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Romeo and Juliet

Act 1, Scene 2

Enter CAPULET, County PARIS, and PETER, a servant	CAPULET enters with County PARIS, followed by PETER, a servant.
CAPULET But Montague is bound as well as I, In penalty alike. And ’tis not hard, I think, For men so old as we to keep the peace.	CAPULET (continuing a conversation) But Montague has sworn an oath just like I have, and he’s under the same penalty. I don’t think it will be hard for men as old as we are to keep the peace.
PARIS Of honorable reckoning are you both. And pity ’tis you lived at odds so long. But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?	PARIS You both have honorable reputations, and it’s too bad you’ve been enemies for so long. But what do you say to my request?
CAPULET But saying o’er what I have said before. My child is yet a stranger in the world. She hath not seen the change of fourteen years. Let two more summers wither in their pride Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.	CAPULET I can only repeat what I’ve said before. My daughter is still very young. She’s not even fourteen years old. Let’s wait two more summers before we start thinking she’s ready to get married.
PARIS Younger than she are happy mothers made.	PARIS Girls younger than she often marry and become happy mothers.
CAPULET And too soon marred are those so early made. Earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she. She’s the hopeful lady of my earth. But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart. My will to her consent is but a part. An she agreed within her scope of choice, Lies my consent and fair according voice. This night I hold an old accustomed feast, Whereto I have invited many a guest Such as I love. And you among the store, One more, most welcome, makes my number more. At my poor house look to behold this night Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light. Such comfort as do lusty young men feel When well-appareled April on the heel Of limping winter treads. Even such delight Among fresh fennel buds shall you this night Inherit at my house. Hear all, all see, And like her most whose merit most shall be— Which on more view of many, mine, being one, May stand in number, though in reckoning none, Come, go with me. (to PETER, giving him a paper) Go, sirrah, trudge about Through fair Verona. Find those persons out Whose names are written there, and to them say My house and welcome on their pleasure stay.	CAPULET Girls who marry so young grow up too soon. But go ahead and charm her, gentle Paris; make her love you. My permission is only part of her decision. If she agrees to marry you, my blessing and fair words will confirm her choice. Tonight I’m having a feast that we’ve celebrated for many years. I’ve invited many of my closest friends, and I’d like to welcome you and add you to the guest list. At my humble house tonight, you can expect to see dazzling stars that walk on the ground and light the sky from below. You’ll be delighted by young women as fresh as spring flowers. Look at anyone you like, and choose whatever woman seems best to you. Once you see a lot of girls, you might not think my daughter’s the best anymore. Come along with me. (to PETER, handing him a paper) Go, little fellow, walk all around Verona. Find the people on this list and tell them they’re welcome at my house tonight.
Exeunt CAPULET and PARIS	CAPULET and PARIS exit.
PETER Find them out whose names are written here? It is written, that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard and the tailor with his last, the fisher with his pencil and the painter with his nets. But I am sent to find those persons whose names are here writ, and can never find what names the writing person hath here writ. I must to the learned in good time!	PETER Find the people whose names are on this list? It is written that shoemakers and tailors should play with each others’ tools, that fisherman should play with paints, and painters should play with with fishing nets. But I’ve been sent to find the people whose names are written on this list, and I can’t read! I’ll never find them on my own. I’ve got to find somebody who knows how to read to help me. But here come some people, right in the nick of time.
Enter BENVOLIO and ROMEO	BENVOLIO and ROMEO enter
BENVOLIO Tut man, one fire burns out another’s burning. One pain is lessened by another’s anguish. Turn giddy, and be helped by backward turning. One desperate grief cures with another’s languish. Take thou some new infection to thy eye, And the rank poison of the old will die.	BENVOLIO (to ROMEO) Come on, man. You can put out one fire by starting another. A new pain will make the one you already have seem less. If you make yourself dizzy, you can cure yourself by spinning back around in the opposite direction. A new grief will put the old one out of your mind. Make yourself lovesick by gazing at some new girl, and your old lovesickness will be cured.
ROMEO Your plantain leaf is excellent for that.	ROMEO The plantain leaf is excellent for that.
BENVOLIO For what, I pray thee?	BENVOLIO For what, Romeo?
ROMEO For your broken shin.	ROMEO For when you cut your shin.
BENVOLIO Why Romeo, art thou mad?	BENVOLIO What? Romeo, are you crazy?
ROMEO Not mad, but bound more than a madman is, Shut up in prison, kept without my food, Whipped and tormented and—Good e’en, good fellow.	ROMEO I’m not crazy, but I’m tied up tighter than a mental patient in a straitjacket. I’m locked up in a prison and deprived of food. I’m whipped and tortured—(to PETER) Good evening, good fellow.
PETER God ’i’ good e’en. I pray, sir, can you read?	PETER May God give you a good evening. Excuse me, sir, do you know how to read?
ROMEO Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.	ROMEO I can read my own fortune in my misery.
PETER Perhaps you have learned it without book. But I pray, can you read anything you see?	PETER Perhaps you’ve learned from life and not from books. But please tell me, can you read anything you see?
ROMEO Ay, if I know the letters and the language.	ROMEO Yes, if I know the language and the letters.
PETER Ye say honestly. Rest you merry.	PETER I see. Well, that’s an honest answer. Have a nice day.
ROMEO Stay, fellow. I can read. (he reads the letter) “Seigneur Martino and his wife and daughters; County Anselme and his beauteous sisters; The lady widow of Vitruvio; Seigneur Placentio and his lovely nieces; Mercutio and his brother Valentine; Mine uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters; My fair niece Rosaline and Livia; Seigneur Valentio and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio and the lively Helena.” A fair assembly. Whither should they come?	ROMEO Stay, fellow. I can read. (he reads the letter) “Signor Martino and his wife and daughters, Count Anselme and his beautiful sisters, Vitruvio’s widow, Signor Placentio and his lovely nieces, Mercutio and his brother Valentine, My uncle Capulet and his wife and daughters, My fair niece Rosaline and Livia, Signor Valentio and his cousin Tybalt, Lucio and the lively Helena.” That’s a nice group of people. Where are they supposed to come?
PETER Up.	PETER Up.
ROMEO Whither? To supper?	ROMEO Where? To supper?
PETER To our house.	PETER To our house.
ROMEO Whose house?	ROMEO Whose house?
PETER My master’s.	PETER My master’s house.
ROMEO Indeed, I should have asked thee that before.	ROMEO Indeed, I should have asked you before who he was.
PETER Now I’ll tell you without asking. My master is the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry!	PETER Now I’ll tell you so you don’t have to ask. My master is the great and rich Capulet, and if you don’t belong to the house of Montague, please come and drink a cup of wine. Have a nice day!
Exit PETER	PETER exits.
BENVOLIO At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so loves With all the admired beauties of Verona. Go thither, and with unattainted eye Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.	BENVOLIO The beautiful Rosaline whom you love so much will be at Capulet’s traditional feast, along with every beautiful woman in Verona. Go there and compare her objectively to some other girls I’ll show you. The woman who you think is as beautiful as a swan is going to look as ugly as a crow to you.
ROMEO When the devout religion of mine eye Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires, And these, who, often drowned, could never die, Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars! One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun.	ROMEO If my eyes ever lie to me like that, let my tears turn into flames and burn them for being such obvious liars! A woman more beautiful than the one I love? The sun itself has never seen anyone as beautiful since the world began.
BENVOLIO Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by, Herself poised with herself in either eye. But in that crystal scales let there be weighed Your lady’s love against some other maid That I will show you shining at the feast, And she shall scant show well that now shows best.	BENVOLIO Come on, you first decided she was beautiful when no one else was around. There was no one to compare her to except herself. But let your eyes compare her to another beautiful woman who I’ll show you at this feast, and you won’t think she’s the best anymore.
ROMEO I’ll go along, no such sight to be shown, But to rejoice in splendor of mine own.	ROMEO I’ll go with you. Not because I think you’ll show me anything better, but so I can see the woman I love.
Exeunt	They exit.