Nurse. Anon, anon: Come, let's away; the strangers all are gone. [Exeunt. Enter CHORUS. Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie, And young affection gapes to be his heir; Alike bewitched by the charm of looks; But to his foe suppos'd he must complain, And she steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks: Being held a foe, he may not have access To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear; But passion lends them power, time means to meet, [Exit. ACT II. SCENE I.- An open Place, adjoining Capulet's Garden. Enter ROMEO. Rom. Can I go forward, when my heart is here? Turn back, dull earth, and find thy center out. [He climbs the Wall, and leaps down within it. Enter BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO. Ben. Romeo! my cousin Romeo! 9 That fair,] Fair, it has been already observed, was formerly used as a substantive, and was synonymous to beauty. Mr. Malone reads "for which love groan'd for." Mer. He is wise; And, on my life, hath stolen him home to bed. Ben. He ran this way, and leap'd this orchard wall: Call, good Mercutio. Mer. Nay, I'll conjure too. Romeo! humours! madman! passion! lover! Appear thou in the likeness of a sigh, Speak but one rhyme, and I am satisfied; Cry but Ah me! couple but -+love and dove; anger him Ben. An if he hear thee, thou wilt anger him. Is fair and honest, and, in his mistress' name, I conjure only but to raise up him. + pronounce but-" MALONE. 1 When king Cophetua, &c.] Alluding to an old ballad preserved in the first volume of Dr. Percy's Reliques of ancient English Poetry. "he stirreth not," MALone. The ape is dead,] This phrase appears to have been frequently applied to young men, in our author's time, without any reference to the mimickry of that animal. It was an expression of tenderness, like poor fool. 3 By her high forehead,] A high forehead was in Shakspeare's time thought eminently beautiful. Ben. Come, he hath hid himself among those trees, To be consorted with the humorous night:3 Blind is his love, and best befits the dark. Mer. If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark. And wish his mistress were that kind of fruit, Come, shall we go? Ben. Go, then; for 'tis in vain To seek him here, that means not to be found. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Capulet's Garden. Enter ROMEO. Rom. He jests at scars, that never felt a wound. · [JULIET appears above, at a Window. But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks ! It is the east, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she: Be not her maid 5, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green, And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. 3 the humorous night:] means humid, the moist dewy night. + Mr. Malone has thought proper to add two indecent lines' here, which all other editors have omitted. 4 He jests at scars,] Mercutio, whose jests he overheard; or perhaps it is an allusion to his having conceived himself so armed with the love of Rosaline, that no other beauty could make any impression on him. Be not her maid,] Be not a votary to the moon, to Diana. It is my lady; O, it is my love: O, that she knew she were! She speaks, yet she says nothing; What of that? I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: That I might touch that cheek! Jul. Rom. Ah me! She speaks: O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art And sails upon the bosom of the air. Jul. O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father, and refuse thy name: Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet. Rom. Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? Jul. 'Tis but thy name, that is my enemy; Thou art thyself though, not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part - Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! [Aside. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,' Rom. I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz'd; Henceforth I never will be Romeo. Jul. What man art thou, that, thus bescreen'd in night, So stumblest on my counsel? Rom. By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am: Had I it written, I would tear the word. Jul. My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound; Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague? Rom. Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike. Jul. How cam'st thou hither, tell me? and wherefóre ? The orchard walls are high, and hard to climb; And the place death, considering who thou art, Rom. With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out: And what love can do, that dares love attempt; Jul. If they do see thee, they will murder thee. Jul. I would not for the world, they saw thee here. 6 no let -] i. e. no stop or hinderance. |