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 moe days doth depend,                         This but begins the woe others must end. (3.1.107-111) Benvolio at least addresses Romeo by name – the […]

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! […]

MERCUTIO     Help me into some house, Benvolio, Or I shall faint. A plague a’both your houses! They have made worms’ meat of me. I have it, And soundly too. Your houses! Exit [with Benvolio] (3.1.96-99) Exit Mercutio, with no friendly word of reassurance to the conscience-stricken, appalled Romeo, no affectionate farewells, but instead bitter curses. It’s […]

ROMEO           Courage, man, the hurt cannot be much. MERCUTIO     No, ’tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door, but ’tis enough, ’twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague a’both your houses! ’Zounds, a […]

MERCUTIO                                         I am hurt.                         A plague a’both houses! I am sped.                         Is he gone and hath nothing? BENVOLIO                                                      What, art thou hurt? MERCUTIO     Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch, marry, ’tis enough.                         Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon. [Exit Page] (3.1.82-86) It’s just so fast. Tybalt’s off, with his […]

ROMEO           Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up. MERCUTIO     Come, sir, your ‘passado’.                                                             [They fight.] ROMEO           Draw, Benvolio, beat down their weapons.                         Gentlemen, for shame forbear this outrage!                         Tybalt, Mercutio, the Prince expressly hath                         Forbid this bandying in Verona streets.                                     [Romeo steps between them.]                         Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!                         [Tybalt […]

MERCUTIO     O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!                         ‘Alla stoccata’ carries it away. [Draws.]                         Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk? TYBALT          What wouldst thou have with me? MERCUTIO     Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives that I mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the […]

TYBALT          Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford                         No better term than this: thou art a villain. ROMEO           Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee                         Doth much excuse the appertaining rage                         To such a greeting. Villain am I none;                         Therefore farewell, I see thou knowest me not. TYBALT          […]

BENVOLIO      We talk here in the public haunt of men:                         Either withdraw unto some private place,                         Or reason coldly of your grievances,                         Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us. MERCUTIO     Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze;                         I will not budge for no man’s pleasure, I. […]

TYBALT          Follow me close, for I will speak to them.                         Gentlemen, good den, a word with one of you. MERCUTIO     And but one word with one of us? couple it with something, make it a word and a blow. TYBALT          You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, and you will give me […]