Romeo and Juliet — William Shakespeare
The most excellent and lamentable tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Layout 2 ∵ The Yale Shakespeare ∵ THE MOST EXCELLENT AND LAMENTABLE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO AND JULIET EDITED BY WILLARD HIGLEY DURHAM NEW HAVEN · YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON · HUMPHREY MILFORD OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS · MCMXVII Copyright , 1917 By Yale University Press First published, September, 1917 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE The Text1 Prologue1 Act I2 Act II30 Act III55 Act IV85 Act V101 Notes119 Appendix A. Sources of the Play130 Appendix B. The History of the Play133 Appendix C. The Text of the Present Edition135 Appendix D. Suggestions for Collateral Reading137 Index of Words Glossed138 The facsimile opposite represents the title-page of the Elizabethan Club copy of the 1599 quarto. The Roxburghe arms and the signature of George Steevens indicate former owners. Eleven copies of this edition are known to survive . THE YALE SHAKESPEARE Edited by Wilbur L. Cross Tucker Brooke Willard Higley Durham Published under the Direction of the Department of English, Yale University, on the Fund Given to the Yale University Press in 1917 by the Members of the Kingsley Trust Association To Commemorate the Seventy-Fifth Anniversary of the Founding of the Society The Text Layout 2 The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet [DRAMATIS PERSONÆ Escalus , Prince of Verona Paris , a young Nobleman, Kinsman to the Prince Montague , Heads of two Houses at variance with each other Capulet , Uncle to Capulet Romeo , son to Montague Mercutio , Kinsman to the Prince , Friends to Romeo Benvoilo , Nephew to Montague , Tybalt , Nephew to Lady Capulet Friar Laurence , a Franciscan Friar John , of the same Order Balthasar , Servant to Romeo Sampson , Servants to Capulet Gregory , Peter , Servant to Juliet's Nurse Abraham , Servant to Montague An Apothecary Three Musicians Page to Mercutio; Page to Paris; another Page; an Officer Lady Montague , Wife to Montague Lady Capulet , Wife to Capulet Juliet , Daughter to Capulet Nurse to Juliet Citizens of Verona; male and female Kinsfolk to both Houses; Maskers, Guards, Watchmen and Attendants Chorus Scene .— Verona: Once ( in the Fifth Act ) at Mantua .] Prologue Layout 2 PROLOGUE [Enter Chorus.] Chor. Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny , Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean . From forth the fatal loins of these two foes 5 A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; 12 The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss , our toil shall strive to mend . [Exit.] Footnotes to the Prologue 1 Chorus; cf. n. 3 mutiny: contention 4 civil: of citizens 6 star-cross'd: thwarted by destiny; cf. n. 9 passage: course 12 traffic: business 14 miss: be wanting Act I Layout 2 ACT FIRST Scene One [ Verona. A Public Place ] Enter Sampson and Gregory, with swords and bucklers , of the House of Capulet . Sam . Gregory, o' my word, we'll not carry coals . Gre . No, for then we should be colliers. Sam . I mean, an we be in choler , we'll draw. Gre . Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar. 6 Sam . I strike quickly, being moved . Gre . But thou art not quickly moved to strike. Sam . A dog of the house of Montague moves me. 10 Gre . To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand; therefore, if thou art moved, thou runnest away. Sam . A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's. 16 Gre . That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall. Sam . 'Tis true; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. Gre . The quarrel is between our masters and us their men. 24 Sam . 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids; I will cut off their heads. Gre . The heads of the maids? 28 Sam . Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take in what sense thou wilt. Gre . They must take it in sense that feel it. Sam . Me they shall feel while I am able to stand; and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh. 34 Gre . 'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John . Draw thy tool ; here comes two of the house of the Montagues. 37 Enter two other serving-men [ Abraham and Balthasar ]. Sam . My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee. Gre . How! turn thy back and run? 40 Sam . Fear me not. Gre . No, marry ; I fear thee! Sam . Let us take the law of our sides ; let them begin. 44 Gre . I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list . Sam . Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it. 49 Abr . Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Sam . I do bite my thumb, sir. Abr . Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? 52 Sam . [ Aside to Gregory .] Is the law of our side if I say ay? Gre . [ Aside to Sampson .] No. Sam . No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir. 57 Gre . Do you quarrel, sir? Abr . Quarrel, sir! no, sir. Sam . If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you. 61 Abr . No better. Sam . Well, sir. Enter Benvolio. Gre . [ Aside to Sampson .] Say, 'better'; here comes one of my master's kinsmen . 65 Sam . Yes, better, sir. Abr . You lie. Sam . Draw, if you be men. Gregory, re- member thy swashing blow. [ Fight .] Ben . Part, fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you do. [ Beats down their swords .] Enter Tybalt . Tyb . What! art thou drawn among these heartless hinds ? 72 Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death. Ben . I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me. Tyb . What!