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No Fear Shakespheare

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare

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Act 5, Scene 3, Page 13

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295
 PRINCE
Give me the letter. I will look on it.
(takes letter from BALTHASAR)
Where is the county’s page, that raised the watch?—
Sirrah, what made your master in this place?
 PRINCE
Give me the letter. I’ll look at it. (he takes the letter from BALTHASAR) Where is the count’s page, the one who called the watch? Boy, what was your master doing here?




300
 PAGE
He came with flowers to strew his lady’s grave,
And bid me stand aloof, and so I did.
Anon comes one with light to ope the tomb,
And by and by my master drew on him,
And then I ran away to call the watch.
 PAGE
He came with flowers to spread on his lady’s grave. And he asked me to stand far away and leave him alone, and so I did. Then someone with a torch came to open the tomb. So my master drew on him. And then I ran away to call the watch.




305




310
 PRINCE
(skims the letter) This letter doth make good the friar’s words,
Their course of love, the tidings of her death.
And here he writes that he did buy a poison
Of a poor 'pothecary, and therewithal
Came to this vault to die and lie with Juliet.
Where be these enemies?—Capulet! Montague!
See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!
And I, for winking at your discords, too
Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished.
 PRINCE
(skimming the letter) This letter confirms the friar’s account. It describes the course of their love and mentions the news of her death. Here he writes that he bought poison from a poor pharmacist. He brought that poison with him to this vault to die and lie with Juliet. Where are these enemies? Capulet! Montague! Do you see what a great evil results from your hate? Heaven has figured out how to kill your joys with love. Because I looked the other way when your feud flared up, I’ve lost several members of my family as well. Everyone is punished.



CAPULET
O brother Montague, give me thy hand.
This is my daughter’s jointure, for no more
Can I demand.
 CAPULET
Oh, brother Montague, give me your hand. This is my daughter’s dowry. I can ask you for nothing more.


315


 MONTAGUE
   But I can give thee more,
For I will raise her statue in pure gold,
That whiles Verona by that name is known,
There shall no figure at such rate be set
As that of true and faithful Juliet.
 MONTAGUE
But I can give you more. I’ll raise her statue in pure gold. As long as this city is called Verona, there will be no figure praised more than that of true and faithful Juliet.


320		 CAPULET
As rich shall Romeo’s by his lady’s lie,
Poor sacrifices of our enmity.
 CAPULET
The statue I will make of Romeo to lie beside his Juliet will be just as rich. They were poor sacrifices of our rivalry!
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