TPTT The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet: ACT III
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
SCENE I. A public place.
SCENE II. Capulet's orchard.
SCENE III. Friar Laurence's cell.
SCENE IV. A room in Capulet's house.
SCENE V. Capulet's orchard.
ACT IV
ACT V
About the Play
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SCENE I. A public place.
Enter MERCUTIO, BENVOLIO, Page, and Servants
BENVOLIO
      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.
MERCUTIO
5     Thou art like one of those fellows that when he
      enters the confines of 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
      it on the drawer, when indeed there is no need.
BENVOLIO
10    Am I like such a fellow?
MERCUTIO
      Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as
      any in Italy, and as soon moved to be moody, and as
      soon moody to be moved.
BENVOLIO
      And what to?
MERCUTIO
15    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 hair more,
      or a hair less, in his beard, than thou hast: thou
      wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no
20    other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes: what
      eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel?
      Thy head is as fun 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 quarrelled with a
25    man for coughing in the street, because he hath
      wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun:
      didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing
      his new doublet before Easter? with another, for
      tying his new shoes with old riband? and yet thou
30    wilt tutor me from quarrelling!
BENVOLIO
      An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man
      should buy the fee-simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.
MERCUTIO
      The fee-simple! O simple!
BENVOLIO
      By my head, here come the Capulets.
MERCUTIO
35    By my heel, I care not.
Enter TYBALT and others
TYBALT
      Follow me close, for I will speak to them.
      Gentlemen, good den: a word with one of you.
MERCUTIO
      And but one word with one of us? couple it with
      something; make it a word and a blow.
TYBALT
40    You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an you
      will give me occasion.
MERCUTIO
      Could you not take some occasion without giving?
TYBALT
      Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo,--
MERCUTIO
      Consort! what, dost thou make us minstrels? an
45    thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but
      discords: here's my fiddlestick; here's that shall
      make you dance. 'Zounds, consort!
BENVOLIO
      We talk here in the public haunt of men:
      Either withdraw unto some private place,
50    And reason coldly of your grievances,
      Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.
MERCUTIO
      Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze;
      I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I.
Enter ROMEO
TYBALT
      Well, peace be with you, sir: here comes my man.
MERCUTIO
55    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.'
TYBALT
      Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford
      No better term than this,--thou art a villain.
ROMEO
60    Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
      Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
      To such a greeting: villain am I none;
      Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not.
TYBALT
      Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
65    That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw.
ROMEO
      I do protest, I never injured thee,
      But love thee better than thou canst devise,
      Till thou shalt know the reason of my love:
      And so, good Capulet,--which name I tender
70    As dearly as my own,--be satisfied.
MERCUTIO
      O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!
      Alla stoccata carries it away.

Draws

      Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?
TYBALT
      What wouldst thou have with me?
MERCUTIO
75    Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine
      lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you
      shall use me hereafter, drybeat the rest of the
      eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pitcher
      by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your
80    ears ere it be out.
TYBALT
      I am for you.
Drawing
ROMEO
      Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
MERCUTIO
      Come, sir, your passado.
They fight
ROMEO
      Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons.
85    Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage!
      Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath
      Forbidden bandying in Verona streets:
      Hold, Tybalt! good Mercutio!
TYBALT under ROMEO's arm stabs MERCUTIO, and flies with his followers
MERCUTIO
      I am hurt.
90    A plague o' both your houses! I am sped.
      Is he gone, and hath nothing?
BENVOLIO
      What, art thou hurt?
MERCUTIO
      Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough.
      Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon.
Exit Page
ROMEO
95    Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much.
MERCUTIO
      No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a
      church-door; but 'tis enough,'twill serve: ask for
      me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I
      am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o'
100   both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a
      cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a
      rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of
      arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I
      was hurt under your arm.
ROMEO
105   I thought all for the best.
MERCUTIO
      Help me into some house, Benvolio,
      Or I shall faint. A plague o' both your houses!
      They have made worms' meat of me: I have it,
      And soundly too: your houses!
Exeunt MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO
ROMEO
110   This gentleman, the prince's near ally,
      My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt
      In my behalf; my reputation stain'd
      With Tybalt's slander,--Tybalt, that an hour
      Hath been my kinsman! O sweet Juliet,
115   Thy beauty hath made me effeminate
      And in my temper soften'd valour's steel!
Re-enter BENVOLIO
BENVOLIO
      O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's dead!
      That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds,
      Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.
ROMEO
120   This day's black fate on more days doth depend;
      This but begins the woe, others must end.
BENVOLIO
      Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.
ROMEO
      Alive, in triumph! and Mercutio slain!
      Away to heaven, respective lenity,
125   And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!

Re-enter TYBALT

      Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again,
      That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soul
      Is but a little way above our heads,
      Staying for thine to keep him company:
130   Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.
TYBALT
      Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here,
      Shalt with him hence.
ROMEO
      This shall determine that.
They fight; TYBALT falls
BENVOLIO
      Romeo, away, be gone!
135   The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.
      Stand not amazed: the prince will doom thee death,
      If thou art taken: hence, be gone, away!
ROMEO
      O, I am fortune's fool!
BENVOLIO
      Why dost thou stay?
Exit ROMEO
Enter Citizens, &c
First Citizen
140   Which way ran he that kill'd Mercutio?
      Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?
BENVOLIO
      There lies that Tybalt.
First Citizen
      Up, sir, go with me;
      I charge thee in the princes name, obey.
Enter Prince, attended; MONTAGUE, CAPULET, their Wives, and others
PRINCE
145   Where are the vile beginners of this fray?
BENVOLIO
      O noble prince, I can discover all
      The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl:
      There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,
      That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.
LADY CAPULET
150   Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child!
      O prince! O cousin! husband! O, the blood is spilt
      O my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,
      For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague.
      O cousin, cousin!
PRINCE
155   Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?
BENVOLIO
      Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay;
      Romeo that spoke him fair, bade him bethink
      How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal
      Your high displeasure: all this uttered
160   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 tilts
      With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast,
      Who all as hot, turns deadly point to point,
165   And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
      Cold death aside, and with the other sends
      It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity,
      Retorts it: Romeo he cries aloud,
      'Hold, friends! friends, part!' and, swifter than
170   his tongue,
      His agile arm beats down their fatal points,
      And 'twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm
      An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life
      Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled;
175   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
      Could draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain.
      And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly.
180   This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.
LADY CAPULET
      He is a kinsman to the Montague;
      Affection makes him false; he speaks not true:
      Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,
      And all those twenty could but kill one life.
185   I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give;
      Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.
PRINCE
      Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio;
      Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?
MONTAGUE
      Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's friend;
190   His fault concludes but what the law should end,
      The life of Tybalt.
PRINCE
      And for that offence
      Immediately we do exile him hence:
      I have an interest in your hate's proceeding,
195   My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding;
      But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine
      That you shall all repent the loss of mine:
      I will be deaf to pleading and excuses;
      Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses:
200   Therefore use none: let Romeo hence in haste,
      Else, when he's found, that hour is his last.
      Bear hence this body and attend our will:
      Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.
Exeunt
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