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Romeo and JulietModern English

Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 1

An open place adjoining Capulet’s Garden.

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Which text to show for Act 2, Scene 1

Original

Modern English

  1. Enter Romeo.

    Romeo comes in.

  2. Romeo1

    Can I go forward when my heart is here? Turn back, dull earth, and find thy centre out.

    Can I walk on when my heart stays here? Turn back, heavy body, and find your centre.

  3. He climbs the wall and leaps down within it.

    He climbs the wall and jumps down inside it.

  4. Enter Benvolio and Mercutio.

    Benvolio and Mercutio come in.

  5. Benvolio3

    Romeo! My cousin Romeo! Romeo!

    Romeo! My cousin Romeo! Romeo!

  6. Mercutio4

    He is wise, And on my life hath stol’n him home to bed.

    He's sensible, and I'd bet my life he's slipped off home to bed.

  7. Benvolio6

    He ran this way, and leap’d this orchard wall: Call, good Mercutio.

    He ran this way and jumped over this orchard wall. Call him, good Mercutio.

  8. Mercutio8

    Nay, I’ll conjure too. Romeo! Humours! Madman! Passion! Lover! Appear thou in the likeness of a sigh, Speak but one rhyme, and I am satisfied; Cry but ‘Ah me!’ Pronounce but Love and dove; Speak to my gossip Venus one fair word, One nickname for her purblind son and heir, Young Abraham Cupid, he that shot so trim When King Cophetua lov’d the beggar-maid. He heareth not, he stirreth not, he moveth not; The ape is dead, and I must conjure him. I conjure thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes, By her high forehead and her scarlet lip, By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh, And the demesnes that there adjacent lie, That in thy likeness thou appear to us.

    No, I'll cast a spell as well. Romeo! Moods! Madman! Passion! Lover! Appear in the shape of a sigh; speak just one rhyme and I'll be content. Just cry "Ah me!" Just say "Love" and "dove." Say one kind word to my old friend Venus, one mocking name for her nearly blind son and heir, young Abraham Cupid, who shot so neatly when King Cophetua fell in love with the beggar girl. He doesn't hear, he doesn't stir, he doesn't move. The monkey is playing dead, and I must raise him with a spell. I command you, by Rosaline's bright eyes, by her high forehead and her red lips, by her delicate foot, straight leg, and trembling thigh, and the regions that lie next to them, that you appear before us in your own shape.

  9. Benvolio24

    An if he hear thee, thou wilt anger him.

    If he hears you, you'll make him angry.

  10. Mercutio25

    This cannot anger him. ’Twould anger him To raise a spirit in his mistress’ circle, Of some strange nature, letting it there stand Till she had laid it, and conjur’d it down; That were some spite. My invocation Is fair and honest, and, in his mistress’ name, I conjure only but to raise up him.

    This can't make him angry. What would make him angry is if I raised some strange spirit inside his mistress's circle and left it standing there until she had laid it and charmed it down; that would be spiteful. My summons is fair and decent: using his mistress's name, I'm only calling on him to rise.

  11. Benvolio32

    Come, he hath hid himself among these trees To be consorted with the humorous night. Blind is his love, and best befits the dark.

    Come on, he's hidden himself among these trees to keep company with the damp night. His love is blind, and the dark suits it best.

  12. Mercutio35

    If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark. Now will he sit under a medlar tree, And wish his mistress were that kind of fruit As maids call medlars when they laugh alone. O Romeo, that she were, O that she were An open-arse and thou a poperin pear! Romeo, good night. I’ll to my truckle-bed. This field-bed is too cold for me to sleep. Come, shall we go?

    If love is blind, love can't hit the target. Now he'll sit under a medlar tree and wish his mistress were that kind of fruit girls call medlars when they laugh among themselves. Oh Romeo, if only she were, oh if only she were an open-arse and you a poperin pear! Good night, Romeo. I'm off to my little rolling bed. This bed in the open field is too cold for me to sleep in. Come on, shall we go?

  13. Benvolio44

    Go then; for ’tis in vain To seek him here that means not to be found.

    Let's go then, because it's pointless to look here for someone who doesn't want to be found.

  14. Exeunt.

    They leave.

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Original text: Project Gutenberg edition #1513 (public domain, edited by the PG Shakespeare Team). Modern English rendering by Storgy.