Act 3, Scene 1
10 20 Scene I. A public place. [Enter Mercutio, Benvolio, Page, and Servants.] Benvolio. I pray thee, good Mercutio, let s retire: The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, And, if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl; For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring. Mercutio. Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy; and as soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved. Benvolio. And what to? Mercutio. Nay, an there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou! why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less in his beard than thou hast. Didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter? with another for tying his new shoes with an old riband? and yet thou wilt tutor me from quarrelling! Benvolio. An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy the fee simple of my life for an hour and a quarter. By my head, here come the Capulets. Mercutio. By my heel, I care not. [Enter Tybalt and others.] 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, an you will give me occasion. Scene 1. A public place. [Mercutio and Benvolio enter, with a Page and Servants.] Benvolio. I beg of you, Mercutio, let s go home: it s hot today, and there are Capulets everywhere, and if we meet up with them, there s going to be a fight; you know how these hot days put everyone on edge. Mercutio. Come on, you re just as ready for a fight as any man in Italy, when you get into one of your moods. You re just as likely to get into one of those moods as anyone, just as quick to be moved. 1 Benvolio. Moved to? Mercutio. Two? No, if there were two like you, soon we d have none, because the one would kill the other. You! You know that you will pick a fight with a man for having one more or one less hair in his beard than you do. Didn t you get into it with a tailor because he wore his new coat before Easter? 2 Or with someone else because he tied his shoes with old laces? And now, you re trying to lecture me about not picking a fight! Benvolio. If I were so easy to anger as you are, my life would be bought cheaply, for the work of an hour and a quarter. Look, here come the Capulets. Mercutio. I don t care, and I ll show it by turning away from them. [Tybalt and others enter.] Tybalt. Follow me closely, I want to speak to them. [To Benvolio and Mercutio] Gentlemen, good afternoon. I d like a word with one of you. Mercutio. Only one word, and with only one of us? Make it worth our while: make it a word and a blow. Tybalt. Just give me an excuse and I ll be happy to oblige you. 1 Moved here means provoked. 2 Lent comes before Easter and is supposed to be a time of sacrifice and denial; therefore, it would be inappropriate to wear a new coat before Easter, when the new fashions would come out. 84 85
30 40 50 Benvolio. We talk here in the public haunt of men: Either withdraw unto some private place, And 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. Well, peace be with you, sir. Here comes my man. [Enter Romeo.] 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 know st me not. Tybalt. Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw. Romeo. I do protest I never injur d thee; But love thee better than thou canst devise Till thou shalt know the reason of my love: And so good Capulet, which name I tender As dearly as mine own, be satisfied. Mercutio. O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! [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 rest of the eight. Tybalt. I am for you. [Drawing.] Romeo. Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up. Mercutio. Come, sir, your passado. [They fight.] Benvolio. We re out here in the public street. Either go someplace private to talk over your complaints, or else leave here everyone s looking at us. Mercutio. Men s eyes were made to look, so let them. I won t move an inch to please anyone. Tybalt. Well, go in peace, sir. Ah, here comes the one I m looking for. [Romeo enters.] Tybalt. Romeo, my regard for you can be summed up like this: You are a villain. Romeo. Tybalt, I have good reason to love you, enough to overcome the anger I should feel at being called this. I am not a villain, and so goodbye; it s clear that you don t know me. Tybalt. Boy, your mild response doesn t excuse the insult you ve already given me; so turn around and draw your weapon. Romeo. Look, I never insulted you. In fact, I hold you in more esteem than you could know, until you know the reason for it. So, my good Capulet and I hold that name in as great esteem as I hold my own please let s leave it at that. Mercutio. [To Benvolio, of Romeo] Look at how meekly he submits to this talk! Tybalt, you rat-catcher! 3 Will you come here with me? Tybalt. What do you want? Mercutio. Good king of cats, just one of your nine lives. I mean to have that one, and, depending on how you treat me afterward, I may just beat the other eight. Tybalt. [Drawing his sword] Bring it on, then! Romeo. Please, Mercutio, put your sword away! Mercutio. [To Tybalt] Come on, sir, show me your best. [They fight.] 3 Mercutio calls Tybalt a rat-catcher because Tybalt is the king of cats. It s an insult. 86 87
60 70 80 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. Hold, Tybalt! good Mercutio! [Exeunt Tybalt with his Partizans.] Mercutio. A plague o both your 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.] 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 to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. A plague o both your houses! Zounds, 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. A plague o both your houses! They have made worms meat of me: Your houses! [Exit 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.] Romeo. Benvolio, draw, and beat down their weapons! Gentlemen, shame on you! Put off this quarelling for another time! Tybalt! Mercutio! The Prince has forbidden fighting in the streets of Verona. [He steps between them.] Tybalt, stop! Mercutio! [Tybalt thrusts at Mercutio under Romeo s arm and then Tybalt and his men exit.] Mercutio. A curse on both your families! I m done for Is he gone, and without a mark? Benvolio. Are you hurt? Mercutio. Yes, yes, he managed to scratch me; but it s enough, I m afraid. Where is my page? Go, get a doctor! [The Page exits.] Romeo. Be brave, man; this wound can t be too bad. Mercutio. No, it s not as deep as a well or as wide as a church-door; but it s enough, it will do the trick. If you ask around for me tomorrow, you will find I m a grave man! 4 A curse on both your families! Good God, that such a cat could scratch a man to death! such a boaster, a good-for-nothing, a villain, that fights like he learned it from a book! Why did you step between us? He thrust at me under your arm. Romeo. I thought I was doing the right thing. Mercutio. A curse on both your families! They have made me into worms food your families! Romeo. This gentleman, the Prince s close friend, my dear friend, has been mortally wounded on my behalf. Tybalt slandered me and my reputation. Tybalt, who has been my family for an hour. Oh, sweet Juliet. Your beauty has made me soft and weak, so I did not show the strength that honor demands. [Benvolio reenters.] 4 Mercutio puns here. He calls himself a grave man, meaning that he is both serious and sincere, but also that he will be in his grave. The wound is mortal. 88 89
90 100 110 Benvolio. O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio s dead! That gallant spirit hath aspir d 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-ey d 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 amaz d. 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.] 1 Citizen. Which way ran he that kill d Mercutio? Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he? Benvolio. There lies that Tybalt. 1 Citizen. Up, sir, go with me; I charge thee in the prince s name obey. [Enter Prince, attended; Montague, Capulet, their Wives, and others.] Prince. Where are the vile beginners of this fray? Benvolio. Oh, Romeo! Brave Mercutio is dead! This soul that was too good for this world has now risen to the next. Romeo. The terrible fate that you see this day will take more days than this to fully play out; what just happened here is just the beginning of a sadness that others will see come to its full fruition. Benvolio. Tybalt is coming back, and in a rage. Romeo. He is alive, and Mercutio has been killed! No more will I act respectfully or let things slide! My rage will show in my actions now! [Tybalt reenters.] Tybalt! Take back that villain that you called me just a moment ago; Mercutio s soul has only begun to rise to heaven, but it is waiting for yours to keep him company. Either you or I, or both of us, must go with him. Tybalt. Oh, you vile boy that kept him company here, you will keep him company hereafter. Romeo. Then let s decide this. [They fight, and Tybalt falls.] Benvolio. Romeo, run! The people are getting angry, and Tybalt is dead. Don t just stand there! The Prince will sentence you to death if you re captured. Go, run, get away! Romeo. Oh, I am the unluckiest of men! Benvolio. What are you waiting for? [Romeo exits. Citizens enter.] 1st Citizen. The man who killed Mercutio, which way did he run? Tybalt, that murderer, which way did he run? Benvolio. There s Tybalt, lying there. 1st Citizen. [To Tybalt.] You get up, and come with me! In the name of the Prince, I order you to obey me! [The Prince enters, with his attendants, as well as Montague, Capulet, Lady Montague, Lady Capulet, and others.] Prince. Where are the cowards who started this fight? 90 91
120 130 140 150 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! Prince, as thou art true, For blood of ours shed blood of Montague. 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 urg d 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 I Could 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. Benvolio. Oh noble prince, I can tell you the whole story of this deadly fight. The man that killed your relative, brave Mercutio, is lying there, killed by Romeo. Lady Capulet. Tybalt! My cousin! 5 Oh, my brother s child! Oh, Prince! Prince, if you are honest, since Capulet blood has been shed, you must order that Montague blood be shed! Prince. Benvolio, who started this awful fight? Benvolio. Tybalt, who lies dead here, and whom Romeo killed Romeo, who spoke calmly to him and begged him to think about how trivial the quarrel was and how angry you would be. All this he said gently, with calm looks and on bended knee, but it could not persuade hot-tempered Tybalt to stand down. Instead, Tybalt, not listening to reason, rushes with his sword at Mercutio, and Mercutio, just as rash, joins right in. Each one s sword-thrusts threaten to kill the other, but they both turn them right back. Then Romeo, calling out Stop, friends! Break it up! tries to beat down their swords and runs between them. But Tybalt thrusts under Romeo s arm and hits Mercutio with a deadly blow, and then he runs. But he soon comes back, to find Romeo filled with revenge, so they jump right into a fight, and before I could stop them, Tybalt was killed, and Romeo ran. This is the truth, I swear on my life. Lady Capulet. He is a Montague, and he can t be trusted to be impartial it s not true! There must have been twenty or so fighting, and it took all twenty of them to kill Tybalt. I beg you for justice, Prince, and you must give it me. Romeo killed Tybalt; Romeo must die. 5 Cousin was a term used loosely to describe any member of one s extended family, such as nephews, nieces, and so on. 92 93
160 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 is found, that hour is his last. Bear hence this body, and attend our will: Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill. [Exeunt.] Prince. Romeo killed him; he killed Mercutio. Now who s supposed to die to even the score? Montague. Not Romeo, Prince. He was Mercutio s friend, and what he did only takes a life that the law would have taken Tybalt s life. Prince. And for that we sentence him to exile. I m now embroiled in your families fighting, because here is one of my own family whose blood s been spilled. I will levy so large a fine against you that you will be sorry for killing my kinsman! And I won t listen to any pleas or excuses; neither tears nor prayers are going to lessen this fine, so don t even think about using them. Romeo had better leave the country quickly, or else, if he s found, he ll be put to death. Carry this body out, and carry out our wishes: to show mercy would only cause more deaths, if we pardon those that kill others. [Everyone exits.] 94 95
Questions for Act 3, Scene 1 Now that you have completed reading this scene, answer the questions. Be sure to reference the text and respond using quotations from the play to support your answers. 1. The language at the opening of Act 3, Scene 1, lines 1 4 references the heat of the day. Why does Shakespeare include this detail? What else is hot in this scene? 2. Who starts the brawl in this scene? Who do you think is most at fault? Why? 3. Why does Mercutio draw his weapon? 4. Why does Mercutio repeat, A plague o both your houses! in lines 60 and 74? 5. Why does Romeo fight against Tybalt? 6. Why does the Prince exile Romeo?