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Romeo and Juliet: Act III, Scene 1

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Romeo and Juliet
Act III, Scene 1

Scene 1

Verona. A street.

  1. Enter Mercutio, Benvolio, Page, and Men.

Benvolio

1 - 4
  1. I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire.
  2. The day is hot, the Capels are abroad,
  3. And if we meet we shall not scape a brawl,
  4. For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.

Mercutio

5 - 9
  1. Thou art like one of these fellows that, when he enters the
  2. confines of a tavern, claps me his sword upon the table, and
  3. says, “God send me no need of thee!” and by the operation of
  4. the second cup draws him on the drawer, when indeed there is
  5. no need.

Benvolio

10
  1. Am I like such a fellow?

Mercutio

11 - 13
  1. Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in
  2. Italy, and as soon mov’d to be moody, and as soon moody to
  3. be mov’d.

Benvolio

14
  1. And what to?

Mercutio

15 - 28
  1. Nay, and there were two such, we should have none shortly,
  2. for one would kill the other. Thou? Why, thou wilt quarrel
  3. with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less in his beard
  4. than thou hast. Thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking
  5. nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel
  6. eyes. What eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel?
  7. Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat,
  8. and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for
  9. quarreling. Thou hast quarrell’d with a man for coughing in
  10. the street, because he hath waken’d thy dog that hath lain
  11. asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall out with a tailor for
  12. wearing his new doublet before Easter? With another for
  13. tying his new shoes with old riband? And yet thou wilt tutor
  14. me from quarreling!

Benvolio

29 - 30
  1. And I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy
  2. the fee-simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.

Mercutio

31
  1. The fee-simple! O simple!
  1. Enter Tybalt, Petruchio, and others.

Benvolio

32
  1. By my head, here comes the Capulets.

Mercutio

33
  1. By my heel, I care not.

Tybalt

34 - 35
  1. Follow me close, for I will speak to them. Gentlemen, good
  2. den, a word with one of you.

Mercutio

36 - 37
  1. And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something,
  2. make it a word and a blow.

Tybalt

38 - 39
  1. You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, and you will give
  2. me occasion.

Mercutio

40
  1. Could you not take some occasion without giving?

Tybalt

41
  1. Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo—

Mercutio

42 - 45
  1. Consort! What, dost thou make us minstrels? And thou make
  2. minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here’s
  3. my fiddlestick, here’s that shall make you dance. ’Zounds,
  4. consort!

Benvolio

46 - 49
  1. We talk here in the public haunt of men.
  2. Either withdraw unto some private place,
  3. Or reason coldly of your grievances,
  4. Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.

Mercutio

50 - 51
  1. Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze;
  2. I will not budge for no man’s pleasure, I.
  1. Enter Romeo.

Tybalt

52
  1. Well, peace be with you, sir, here comes my man.

Mercutio

53 - 55
  1. But I’ll be hang’d, sir, if he wear your livery.
  2. Marry, go before to field, he’ll be your follower;
  3. Your worship in that sense may call him man.
Sketch for Romeo and Juliet

Draw, if you be men.

Sketch for Romeo and Juliet

Dimitri Tavadze, 1974

Tybalt

56 - 57
  1. Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford
  2. No better term than this: thou art a villain.

Romeo

58 - 61
  1. Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
  2. Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
  3. To such a greeting. Villain am I none;
  4. Therefore farewell, I see thou knowest me not.

Tybalt

62 - 63
  1. Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
  2. That thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw.

Romeo

64 - 68
  1. I do protest I never injuried thee,
  2. But love thee better than thou canst devise,
  3. Till thou shalt know the reason of my love,
  4. And so, good Capulet—which name I tender
  5. As dearly as mine own—be satisfied.

Mercutio

69 - 71
  1. O calm, dishonorable, vile submission!
  2. Alla stoccato carries it away.
    Feb 16, 2021 Miko
    Italian for “at the thrust”, a fencing term. Modern editions spell the second word variously as “stoccato”, “stoccado”, and “stoccata”. The First Folio spells it “stucatha”.
  3. Draws.
  4. Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?

Tybalt

72
  1. What wouldst thou have with me?

Mercutio

73 - 77
  1. Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives; that
  2. I mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use me
  3. hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck
  4. your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make haste, lest
  5. mine be about your ears ere it be out.

Tybalt

78
  1. I am for you.

Romeo

79
  1. Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.

Mercutio

80
  1. Come, sir, your passado.
  1. They fight.

Romeo

81 - 85
  1. Draw, Benvolio, beat down their weapons.
  2. Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage!
  3. Tybalt, Mercutio, the Prince expressly hath
  4. Forbid this bandying in Verona streets.
  5. Romeo steps between them.
  6. Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!
  1. Tybalt under Romeo’s arm thrusts Mercutio in.
  1. Away Tybalt with his followers.

Mercutio

86 - 88
  1.                              I am hurt.
  2. A plague a’ both houses! I am sped.
  3. Is he gone and hath nothing?

Benvolio

89
  1.                              What, art thou hurt?

Mercutio

90 - 91
  1. Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch, marry, ’tis enough.
  2. Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon.
  1. Exit Page.

Romeo

92
  1. Courage, man, the hurt cannot be much.

Mercutio

93 - 100
  1. No, ’tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a
  2. church-door, but ’tis enough, ’twill serve. Ask for me
  3. tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am pepper’d,
  4. I warrant, for this world. A plague a’ both your houses!
  5. ’Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to
  6. death! A braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights by the
  7. book of arithmetic! Why the dev’l came you between us? I was
  8. hurt under your arm.

Romeo

101
  1. I thought all for the best.

Mercutio

102 - 105
  1. Help me into some house, Benvolio,
  2. Or I shall faint. A plague a’ both your houses!
  3. They have made worms’ meat of me. I have it,
  4. And soundly too. Your houses!
  1. Exeunt Mercutio and Benvolio.

Romeo

106 - 112
  1. This gentleman, the Prince’s near ally,
  2. My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt
  3. In my behalf; my reputation stain’d
  4. With Tybalt’s slander—Tybalt, that an hour
  5. Hath been my cousin! O sweet Juliet,
  6. Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,
  7. And in my temper soft’ned valor’s steel!
  1. Enter Benvolio.

Byam Shaw, 1901

Benvolio

113 - 115
  1. O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead!
  2. That gallant spirit hath aspir’d the clouds,
  3. Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.

Romeo

116 - 117
  1. This day’s black fate on more days doth depend,
  2. This but begins the woe others must end.
  1. Enter Tybalt.

Benvolio

118
  1. Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.

Romeo

119 - 126
  1. He gone in triumph, and Mercutio slain!
  2. Away to heaven, respective lenity,
  3. And fire-ey’d fury be my conduct now!
  4. Now, Tybalt, take the “villain” back again
  5. That late thou gavest me, for Mercutio’s soul
  6. Is but a little way above our heads,
  7. Staying for thine to keep him company.
  8. Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.

Tybalt

127 - 128
  1. Thou wretched boy, that didst consort him here,
  2. Shalt with him hence.

Romeo

129
  1.                       This shall determine that.
  1. They fight; Tybalt falls.

Benvolio

130 - 133
  1. Romeo, away, be gone!
  2. The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.
  3. Stand not amazed, the Prince will doom thee death
  4. If thou art taken. Hence be gone, away!

Romeo

134
  1. O, I am fortune’s fool!

Benvolio

135
  1.                         Why dost thou stay?
  1. Exit Romeo.
  1. Enter Citizens.

First Citizen of Verona

136 - 137
  1. Which way ran he that kill’d Mercutio?
  2. Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?

Benvolio

138
  1. There lies that Tybalt.

First Citizen of Verona

139 - 140
  1.                         Up, sir, go with me;
  2. I charge thee in the Prince’s name, obey.
  1. Enter Prince, old Montague, Capulet, their Wives, and all.

Prince

141
  1. Where are the vile beginners of this fray?

Benvolio

142 - 145
  1. O noble Prince, I can discover all
  2. The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl:
  3. There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,
  4. That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.

Lady Capulet

146 - 150
  1. Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother’s child!
  2. O Prince! O husband! O, the blood is spill’d
  3. Of my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,
  4. For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague.
  5. O cousin, cousin!

Prince

151
  1. Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?

Benvolio

152 - 175
  1. Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo’s hand did slay!
  2. Romeo that spoke him fair, bid him bethink
  3. How nice the quarrel was, and urg’d withal
  4. Your high displeasure; all this, uttered
  5. With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bowed,
  6. Could not take truce with the unruly spleen
  7. Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tilts
  8. With piercing steel at bold Mercutio’s breast,
  9. Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point,
  10. And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
  11. Cold death aside, and with the other sends
  12. It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity
  13. Retorts it. Romeo he cries aloud,
  14. “Hold, friends! Friends, part!” and swifter than his tongue,
  15. His agile arm beats down their fatal points,
  16. And ’twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm
  17. An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life
  18. Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled;
  19. But by and by comes back to Romeo,
  20. Who had but newly entertain’d revenge,
  21. And to’t they go like lightning, for, ere I
  22. Could draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain;
  23. And as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly.
  24. This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.
Costume design for Montague

Costume design for Montague

Percy Anderson, circa 1900

Lady Capulet

176 - 181
  1. He is a kinsman to the Montague,
  2. Affection makes him false, he speaks not true.
  3. Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,
  4. And all those twenty could but kill one life.
  5. I beg for justice, which thou, Prince, must give:
  6. Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.

Prince

182 - 183
  1. Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio;
  2. Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?

Montague

184 - 186
  1. Not Romeo, Prince, he was Mercutio’s friend;
  2. His fault concludes but what the law should end,
  3. The life of Tybalt.

Prince

187 - 198
  1.                     And for that offense
  2. Immediately we do exile him hence.
  3. I have an interest in your hearts’ proceeding;
  4. My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding;
  5. But I’ll amerce you with so strong a fine
  6. That you shall all repent the loss of mine.
  7. I will be deaf to pleading and excuses,
  8. Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses;
  9. Therefore use none. Let Romeo hence in haste,
  10. Else, when he is found, that hour is his last.
  11. Bear hence this body and attend our will;
  12. Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.
  1. Exeunt.
Costume design for Mercutio

Costume design for Mercutio

Percy Anderson, circa 1900

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