ROM 4843" ROMEO AND JULIET. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. ESCALUS, Prince of Verona. ROMEO, Son to Montague. LADY MONTAGUE, Wife to Mon- LADY CAPULET, Wife to Capulet. Relations to both Houses; Maskers, SCENE, during the greater Part of the Play, in Verona: once, in the fifth Act, at Mantua. 3 PROLOGUE. CHORUS. Two households, both alike in dignity, A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY, armed with Swords and Sam. Gregory, on my word, we 'll not carry coals. Sam. I mean, an we be in choler, we 'll draw. Gre. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of the collar. 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. Gre. To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand; therefore, if thou art moved, thou run'st 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. Gre. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall. Sam. "T is 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. Sam. 'T is all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be civil with the maids; I will cut off their heads. Sam. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it 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, 't is known, I am a pretty piece of flesh. Gre. 'T is 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. Enter ABRAM and BALTHASAR. Sam. My naked weapon is out: quarrel, I will back thee. Sam. Fear me not. Gre. No marry: I fear thee! Sam. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin. 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. Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, Sir? Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, Gre. No. Sir? ay? Sam. No, Sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, Sir; but I bite my thumb, Sir. 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. Abr. No better. Sam. Well, Sir. Enter BENVOLIO, at a Distance. Gre. Say-better: here comes one of my master's kinsmen. Abr. You lie. Sam. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. V. [They fight. 113 |