Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
Towards Phoebus’ lodging. Such a waggoner
As Phaeton would whip you to the west
And bring in cloudy night immediately.
Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,
That runaway’s eyes may wink, and Romeo
Leap to these arms, untalk’d of and unseen.
Lovers can see to do their amorous rites
By their own beauties: or, if love be blind,
It best agrees with night. Come, civil night,
Thou sober-suited matron, all in black,
And learn me how to lose a winning match,
Play’d for a pair of stainless maidenhoods.
Hood my unmann’d blood, bating in my cheeks,
With thy black mantle, till strange love, grow bold,
Think true love acted simple modesty.
Come, night, come Romeo; come, thou day in night;
For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night
Whiter than new snow upon a raven’s back.
Come gentle night, come loving black-brow’d night,
Give me my Romeo, and when I shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night,
And pay no worship to the garish sun.
O, I have bought the mansion of a love,
But not possess’d it; and though I am sold,
Not yet enjoy’d. So tedious is this day
As is the night before some festival
To an impatient child that hath new robes
And may not wear them. O, here comes my Nurse,
And she brings news, and every tongue that speaks
But Romeo’s name speaks heavenly eloquence.
Hurry up, fiery-footed horses! Go toward Phoebus' home. I wish Phaeton would whip you to the west and bring cloudy night immediately. Spread your dark curtain, night that lets lovers be together, so the runaway sun will close his eyes, and Romeo can leap into my arms, unseen and unspoken of. Lovers can see to make love by their own beauty, or if love is blind, night suits it best. Come, serious night, you dark-dressed matron, and teach me how to lose this winning game, a game played for our chastity. Cover my burning blush with your black cloak until strange love grows bold and real love acts modest. Come night, come Romeo, come you who are day inside night, brighter than fresh snow on a raven's back. Come gentle night, come loving dark-browed night. Give me my Romeo, and when I die, take him and cut him into little stars, and he'll make heaven's face so beautiful that all the world will love night and ignore the bright sun. I've bought the mansion of love but haven't lived in it yet. Though I'm sold, I haven't enjoyed it. This day is as tedious as the night before a festival for an impatient child with new clothes who can't wear them yet. Here comes my Nurse with news, and every tongue that speaks except Romeo's name speaks beautifully.
Speed up, you fiery horses! Go to the sun's home. I wish Phaeton would whip you westward and bring night quickly. Spread out, night, you beautiful dark thing that lets lovers be together, so the sun will finally close his eyes and Romeo can jump into my arms without anyone seeing. Lovers don't need light to make love--they create their own light, or if love is blind then night is perfect for it anyway. Come here, night, you serious dark-dressed woman, and teach me how to lose this winning game--how to give away my virginity. Hide my blushing cheeks with your black cloak while I learn to be brave and let real love look modest. Come night, come Romeo--come like daylight inside darkness, whiter than new snow on a black bird's back. Come gentle night, come beautiful darkness. Give me my Romeo, and when I die, cut him into little stars and spread him across the sky so heaven looks so beautiful that everyone falls in love with night instead of the sun. I bought the mansion of love but I'm not living in it yet. Even though I've been sold to him, I haven't had him. This day is so slow, like the night before you get to wear new clothes and you can't sleep. Here's my Nurse with news, and everything she says except Romeo's name sounds wonderful.
come on night hurry up i want romeo here NOW love is blind but night is perfect for it if i die cut him into stars this waiting is killing me
Now, Nurse, what news? What hast thou there?
The cords that Romeo bid thee fetch?
Now, Nurse, what news? What do you have there? Are these the ropes that Romeo asked you to fetch?
Nurse, what's happened? What do you have? Are those the ropes Romeo wanted?
whats the news do you have the ropes he wanted
Ay, ay, the cords.
Yes, yes, the ropes.
Yeah, yeah, the cords.
yeah, the ropes
Ay me, what news? Why dost thou wring thy hands?
Oh my, what news? Why are you wringing your hands?
Oh no, what's wrong? Why are you twisting your hands like that?
omg what happened? why u wringing ur hands?
Juliet's 'O serpent heart hid with a flowering face' speech is built almost entirely of oxymorons — contradictory pairings that cancel each other out. Beautiful tyrant. Angelic fiend. Dove-feathered raven. Honourable villain. This isn't decoration. It's the form grief takes when reality has become incoherent. The person you love has done something unthinkable. Your brain cannot hold 'Romeo' and 'killer' in the same sentence, so it makes paradoxes instead. Shakespeare understood trauma before the word existed. What's remarkable is that Juliet then does something most characters in the play cannot do: she moves through the oxymorons, picks a side, and gives an explanation. 'That villain cousin would have killed my husband.' The paradox resolves into loyalty. She chooses.
Ah, well-a-day, he’s dead, he’s dead, he’s dead!
We are undone, lady, we are undone.
Alack the day, he’s gone, he’s kill’d, he’s dead.
Oh, what a terrible day, he's dead, he's dead, he's dead! We are ruined, lady, we are ruined. Oh what a terrible day, he's gone, he's killed, he's dead.
Oh no, it's terrible, he's dead, he's dead, he's dead! We're done for, my lady, we're done for. What a horrible day—he's gone, he's been murdered, he's dead.
oh no no no he's dead we're ruined lady we're ruined what a day he's killed he's dead
Can heaven be so envious?
Could the gods be so petty and spiteful?
How could heaven be so jealous?
can the gods really be this jealous?
Romeo can,
Though heaven cannot. O Romeo, Romeo.
Who ever would have thought it? Romeo!
Romeo can, Though heaven cannot. Oh Romeo, Romeo. Who could have thought it? Romeo!
Romeo can be jealous, Even though heaven isn't. Oh Romeo, Romeo. Who would have ever believed it? Romeo!
romeo can tho heaven can't oh romeo romeo who woulda thought it romeo!
What devil art thou, that dost torment me thus?
This torture should be roar’d in dismal hell.
Hath Romeo slain himself? Say thou but Ay,
And that bare vowel I shall poison more
Than the death-darting eye of cockatrice.
I am not I if there be such an I;
Or those eyes shut that make thee answer Ay.
If he be slain, say Ay; or if not, No.
Brief sounds determine of my weal or woe.
What devil are you, that torment me like this? This torture should be roared about in miserable hell. Has Romeo killed himself? Just say yes, And that single word will poison more Than the death-bringing stare of a basilisk. I am not myself if there is such a self; Or close those eyes that make you say yes. If he is killed, say yes; or if not, no. Brief sounds determine my happiness or misery.
What kind of monster are you, messing with me like this? This kind of torture belongs in the depths of hell. Did Romeo kill himself? Just tell me yes, And that one word will hurt me more Than a deadly basilisk's stare. I'm not even myself anymore if that's possible; Or shut those eyes that forced you to say yes. If he's dead, say yes; if he's alive, say no. Two simple words will decide whether I live or die.
what devil r u tormenting me like this? this torture belongs in hell did romeo kill himself? just say yes and that one word will destroy me more than a basilisk stare i'm not myself anymore if he's dead say yes if not say no these two words decide everything
I saw the wound, I saw it with mine eyes,
God save the mark!—here on his manly breast.
A piteous corse, a bloody piteous corse;
Pale, pale as ashes, all bedaub’d in blood,
All in gore-blood. I swounded at the sight.
I saw the wound, I saw it with my own eyes, God preserve me—here on his manly chest. A pitiful corpse, a bloody pitiful corpse; Pale, pale as ashes, all covered in blood, All in gore and blood. I fainted at the sight.
I saw the wound myself, I saw it with these eyes, God help us—right there on his chest. Such a sad sight, a bloody, horrible sight; White, white as ash, all covered in blood, Just soaked in blood. I passed out when I saw it.
i saw the wound with my own eyes god help me it was on his chest such a terrible bloody sight white as ash covered in blood i fainted when i saw it
O, break, my heart. Poor bankrout, break at once.
To prison, eyes; ne’er look on liberty.
Vile earth to earth resign; end motion here,
And thou and Romeo press one heavy bier.
Oh, break, my heart. Poor bankrupt, break at once. To prison, eyes; never look on freedom. Vile earth return to earth; end all movement here, And you and Romeo press down one heavy coffin.
Oh, my heart, just break already. Poor thing, just shatter. Stay locked up, eyes; don't ever look at freedom again. This pathetic body return to dirt; stop moving, And both you and Romeo lie crushed under one heavy casket.
break my heart poor bankrupt break now eyes lock up never see freedom back to earth stop moving me and romeo one heavy coffin
O Tybalt, Tybalt, the best friend I had.
O courteous Tybalt, honest gentleman!
That ever I should live to see thee dead.
Oh Tybalt, Tybalt, I had no dearer friend than you. Oh such a gracious man, so honest and true! That I should live to see your life end.
Oh Tybalt, Tybalt, you were the best friend I had. Oh kind-hearted Tybalt, such an honest man! And here I am, having to watch you die.
oh tybalt tybalt my best friend oh kind honest tybalt why did i have to live to see u dead
Juliet's argument that 'banished' kills ten thousand Tybalts while Tybalt's actual death was bearable deserves unpacking. In Verona, the known world is the city. Outside the walls is exile — formless, foreign, dangerous. More importantly: dead means a funeral, a grave you can visit, a fixed point of grief. Banished means alive somewhere you cannot reach, a grief with no endpoint. Every day alive but absent is another wound. And for Juliet specifically: she cannot leave. She is thirteen, female, subject to her father's will. Romeo can travel to Mantua; she cannot follow. Banishment is a wall she cannot cross. Death, she suggests, would at least let them be together. This logic will drive her to the vault in Act 4.
What storm is this that blows so contrary?
Is Romeo slaughter’d and is Tybalt dead?
My dearest cousin, and my dearer lord?
Then dreadful trumpet sound the general doom,
For who is living, if those two are gone?
What cruel wind strikes me from all sides? Is Romeo slaughtered and is Tybalt also lost? Both my cherished cousin, and my cherished husband? Then let that terrible trumpet sound the final judgment, For who is living, if those two are gone?
What kind of storm is this blowing against me? Is Romeo murdered and Tybalt also dead? Both my favorite cousin and my new husband? Then ring out that trumpet announcing the end of the world, Because what's left for me if they're both gone?
what storm is this is romeo dead and tybalt dead? my cousin and my lord both gone? then sound the end of everything who's even left alive if theyre gone
Tybalt is gone, and Romeo banished,
Romeo that kill’d him, he is banished.
Tybalt is gone, and Romeo is exiled, Romeo who killed him, he is exiled.
Tybalt is dead, and Romeo's been banished, Romeo who killed him has been sent away.
tybalt is gone romeo is banished romeo who killed him he's banished
O God! Did Romeo’s hand shed Tybalt’s blood?
Oh God! Did Romeo's hand spill Tybalt's blood?
Oh my God! Did Romeo actually kill Tybalt?
oh god did romeo kill tybalt?
It did, it did; alas the day, it did.
It did, it did; what a terrible day, it did.
Yes he did, yes he did; what a horrible day.
yeah he did he did oh god he did
O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!
Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?
Beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical,
Dove-feather’d raven, wolvish-ravening lamb!
Despised substance of divinest show!
Just opposite to what thou justly seem’st,
A damned saint, an honourable villain!
O nature, what hadst thou to do in hell
When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend
In mortal paradise of such sweet flesh?
Was ever book containing such vile matter
So fairly bound? O, that deceit should dwell
In such a gorgeous palace.
Oh serpent heart, hidden behind a beautiful face! Did ever a dragon keep so beautiful a cave? Beautiful tyrant, fiend disguised as an angel, A dove-feathered raven, a lamb with wolf's hunger! Despised thing wearing the mask of perfection! Exactly opposite to what you seem to be, A damned saint, an honorable villain! Oh nature, what were you doing in hell When you put a fiend's spirit into such sweet flesh? Was ever a book containing such disgusting things Bound so beautifully? Oh, that deception should live In such a gorgeous palace.
Oh you snake with a beautiful face hidden inside! What dragon ever guarded such a pretty lair? Beautiful monster, angelic demon, A raven with dove's feathers, a lamb that kills like a wolf! A thing we despise wrapped in the most perfect appearance! The complete opposite of what you pretend to be, A cursed saint, a respectable villain! Oh nature, what were you thinking putting a demon's heart In such attractive, tender flesh? Who ever saw such ugly things Bound in such gorgeous covers? Oh, how deception Manages to live in such a beautiful home.
serpent heart with a pretty face beautiful tyrant angelic fiend dove raven lamb wolf hidden ugliness perfect mask the opposite of what u are damned saint honorable villain why put a demon heart in sweet flesh deception living in a gorgeous palace
There’s no trust,
No faith, no honesty in men. All perjur’d,
All forsworn, all naught, all dissemblers.
Ah, where’s my man? Give me some aqua vitae.
These griefs, these woes, these sorrows make me old.
Shame come to Romeo.
There is no trust, No faith, no honesty in men. All oath-breakers, All promise-breakers, all worthless, all deceivers. Ah, where is my man? Give me some strong drink. These griefs, these sorrows, these pains make me old. Shame on Romeo.
You can't trust anyone, No one has faith or honesty. Men are all liars, All promise-breakers, all useless, all fake. Oh, where's my man? I need a drink. All this sadness and pain is aging me. Romeo should be ashamed.
no trust no faith all men are oath breakers all liars all worthless all fake where's my drink this grief is killing me shame on romeo
Blister’d be thy tongue
For such a wish! He was not born to shame.
Upon his brow shame is asham’d to sit;
For ’tis a throne where honour may be crown’d
Sole monarch of the universal earth.
O, what a beast was I to chide at him!
May your tongue be blistered For such a wish! He was not born to shame. Upon his forehead shame is ashamed to sit; Because it is a throne where honor can be crowned Sole ruler of all the earth. Oh, what an animal I was to scold him!
Your tongue should blister For saying that! Romeo wasn't made for shame. Shame itself is too embarrassed to appear on his face; His forehead is like a throne where honor rules Above everything on earth. What a beast I was to yell at him!
ur tongue should blister for that he wasn't born for shame shame is too embarrassed to sit on him honor rules from his forehead what a beast i was to scold him
This scene contains the Nurse at her most chaotically unhelpful — delivering the news so badly that Juliet briefly believes Romeo is dead. But there's something important in the Nurse's genuine grief for Tybalt alongside her care for Juliet. She actually loved him. She raised both Juliet and probably knew Tybalt since childhood. Her wailing 'O Tybalt, Tybalt, the best friend I had' isn't performance. The Nurse is a person with her own attachments, not just a plot device. This matters because in 3-5 she will counsel Juliet to marry Paris — not from wickedness but from a deeply practical worldview. Watch how her advice keeps being based on what's survivable, not what's right. She's a woman who has learned to accommodate reality rather than resist it.
Will you speak well of him that kill’d your cousin?
Will you say good things about him when he killed your cousin?
You're actually going to defend the man who murdered your cousin?
ur gonna defend the guy who killed ur cousin?
Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?
Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name,
When I thy three-hours’ wife have mangled it?
But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin?
That villain cousin would have kill’d my husband.
Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring,
Your tributary drops belong to woe,
Which you mistaking offer up to joy.
My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain,
And Tybalt’s dead, that would have slain my husband.
All this is comfort; wherefore weep I then?
Some word there was, worser than Tybalt’s death,
That murder’d me. I would forget it fain,
But O, it presses to my memory
Like damned guilty deeds to sinners’ minds.
Tybalt is dead, and Romeo banished.
That ‘banished,’ that one word ‘banished,’
Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt’s death
Was woe enough, if it had ended there.
Or if sour woe delights in fellowship,
And needly will be rank’d with other griefs,
Why follow’d not, when she said Tybalt’s dead,
Thy father or thy mother, nay or both,
Which modern lamentation might have mov’d?
But with a rear-ward following Tybalt’s death,
‘Romeo is banished’—to speak that word
Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet,
All slain, all dead. Romeo is banished,
There is no end, no limit, measure, bound,
In that word’s death, no words can that woe sound.
Where is my father and my mother, Nurse?
Should I speak badly of him when he is my husband? Oh, my poor lord, what words can heal your name, When I, your wife of only three hours, have destroyed it? But why, you villain, did you kill my cousin? That villain cousin would have killed my husband. Back, foolish tears, back to your source, Your tears belong to sadness, Not to the joy you're offering instead. My husband lives, the one Tybalt would have killed, And Tybalt's dead, the one who would have killed my husband. All this is good news; why do I weep then? There was one word, worse than Tybalt's death, That murdered me. I wish I could forget it, But oh, it sticks in my memory Like guilty sins in a sinner's mind. Tybalt is dead, and Romeo is exiled. That word 'exiled,' that single word 'exiled,' Has killed ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt's death Was sorrow enough, if it had ended there. Or if sadness loves to have company, And must be joined with other griefs, Why didn't she follow up with Tybalt's death With news of my father or my mother, or both, Which would match this sadness? But following right after Tybalt's death, Comes 'Romeo is exiled'—saying that word Means father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, All killed, all dead. Romeo is exiled, There is no end, no limit, no boundary, To that word's meaning, no words can express that sorrow. Where are my father and my mother, Nurse?
How can I say bad things about my own husband? Oh my poor Romeo, what can make up for your name, When I've only been your wife three hours and already ruined it? But why, you jerk, did you have to kill my cousin? That same cousin would have killed you. Stop, these stupid tears, go back where you came from, Your tears belong to sadness, Not to this joy you're trying to give me. My husband's alive, the one Tybalt wanted to kill, And Tybalt's dead, the one who wanted to kill Romeo. This is all good! So why am I crying? There was one thing worse than Tybalt dying, And it killed me. I wish I could forget it, But I can't—it's stuck in my head Like guilt in a criminal's conscience. Tybalt's dead, and Romeo's banished. That word 'banished'—just that word— Has destroyed me more than ten thousand Tybalts dying. Tybalt's death Would have been bad enough on its own. Or if misery likes company, And needs to be mixed with other sadness, Why didn't she come with Tybalt's death— My father or mother, or both— Which would be a match for this grief? But right after Tybalt's death comes 'Romeo's banished'—and that word Means everyone's dead: father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, me— Everyone destroyed. Romeo's banished. There's no end to it, no limit, No bottom to what that word means, No way to express how bad it is. Where are my parents, Nurse?
how can i say bad things about my husband he's only been mine 3 hours and i've ruined him why did u kill my cousin that cousin would have killed u stop crying go away my husband's alive that's good tybalt's dead that's good so why am i crying one word worse than death banished that word destroyed me more than a thousand tybalts tybalt dying was bad but romeo banished that word kills everything father mother tybalt romeo juliet all dead banished no end to it where are my parents
Weeping and wailing over Tybalt’s corse.
Will you go to them? I will bring you thither.
Weeping and wailing over Tybalt's body. Will you go to them? I will take you there.
They're crying and carrying on over Tybalt's corpse. Do you want to go to them? I'll bring you there.
they're weeping over tybalt's body wanna go? i'll take u
Wash they his wounds with tears. Mine shall be spent,
When theirs are dry, for Romeo’s banishment.
Take up those cords. Poor ropes, you are beguil’d,
Both you and I; for Romeo is exil’d.
He made you for a highway to my bed,
But I, a maid, die maiden-widowed.
Come cords, come Nurse, I’ll to my wedding bed,
And death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead.
Let them wash his wounds with tears. Mine will be spent, When theirs are dry, for Romeo's exile. Take up those ropes. Poor ropes, you are deceived, Both you and I; because Romeo is exiled. You were meant to be a path to my bed, But I, a girl, die as a widow-virgin. Come ropes, come Nurse, I'll go to my wedding bed, And death, not Romeo, will take my virginity.
Let them cry over his wounds. I'll use my tears For Romeo's exile when theirs run dry. Pick up those ropes. Poor ropes, we've both been fooled; Because Romeo is banished. You were supposed to get me to my wedding night, But I'm stuck here—a virgin widow. Come on, ropes, Nurse, let me go to my bed, And death—not Romeo—will be with me.
let them cry for tybalt i'll cry for romeo's exile these ropes we've both been tricked romeo's banished they were gonna get me to bed but i'm a widow virgin come ropes let's go death not romeo on my wedding night
Hie to your chamber. I’ll find Romeo
To comfort you. I wot well where he is.
Hark ye, your Romeo will be here at night.
I’ll to him, he is hid at Lawrence’ cell.
Hurry to your room. I'll find Romeo To comfort you. I know well where he is. Listen, your Romeo will be here tonight. I'll go to him, he is hidden at Friar Lawrence's cell.
Go on up to your room. I'll find Romeo And bring him to comfort you. I know exactly where he is. Hear me out, Romeo will be here tonight. I'll go get him, he's hiding at the Friar's place.
go to ur room i'll find romeo i know where he is romeo will be here tonight i'll go to the friar's cell
O find him, give this ring to my true knight,
And bid him come to take his last farewell.
Oh find him, give this ring to my true love, And ask him to come say his final goodbye.
Go find him, give him this ring from me, And tell him to come say goodbye.
find him give him this ring tell him to come say goodbye
The Reckoning
This scene is Juliet's counterpart to the action of 3-1 — she has no idea what has just happened and is almost unbearably hopeful. Her opening speech is one of the most erotic in Shakespeare, a young woman openly longing for her wedding night. The Nurse's arrival shreds that anticipation in the worst possible way: first Juliet thinks Romeo is dead, then she learns Romeo killed Tybalt, and finally she learns the word that is worse than death — 'banished.' She doesn't resolve into simple grief; she moves through fury at Romeo, then defense of him, with remarkable psychological speed. The scene ends not in despair but in action: send the ring, bring him to me.
If this happened today…
Someone is waiting at home for their new partner to arrive on their first night together — they've just secretly gotten married. They're sending excited texts, straightening up the apartment, checking their phone every two minutes. Then their best friend calls and delivers news so badly that at first they think their partner is dead. Then it turns out their partner has killed their cousin. Then it turns out their partner has been exiled, not arrested. The person receiving this news goes through disbelief, rage at their partner, a rapid recalibration of who to be loyal to, and then — sends a message asking their partner to come anyway.