No Fear Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare

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Act 2, Scene 3, Page 2

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30
And where the worser is predominant,
Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.
When evil is dominant, death soon kills the body like cancer.

ROMEO
Good morrow, Father.
ROMEO
Good morning, father.





35




40

FRIAR LAWRENCE
   Benedicite.
What early tongue so sweet saluteth me?
Young son, it argues a distempered head
So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed.
Care keeps his watch in every old man’s eye,
And where care lodges, sleep will never lie.
But where unbruisèd youth with unstuffed brain
Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign.
Therefore thy earliness doth me assure
Thou art uproused by some distemperature.
Or if not so, then here I hit it right:
Our Romeo hath not been in bed tonight.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
God bless you. Who greets me so early in the morning? Young man, something’s wrong if you’re getting out of bed this early. Every old man has worries, and worried men never get any sleep, but young men shouldn’t have a care in the world. They should get to bed early and get plenty of sleep. Therefore, the fact that you’re awake this early tells me you’ve been upset with some anxiety. If that’s not the case, then this must be the answer: You, Romeo, have not been to bed tonight.

ROMEO
That last is true. The sweeter rest was mine.
ROMEO
Your last guess is right. I enjoyed a sweeter rest than sleep.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
God pardon sin! Wast thou with Rosaline?
FRIAR LAWRENCE
May God forgive you if you’ve sinned!—Were you with Rosaline?

45
ROMEO
With Rosaline, my ghostly Father? No.
I have forgot that name and that name’s woe.
ROMEO
With Rosaline, father? No, I have forgotten that girl and all the sadness she brought me.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
That’s my good son. But where hast thou been, then?
FRIAR LAWRENCE
That’s good, my boy. But where have you been?



50



ROMEO
I’ll tell thee ere thou ask it me again.
I have been feasting with mine enemy,
Where on a sudden one hath wounded me,
That’s by me wounded. Both our remedies
Within thy help and holy physic lies.
I bear no hatred, blessèd man, for, lo,
My intercession likewise steads my foe.
ROMEO
I’ll tell you before you have to ask me again. I have been feasting with my enemy. Suddenly someone wounded me with love and was wounded with love by me. You have the sacred power to cure both of us. I carry no hatred, holy man, because my request will benefit my enemy.

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