Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 2 · Shakespeare for Bharat

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.

PARIS

Of honourable reckoning are you both;And pity 'tis you lived at odds so long.But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?

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.

PARIS

Younger than she are happy mothers made.

CAPULET

And too soon marr'd are those so early made.The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she,She is 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 agree, within her scope of choiceLies my consent and fair according voice.This night I hold an old accustom'd 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 nightEarth-treading stars that make dark heaven light:Such comfort as do lusty young men feelWhen well-apparell'd April on the heelOf limping winter treads, even such delightAmong fresh female buds shall you this nightInherit at my house; hear all, all see,And like her most whose merit most shall be:Which on more view, of many mine being oneMay stand in number, though in reckoning none,Come, go with me.

CAPULET

Go, sirrah, trudge aboutThrough fair Verona; find those persons outWhose names are written there, and to them say,My house and welcome on their pleasure stay.

Servant

Find them out whose names are written here! It iswritten, that the shoemaker should meddle with hisyard, and the tailor with his last, the fisher withhis pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I amsent to find those persons whose names are herewrit, and can never find what names the writingperson hath here writ. I must to the learned.--In good time.

BENVOLIO

Tut, man, one fire burns out another's burning,One pain is lessen'd by another's anguish;Turn giddy, and be holp 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.

ROMEO

Your plaintain-leaf is excellent for that.

BENVOLIO

For what, I pray thee?

ROMEO

For your broken shin.

BENVOLIO

Why, Romeo, art thou mad?

ROMEO

Not mad, but bound more than a mad-man is;Shut up in prison, kept without my food,Whipp'd and tormented and--God-den, good fellow.

Servant

God gi' god-den. I pray, sir, can you read?

ROMEO

Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.

Servant

Perhaps you have learned it without book: but, Ipray, can you read any thing you see?

ROMEO

Ay, if I know the letters and the language.

Servant

Ye say honestly: rest you merry!

ROMEO

Stay, fellow; I can read.

ROMEO

'Signior Martino and his wife and daughters;County Anselme and his beauteous sisters; the ladywidow of Vitravio; Signior Placentio and his lovelynieces; Mercutio and his brother Valentine; mineuncle Capulet, his wife and daughters; my fair nieceRosaline; Livia; Signior Valentio and his cousinTybalt, Lucio and the lively Helena.' A fairassembly: whither should they come?

Servant

Up.

ROMEO

Whither?

Servant

To supper; to our house.

ROMEO

Whose house?

Servant

My master's.

ROMEO

Indeed, I should have ask'd you that before.

Servant

Now I'll tell you without asking: my master is thegreat rich Capulet; and if you be not of the houseof Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine.Rest you merry!

BENVOLIO

At this same ancient feast of Capulet'sSups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lovest,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.

ROMEO

When the devout religion of mine eyeMaintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires;And these, who often drown'd could never die,Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars!One fairer than my love! the all-seeing sunNe'er saw her match since first the world begun.

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 weigh'dYour lady's love against some other maidThat I will show you shining at this feast,And she shall scant show well that now shows best.

ROMEO

I'll go along, no such sight to be shown,But to rejoice in splendor of mine own.