| Romeo | He jests at scars that never felt a wound. [Enter Juliet above at a window.] But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief That thou her maid art far more fair than she. Be not her maid, since she is envious. Her vestal livery is but sick and green, And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off. It is my lady; O, it is my love! O that she knew she were! She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that? Her eye discourses ; I will answer it. I am too bold; 'tis not to me she speaks. Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, Having some business, do entreat her eyes To twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night. See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek! |
| Juliet | Ay me! |
| Romeo | She speaks. O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art As glorious to this night, being o'er my head, As is a winged messenger of heaven Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds And sails upon the bosom of the air. |
| Juliet | O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art
thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name! Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet. |
| Romeo | [aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? |
| Juliet | 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose By my other name would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name; And for that name, which is no part of thee, Take all myself. |
| Romeo | I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz'd; Henceforth I never will be Romeo. |
| Juliet | What man art thou that, thus bescreen'd in night, So stumblest on my counsel? |
| Romeo | By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am. My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, Because it is an enemy to thee. Had I it written, I would tear the word. |
| Juliet | My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound. Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague? |
| Romeo | Neither, fair saint, if either thee
dislike. |
| Juliet | How cam'st thou hither, tell me, and
wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, And the place death , considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here. |
| Romeo | With love's light wings did I ov'rperch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out, And what love can do, that dares love attempt. Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me. |
| Juliet | If they do see thee, they will murther
thee. |
| Romeo | Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye Than twenty of their swords! Look thou but sweet, And I am proof against their enmity. |
| Juliet | I would not for the world they saw thee
here. |
| Romeo | I have night's cloak to hide me from their
sight; And but thou love me, let them find me here. My life were better ended by their hate, Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love （1595） |
Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 1-78)
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