University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

The Street.
Enter Romeo alone.
Romeo.
Can I go forward when my heart is here?
Turn back, dull earth, and find thy center out.

[Exit,
Enter Benvolio with Mercutio.
Ben.
Romeo, my cousin Romeo.

Mer.
He is wife,
And on my life hath stol'n him home to bed.

Ben.
He ran this way, and leap'd this orchard wall.
Call, good Mercutio.

Mer.
Nay, I'll conjure too.
Why, Romeo! humours! madman! passion! lover!
Appear thou in the likeness of a Sigh,
Speak but one Rhime, and I am satisfied.
Cry but Ah me! couple but love and dove,
Speak to my gossip Venus one fair word,
One nick-name to her purblind son and heir;
I conjure thee by thy mistress's bright eyes,
By her high forehead, and her scarlet lip,
By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh,
And the demeasus that there adjacent lie,
That in thy likeness thou appear to us.

Ben.
An if he hear thee, thou wilt anger him.

Mer.
This cannot anger him: 'twould anger him
To raise a spirit in his mistress' circle
'Till she had laid it. My invocation is
Honest and fair, and in his mistress' name,
I conjure only but to raise him up.

Ben.
Come, he hath hid himself among these trees,
To be consorted with the hum'rous night.

Mer.
Romeo, good night, I'll to my truckle bed,
This field-bed is too cold for me to sleep:
Come, shall we go?

Ben.
Go then, for 'tis in vain
To seek him here that means not to be found.

[Exeunt.