⌜Scene4⌝
Synopsis:
Romeo and Benvolio approach the Capulets’ party with their friend Mercutio and others, wearing the disguises customarily donned by “maskers.” Romeo is anxious because of an ominous dream. Mercutio mocks him with a speech about a dream-giving queen of fairies.
EnterRomeo,Mercutio,Benvolio,withfiveorsixother
Maskers,Torchbearers,⌜andaBoywithadrum.⌝
ROMEO
0483What,shallthisspeechbespokeforourexcuse?
0484Orshallweonwithoutapology?
BENVOLIO
0485Thedateisoutofsuchprolixity.
p. 43
0486We’llhavenoCupidhoodwinkedwithascarf,
04875BearingaTartar’spaintedbowoflath,
0488Scaringtheladieslikeacrowkeeper,
0489⌜Nornowithout-bookprologue,faintlyspoke
0490Aftertheprompter,forourentrance.⌝
0491Butletthemmeasureusbywhattheywill.
049210We’llmeasurethemameasureandbegone.
ROMEO
0493Givemeatorch.Iamnotforthisambling.
0494BeingbutheavyIwillbearthelight.
MERCUTIO
0495Nay,gentleRomeo,wemusthaveyoudance.
ROMEO
0496NotI,believeme.Youhavedancingshoes
049715Withnimblesoles.Ihaveasouloflead
0498SostakesmetothegroundIcannotmove.
MERCUTIO
0499Youarealover.BorrowCupid’swings
0500Andsoarwiththemaboveacommonbound.
ROMEO
0501Iamtoosoreenpiercèdwithhisshaft
050220Tosoarwithhislightfeathers,andsobound
0503Icannotboundapitchabovedullwoe.
0504Underlove’sheavyburdendoIsink.
⌜MERCUTIO⌝
0505Andtosinkinitshouldyouburdenlove—
0506Toogreatoppressionforatenderthing.
ROMEO
050725Isloveatenderthing?Itistoorough,
0508Toorude,tooboist’rous,anditprickslikethorn.
MERCUTIO
0509Ifloveberoughwithyou,beroughwithlove.
0510Prickloveforpricking,andyoubeatlovedown.—
0511Givemeacasetoputmyvisagein.—
051230Avisorforavisor.WhatcareI
0513Whatcuriouseyedothcotedeformities?
0514Herearethebeetlebrowsshallblushforme.
p. 45
BENVOLIO
0515Come,knockandenter,andnosoonerin
0516Buteverymanbetakehimtohislegs.
ROMEO
051735Atorchforme.Letwantonslightofheart
0518Ticklethesenselessrusheswiththeirheels,
0519ForIamproverbedwithagrandsirephrase:
0520I’llbeacandleholderandlookon;
0521Thegamewasne’ersofair,andIam⌜done.⌝
MERCUTIO
052240Tut,dun’sthemouse,theconstable’sownword.
0523Ifthouartdun,we’lldrawtheefromthemire—
0524Or,save⌜your⌝reverence,love—whereinthou
0525stickest
0526Uptotheears.Come,weburndaylight,ho!
ROMEO
052745Nay,that’snotso.
MERCUTIO0528Imean,sir,indelay
0529Wewasteourlights;invain,⌜light⌝lightsbyday.
0530Takeourgoodmeaning,forourjudgmentsits
0531Fivetimesinthatereonceinour⌜five⌝wits.
ROMEO
053250Andwemeanwellingoingtothismasque,
0533But’tisnowittogo.
MERCUTIO0534Why,mayoneask?
ROMEO
0535Idreamtadreamtonight.
MERCUTIO0536AndsodidI.
ROMEO
053755Well,whatwasyours?
MERCUTIO0538Thatdreamersoftenlie.
ROMEO
0539Inbedasleepwhiletheydodreamthingstrue.
MERCUTIO
0540O,thenIseeQueenMabhathbeenwithyou.
p. 47
0541Sheisthefairies’midwife,andshecomes
054260Inshapenobiggerthananagatestone
0543Ontheforefingerofanalderman,
0544Drawnwithateamoflittle⌜atomi⌝
0545Overmen’snosesastheylieasleep.
0546Herwagonspokesmadeoflongspinners’legs,
054765Thecoverofthewingsofgrasshoppers,
0548Hertracesofthesmallestspiderweb,
0549Hercollarsofthemoonshine’swat’rybeams,
0550Herwhipofcricket’sbone,thelashoffilm,
0551Herwagonerasmallgray-coatedgnat,
055270Nothalfsobigasaroundlittleworm
0553Prickedfromthelazyfingerofa⌜maid.⌝
0554Herchariotisanemptyhazelnut,
0555Madebythejoinersquirreloroldgrub,
0556Timeouto’mindthefairies’coachmakers.
055775Andinthisstateshegallopsnightbynight
0558Throughlovers’brains,andthentheydreamoflove;
0559Oncourtiers’knees,thatdreamoncur’siesstraight;
0560O’erlawyers’fingers,whostraightdreamonfees;
0561O’erladies’lips,whostraightonkissesdream,
056280WhichofttheangryMabwithblistersplagues
0563Becausetheir⌜breaths⌝withsweetmeatstaintedare.
0564Sometimeshegallopso’eracourtier’snose,
0565Andthendreamsheofsmellingoutasuit.
0566Andsometimecomesshewithatithe-pig’stail,
056785Ticklingaparson’snoseasheliesasleep;
0568Thenhedreamsofanotherbenefice.
0569Sometimeshedrivetho’erasoldier’sneck,
0570Andthendreamsheofcuttingforeignthroats,
0571Ofbreaches,ambuscadoes,Spanishblades,
057290Ofhealthsfivefathomdeep,andthenanon
0573Drumsinhisear,atwhichhestartsandwakes
0574And,beingthusfrighted,swearsaprayerortwo
0575Andsleepsagain.ThisisthatveryMab
0576Thatplatsthemanesofhorsesinthenight
p. 49
057795Andbakesthe⌜elflocks⌝infoulslu*ttishhairs,
0578Whichonceuntangledmuchmisfortunebodes.
0579Thisisthehag,whenmaidslieontheirbacks,
0580Thatpressesthemandlearnsthemfirsttobear,
0581Makingthemwomenofgoodcarriage.
0582100Thisisshe—
ROMEO0583Peace,peace,Mercutio,peace.
0584Thoutalk’stofnothing.
MERCUTIO0585True,Italkofdreams,
0586Whicharethechildrenofanidlebrain,
0587105Begotofnothingbutvainfantasy,
0588Whichisasthinofsubstanceastheair
0589Andmoreinconstantthanthewind,whowoos
0590Evennowthefrozenbosomofthenorth
0591And,beingangered,puffsawayfromthence,
0592110Turninghissidetothedew-droppingsouth.
BENVOLIO
0593Thiswindyoutalkofblowsusfromourselves.
0594Supperisdone,andweshallcometoolate.
ROMEO
0595Ifeartooearly,formymindmisgives
0596Someconsequenceyethanginginthestars
0597115Shallbitterlybeginhisfearfuldate
0598Withthisnight’srevels,andexpiretheterm
0599Ofadespisèdlifeclosedinmybreast
0600Bysomevileforfeitofuntimelydeath.
0601Buthethathaththesteerageofmycourse
0602120Directmy⌜sail.⌝On,lustygentlemen.
BENVOLIO0603Strike,drum.
Theymarchaboutthestage
and⌜thenwithdrawtotheside.⌝
