Romeo and Juliet — Act 2 Prologue

original text and modern English, side by side

Prologue · Chorus

Romeo has just fallen for Juliet at the Capulet party, dropping his old obsession with Rosaline instantly. The Chorus steps in to explain that both young lovers are now smitten but trapped by their feuding families, unable to court each other openly.

Enter Chorus

Chorus

Now old desire doth in his deathbed lie,

And young affection gapes to be his heir;

Romeo's old crush is dying out, and his new love for Juliet is elbowing in to replace it.

That fair for which love groan’d for and would die,

With tender Juliet match’d, is now not fair.

Rosaline, the girl he used to sigh and nearly die over, doesn't seem so beautiful anymore now that she's up against Juliet.

Now Romeo is belov’d, and loves again,

Alike bewitched by the charm of looks;

Romeo is in love again, and this time it's mutual — they're both struck by each other's looks.

But to his foe suppos’d he must complain,

And she steal love’s sweet bait from fearful hooks:

But there's a catch: Romeo has to go courting the daughter of the family that's supposed to be his sworn enemy, and Juliet has to steal moments of love away from a house that would be terrified to allow it.

Being held a foe, he may not have access

To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear;

Because he's seen as an enemy, Romeo can't just walk up and swear his love the normal way.

And she as much in love, her means much less

To meet her new beloved anywhere.

And Juliet is just as in love as he is, but has even fewer chances to meet her new boyfriend anywhere.

But passion lends them power, time means, to meet,

Tempering extremities with extreme sweet.

Still, their passion gives them the drive, and time gives them the opportunity, to find each other — mixing the danger of their situation with intense sweetness.

Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Prologue summary

Who appears in this scene

Chorus — Prologue.

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About this translation: the original text follows the public-domain Project Gutenberg Globe edition; the modern English translation was written in-house for Polytranslator and is reviewed on an ongoing basis (last revised August 2026). Free to print and photocopy for classroom use. Cite as: “Romeo and Juliet, Act 2 Prologue. Polytranslator side-by-side translation, polytranslator.com/shakespeare/romeo-and-juliet/act-2-prologue.”

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.