ROMEO I thought all for the best.

MERCUTIO

Help me into some house, Benvolio,

Or I shall faint. A plague o’ both your houses.

They have made worms’ meat of me.

I have it, and soundly, too. Your houses!

Exeunt all but Romeo

ROMEO

This gentleman, the Prince’s near ally,

My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt

In my behalf, my reputation stained

With Tybalt’s slander—Tybalt, that an hour

Hath been my cousin! O sweet Juliet,

Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,

And in my temper softened valour’s steel.

Enter Benvolio

BENVOLIO

O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead!

That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds,

Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.

ROMEO

This day’s black fate on more days doth depend.

This but begins the woe others must end.

Enter Tybalt

BENVOLIO

Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.

ROMEO

He gad in triumph, and Mercutio slain ?

Away to heaven, respective lenity,

And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now.

Now, Tybalt, take the ‘villain’ back again

That late thou gav’st me, for Mercutio’s soul

Is but a little way above our heads,

Staying for thine to keep him company.

Either thou, or I, or both must go with him.

TYBALT

Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here,

Shalt with him hence.

ROMEO This shall determine that.

They fight. Tybalt is wounded. He falls and dies

BENVOLIO Romeo, away, be gone.

The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.

Stand not amazed. The Prince will doom thee death

If thou art taken. Hence, be gone, away.

ROMEO

O, I am fortune’s fool!

BENVOLIO Why dost thou stay?

Exit Romeo

Enter Citizens ⌈of the watchi⌉

CITIZEN ⌈0F THE WATCH⌉

Which way ran he that killed Mercutio?

Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?

BENVOLIO

There lies that Tybalt.

CITIZEN ⌈OF THE WATCH⌉ (to Tybalt) Up, sir, go with me.

I charge thee in the Prince’s name, obey.

Enter the Prince, old Montague, Capulet, their Wives, and all

PRINCE

Where are the vile beginners of this fray?

BENVOLIO

O noble Prince, I can discover all

The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl.

There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,

That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.

CAPULET’S WIFE

Tybalt, my cousin, O, my brother’s child!

O Prince, O cousin, husband! O, the blood is spilled

Of my dear kinsman ! Prince, as thou art true,

For blood of ours shed blood of Montague!

O cousin, cousin!

PRINCE Benvolio, who began this fray?

BENVOLIO

Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo’s hand did slay.

Romeo, that spoke him fair, bid him bethink

How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal

Your high displeasure. All this-utterèd

With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bowed—

Could not take truce with the unruly spleen

Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tilts

With piercing steel at bold Mercutio’s breast,

Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point,

And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats

Cold death aside, and with the other sends

It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity

Retorts it. Romeo, he cries aloud,

‘Hold, friends, friends, part!’ and swifter than his

tongue

His agent arm beats down their fatal points,

And ’twixt them rushes, underneath whose arm

An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life

Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled,

But by and by comes back to Romeo,

Who had but newly entertained revenge,

And to’t they go like lightning; for ere I

Could draw to part them was stout Tybalt slain,

And as he fell did Romeo turn and fly.

This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.

CAPULET’S WIFE

He is a kinsman to the Montague.

Affection makes him false; he speaks not true.

Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,

And all those twenty could but kill one life.

I beg for justice, which thou, Prince, must give.

Romeo slew Tybalt; Romeo must not live.

PRINCE

Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio.

Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?

⌈MONTAGUE⌉

Not Romeo, Prince. He was Mercutio’s friend.

His fault concludes but what the law should end,

The life of Tybalt.

PRINCE And for that offence

Immediately we do exile him hence.

I have an interest in your hate’s proceeding;

My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding.

But I’ll amerce you with so strong a fine

That you shall all repent the loss of mine.

I will be deaf to pleading and excuses.

Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses.

Therefore use none. Let Romeo hence in haste,

Else, when he is found, that hour is his last.

Bear hence this body, and attend our will.

Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.

Exeunt with the body

3.2 Enter Juliet

JULIET

Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,

Towards Phoebus’ lodging. Such a waggoner

As Phaeton would whip you to the west