am peppered, I warrant, for this world.A plague o'
both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us?
I
was hurt under your arm.ROMEO I thought all for the best.MERCUTIO Help me into some house, Benvolio, Or I shall faint.A plague o' both your houses!
They have made worms' meat of me: I have it, And soundly too: your houses!
Exeunt MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO ROMEO This gentleman, the prince's near ally, My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt In my behalf; my reputation stain'd With Tybalt's slander,--Tybalt, that an hour Hath been my kinsman! O sweet Juliet, Thy beauty hath made me effeminate And in my temper soften'd valour's steel!
Re-enter BENVOLIO BENVOLIO O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's dead!
That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds, Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.ROMEO This day's black fate on more days doth depend;This but begins the woe, others must end.BENVOLIO Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.ROMEO Alive, in triumph! and Mercutio slain!
Away to heaven, respective lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!
Re-enter TYBALT
Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again, That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soul Is but a little way above our heads, Staying for thine to keep him company:Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.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, away! ROMEO O, I am fortune's fool! BENVOLIO Why dost thou stay?
Exit ROMEO
Enter Citizens, & c First Citizen Which way ran he that kill'd Mercutio?
Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he? BENVOLIO There lies that Tybalt.First Citizen Up, sir, go with me;I charge thee in the princes name, obey.
Enter Prince, attended; MONTAGUE, CAPULET, their Wives, and others PRINCE Where are the vile beginners of this fray? BENVOLIO O noble prince, I can discover all The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl:There lies the man, slain by young Romeo, That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.LADY CAPULET Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child!
O prince! O cousin! husband! O, the blood is spilt O my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true, For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague.
O cousin, cousin! PRINCE Benvolio, who began this bloody fray? BENVOLIO Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay;Romeo that spoke him fair, bade him bethink How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal Your high displeasure: all this uttered With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow'd, Could not take truce with the unruly spleen Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tilts With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast, Who all as hot, turns deadly point to point, And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats Cold death aside, and with the other sends It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity, Retorts it: 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 back to Romeo, Who had but newly entertain'd revenge, And to 't they go like lightning, for, ere ICould draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain.
And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly.
This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.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 not live.PRINCE Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio;Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe? MONTAGUE Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's friend;His fault concludes but what the law should end, The life of Tybalt.PRINCE And for that offence Immediately we do exile him hence:I have an interest in your hate's proceeding, My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding;But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine That you shall all repent the loss of mine:I will be deaf to pleading and excuses;
Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses:Therefore use none: let Romeo hence in haste, Else, when he's found, that hour is his last.
Bear hence this body and attend our will:Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.