First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
| |
| Enter Romeo. | Enter Romeo | | RJ V.i.1 | |
| Rom. | ROMEO | | | |
| If I may trust the flattering truth of sleepe, | If I may trust the flattering truth of sleep, | | RJ V.i.1 | |
| My dreames presage some ioyfull newes at hand: | My dreams presage some joyful news at hand. | presage (v.) predict, forecast | RJ V.i.2 | |
| My bosomes L. sits lightly in his throne: | My bosom's lord sits lightly in his throne, | bosom (n.)heart, inner person | RJ V.i.3 | |
| And all thisan day an vccustom'd spirit, | And all this day an unaccustomed spirit | unaccustomed (adj.)unusual, strange, unfamiliar | RJ V.i.4 | |
| Lifts me aboue the ground with cheerefull thoughts. | Lifts me above the ground with cheerful thoughts. | | RJ V.i.5 | |
| I dreamt my Lady came and found me dead, | I dreamt my lady came and found me dead – | | RJ V.i.6 | |
| (Strange dreame that giues a dead man leaue to thinke,) | Strange dream that gives a dead man leave to think! – | | RJ V.i.7 | |
| And breath'd such life with kisses in my lips, | And breathed such life with kisses in my lips | | RJ V.i.8 | |
| That I reuiu'd and was an Emperour. | That I revived and was an emperor. | | RJ V.i.9 | |
| Ah me, how sweet is loue it selfe possest, | Ah me! how sweet is love itself possessed, | possess (v.)fill, imbue | RJ V.i.10 | |
| When but loues shadowes are so rich in ioy. | When but love's shadows are so rich in joy! | shadow (n.)illusion, unreal image, delusion | RJ V.i.11 | |
| Enter Romeo's man. | Enter Balthasar, Romeo's man, booted | | RJ V.i.12 | |
| Newes from Verona, how now Balthazer? | News from Verona! How now, Balthasar? | | RJ V.i.12 | |
| Dost thou not bring me Letters from the Frier? | Dost thou not bring me letters from the Friar? | | RJ V.i.13 | |
| How doth my Lady? Is my Father well? | How doth my lady? Is my father well? | | RJ V.i.14 | |
| How doth my Lady Iuliet? that I aske againe, | How fares my Juliet? That I ask again, | fare (v.)get on, manage, do, cope | RJ V.i.15 | |
| For nothing can be ill, if she be well. | For nothing can be ill if she be well. | | RJ V.i.16 | |
| Man. | BALTHASAR | | | |
| Then she is well, and nothing can be ill. | Then she is well, and nothing can be ill. | | RJ V.i.17 | |
| Her body sleepes in Capels Monument, | Her body sleeps in Capel's monument, | | RJ V.i.18 | |
| And her immortall part with Angels liue, | And her immortal part with angels lives. | | RJ V.i.19 | |
| I saw her laid low in her kindreds Vault, | I saw her laid low in her kindred's vault | | RJ V.i.20 | |
| And presently tooke Poste to tell it you: | And presently took post to tell it you. | presently (adv.)immediately, instantly, at once | RJ V.i.21 | |
| | post (n.)express messenger, courier | | |
| | post (n.)post-horse | | |
| O pardon me for bringing these ill newes, | O, pardon me for bringing these ill news, | | RJ V.i.22 | |
| Since you did leaue it for my office Sir. | Since you did leave it for my office, sir. | office (n.)task, service, duty, responsibility | RJ V.i.23 | |
| Rom. | ROMEO | | | |
| Is it euen so? / Then I denie you Starres. | Is it e'en so? Then I defy you, stars! | | RJ V.i.24 | |
| Thou knowest my lodging, get me inke and paper, | Thou knowest my lodging. Get me ink and paper, | | RJ V.i.25 | |
| And hire Post-Horses, I will hence to night. | And hire post-horses. I will hence tonight. | post-horse (n.)fast horse | RJ V.i.26 | |
| Man. | BALTHASAR | | | |
| I do beseech you sir, haue patience: | I do beseech you, sir, have patience. | | RJ V.i.27 | |
| Your lookes are pale and wild, and do import | Your looks are pale and wild and do import | import (v.)portend, signify, predict | RJ V.i.28 | |
| Some misaduenture. | Some misadventure. | misadventure (n.)misfortune, mishap, tragic accident | RJ V.i.29.1 | |
| Rom. | ROMEO | | | |
| Tush, thou art deceiu'd, | Tush, thou art deceived. | | RJ V.i.29.2 | |
| Leaue me, and do the thing I bid thee do. | Leave me and do the thing I bid thee do. | | RJ V.i.30 | |
| Hast thou no Letters to me from the Frier? | Hast thou no letters to me from the Friar? | | RJ V.i.31 | |
| Man. | BALTHASAR | | | |
| No my good Lord. | No, my good lord. | | RJ V.i.32.1 | |
| Rom. | ROMEO | | | |
| Mo matter: Get thee gone, | No matter. Get thee gone | | RJ V.i.32.2 | |
| And hyre those Horses, Ile be with thee straight. | And hire those horses. I'll be with thee straight. | straight (adv.)straightaway, immediately, at once | RJ V.i.33 | |
| Exit Man. | Exit Balthasar | | RJ V.i.33 | |
| Well Iuliet, I will lie with thee to night: | Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight. | | RJ V.i.34 | |
| Lets see for meanes: O mischiefe thou art swift, | Let's see for means. O mischief, thou art swift | mischief (n.)wicked action, evil deed, harmful scheme | RJ V.i.35 | |
| | see for (v.)look out for | | |
| To enter in the thoughts of desperate men: | To enter in the thoughts of desperate men. | | RJ V.i.36 | |
| I do remember an Appothecarie, | I do remember an apothecary, | apothecary, pothecary (n.)one who prepares and sells medicinal drugs | RJ V.i.37 | |
| And here abouts dwells, which late I noted | And hereabouts 'a dwells, which late I noted | note (v.)observe, pay attention [to], take special note [of] | RJ V.i.38 | |
| | late (adv.)recently, a little while ago / before | | |
| In tattred weeds, with ouerwhelming browes, | In tattered weeds, with overwhelming brows, | overwhelming (adj.)overhanging, bulging, protruding | RJ V.i.39 | |
| | weed (n.)(plural) garments, dress, clothes | | |
| | brow (n.)eyebrow | | |
| Culling of Simples, meager were his lookes, | Culling of simples. Meagre were his looks. | simple (n.)ingredient, element, constituent | RJ V.i.40 | |
| | cull (v.)select, pick out, choose | | |
| Sharpe miserie had worne him to the bones: | Sharp misery had worn him to the bones. | | RJ V.i.41 | |
| And in his needie shop a Tortoyrs hung, | And in his needy shop a tortoise hung, | | RJ V.i.42 | |
| An Allegater stuft, and other skins | An alligator stuffed, and other skins | | RJ V.i.43 | |
| Of ill shap'd fishes, and about his shelues, | Of ill-shaped fishes; and about his shelves | | RJ V.i.44 | |
| A beggerly account of emptie boxes, | A beggarly account of empty boxes, | account, accompt (n.)number, collection, assortment | RJ V.i.45 | |
| | beggarly (adj.)destitute, impoverished, poverty-stricken | | |
| Greene earthen pots, Bladders, and mustie seedes, | Green earthen pots, bladders, and musty seeds, | bladder (n.)vessel derived from animals used for storing liquid | RJ V.i.46 | |
| Remnants of packthred, and old cakes of Roses | Remnants of packthread, and old cakes of roses | packthread, pack-thread (n.)twine used for tying up bundles, string | RJ V.i.47 | |
| | cake (n.)compressed pack, flattened bundle | | |
| Were thinly scattered, to make vp a shew. | Were thinly scattered, to make up a show. | show (n.)appearance, exhibition, display | RJ V.i.48 | |
| Noting this penury, to my selfe I said, | Noting this penury, to myself I said, | | RJ V.i.49 | |
| An if a man did need a poyson now, | ‘ An if a man did need a poison now | an if (conj.)if | RJ V.i.50 | |
| Whose sale is persent death in Mantua, | Whose sale is present death in Mantua, | | RJ V.i.51 | |
| Here liues a Caitiffe wretch would sell it him. | Here lives a caitiff wretch would sell it him.’ | caitiff (adj.)wretched, miserable, worthless | RJ V.i.52 | |
| O this same thought did but fore-run my need, | O, this same thought did but forerun my need, | need (n.)time of necessity, needy situation, emergency | RJ V.i.53 | |
| | forerun (v.)forecast, foreshadow, be the precursor of | | |
| And this same needie man must sell it me. | And this same needy man must sell it me. | | RJ V.i.54 | |
| As I remember, this should be the house, | As I remember, this should be the house. | | RJ V.i.55 | |
| Being holy day, the beggers shop is shut. | Being holiday, the beggar's shop is shut. | | RJ V.i.56 | |
| What ho? Appothecarie? | What, ho! Apothecary! | | RJ V.i.57.1 | |
| Enter Appothecarie. | Enter Apothecary | | RJ V.i.57 | |
| App. | APOTHECARY | | | |
| Who call's so low'd? | Who calls so loud? | | RJ V.i.57.2 | |
| Rom. | ROMEO | | | |
| Come hither man, I see that thou art poore, | Come hither, man. I see that thou art poor. | | RJ V.i.58 | |
| Hold, there is fortie Duckets, let me haue | Hold, there is forty ducats. Let me have | ducat (n.)gold (sometimes silver) coin used in several European countries | RJ V.i.59 | |
| A dram of poyson, such soone speeding geare, | A dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear | soon-speeding (adj.)quick-acting, rapidly working | RJ V.i.60 | |
| | gear (n.)stuff, substance | | |
| | dram (n.)tiny amount, small quantity | | |
| As will disperse it selfe through all the veines, | As will disperse itself through all the veins, | | RJ V.i.61 | |
| That the life-wearie-taker may fall dead, | That the life-weary taker may fall dead | | RJ V.i.62 | |
| And that the Trunke may be discharg'd of breath, | And that the trunk may be discharged of breath | | RJ V.i.63 | |
| As violently, as hastie powder fier'd | As violently as hasty powder fired | powder (n.)gunpowder | RJ V.i.64 | |
| Doth hurry from the fatall Canons wombe. | Doth hurry from the fatal cannon's womb. | | RJ V.i.65 | |
| App. | APOTHECARY | | | |
| Such mortall drugs I haue, but Mantuas law | Such mortal drugs I have. But Mantua's law | mortal (adj.)fatal, deadly, lethal | RJ V.i.66 | |
| Is death to any he, that vtters them. | Is death to any he that utters them. | he (n.)man, person | RJ V.i.67 | |
| | utter (v.)offer for sale, dispense, make available | | |
| Rom. | ROMEO | | | |
| Art thou so bare and full of wretchednesse, | Art thou so bare and full of wretchedness | bare (adj.)gaunt, lean, needy | RJ V.i.68 | |
| And fear'st to die? Famine is in thy cheekes, | And fearest to die? Famine is in thy cheeks. | | RJ V.i.69 | |
| Need and opression starueth in thy eyes, | Need and oppression starveth in thy eyes. | starve (v.)show hunger, reflect starvation | RJ V.i.70 | |
| Contempt and beggery hangs vpon thy backe: | Contempt and beggary hangs upon thy back. | | RJ V.i.71 | |
| The world is not thy friend, nor the worlds law: | The world is not thy friend, nor the world's law. | | RJ V.i.72 | |
| The world affords no law to make thee rich. | The world affords no law to make thee rich. | | RJ V.i.73 | |
| Then be not poore, but breake it, and take this. | Then be not poor, but break it and take this. | | RJ V.i.74 | |
| App. | APOTHECARY | | | |
| My pouerty, but not my will consents. | My poverty but not my will consents. | | RJ V.i.75 | |
| Rom. | ROMEO | | | |
| I pray thy pouerty, and not thy will. | I pay thy poverty and not thy will. | | RJ V.i.76 | |
| App. | APOTHECARY | | | |
| Put this in any liquid thing you will | Put this in any liquid thing you will | | RJ V.i.77 | |
| And drinke it off, and if you had the strength | And drink it off, and if you had the strength | | RJ V.i.78 | |
| Of twenty men, it would dispatch you straight. | Of twenty men it would dispatch you straight. | straight (adv.)straightaway, immediately, at once | RJ V.i.79 | |
| | dispatch, despatch (v.)kill, put to death, make away with, finish off | | |
| Rom. | ROMEO | | | |
| There's thy Gold, / Worse poyson to mens soules, | There is thy gold – worse poison to men's souls, | | RJ V.i.80 | |
| Doing more murther in this loathsome world, | Doing more murder in this loathsome world, | | RJ V.i.81 | |
| Then these poore compounds that thou maiest not sell. | Than these poor compounds that thou mayst not sell. | | RJ V.i.82 | |
| I sell thee poyson, thou hast sold me none, | I sell thee poison. Thou hast sold me none. | | RJ V.i.83 | |
| Farewell, buy food, and get thy selfe in flesh. | Farewell. Buy food and get thyself in flesh. | | RJ V.i.84 | |
| Come Cordiall, and not poyson, go with me | Come, cordial and not poison, go with me | cordial (n.)restorative, stimulant, tonic | RJ V.i.85 | |
| To Iuliets graue, for there must I vse thee. | To Juliet's grave. For there must I use thee. | | RJ V.i.86 | |
| Exeunt. | Exeunt | | RJ V.i.86 | |