Romeo and Juliet — Act 3, Scene 1in modern English, side by side

I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire:

The day is hot, the Capulets abroad,

And if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl,

For now these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.

Thou art like one of these fellows that, when he enters the confines of5

a tavern, claps me his sword upon the table, and says ‘God send me no

need of thee!’ and by the operation of the second cup draws him on the

drawer, when indeed there is no need.

Am I like such a fellow?

Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy; and as10

soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved.

And what to?

Nay, an there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would

kill the other. Thou? Why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a

Thou? Why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a

Why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a

hair more or a hair less in his beard than thou hast. Thou wilt quarrel15

Thou wilt quarrel15

with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou

hast hazel eyes. What eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel?

What eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel?

Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy

head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling. Thou hast

Thou hast

quarrelled with a man for coughing in the street, because he hath20

wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall

Didst thou not fall

out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter? with

with

another for tying his new shoes with an old riband? And yet thou wilt

And yet thou wilt

tutor me from quarrelling!

And I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy the fee25

simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.

The fee simple! O simple!

O simple!

By my head, here comes the Capulets.

By my heel, I care not.

Follow me close, for I will speak to them.30

Gentlemen, good-den: a word with one of you.

And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something; make it a

Couple it with something; make it a

word and a blow.

You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, and you will give me

occasion.35

Could you not take some occasion without giving?

Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo.

Consort? What, dost thou make us minstrels? And thou make minstrels of

What, dost thou make us minstrels? And thou make minstrels of

And thou make minstrels of

us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here’s my fiddlestick, here’s

Here’s my fiddlestick, here’s

that shall make you dance. Zounds, consort!40

Zounds, consort!40

We talk here in the public haunt of men.

Either withdraw unto some private place,

And reason coldly of your grievances,

Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.

here all eyes gaze on us.

Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze.45

I will not budge for no man’s pleasure, I.

Well, peace be with you, sir, here comes my man.

But I’ll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery.

Marry, go before to field, he’ll be your follower;

Your worship in that sense may call him man.50

Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford

No better term than this: Thou art a villain.

Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee

Doth much excuse the appertaining rage

To such a greeting. Villain am I none;55

Villain am I none;55

Therefore farewell; I see thou know’st me not.

I see thou know’st me not.

Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries

That thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw.

therefore turn and draw.

I do protest I never injur’d thee,

But love thee better than thou canst devise60

Till thou shalt know the reason of my love.

And so good Capulet, which name I tender

As dearly as mine own, be satisfied.

O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!

Alla stoccata carries it away65

Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?

What wouldst thou have with me?

Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives; that I mean to

that I mean to

make bold withal, and, as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest

of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears?70

Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears?70

Make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out.

Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.

Come, sir, your passado.

Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons.

Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage,75

Tybalt, Mercutio, the Prince expressly hath

Forbid this bandying in Verona streets.

Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!

Good Mercutio!

What, art thou hurt?

Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Marry, ’tis enough.

Marry, ’tis enough.

Where is my page? Go villain, fetch a surgeon.

Go villain, fetch a surgeon.

Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much.85

I thought all for the best.

Help me into some house, Benvolio,

Or I shall faint. A plague o’ both your houses.95

A plague o’ both your houses.95

They have made worms’ meat of me.

I have it, and soundly too. Your houses!

Your houses!

This gentleman, the Prince’s near ally,

My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt

In my behalf; my reputation stain’d100

With Tybalt’s slander,—Tybalt, that an hour

Hath been my cousin. O sweet Juliet,

O sweet Juliet,

Thy beauty hath made me effeminate

And in my temper soften’d valour’s steel.

O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio’s dead,105

That gallant spirit hath aspir’d the clouds,

Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.

This day’s black fate on mo days doth depend;

This but begins the woe others must end.

Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.110

Again in triumph, and Mercutio slain?

Away to heaven respective lenity,

And fire-ey’d fury be my conduct now!

Now, Tybalt, take the ‘villain’ back again

That late thou gav’st me, for Mercutio’s soul115

Is but a little way above our heads,

Staying for thine to keep him company.

Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.

Thou wretched boy, that didst consort him here,

Shalt with him hence.120

This shall determine that.

Romeo, away, be gone!

The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.

Stand not amaz’d. The Prince will doom thee death

The Prince will doom thee death

If thou art taken. Hence, be gone, away!125

Hence, be gone, away!125

Why dost thou stay?

Which way ran he that kill’d Mercutio?

Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?

There lies that Tybalt.130

Up, sir, go with me.

I charge thee in the Prince’s name obey.

Where are the vile beginners of this fray?

O noble Prince, I can discover all

The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl.135

There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,

That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.

Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother’s child!

O my brother’s child!

O Prince! O husband! O, the blood is spill’d

O husband! O, the blood is spill’d

O, the blood is spill’d

Of my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,140

Prince, as thou art true,140

For blood of ours shed blood of Montague.

O cousin, cousin.

Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?

Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo’s hand did slay;

Romeo, that spoke him fair, bid him bethink145

How nice the quarrel was, and urg’d withal

Your high displeasure. All this uttered

All this uttered

With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow’d

Could not take truce with the unruly spleen

Of Tybalt, deaf to peace, but that he tilts150

deaf to peace, but that he tilts150

With piercing steel at bold Mercutio’s breast,

Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point,

And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats

Cold death aside, and with the other sends

It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity155

Retorts it. Romeo he cries aloud,

Romeo he cries aloud,

‘Hold, friends! Friends, part!’ and swifter than his tongue,

His agile arm beats down their fatal points,

And ’twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm

underneath whose arm

An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life160

Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled.

and then Tybalt fled.

But by and by comes back to Romeo,

Who had but newly entertain’d revenge,

And to’t they go like lightning; for, ere I

for, ere I

Could draw to part them was stout Tybalt slain;165

And as he fell did Romeo turn and fly.

This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.

He is a kinsman to the Montague.

Affection makes him false, he speaks not true.

Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,170

And all those twenty could but kill one life.

I beg for justice, which thou, Prince, must give;

Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.

Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio.

Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?175

Not Romeo, Prince, he was Mercutio’s friend;

His fault concludes but what the law should end,

The life of Tybalt.