MONTAGUE   Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach?

                        Speak, nephew, were you by when it began?

BENVOLIO      Here were the servants of your adversary,

                        And yours, close fighting ere I did approach:

                        I drew to part them; in the instant came

                        The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepared,

                        Which, as he breathed defiance to my ears,

                        He swung about his head and cut the winds,

                        Who, nothing hurt withal, hissed him in scorn;

                        While we were interchanging thrusts and blows,

                        Came more and more, and fought on part and part,

                        Till the Prince came, who parted either part. (1.1.95-106)

This is a transitional moment in the scene, a moment when one character narrates for another events which have, in fact, been witnessed by the audience. The stage is cleared, and family-as-faction gives way to simple family; the scene is about to take a more domestic, private turn. Montague’s ancient quarrel new abroach is a direct echo of the Prologue’s ancient grudge break to new mutiny. Benvolio’s account of Tybalt also continues the interplay between words and blows: Tybalt breathed defiance; he made a challenge and spoke provokingly; his gestures (as Benvolio describes them) were flamboyant but – initially at least – empty, as he cut the winds. The picture of a fencer trying his strength, whipping his blade is a vivid one; that Benvolio imagines Tybalt hearing even the swish of his own blade through the air as a scornful hiss emphasizes Tybalt’s oversensitive hot-headedness. And the chaos of the brawl is recreated, as the suggestion of balance and equality in the interchanging thrusts and blows is overcome by the repetition and increasing pace of more and more, who fought on part and part. The Prince parted either part, but part here now suggests both the parties to the fight, the action of separating them and, perhaps, the body parts which have so often been invoked in the scene, and will continue to be throughout the play.