Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 5in modern English, side by side
A Hall in Capulet’s House · First Servant, Second Servant, Capulet, Capulet's Cousin, Romeo, Servant, Tybalt, Juliet, Nurse, Benvolio, Chorus
At the Capulet ball, Romeo spots Juliet across the room and is instantly smitten, while Tybalt recognizes his voice and is only barely talked out of attacking him by Capulet, who insists Romeo be left in peace as a guest; Romeo and Juliet meet, share a flirtatious sonnet and a kiss, then each separately learns from the Nurse that the other belongs to the enemy family.
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Musicians waiting. Enter Servants
First Servant
Where’s Potpan, that he helps not to take away?
Where's Potpan? Why isn't he helping clear the tables?
He shift a trencher! He scrape a trencher!
He's supposed to be moving platters, scraping plates!
Second Servant
When good manners shall lie all in one or two men’s hands, and they
unwash’d too, ’tis a foul thing.
When all the manners of the house end up in the hands of just one or two men, and unwashed ones at that, it's disgusting.
First Servant
Away with the join-stools, remove the court-cupboard, look to the5
plate.
Get rid of the folding stools, move the cupboard, watch the silverware.
Good thou, save me a piece of marchpane; and as thou loves me,
let the porter let in Susan Grindstone and Nell.
Hey, do me a favor and save me a piece of marzipan, and if you care about me, tell the doorman to let in Susan Grindstone and Nell.
Antony and Potpan!
Antony! Potpan!
Second Servant
Ay, boy, ready.
Yeah, here, ready.
First Servant
You are looked for and called for, asked for and sought for, in the
great chamber.10
They're looking for you and calling for you, asking for you and searching for you, in the great hall.
Second Servant
We cannot be here and there too.
We can't be in two places at once.
Cheerly, boys. Be brisk awhile, and
the longer liver take all.
Come on, boys, look lively — whoever outlasts the rest gets the leftovers.
_Exeunt._
Enter Capulet, &c. with the Guests and Gentlewomen to the Maskers
Capulet
Welcome, gentlemen, ladies that have their toes
Unplagu’d with corns will have a bout with you.
Welcome, gentlemen! Ladies whose feet aren't plagued with corns will get a turn dancing with you.
Ah my mistresses, which of you all15
Will now deny to dance?
Ha, my ladies, which of you will refuse to dance now?
She that makes dainty,
She I’ll swear hath corns.
Whoever acts shy, I'd bet she has corns.
Am I come near ye now?
Am I getting close to the truth?
Welcome, gentlemen!
Welcome, gentlemen!
I have seen the day
That I have worn a visor, and could tell
A whispering tale in a fair lady’s ear,20
Such as would please; ’tis gone, ’tis gone, ’tis gone,
I remember the days when I wore a mask myself and could whisper a pleasing little story into a pretty lady's ear — but that's long gone, long gone, long gone.
You are welcome, gentlemen!
You're welcome here, gentlemen!
Come, musicians, play.
Come on, musicians, play!
A hall, a hall, give room!
Make room, make room!
And foot it, girls.
And dance, girls.
_Music plays, and they dance._
Capulet
More light, you knaves; and turn the tables up,
And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.25
More light, you lazy servants — and fold up the tables, and put out the fire, the room's grown too hot.
Ah sirrah, this unlook’d-for sport comes well.
Ah, this unexpected fun comes at a good time.
Nay sit, nay sit, good cousin Capulet,
For you and I are past our dancing days;
No, sit, sit, good cousin Capulet, since you and I are past our dancing days.
How long is’t now since last yourself and I
Were in a mask?30
How long has it been since the two of us last wore masks at a party?
Capulet’s Cousin
By’r Lady, thirty years.
Good lord, thirty years.
Capulet
What, man, ’tis not so much, ’tis not so much:
What, man, it hasn't been that long, it hasn't been that long!
’Tis since the nuptial of Lucentio,
Come Pentecost as quickly as it will,
Some five and twenty years; and then we mask’d.35
It's been since Lucentio's wedding — however soon Pentecost comes around, it'll be about twenty-five years, and that's when we last wore masks.
Capulet’s Cousin
’Tis more, ’tis more, his son is elder, sir;
His son is thirty.
It's been longer — it's been longer, sir! His son is older than that — his son is thirty.
Capulet
Will you tell me that?
Are you going to tell me that?
His son was but a ward two years ago.
His son was still a minor two years ago.
Romeo
What lady is that, which doth enrich the hand40
Of yonder knight?
Who is that woman, the one gracing that gentleman's hand over there?
Servant
I know not, sir.
I don't know, sir.
Romeo
O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
Oh, she teaches the torches how to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear;45
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
She seems to hang upon the cheek of night like a rich jewel in an African's ear — too precious for everyday use, too fine for this world.
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows
As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows.
She stands out among her friends like a snow-white dove among crows.
The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand,
And touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.50
Once this dance ends, I'll watch where she stands, and by touching her hand, bless my own rough one.
Did my heart love till now?
Did my heart ever truly love before now?
Forswear it, sight!
For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.
My eyes, deny it — I never saw real beauty until tonight.
Tybalt
This by his voice, should be a Montague.
By his voice, this should be a Montague.
Fetch me my rapier, boy.
Bring me my sword, boy.
What, dares the slave
Come hither, cover’d with an antic face,55
To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
What — does this lowlife dare come here, hidden behind some ridiculous mask, to mock and sneer at our celebration?
Now by the stock and honour of my kin,
To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.
Now, by the honor of my family, I don't think it would be any sin to strike him dead.
Capulet
Why how now, kinsman!
Why, what's this, nephew!
Wherefore storm you so?60
Why are you so worked up?
Tybalt
Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe;
A villain that is hither come in spite,
To scorn at our solemnity this night.
Uncle, this is a Montague, our enemy — a villain who's come here out of spite, to mock our celebration tonight.
Capulet
Young Romeo, is it?
Is it young Romeo?
Tybalt
’Tis he, that villain Romeo.65
That's him — that villain Romeo.
Capulet
Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone,
Calm down, gentle cousin, leave him be.
A bears him like a portly gentleman;
And, to say truth, Verona brags of him
To be a virtuous and well-govern’d youth.
He carries himself like a proper gentleman, and honestly, all Verona speaks well of him as a virtuous and well-behaved young man.
I would not for the wealth of all the town70
Here in my house do him disparagement.
I wouldn't insult him in my own house for all the wealth in this town.
Therefore be patient, take no note of him,
It is my will;
So be patient, pay him no mind — that's my wish.
the which if thou respect,
Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,
An ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.75
If you respect it, put on a pleasant face and drop that scowl, which doesn't belong at a party like this.
Tybalt
It fits when such a villain is a guest:
I’ll not endure him.
It belongs here when a villain like him is a guest — I won't put up with him.
Capulet
He shall be endur’d.
You will put up with him.
What, goodman boy! I say he shall, go to;
What, you little upstart — I said you will, that settles it.
Am I the master here, or you?80
Am I the master here, or are you?
Go to.80
That settles it.
You’ll not endure him!
You won't put up with him!
God shall mend my soul,
You’ll make a mutiny among my guests!
God help my soul, you'll start a riot among my guests!
You will set cock-a-hoop, you’ll be the man!
You'll stir up trouble, act like you're in charge!
Tybalt
Why, uncle, ’tis a shame.
But, uncle, it's a disgrace.
Capulet
Go to, go to!85
Enough, enough!
You are a saucy boy. Is’t so, indeed?
You're a cheeky boy — is that how it is, really?
This trick may chance to scathe you, I know what.
This little stunt might come back to bite you, mark my words.
You must contrary me!
You will not defy me!
Marry, ’tis time.
Well, it's about time someone put you in your place.
Well said, my hearts!
Well said, my friends!
—You are a princox; go:
— You're an arrogant pup, go on.
Be quiet, or—More light, more light!—For shame!90
Behave, or — more light, more light! — for shame!
I’ll make you quiet.
I'll make you behave.
What, cheerly, my hearts.
Come on, cheer up, everyone!
Tybalt
Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting
Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
Being forced to hold my temper while my anger wants to explode makes my whole body shake with the conflict.
I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall,
Now seeming sweet, convert to bitter gall.95
I'll leave for now — but this intrusion, which seems so sweet to them right now, will turn into bitter poison later.
_Exit._
To Juliet.
Juliet
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,100
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
Good pilgrim, you're too hard on your own hand, which only shows proper devotion here —
For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.
since saints have hands too, and pilgrims may touch them, and palm pressed to palm is a pilgrim's way of kissing.
Romeo
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
Don't saints have lips too, just like pilgrims do?
Juliet
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.105
Yes, pilgrim — lips that they're meant to use only for praying.
Romeo
O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do:
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.
Oh, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do — they're praying to you now too, so grant their wish, or my faith turns to despair.
Juliet
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.
Saints don't move, even when they grant a prayer.
Romeo
Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take.
Then don't move, while I collect the answer to my prayer.
Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purg’d.110
(He kisses her.) So now, by my lips, my sin is cleared away.
_Kissing her._
Juliet
Then have my lips the sin that they have took.
Then my lips are left holding the sin they just took from you.
Romeo
Sin from my lips?
Sin, from my lips?
O trespass sweetly urg’d!
What a sweetly charming accusation!
Give me my sin again.
Give me my sin back, then.
Juliet
You kiss by the book.
You kiss like you've studied the technique.
Nurse
Madam, your mother craves a word with you.115
Ma'am, your mother would like a word with you.
Romeo
What is her mother?
Who is her mother?
Nurse
Marry, bachelor,
Her mother is the lady of the house,
And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous.
Well, young bachelor, her mother is the lady of this house — a good lady, and a wise and virtuous one.
I nurs’d her daughter that you talk’d withal.120
I raised the daughter you were just talking to.
I tell you, he that can lay hold of her
Shall have the chinks.
I'll tell you this — whoever manages to win her will come into quite a fortune.
Romeo
Is she a Capulet?
Is she a Capulet?
O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt.
Oh, what a cost — my life is now in debt to my enemy.
Benvolio
Away, be gone; the sport is at the best.125
Come on, let's go — the party's at its peak, it's the perfect time to leave.
Romeo
Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest.
Yes, I'm afraid you're right — that only makes me more uneasy.
Capulet
Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone,
We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.
No, gentlemen, don't get ready to leave yet, we have a little snack still coming.
Is it e’en so?
Is that how it is, though?
Why then, I thank you all;
I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night.130
Well then, I thank you all — thank you, good gentlemen, good night.
More torches here!
More torches here!
Come on then, let’s to bed.
Come on then, let's get to bed.
Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late,
I’ll to my rest.
Ah, it's getting late, I swear — I'll head to rest myself.
_Exeunt all but Juliet and Nurse._
Juliet
Come hither, Nurse.
Come here, Nurse.
What is yond gentleman?
Who's that gentleman?
Nurse
The son and heir of old Tiberio.135
He's the son and heir of old Tiberio.
Juliet
What’s he that now is going out of door?
Who's that one, heading out the door now?
Nurse
Marry, that I think be young Petruchio.
I believe that's young Petruchio.
Juliet
What’s he that follows here, that would not dance?
Who's that one following behind, the one who wouldn't dance?
Nurse
I know not.
I don't know.
Juliet
Go ask his name.140
Go find out his name.
If he be married,140
My grave is like to be my wedding bed.
If he's already married, my grave is likely to become my wedding bed.
Nurse
His name is Romeo, and a Montague,
The only son of your great enemy.
His name is Romeo — he's a Montague, the only son of your family's biggest enemy.
Juliet
My only love sprung from my only hate!
My only love, born from the only family I hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!145
I saw him too soon without knowing him, and now I know him too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy.
What a monstrous beginning for love, that I have to love a man I'm supposed to despise.
Nurse
What’s this? What’s this?
What's that? What did you say?
Juliet
A rhyme I learn’d even now
Of one I danc’d withal.150
Just a little rhyme I learned just now from someone I danced with.
_One calls within, ‘Juliet’._
Nurse
Anon, anon!
Coming, coming!
Come let’s away, the strangers all are gone.
Let's go — all the guests have left.
_Exeunt._
Enter Chorus
_Exit._
Famous lines in this scene
“My only love sprung from my only hate!” line 144
Juliet's devastated realization, upon learning Romeo's identity, that the one man she's fallen for is the son of her family's sworn enemy. The line's tight, mirrored phrasing captures the play's central tragic irony in a single breath, and it's often quoted as the moment the love story and the feud become permanently, fatally entangled.
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Studying the language itself? Our Shakespearean English course teaches thou/thee, the verbs, and the meter — free through Unit 2. Or try the Shakespearean English translator.
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