Juliet Lines 2.2

ROMEO

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!

Ay me.

ROMEO

As is a winged messenger of heaven

Unto the white-upturnèd wond'ring eyes

Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him

When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds

And sails upon the bosom of the air.

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,

Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

'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. O, be some other name

Belonging to a man.

What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other word would smell as sweet.

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,

Retain that dear perfection which he owes

Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,

And, for thy 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 baptized.

Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

What man art thou that, thus bescreened 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.

My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words

Of thy tongue's uttering, yet I know the sound.

Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?

ROMEO

Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.

How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?

The [orchard] stony 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 o'erperch 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.

If they do see thee, they will murder 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.

I would not for the world they saw thee here.

ROMEO

I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes,

And, but thou love me, let them find me here.

My life were better ended by their hate

Than death proroguèd, wanting of thy love.

By whose direction found'st thou out this place?

ROMEO

By love, that first did prompt me to inquire.

He lent me counsel, and I lent him eyes.

I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far

As that vast shore washed with the farthest sea,

I should adventure for such merchandise.

Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,

Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek

For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.

Fain would I dwell on form; fain, fain deny

What I have spoke. But farewell compliment.

Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say "Ay,"

And I will take thy word. Yet, if thou swear'st,

Thou mayst prove false. At lovers' perjuries,

They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,

If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully.

Or, if thou thinkest I am too quickly won,

I'll frown and be perverse and say thee nay,

So thou wilt woo, but else not for the world.

In truth, SWEET Montague, I am too fond,

And therefore thou mayst think my havior light.

But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true 105

Than those that have more coying to be strange.

I should have been more strange, I must confess,

But that thou overheard'st ere I was ware

My true-love passion. Therefore pardon me,

And not impute this yielding to light love,

Which the dark night hath so discoverèd.

ROMEO

Lady, by yonder blessèd moon I vow,

That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops—

O, swear not by the moon, th' inconstant moon,

That monthly changes in her circled orb,

Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

ROMEO

What shall I swear by?

Do not swear at all.

Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,

Which is the god of my idolatry,

And I'll believe thee.

ROMEO

If my heart's dear love—

Well, do not swear. Although I joy in thee,

I have no joy of this contract tonight.

It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden,

Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be

Ere one can say "It lightens." Sweet, good night.

This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,

May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.

Good night, good night. As sweet repose and rest

Come to thy heart as that within my breast.

ROMEO

O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?

ROMEO

Th' exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.

I gave thee mine before thou didst request it,

And yet I would it were to give again.

ROMEO

Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?

But to be frank and give it thee again.

And yet I wish but for the thing I have.

My bounty is as boundless as the sea,

My love as deep. The more I give to thee,

The more I have, for both are infinite.

I hear some noise within. Dear love, adieu.—

Anon, good nurse.—Sweet Montague, be true.

Stay but a little; I will come again.

ROMEO

O blessèd, blessèd night! I am afeard,

Being in night, all this is but a dream,

Too flattering sweet to be substantial.

Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.

If that thy bent of love be honorable, 150

Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,

By one that I'll procure to come to thee,

Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,

And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay

And follow thee my lord throughout the world.

NURSE

Madam

I come anon.—But if thou meanest not well,

I do beseech thee—

NURSE

Madam

By and by, I come.—

To cease thy strife and leave me to my grief.

Tomorrow will I send.

ROMEO

So thrive my soul—

A thousand times good night.

ROMEO

A thousand times the worse to want thy light.

Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their

books,

But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.

Hist, Romeo, hist!

ROMEO

It is my soul that calls upon my name.

How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,

Like softest music to attending ears.

Romeo

ROMEO

My dear.

What o'clock tomorrow

Shall I send to thee?

ROMEO

By the hour of nine.

I will not fail. 'Tis twenty year till then.

I have forgot why I did call thee back.

ROMEO

Let me stand here till thou remember it.

I shall forget, to have thee still stand there,

Rememb'ring how I love thy company.

ROMEO

And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget,

Forgetting any other home but this.

'Tis almost morning. I would have thee gone,

And yet no farther than a wanton's bird,

That lets it hop a little from his hand,

And with a silken thread plucks it back again,

So loving-jealous of his liberty.

ROMEO

I would I were thy bird.

Sweet, so would I.

Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.

Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet

sorrow

That I shall say "Good night" till it be morrow.