Prologue

Enter Chorus.

CHOR:

Now old desire doth in his deathbed lie,
And young affection gapes to be his heir;
That fair for which love groan'd for and would die,
With tender Juliet match'd, is now not fair.
Now Romeo is belov'd, and loves again,(5)
Alike bewitched by the charm of looks;
But to his foe suppos'd he must complain,
And she steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks.
Being held a foe, he may not have access
To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear,(10)
And she as much in love, her means much less
To meet her new beloved anywhere;
But passion lends them power, time means, to meet,
Temp'ring extremities with extreme sweet.

CHOR:

Now old desire lies in his deathbed,
And young affection is longing to be his heir;
That beauty for which love groaned and would die,
With tender Juliet matched now isn’t beautiful.
Now Romeo is beloved, and loves again,
Both of them bewitched by the charm of looks;
But he must complain to his supposed enemy,
And she must steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks.
Because he is thought to be an enemy, he may not have access
To breathe such vows as lovers used to swear;
And she, as much in love with him, has fewer chances
To meet her new beloved anywhere.
But passion lends them power, and time the means, to meet,
Tempering the two people at opposite ends with extreme sweetness.

Exit.