proposes three courses of action. 66. excuse] Perhaps, accept an ex-
Shakespeare uses reason both for cuse from, and remit or dispense with
debate and sf>eak. the rage I feel, as appertaining to
56. depart'} may mean part, separate, such a greeting. Perhaps, however,
as in 3 Henry VI. 11. vi. 43, and in the rage is Tybalt's which Romeo's
the Nut- Brown Maid: "we departe love excuses. Collier (MS.) has or-
not so sone. " ceed.
SC. I.]
ROMEO AND JULIET
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love :
And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
As dearly as mine own, be satisfied. 75
Mcr. O calm, dishonourable, vile submission !
Alia stoccata carries it away. {Draius,
Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk ?
Tyb. What wouldst thou have with me ?
J\Icr. Good king of cats, nothing but one of your 80
nine lives, 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 cars ? make
haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it 85
be out.
Tyb. I am for you. [Dr diving.
Rom, Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
Mcr. Come, sir, your passado. [They figJit.
73- m y\ F. '<' Q- 77- Alia stoccata] Knight ; Alia stucatho O, !' ;
A la stoccata Capell and others ; Draws] Capell. 87. Drawing] Kowe.
89. They fight] Capell.
77. stoccata] defined by Florio "a
thrust, a stoccado, a foyne."
77. carries it away} carries the day,
as in Hamlet, 11. ii. 377: "Do the
hoys carry it away?" Leltsom con-
jectures "carry it away!" Clarke
thinks Alia stoccata is a jocose title
for Tybalt.
78. rat - catt her] 1 jcau.-e king of
cats. See note II.
Si. iiint /ires'] Kc
r another Eliza-
bethan reference to ; cat's nine lives,
see Middlcton, Blu 1, Matter Con-
st able, IV. ii.
82. dry-heat] A blow that does not
draw blood is a dry blow, but often
used vaguely for hard. Nc:v l'->t.
Diet, (dry adj. 12) quotes Palsgrave,
Lesclarcissement, etc., 1530. " ])lo,
hie we and grene coloured, as ones hi >dic
is after a dry stroke." So Holland,
l^lnlarclis .Morals (1603), 1 28 1 : ' ' ] 1 is
body ... is drie beaten, brused and
biokcn." See iv. v. 122.
84. filfiiei-] nootherexampleknown
as used here for scabbard ; probably
the same as pilch, a leather coat or
cloak, and hence applied to a scab-
bard. Steevcns quotes examples of
"leather pilch" from Xash, Pie ire.
f\'iiiiitLS<e, and Dekker, Satiroinasti.v-,
Staunton conjectures filch, sir.
Singer (ed. 2) reads fid 'her, but with-
out justification. See (jiltord's note
on pilcher in Jonson, Poetaster,
HI. i.
89. passado] Sec note n. iv. 28.
94 ROMEO AND JULIET [ACT m.
Rom. Draw, Benvolio ; beat down their weapons. 90
Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage !
Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath
Forbid this bandying in Verona streets.
Hold, Tybalt ! good Mercutio !
\Exeunt Tybalt and his Partisans.
Mer. I am hurt,
A plague o' both your houses ! I am sped. 95
Is he gone, and hath nothing?
Ben. What, art thou hurt ?
Mer. Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch ; marry, 'tis enough.
Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon.
\Exit Page.
Rom. Courage, man ; the hurt cannot be much.
Mer. No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as 100
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' both your houses !
'Zounds ! a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch 105
a man to death ! a braggart, a rogue, a villain,
91. slianii:,] Theobald ; shame Q, E. 93. Forbid this] Q, Forbid Qq
3-5, Forbidden E. 94. Exeunt . . .] Malone, Away Tybalt Q, Exit
Tybalt I 1 ', Tibalt vnrler Romeos arme thrusts Mercutio, in and flyes O i.
95. tf both your} Dyce, a both Q, a botli tlic E, on your O I. 98. Exit
Page] Capell. 104. o'] Capell ; a O, E. 105. 'Zounds] Q 5, Sounds O,
WhatY.
92. Tybalt] TV ball may belong to originated in yr mistaken for ye.
the preceding line, Gentlemen, as Many editors read the.
often, being a disyllabic. Capell 101. church - door] Q I lias barnc
divides from Draiu to Mercutio (in line door.
94) with the ending words Benvolio, 103. ^ravc man] Compare John of
shame, Mercutio, bandying, Mercutio, Gaunt's play on his name, Richard II.
and so many editors. II. i. 82 : " Gaunt am I for the grave,
95. your houses] Grant White sug- gaunt as a grave." Eor passages
gests that the houses of F may have found only in C,) i, see p. 184.
sc. i.) ROMEO AND JULIET 95
that fights by the book of arithmetic ! Why
the devil came you between us ? I was hurt
under your arm.
Rom. I thought all for the best. i i o
filer. 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.
Rom. This gentleman, the prince's near ally, i i 5
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 cousin. O sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate, i 20
And in my temper soften'd valour's steel !
Re-enter BENVOLIO.
Ben. O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's dead !
That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds,
Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.
112. </] !' 4 ; a Q, ]'. 113, 114. / hare . . . house-} Dyces arrange-
ment ; one line O, F. 114. soundly too .-] Capell ; soundly, to o ;
soundly to Qq 3-5, F : soundly too F 2 ; sound!} 1 loo, Ff 3-4. 1 16. go! his}
Qq 3-5, F ; got this Q ; tane this O i. 1 19. cousin'] Q, F ; kinsiuan Q I
and several editors. 122. Mercutio' s} F 2, Mercutio is Q, Mercutio s
is F.
107. arithmetic'} fights by the rules 117. refutation} S. Walker con-
of the teachers of fencing ; compare jectures reputation ' s.
II. iv. 24: "one, two, and the third 123. aspired} soar to, reach. So
in your bosom." Is it in this sense of Marlowe, Tamburlainc : "And both
studying rule and theory that lago our souls aspire celestial thrones."'
calls Cassio (who never set a squadron
in the field) a " great arithmetician " ?
96 ROMEO AND JULIET [ACT m.
Rom. This day's black fate on more days doth
depend ; 125
This but begins the woe others must end.
Re-enter TYBALT.
Ben. Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.
Rom. Alive, in triumph ! and Mercutio slain !
Away to heaven, respective lenity,
And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! 130
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 :
Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him. 135
Tyb. Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here,
Shalt with him hence.
Rom. This shall determine that.
[ 77^7 fight ; Tybalt falls.
Ben. Romeo, away ! be gone !
The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain :
Stand not amazed : the prince will doom thee
death , 140
If thou art taken : hence! begone! away!
125. more} O 1,05; uio O, F. 126. licgins the woe} O 5 ; begins, the
ii<o Q, K; hcgins the woe, F 4. 128. Alive, in triumph!] Dyce, Alive in
triumph O i, He gan in triumph O (gon Oq 4, 5), He gon in triumph, F.
130. fire-eyed] O I, fie rend Q,ftre and F. 135. Either} Q, F; OrQi.
125. depend} han^ down, impend ; siderate, as in Merchant of Venice, v.
as in Troilus atid Cressida, n. iii. 21 : i. 156.
" the curse depending [F, dependant] 130. conduct} conductor, as in v.
on those that war for a placket." iii. 116.
128. Alive} Capell reads Again? 136. consort'] accompany, attend,
in triumph? as in Love's Labour's Lost, n. i. 178.
129. respective} regardful, con- 140. amazed} confounded, stupe-
fied, as often in Shakespeare.
sc. i.] ROMEO AND JULIET 97
Rom. O, I am fortune's fool !
Ben. Why dost thou stay ?
{Exit Romeo.
Enter Citizens, etc.
First Cit. Which way ran he that kill'd Mercutio ?
Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he ?
Ben. There lies that Tybalt.
First Cit. Up, sir, go with me ; 145
I charge thee in the prince's name, obey.
Enter PRINCE, attended ; MONTAGUE, CAPULET,
their Wives, and others.
Prince. Where are the vile beginners of this fray ?
Ben. O noble prince, I can discover all
The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl :
There lies the man, slain by young Romeo, 150
That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.
Lady Cap. Tybalt, my cousin ! O my brother's child !
O prince ! O cousin ! husband ! O, the blood is
spill'd
Of my dear kinsman ! Prince, as thou art true,
143. First Cit.] Malone ; Citti Q, F. 146. Enter . . . ] Capell sub-
stantially ; Enter Prince, olde Mountague, Capulet, their wives and all Q,
F. 148. all} Q i, F; all: Q. 153. O prince . . 0] Q, F; Vnhafpie
sight ' Ah () i ; Unhappy sight! alas Pope, Malone (with ah me, for
alas).
142. fortune 's fool} the sport or 148. discover] reveal, as in II. ii.
mock of fortune ; so '' fools of nature " 106.
in Hamlet, \. iv. 54. Johnson sees a 149. manage} conduct,
reference to fools of the drama: ;l I 153. cousin} Dyce's suggestion
am always running in the way of evil that cousin was here caught from
fortune like the Fool in the play.' 1 Qi the line above and inserted erronc-
has " fortunes slave.'' ously by the printer may be right.
Several editors omit cousin.
98 ROMEO AND JULIET [ACTHI.
For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague. i 5 5
O cousin, cousin !
Prince. Benvolio, who began this bloody fray ?
Ben. Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay :
Romeo, that spoke him fair, bid him bethink
How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal 1 60
Your high displeasure : 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 tilts
With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast ; 165
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 dexterity
Retorts it: Romeo he cries aloud, 170
" Hold, friends ! friends, part ! " and, swifter than 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,
W T ho had but newly entertain'd revenge,
And to 't they go like lightning ; for, ere I
157. bloody^} Q, omitted F. 159. bid'} Q, F; bad Q 5. 172. agile}
Q i, Qq 4, 5 ; aged Q, F ; able Ff 2-4.
160. nice} unduly minute, trivial ; 170. Retorts it} Collier (MS.)
as in v. ii. 18. adds the word home.
163. take truce} Capell conjectured 174. envious} malicious, as often in
make truce ; but the words of the text Shakespeare.
occur in Venus and Adonis, line 82, 176. by and by} immediately, as in
and King John, m. i. 17. II. ii. 151.
sc.i.] ROMEO AND JULIET 99
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 Cap. 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 ?
Mon. Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's friend ; 1 90
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,
My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a -
bleeding; 195
But I '11 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 ;
189. owe?] Theobald ; owe Q, F. 190. Mon.] Oq 4, 5 ; Capu. Q ; Cap.
Q3, F. 194. hate's] Knight ; hates Q I ; heartsQ, F. 198. IwilF\Q i,
Qq 4, 5, F 2 ; // will Q, F. 199. out] Q, our F ', for Q I.
190. Mon.] Rowe here, emending 197. of mine} perhaps "of my
F Cap., assigns the speech to Lady blood''; perhaps only "my loss."
Cap. Theobald assigns it to Lady Allen conjectures this loss.
Mont. iijS. / will] Mommsen reads It
194. hate's] Ilanmer reads heats', uiilt with Q, F, it referring to blood.
Johnson (from (,), F) hearts' . 199. purchase out] So buy out in
195. My blood] because Mercutio HamUt. III. iii. 60.
was his kinsman.
100 ROMEO AND JULIET [ACT m.
Therefore use none : let Romeo hence in haste, 200
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.
SCENE II. The Same, Capulefs Orchard.
Enter JULIET.
Jul. Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
Towards Phoebus' lodging : such a waggoner
As Phaethon would whip you to the west,
And bring in cloudy night immediately.
Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night, 5
That runaway's eyes may wink, and Romeo
Leap to these arms, untalk'd of and unseen.
Lovers can see to do their amorous rites
By their own beauties ; or, if love be blind,
201. he's] Theobald ; he is Q, F. 203. but'} Q, not V.
Scene ii.
Capulet's Orchard] Globe ed., Capulet's garden Capell, An apartment in
Capulet's house Rowe, Juliet's apartment G. White. 2. 7'oivards] Q, F ;
To Q I ; lodging} Q, F ; mansion Q I. 6. runaway's} runnawayes Qq 2,
3 ; run-aivaycs Qq 4, 5, F ; run-a-maies Ff 2, 3 ; run-aivays F 4. 7.
unseen.] Rowe ; unscene, O, F ; ttnseene : Q 5. 8. rites] F 4 ; rights Q, F.
9- />>] Qq 4. 5. Ff 2-4 ; And by Q, F.
I. Gallop apace} Malone : "Shake- So in Barnabe Riche's Farewell,
speare probably remembered Mar- 1583: ' The day to his seeming passed
Knve's Edward II. iv. iii. : away so slowely that he had thought
' Gallop apace, bright Phoebus, the stately steedes had bin tired that
through the sky, drawe the chariot of the Sunne, and
And dusky night, in rusty iron wished that Phaeton had beene there
car, with a whippe.'"
Between you both shorten the 6. runaway 1 s\ See Appendix III.
time.' p. 197.
sc. ii.] ROMEO AND JULIET 101
It best agrees with night. Come, civil night, 10
Thou sober-suited matron, all in black,
And learn me how to lose a winning match,
Play'd for a pair of stainless maidenhoods :
Hood my unmann'd blood, bating in my cheeks,
With thy black mantle, till strange love grown
bold 1 5
Think true love acted simple modesty.
Come, night, come, Romeo, come, thou day in
night ;
For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night
Whiter than new snow on a raven's back.
Come, gentle night, come, loving, black - brow'd
night, 20
Give me my Romeo ; and, when he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night,
And pay no worship to the garish sun. 25
11. sober- suited} hyphen F 4. 15. grown] Rowe ; grow Q, F. 19.
neui snow on] F 2; new snow upon Q, F; snow upon Qq 4, 5. 21. he]
Qq 4 , 5; 7Q, F.
10. c ivil\ grave, sober, as in Dekker, 15. strange"} reserved, as in 11. ii.
Seven Sinnes of London, i. (ed. 101.
Arber, 13), "in lookes, grave; in attire, 21. -when he shall die"} Delius
civill." prefers the /of Q, F, perhaps rightly.
12. leans'] teach; as often in Juliet, he says, demands life-long
Shakespeare. possession of her lover ; afier her
14. Hood my tinmaniid blood, death, Night shall be her heiress :
bating] Falconry terms ; unmanned, " of the possibility of Romeo's death
not sufficiently trained to be familiar she cannot, in her present happiness,
with the keeper ; bating, fluttering ; conceive."
the bird was hooded on fist or perch 25 garish'] excessively bright, glar-
to check the bating (French, se bait re}, ing. Johnson: "Milton had this
There is probably a pun here on the speech in his thoughts when he wrote
word unmann'd. See Henry V. ill. ... in // Pcnscroso : ' Till civil-
vii. 121, 122. and Taming of the suited morn appear,' and ' Hide me
Shrew, iv. i. 206-209. from day's garish eye.''"
102 ROMEO AND JULIET [ACTIH.
O, I have bought the mansion of a love,
But not possess'd it, and though I am sold,
Not yet enjoy'd ; so tedious is this day
As is the night before some festival
To an impatient child that hath new robes 30
And may not wear them. O, here comes my
nurse,
Enter Nurse, with cords.
And she brings news, and every tongue that speaks
But Romeo's name speaks heavenly eloquence.
Now, nurse, what news ? What hast thou there ?
the cords
That Romeo bid thee fetch ?
Nurse. Ay, ay, the cords. 35
[ Throws them down.
Jul. Ay me! what news? why dost thou wring thy
hands ?
Nurse. Ah, well-a-day ! he's dead, he's dead, he's dead.
We are undone, lady, we are undone.
Alack the day ! he's gone, he's kill'd, he 's dead !
Jul. Can heaven be so envious ?
Nurse. Romeo can, 40
Though heaven cannot. O, Romeo, Romeo !
Who ever would have thought it ? Romeo !
Jul. What devil art thou that dost torment me thus ?
This torture should be roar'd in dismal hell.
31. Enter Nurse] O, F; after line 33 Dyce, Cambridge. 34. there ?] F,
there., Q. 35. Throws . . .] Capell substantially. 37. Ah~\ I'ope ; A
Q, F ; he 's dead} thrice (as here) Q, twice F.
40. envious} malicious.
sc. n.j ROMEO AND JULIET 103
Hath Romeo slain himself? say thou but " I," 45
And that bare vowel " I " shall poison more
Than the death-darting eye of cockatrice :
I am not I, if there be such an " I,"
Or those eyes shut that make thee answer " I."
If he be slain say " I " ; or if not, no : 50
Brief sounds determine of my weal or woe.
Nurse. I saw the wound, I saw it with mine eyes,
God save the mark ! here on his manly breast:
A piteous corse, a bloody piteous corse ;
Pale, pale as ashes, all bedaub'd in blood, 5 5
All in gore blood ; I swounded at the sight.
ful. O, break, my heart ! poor bankrupt, break at once !
To prison, eyes, ne'er look on liberty !
Vile earth, to earth resign, end motion here,
48. an "/,"] Q 5 (/) ; an I. Q, F. 49. shut] Capell ; shot Q, F ; make]
Steevcns (Johnson conject.) ; makes Q, F. 51. Brief sounds'} Q 5 ; Briefc,
sounds, Q, F; of] F, Q 5 ; omitted Q ; or Collier (MS.)-
45. "7"]ay; commonly printed I suggested that it was originally a
in Shakespeare's time. A modern bowman's exclamation: "May the
editor is compelled here to retain the mark escape rival shooters ! "
old form, or to obscure the play on 56. gore blood} clotted blood. Halli-
/ = ay, /, the vowel, and eye. well quotes Vicars, Virgil, 1632 :
47. cockatrice] The power of the " vented much black gore-blood."
fabled cockatrice (often identified 56. swounded] The forms swoon,
with basilisk) to slay with the eye is sivoiind, sounds.iQ all common inEliza-
spoken of in Richard III. iv. i. 56, bethan books.
and Twelfth Night, m. iv. 215. For 57-6o. break . . . bier] In place
etymology and sense-history of the of these lines Q I has :
word, see a long article in New Eng. "Ah, Romeo, Romeo, what disaster
Diet. See Topsell, History of Ser- hap
penis (ed. 1658), pp. 677-681, and Hath severd thee from thy true
Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica. Juliet ?
48. "/"] Many editors print /, Ah why should Heaven so much
without inverted commas. conspire with Woe,
49. those eyes} Romeo's eyes. Or Fate envie our happie
51. determine of} decide, as in Marriage,
Richard III. III. iv. 2. So soone to sunder us by time-
53. mark} The origin of the ejacu- lesse Death?"
lation is uncertain. It has been
104 ROMEO AND JULIET [ACT m.
And thou and Romeo press one heavy bier ! 60
Nurse. O Tybalt, Tybalt, the best friend I had !
O courteous Tybalt ! honest gentleman !
That ever I should live to see thee dead !
Jul. What storm is this that blows so contrary?
Is Romeo slaughter'd, and is Tybalt dead? 65
My dearest cousin, and my dearer lord ?
Then, dreadful trumpet, sound the general doom !
For who is living if those two are gone ?
Nurse. Tybalt is gone, and Romeo banished ;
Romeo, that kill'd him, he is banished. 70
Jul. O God ! did Romeo's hand shed Tybalt's
blood ?
Nurse. It did, it did ; alas the day, it did !
Jul. O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face !
Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave ?
Beautiful tyrant ! fiend angelical ! 75
Dove-feather'd raven ! wolvish-ravening lamb !
Despised substance of divinest show !
Just opposite to what thou justly seem'st ;
A damned saint, an honourable villain !
O nature, what hadst thou to do in hell 80
60. one] Q 4 ; on Q, F. 66. dearest} Q, F ; dear-loved Q I. 67.
dreadful trumpet,} Q, F ; let the trumpet Q I. 69. gone} Q, F ; dead Q I.
72. Nurse] Q i, Q 5 ; omitted Q, F. 73, 74. Jul. O . . . Did} F 2, Q 5 ;
Nur. O . . . face! Jul. Did, Q. F. 76. Dove-feather'd raven} Theobald;
Ravenous dovef eat herd Raven Q, F ; Ravenous dove, feat h red Raven Qq 4,5)
F 2. 79. damned] Qq 4, 5, F 2 ; dimme Q ; dimne F.
66. dearest} More force is given by 75. Beautiful} Daniel proposes
this reading to the dearer which Bountiful, to strengthen the anti-
follows than if dear-loved Q I were thesis,
read. 78. Just . . . justly} Exact . . .
73. serpent} So Macbeth, I. v. exactly, as often in Shakespeare.
66: "look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under 't."
SC.H.] ROMEO AND JULIET 105
When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend
In mortal paradise of such sweet flesh ?
Was ever book containing such vile matter
So fairly bound ? O, that deceit should dwell
In such a gorgeous palace !
Nurse. There 's no trust, 8 5
No faith, no honesty in men ; all perjured,
All forsworn, all naught, all dissemblers.
Ah, where 's my man? give me some aqua vita:
These griefs, these woes, these sorrows make me
old.
Shame come to Romeo !
Jul. Blister'd be thy tongue 90
For such a wish ! he was not born to shame :
Upon his brow shame is ashamed to sit ;
For 'tis a throne where honour may be crown'd
Sole monarch of the universal earth.
O, what a beast was I to chide at him ! 95
Nurse. Will you speak well of him that kill'd your
cousin ?
Jul. Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband ?
Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy
name,
When I, thy three-hours' wife, have mangled it?
81. bower] Q, F ; power Q 4 ; pours Q 5. 95. at kii] Q, him F.
87. All . . . dissemblers] With the dissemblers, the first ending men. The
emphasis three times on all, and for- above is Capell's arrangement.
sworn pronounced as a trisyllable, the 98. smooth] With the literal mean-
line reads well enough. Daniel (after ing opposed to mangle, and the
Fleay) reads : metaphorical meaning speak well of,
"all naught, fatter, as in Julius Andronicus, v. ii.
All perjured, all dissemblers, all for- 140: '''smooth, and speak him fair."
sworn." The idea is from Brooke's poem.
Q, F make two lines from 7 here 's to
106 ROMEO AND JULIET [ACTHI.
But, wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my
cousin? 100
That villain cousin would have kill'd my husband :
Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring;
Your tributary drops belong to woe,
Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy.
My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain ; 105
And Tybalt's dead, that would have slain my hus-
band :
All this is comfort ; wherefore weep I then ?
Some word there was, worser than Tybalt's death,
That murder'd me : I would forget it fain ;
But, O, it presses to my memory, I 10
Like damned guilty deeds to sinners' minds :
" Tybalt is dead, and Romeo banished ! "
That " banished," that one word " banished,"
Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt's death
Was woe enough, if it had ended there : 115
Or, if sour woe delights in fellowship
And needly will be rank'd with other griefs,
Why follow'd not, when she said " Tybalt 's dead,"
Thy father, or thy mother, nay, or both,
Which modern lamentation might have moved? 120
But with a rearward following Tybalt's death,
106. Tybalt's} Q, Tybalt F. 108. word} Q, words F. 121. with} Q,
which F.
117- needly} needs ; used only here rear-word. But compare Sonnets,
by Shakespeare. xc. 6 :
120. modern} ordinary, common, " Ah, do not, when my heart hath
as in All '5 Well, II. iii. 2, and As You scaped this sorrow,
Like It, II. vi. 156, and often else- Come in the rearward of a con-
where, quer'd woe.''
121. reanuard} Collier proposed And "the reanuard of reproaches,"
Much Ado, iv. i. 128.
sc. ii.] ROMEO AND JULIET 107
" Romeo is banished " : to speak that word,
Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet,
All slain, all dead : " Romeo is banished ! "