Romeo and Juliet
The Balcony Scene
Romeo. But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid, art far more than she.
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady, O, it is my love!
O that she knew she were!
She speaks, yet she says nothing; what of that?
Her eye discourses, I will answer it.
I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks.
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her {eye} in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were a glove upon that hand!
That I might touch that cheek!
Juliet. Aye me!
Romeo. She speaks!
O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art
As glorious to this night, being o'er my head,
As a winged messenger or heaven
Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him,
When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds,
And sails upon the bosom of the air.
Juliet. O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
Romeo (Aside:) Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?
Juliet. 'This but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's a Montague? It is nor hand nor foot,
Nor arm nor face, (nor any other part)
Belonging to a man. O be some other name!
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would be not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for thy name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.
Romeo. I take thee at thy word,
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;
Henceforth, I never will be Romeo.
Juliet. What man art thou thus bescreen'd in the night
So stumblest on my counsel?
Romeo. By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am.
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
Because it is an enemy to thee;
Had I written, I would tear the word.
Juliet. My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words
Of thy tongues uttering, yet I know the sound.
Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?