ROMEO AND JULIET DRAMATIS PERSONAE ESCALUS: prince of ...

BENVOLIO Here comes the furious Tybalt backagain. [Surges to his feet, wanting to kill Tybalthimself. Romeo warns him back; he has lost hishonor, and killing Tybalt is his one chance ofrecovering it. After a brief inner struggle, Benvolioagrees to let Romeo have the first crack at him.]ROMEO: Alive, in triumph! and Mercutio slain!Away to heaven, respective lenity,And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again,That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soulIs but a little way above our heads,Staying for thine to keep her company:Either thou, or I, or both, must go with her!TYB Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort her here,Shall with her hence!ROM This shall determine that. [They fight. This oneis brutal; Romeo doesn’t care how many hits he takesas long as he can slice through Tybalt’s defenses.Tybalt is the better technical fighter, but his exactingstyle of fencing doesn’t cope well with an opponent soset on killing that he doesn’t care if he dies in theprocess. Towards the end of the fight Romeo loses hissword and stumbles backward onto the stair. Tybalthesitates a moment too long in delivering the blow thatwill finish him. Romeo draws a knife from his boot,uses his shield arm to take the cut of Tybalt's sword,and stabs him. Sampson and Gregory consider tryingto collect Tybalt, but decide to run for reinforcementsinstead. Romeo stabs Tybalt several times in asweeping rage, and Benvolio finally grabs his arm andstops him. Shouts from offstage of the coming crowd.]BENVOLIO Romeo, away, be gone!The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.Stand not amazed: the prince will doom thee death,If thou art taken: hence, be gone, away!ROMEO O, I am fortune's fool!BENVOLIO [Shoving him towards the exit] Why dostthou stay? [Exit ROMEO from 6. Benvolio returns toMercutio’s body.][Enter Citizens, &c]MONTAGUE [Entering from 2] Which way ran hethat kill'd Mercutio?Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?BENVOLIO There lies that Tybalt.MONTAGUE Up, sir, go with me;I charge thee in the prince’s name, obey.[Enter PRINCE, from 1, CAPULET, from 4, andothers]PRINCE [furious] Where are the vile beginners of thisfray?BENVOLIO O noble prince, I can discover allThe unlucky manage of this fatal brawl:There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.LADY CAP [Weeping hysterically, alternating betweengrief and rage] Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child!O prince! O cousin! husband! O, the blood is spiltO my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague!O cousin, cousin!PRINCE Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?BENV Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay;Romeo that spoke him fair, bade him bethinkHow nice the quarrel was, and urged withalYour high displeasure: all this utteredWith gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow'd,Could not take truce with the unruly spleenOf Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tiltsWith piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast,Romeo he cries aloud, 'Hold, friends! friends, part!' and,swifter than his tongue, his agile arm beats down their fatalpoints, and 'twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm anenvious thrust from Tybalt hit the lifeOf stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled;But by and by comes back to Romeo,Who had but newly entertain'd revenge,And to 't they go like lightning, for, ere ICould draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain.And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly.This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.LADY CAPULET He is a kinsman to the Montague;affection makes him false; he speaks not true: Some twentyof them fought in this black strife,And all those twenty could but kill one life!I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give;Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live!PRINCE Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio;Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?MONT Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's friend;His fault concludes but what the law should end,The life of Tybalt.PRINCE And for that offenceimmediately we do exile him hence:I will be deaf to pleading and excuses;Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses:Therefore use none: let Romeo hence in haste,Else, when he's found, that hour is his last.Bear hence this body and attend our will:Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill. [LadyCapulet kisses Tybalt goodbye. She’s incoherent with grief.Benvolio’s grief is quieter, but more deeply felt.]BLACKOUTINTERMISSIONSCENE CHANGE. Juliet’s bedroom.15