Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 2
A street.
The Original
Plain Modern English
Enter Capulet, Paris, and 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
Montague is under the same order I am,
facing the same penalty. And I don't think it's hard
for men as old as us 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?
Paris
You're both highly respected men,
and it's a shame you've been enemies so long.
But now, my lord — what's your answer to my proposal?
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
Only what I've already told you:
my daughter is still new to the world.
She hasn't even turned fourteen.
Let two more summers come and go
before we consider her ready to be a bride.
Paris
Younger than she are happy mothers made.
Paris
Girls younger than her have become happy mothers.
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 choice
Lies 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 night
Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light:
Such comfort as do lusty young men feel
When well-apparell'd April on the heel
Of limping winter treads, even such delight
Among fresh female 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 Servant, giving 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
And girls married that young are ruined too soon.
The earth has swallowed all my other children — she's all I have left.
She's the one hope of my household.
But go ahead and court her, Paris. Win her heart.
My approval is only part of it —
if she says yes, then my consent
follows her choice gladly.
Tonight I'm holding my usual annual party.
I've invited plenty of guests,
all people I'm fond of — and you're welcome to join them;
one more guest, most welcome, makes the crowd better.
At my humble house tonight you'll see
stars that walk on earth and light up the dark sky.
The delight healthy young men feel
when well-dressed April arrives on the heels
of limping winter — that's the delight
you'll enjoy tonight at my house,
among all these fresh young women. Listen to everyone, look at everyone,
and like the one who deserves it most.
When you've seen them all, my daughter may be just
one of the crowd, and not the standout.
Come along with me.
(handing the servant a paper) You there — go around
fair Verona and find the people
whose names are on this list, and tell them
my house and my welcome await them.
Exeunt Capulet and Paris.
Servant
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.
Servant
'Find the people whose names are written here!' Well —
they say the shoemaker should stick to his
measuring stick, the tailor to his shoe-mold, the fisherman to
his pencil, and the painter to his nets. (He's got them all backwards. That's the joke.)
But I've been sent to find people whose names are
written here, and I can't make out what names the writer
has written. I need to find someone educated. — Ah, perfect timing.
Enter Benvolio and Romeo.
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.
Benvolio
Come on, man — one fire puts out another's burning.
One pain is eased by a different pain.
If you're dizzy, spin the other way to fix it.
One desperate grief is cured by another's suffering.
Catch a new infection in your eye,
and the old poison will die off.
Romeo
Your plaintain-leaf is excellent for that.
Romeo
A plantain leaf works wonders for that.
Benvolio
For what, I pray thee?
Benvolio
For what, exactly?
Romeo
For your broken shin.
Romeo
For your broken shin.
Benvolio
Why, Romeo, art thou mad?
Benvolio
Romeo — have you lost your mind?
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.
Romeo
Not mad — but more tied up than any madman.
Locked in prison, starved,
whipped and tortured, and — good afternoon, friend.
Servant
God gi' god-den. I pray, sir, can you read?
Servant
Good afternoon to you. Excuse me, sir — can you read?
Romeo
Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.
Romeo
Yes — I can read my own fortune in my misery.
Servant
Perhaps you have learned it without book: but, I
pray, can you read any thing you see?
Servant
Maybe you learned that by heart. But please,
can you read anything you actually look at?
Romeo
Ay, if I know the letters and the language.
Romeo
Yes, if I know the letters and the language.
Servant
Ye say honestly: rest you merry!
Servant
Fair enough. Have a good day!
Romeo
Stay, fellow; I can read.
[Reads] 'Signior Martino and his wife and daughters;
County Anselme and his beauteous sisters; the lady
widow of Vitravio; Signior Placentio and his lovely
nieces; Mercutio and his brother Valentine; mine
uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters; my fair niece
Rosaline; Livia; Signior Valentio and his cousin
Tybalt, Lucio and the lively Helena.' A fair
assembly: whither should they come?
Romeo
Wait, friend — I can read.
(reading) 'Signor Martino, his wife and daughters;
Count Anselme and his beautiful sisters; the
widow of Vitravio; Signor Placentio and his lovely
nieces; Mercutio and his brother Valentine; my
uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters; my beautiful niece
Rosaline; Livia; Signor Valentio and his cousin
Tybalt; Lucio and lively Helena.' — A fine
guest list. Where are they all supposed to go?
Servant
Up.
Servant
Up.
Romeo
Whither?
Romeo
Up where?
Servant
To supper; to our house.
Servant
To dinner. To our house.
Romeo
Whose house?
Romeo
Whose house?
Servant
My master's.
Servant
My master's.
Romeo
Indeed, I should have ask'd you that before.
Romeo
Right. I probably should have asked that first.
Servant
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!
Servant
I'll tell you without being asked: my master is the
great rich Capulet. And if you're not a
Montague, come have a cup of wine with us.
Good day to you!
Exit Servant.
Benvolio
At this same ancient feast of Capulet's
Sups 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.
Benvolio
At this same old Capulet party
the beautiful Rosaline you love will be dining,
along with every celebrated beauty in Verona.
Go there, and with an unbiased eye
compare her face to some I'll point out —
and I'll have you thinking your swan is a crow.
Romeo
When the devout religion of mine eye
Maintains 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 sun
Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun.
Romeo
If my eyes — devoted worshippers —
ever told a lie like that, then let my tears turn to fire
and burn these eyes as heretics —
they've drowned in tears often enough and never died!
Someone more beautiful than my love? The all-seeing sun
has never seen her equal 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 weigh'd
Your lady's love against some other maid
That I will show you shining at this feast,
And she shall scant show well that now shows best.
Benvolio
Please — she looked beautiful because no one else was there
to compare her to; you weighed her against herself.
Put your lady's love on those crystal scales
and weigh it against another girl
that I'll show you shining at this party,
and the one who looks best now will barely look good.
Romeo
I'll go along, no such sight to be shown,
But to rejoice in splendor of mine own.
Romeo
I'll come along — not to see any such thing,
but to enjoy the splendour of my own girl.
Exeunt.