AcT 3, ScEnE 2 30


O, I have bought the mansion of a love, But not possessed it – and, though I am sold, Not yet enjoyed. 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, [Enter NURSE, with cords]


And she brings news – and every tongue that speaks But Romeo’s name, speaks heavenly eloquence.16 Now, Nurse, what news? What hast thou there? The cords17


That Romeo bid thee fetch? NuRsE


Ay, ay, the cords. [Throws them down]


JuLiEt Ay me! what news? Why dost thou wring thy hands?


NuRsE Ah, well-a-day! He’s dead, he’s dead, he’s dead! We are undone,18 Alack19


lady, we are undone! the day! He’s gone, he’s killed, he’s dead! 40


JuLiEt Can heaven be so envious?20


NuRsE Romeo can,


Though heaven cannot. O Romeo, Romeo! Who ever would have thought it? Romeo!


JuLiEt What devil art thou, that dost torment me thus? This torture should be roared in dismal21


hell! 50


Hath Romeo slain himself? Say thou but ‘Ay’,22 And that bare vowel ‘I’ shall poison more Than the death-darting eye of cockatrice.23 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.24


NuRsE I saw the wound, I saw it with mine eyes – God save the mark!25 A piteous corse,26


Pale, pale as ashes, all bedaubed27 All in gore-blood! I swounded28


18 undone: ruined 19


16


heavenly eloquence: divinely inspired words


17


cords: rope (to make a rope ladder for Romeo to climb up to Juliet’s balcony)


Alack: Alas (an exclamation of sorrow)


20 envious: spiteful/mean


21 dismal: ill-fated 22 Ay: 1. Yes


23


2. I


3. Eye


cockatrice: a mythical beast that could kill by looking at a person


24


Brief sounds…woe: Short sounds (‘Ay’ or ‘No’) will decide my happiness or misery


– here on his manly breast. a bloody piteous corse –


in blood, at the sight!


25


God save the mark: God protect me for saying so


26 corse: corpse


27 bedaubed: smeared 28 swounded: fainted


119


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