LADY CAPULET         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 […]

BENVOLIO                              Romeo he cries aloud,                         ‘Hold, friends! friends, part!’ and swifter than his tongue,                         His agile 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 […]

PRINCE           Benvolio, who began this bloody 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 […]

LADY CAPULET         Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother’s child!                                     O Prince! O 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! (3.1.137-141) And this already chaotic scene explodes, as Lady Capulet pushes her way, […]

Enter Citizens [as OFFICERS of the Watch]. OFFICER         Which way ran he that killed Mercutio?                         Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he? BENVOLIO      There lies that Tybalt. OFFICER                                             Up, sir, go with me;                         I charge thee in the Prince’s name obey. Enter PRINCE, old MONTAGUE, CAPULET, their WIVES, and all. PRINCE           Where are the vile beginners of this […]

TYBALT          Thou wretched boy, that didst consort him here,                         Shalt with him hence. ROMEO                                               This shall determine that.                                     They fight; Tybalt falls. 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, […]

[Enter Tybalt.] BENVOLIO      Here comes the furious Tybalt back again. ROMEO           Again, 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 gavest me, for Mercutio’s soul                         Is but a little way above […]