ACT III. SCENE 1. Tybalt meets Mercutio and Benvolio upon the Piazza, and is seeking to quarrel with them, when Romeo enters, against whom, he then turns all his rage: but the latter only replies: « I do protest, I never injur'd thee; But love thee better than thou canst devise, Till thou shalt know the reason of my love: good Capulet, And so, which name I tender be satisfied.» As dearly as mine own, Mercutio, who is not aware of Romeo's recent marriage with Juliet, and consequently does not know the reason of that calm forbearance towards one of the Capulets, draws to vindicate on Tybalt, the insult offered. Romeo, assisted by others, beats down the weapons of the two combatants: yet in the scuffle, Mercutio has received a thrust from Tybalt, who is seen, in the middle-ground, sheathing his sword, and retiring towards the Circus of Verona Mercutio exclaims << I am hurt; A plague o' both the houses! - I am sped: BENVOLIO. What art thou hurt! MERCUTIO. Ay, ay, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough. Where is my page? - Go, villain, fetch a surgeon. ROMEO. 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' 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. Help me into some house, Benvolio, Or I shall faint. A plague o' both houses! I have it, and soundly too :- Your houses! him: |