ROMEO AND JULIET
ACT II, SCENE II
Place: Capulet's Garden
[Enter Romeo.]
Romeo.
It's easy for someone to joke about scars if they've never felt a wound.
[Juliet appears above at a window.]
But wait, what's that light in that window over there?
It is the east and Juliet is the sun!
Rise up, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
Because you, her maid, are more beautiful than her.
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her virgin uniform is sick and green,
And only fools do wear it. Let it go!
It is my lady, Oh, it is my love!
O that she knew how much I love her!
She speaks, yet she says nothing; what of that?
Her eye are saying something, I will answer it.
I am too bold: She's not speaking to me.
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, and asking her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres until they return.
What if her eyes were there, and the stars in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight outshines a lamp. Her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it was not night.
Look how she leans her cheek upon her hand
Oh! I wish I were a glove upon her hand,
so that I could touch that cheek!
Juliet.
Oh my!
Romeo.
She speaks.
Oh, speak again, bright angel, because you are
As glorious to this night, being over my head,
Like a winged messenger of heaven
Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
When he walks on the lazy clouds
And sails on the air.
Juliet.
Oh Romeo, Romeo! Why are you, Romeo?
Deny your father and change your name;
Or else, if you won't do it, just swear you love me,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
Romeo.
[Aside.] Should I listen more, or should I speak now?
Juliet.
It's only your name that is my enemy:
You are yourself, even if you stop being a Montague.
What's a Montague anyway? It's nor a hand, nor a foot,
Nor an arm, or a face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. Oh, be some other name!
What's in a name? The thing we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
Romeo'd be the same, even if he wasn't Romeo,
He would keep that perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, lose your name,
And for that name, which is no part of you.
Take all myself.
Romeo.
I trust your words.
Call me but love, and I'll take a new name;
From now on, I will never be Romeo.
Juliet.
What kind of man are you, thus hidden in the night,
listening to my private thoughts?
Romeo.
By a name.
I don't know how tell you who I am;
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
because my name is your enemy.
If I had it written down, I would tear the paper.
Juliet.
I haven't heard you say a hundred words yet
but I recognize the sound of your voice.
Aren't you Romeo and aren't you a Montague?
Romeo.
Neither, beautiful lady, if you dislike those things.
Juliet.
How did you get in here? Tell me, why did you come?
The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
and the place of your death, considering who you are,
if any of my relatives finds you here.
Romeo.
With the light wings of love I flew over these walls,
Because stony limits cannot keep love out,
And what love can do, that dares love attempt:
Therefore your relatives won't stop me.
Juliet.
If they see you, they will kill you.
Romeo.
There is more danger in your eyes
Than twenty of their swords. Look at me kindly
And I will be invincible against their hate.
Juliet.
I would give anything so that they don't see you here.
Romeo.
I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes,
And, if you don't love me, let them find me here;
My life would be better ended by their hate
Than having to live without your love.
Juliet.
Who told you how to get to this place?
Romeo.
Love showed me the way.
He lent me counsel, and I lent him eyes.
I am not a sailor, but, if you were as far
As that vast shore in the furthest sea,
I would risk everything for such merchandise.
Juliet.
You know that the mask of night is on my face,
Otherwise a maiden blush would paint my cheek
For the things you have heard me speak tonight.
I would be happy to keep up good manners and deny
What I have spoken. But farewell compliment.
Do you love me? I know you will say 'Yes',
And I will take your word. But, if you swear it,
You may be lying. At lovers' perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. Oh gentle Romeo,
If your love is real, pronounce it faithfully:
Or if thou think I am too easily won,
I'll frown, and be perverse, and play hard,
So you will try to win me: but, it's not for the world.
In truth, hadnsome Montague, I love you too much;
And therefore you may think my behaviour is light:
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove myself more true
Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But you heard me talking about love,
My true-love passion: therefore pardon me;
And not impute this declaration to light love
Which the dark night has discovered.
Romeo.
Lady I swear, by the sacred moon above us,
That paints with silver all these fruit-tree tops
Juliet.
Oh, don't swear by the moon, the inconstant moon,
That monthly changes her position in the sky,
Unless your love proves to be likewise variable.
Romeo.
What should I swear by?
Juliet.
Do not swear at all.
Or if you have to do it, swear by your gracious self,
Which is the god of my idolatry,
And then I'll believe you.
Romeo.
If my heart's dear love ...
Juliet.
Well, do not swear: although you bring me joy,
I can't take joy of these promises tonight:
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;
Too much like the lightning, which disappears
before one can say 'It's lightning' My sweet, good night!
Our love, right now like a flower bud in the summer,
May become a beautiful flower the next time we meet.
Good night, good night! I hope sweet peace and rest
come to your heart, as they are already in my breast!
Romeo.
Oh, will you leave me so unsatisfied?
Juliet.
What satisfaction could you have tonight?
Romeo.
The exchange of your love's faithful promise for mine.
Juliet.
I gave you mine even before you asked me to:
And yet I wish I had it there to be given again.
Romeo.
Would you withdraw it? for what purpose, love?
Juliet.
Only to be generous, and give it to be again.
But I am wishing something I already have:
My generosity to you is as limitless as the sea,
My love is as deep; the more I give you,
The more I have, because both loves are infinite.
Nurse calls from offstage.
I hear some noise within; dear love, adieu!
One minute, good nurse! Sweet Montague, be true.
Stay here for a while, I will come again.
Juliet exits.
Romeo.
O blessed, blessed night! I am afraid
of being in night, all this is just a dream,
Too sweet to be real.
JULIET enters on her balcony.
Juliet.
Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.
If your intentions of love are honourable,
And you want to marry me, send me word tomorrow,
I'll send a messenger to ask you
where and what time you'll perform the rite;
And all my fortunes at your foot I'll lay
And follow you, my lord, all over the world.
Nurse.
[Offstage] Madam!
Juliet.
I'll be right there.--But if you don't want that,
I beg you ...
Nurse.
[Offstage] Madam!
Juliet.
Alright, I'm coming.
Please stop, and leave me to my grief:
Tomorrow I will send you the messenger.
Romeo.
My soul depends on it
Juliet.
A thousand times good night!
JULIET exits
Romeo.
A thousand times is worse leaving you.
A lover goes toward his loved, as schoolboys from
their books,
But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.
Retiring.
JULIET returns
Juliet.
Wait! Romeo, wait! Oh, as a falconer's voice,
To call my falcon back again!
I'm trapped in this house, I may not speak aloud;
Otherwise I would rip the cave where Echo sleeps,
And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine,
With repetition of my Romeo's name.
Romeo.
It is my soul that calls my name:
The sound of lovers thorugh the silver night,
Like the sweetest music to my ears!
Juliet.
Romeo!
Romeo.
My dear?
Juliet.
What time tomorrow should I send the messenger?
Romeo.
By nine o'clock.
Juliet.
I will not fail: It seems twenty years till then.
I have forgotten why I called you back.
Romeo.
Let me stand here until you remember it.
Juliet.
I'll forget it, to have you still stand there,
Remembering how much I love your company.
Romeo.
And I'll keep standing, so that you keep
Forgetting any other home but this.
Juliet.
It's almost morning; I want you to go:
But no further than a child's bird;
Who lets it hop a little from her hand,
Like a poor prisoner in his twisted hands,
And with a silk thread brings it back again,
So jealous of his liberty.
Romeo.
I wish I was your bird.
Juliet.
Darling, so do I:
But I would kill you with much cherishing.
Good night, good night! parting is such
sweet sorrow,
That I will say good night till it's tomorrow.
JULIET exists
Romeo.
Sleep well, peace in your breast!
I wish I were Sleep and Peace,
so I could spend the night with you!
Now I'll go to see my father's cell,
ask for his help,
and tell him about my good luck.
Exit