Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Sam. [Aside to Gre.] Is the law of our side, if I say ay? Gre. No. 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. But if you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you. Abr. No better. Sam. Well, sir. Gre. [Aside to Sam.] Say 'better' here comes one of my master's kinsmen. Sam. Yes, better, sir. Abr. You lie. Sam. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. 60 [They fight. 70 Enter BENVOLIO. Ben. Part, fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you do. [Beats down their swords. Enter TYBalt. Tyb. What, art thou drawn among these heart less hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death. 66. one of my master's kinsmen, i.e. Tybalt. Gregory may be supposed to be looking in the direction from which Tybalt comes, with his back to Benvolio. Mr. Daniel's stage direction, Enter at opposite sides, Benvolio and Tibalt,' relieves the otherwise awkward ambiguity. 70. swashing; so Q4, 5. Q2,3 F1 have 'washing,' which Shakespeare may have written; 'a washing blow' is attested in the same sense by Harvey's Plaine Percival, 1589 (Daniel's edition). 73. heartless, timid (with a quibble). Ben. I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me. Tyb. What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee: Have at thee, coward! [They fight. Enter several of both houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens and Peace-officers with clubs. First Off Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down! Down with the Capulets! down with the Montagues! Enter old CAPULET in his gown, and LADY CAPULET. Cap. What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho! La. Cap. A crutch, a crutch! why call you for a sword? Cap. My sword, I say! Old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in spite of me. Enter MONTAGUE and LADY MONTAGUE. Mon. Thou villain Capulet,-Hold me not, let me go. La. Mon. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe. Enter PRINCE, with Attendants. Prin. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,— 80. Clubs, the common cry raised to part a street quarrel. 80. bills, the usual weapons of watchmen. 80. partisans, halberts. 80 89. neighbour-stained, stained with the blood of fellow-country men. Will they not hear? What, ho! you men, you 'beasts, That quench the fire of your pernicious rage Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate: Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. You, Capulet, shall go along with me: [Exeunt all but Montague, Lady Montague, and Benvolio. Mon. Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach? Speak, nephew, were you by when it began? Ben. Here were the servants of your adversary, 94. mistemper'd, tempered, hardened, to an ill end. 109. Free-town, 'Villa Franca' in the Ital. original and in Painter; already rendered thus by Brooke. While we were interchanging thrusts and blows, La. Mon. O, where is Romeo? saw you him Right glad I am he was not at this fray. Ben. Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found Being one too many by my weary self, Pursued my humour not pursuing his, And gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me. Mon. Many a morning hath he there been seen, 127. drave. Q2 has drive (i. e. driv), a current form of the past tense, which Shakespeare may have written. 133. affections, inclinations. 120 130 140 134. Benvolio sought the least frequented places. This verse, given in Q2, is replaced in most modern editions by one from Q1: 'That most are busied when they're most alone.' Unless good counsel may the cause remove. Ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air, 150 Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow, 160 We would as willingly give cure as know. Enter ROMEO. Ben. See, where he comes: so please you step I'll know his grievance, or be much denied. Was that my father that went hence so fast? Ben. It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours? Rom. Not having that which, having, makes them short. Ben. In love? Rom. Out 170 Ben. Of love? Rom. Out of her favour, where I am in love. 159. sun; Theobald's emendation of Qq Ff 'same.' |