Scene II

A Street.

Enter Capulet, Paris, and Servant.

CAP:

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.

CAP:

But Montague is the same restrictions as I am,
The same penalty; and it should not be hard, I think,
For men so old as we to keep the peace.

PAR:

Of honourable reckoning are you both,
And pity 'tis you liv'd at odds so long.(5)
But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?

PAR:

Of honorable status are you both;
And it’s a pity that you lived at odds so long.
But now, my lord, what say you to my request?

CAP:

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(10)
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

CAP:

Only saying again what I have said before.
My child is yet a stranger to the world,
She’s not even fourteen years old;
Let two more summers wither in their pride
Before we may think her ripe to be a bride.

PAR:

Younger than she are happy mothers made.

PAR:

Younger girls than she are made happy mothers.

CAP:

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.(15)
But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart;
My will to her consent is but a part.
An she agree, within her scope of choice
Lies my consent and fair according voice.
This night I hold an old accustom'd feast,(20)
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.(25)
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,(30)
And like her most whose merit most shall be;
Which, amongst view of many, mine, being one,
May stand in number, though in reck'ning none.
Come, go with me.

To Servant, giving him a paper

Go, sirrah, trudge about(35)
Through fair Verona; find those persons out
Whose names are written there, and to them say,
My house and welcome on their pleasure stay.—

CAP:

And too soon marred are those made young mothers.
The earth has swallowed all my hopes but she,
She is the last hope I have.
But woo her, gentle Paris, get her love.
My consent to the marriage is but a part of the package;
If she agrees, within her ability to choose a husband,
I will consent and add my congratulations..
This night I hold an old feast that I’ve always given,
To which I have invited many guests,
People I love; and if you will be among the guests,
You’ll be one more, most welcome, and will make my guests more.
At my poor house look to behold this night
Women like earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light.
They give such comfort as lusty young men feel
When Spring appears with all the flowers and warmth
After a long, cold winter, even such delight
Among fresh female flower buds shall you this night
Find at my house; hear all, all see,
And like her most whose worth shall be the most.
Which, among the many women, my daughter, being one,
May stand out, though in my eyes, none can match her.
Come, go with me.

Go, Servant, trudge about
Through fair Verona; find the people
Whose names are written there, [gives a paper] and say to them that
My house and welcome wait on their pleasure.

Exeunt Capulet and Paris.

SERV:

Find them out whose names are written here?
It is written that the shoemaker should meddle with his(40)
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!(45)

SERV:

Find the people whose names are written here!
It is written that the shoemaker should meddle with
his measuring tape and the tailor with his shoe form, the fisher with
his pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I am
sent to find the people whose names are written here,
and I cannot read what names the writing person
has written here. I must find a reader. in good time!

Enter Benvolio and Romeo.

BEN:

Tut, man! one fire burns out another's burning;
One pain is lessened 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,(50)
And the rank poison of the old will die.

BEN:

Tut, man, one fire burns out while another one is burning,
One pain is lessened by another's anguish;
Relax, and let me help you by turning your woes backward;
One desperate grief is cured with another's languish.
Take some new infection to your eye,
And the rank poison of the old love will die.

ROM:

Your plantain leaf is excellent for that.

ROM:

Your plantain-leaf is excellent for that.

BEN:

For what, I pray thee?

BEN:

For what, please tell me?

ROM:

For your broken shin.

ROM:

For your broken shin.

BEN:

Why, Romeo, art thou mad?(55)

BEN:

Why, Romeo, are you crazy?

ROM:

Not mad, but bound more than a madman is;
Shut up in Prison, kept without my food,
Whipp'd and tormented and–

Spoken to servant

God-eve, good fellow.

ROM:

Not crazy, but more tied up than a madman is;
I am shut up in prison, kept without my food,
Whipped and tormented and—

Good day, good fellow.

SERV:

To Romeo

I pray, sir, can you read?

SERV:

Good day.—Please tell me, sir, can you read?

ROM:

Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.(60)

ROM:

Yes, my own fortune in my misery.

SERV:

Perhaps you have learned it without book. But I pray,
can you read any thing you see?

SERV:

Perhaps you have learned it without book.
but please, can you read anything you see?

ROM:

Ay, If I know the letters and the language.

ROM:

Yes, If I know the letters and the language.

SERV:

Ye say honestly. Rest you merry!

SERV:

You speak honestly. have a nice day!

ROM:

Stay, fellow; I can read.(65)

He reads.

‘Signior Martino and his wife and daughters;
County Anselme and his beauteous sisters;
The lady widow of Vitruvio;
Signior Placentio and his lovely nieces;
Mercutio and his brother Valentine;(70)
Mine uncle Capulet, his wife, and daughters;
My fair niece Rosaline and Livia;
Signior Valentio and his cousin Tybalt;
Lucio and the lively Helena.’

Gives back the paper.

A fair assembly. Whither should they come?(75)

ROM:

Stay, fellow; I can read.

Signior Martino and his wife and daughters;
County Anselmo and his beauteous 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; Livia; Signior
Valentio and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio and the
lively Helena.'

A fair group. Where should they come?

SERV:

Up.

SERV:

Up.

ROM:

Whither to supper?

ROM:

Where?

SERV:

To our house.

SERV:

To supper; to our house.

ROM:

Whose house?

ROM:

Whose house?

SERV:

My master's.(80)

SERV:

My master's.

ROM:

Indeed, I should have ask'd you that before.

ROM:

Indeed I should have asked you that before.

SERV:

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!(85)

SERV:

Now I'll tell you without asking. my master is the great
rich Capulet; and if you are not of the house of Montagues,
please, come and have a cup of wine. Have a nice day!

Exit.

BEN:

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,(90)
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.

BEN:

At this same ancient feast of Capulet's,
The fair Rosaline whom you love so much will have supper;
With all the admired beauties of Verona.
Let’s go, and, with a clear eye,
Compare her face with some others that I shall show you,
And I will make you think your swan is a crow.

ROM:

When the devout religion of mine eye
Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires.
And these, who often drown'd, could never die,
Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars!(95)
One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun
Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun.

ROM:

When the devout religion of my eye
Hangs on to such a lie, then my tears turn to fires;
And these eyes, who, often drowned, could never die,
Heretics you can see through, they will be burnt for liars!
One fairer than my love? the all-seeing sun
Never saw anything to match her since the world first began.

BEN:

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(100)
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 seems best.

BEN:

Tut, you saw her beauty with no one else being near.
She balanced herself in either eye.
But, in that crystal scale, let’s weigh
Your lady's love against some other maid’s love and beauty,
Who, I will show you, is shining at this feast,
And she shall show a little well, that now shows best.

ROM:

I'll go along, no such sight to be shown,(105)
But to rejoice in splendour of my own.

ROM:

I'll go along, not to be shown such a sight,
But to rejoice in splendor of my own love’s looks.

Exeunt.