.
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ROMEO. I beg you, do not scold me; the one I love now grants grace for grace and love for love. The other did not do so.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. O, she knew well Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell. But come young waverer, come go with me, In one respect I’ll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Oh, she knew well that your love recited by rote and could not spell. But come, young waverer, come go with me; in one respect I will be your helper; for this alliance may prove so happy as to turn your households’ bitterness into pure love.
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ROMEO. O let us hence; I stand on sudden haste.
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ROMEO. Oh, let us go from here; I am in sudden haste.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.
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FRIAR LAWRENCE. Wisely and slowly; they stumble who run fast.
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[Exeunt.]
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[They exit.]
Mythology · Sun
Titan – One of the older names for the sun-god (Helios/Apollo). The Friar describes the sun’s chariot wheels driving away the night.