AcT 1, ScEnE 1 RoMeO


What, shall I groan and tell thee? BeNvOlIo


200 Groan? Why, no –


But sadly tell me who. RoMeO


Bid a sick man in sadness make his will98


Ah, word ill urged to one that is so ill. In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.


BeNvOlIo I aimed so near, when I supposed you loved.


RoMeO A right good mark-man!99


BeNvOlIo A right fair mark,100


And she’s fair I love. fair coz, is soonest hit.


RoMeO Well, in that hit you miss: she’ll not be hit


210


With Cupid’s arrow. She hath Dian’s wit;101 And, in strong proof of chastity102


well armed,


From love’s weak childish bow she lives uncharmed.103 She will not stay the siege of loving terms,104 Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes,105 Nor ope106


her lap to saint-seducing gold.


O, she is rich in beauty, only poor, That when she dies, with beauty dies her store.107


BeNvOlIo Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?108 RoMeO She hath, and in that sparing109 220 makes huge waste,


For beauty starved with her severity, Cuts beauty off from all posterity.110 She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair, To merit bliss111


by making me despair. She hath forsworn112 to love, and in that vow


Do I live dead that live to tell it now. BeNvOlIo


Be ruled by me,113 forget to think of her. 109 sparing: saving (of her virginity) 110


Cuts beauty…posterity: her beauty will not be passed down to future generations


111 112


merit bliss: earn eternal bliss (in heaven)


forsworn: sworn not to 108


still live chaste: always be a virgin


104 105 99


A right good mark-man!: You’re a good marksman (archer)


100 fair mark: good target 101


– 98


Bid a sick…his will: That’s like asking a dying man to make out his will


Dian’s wit: Diana’s good sense (not to fall in love). Diana is the Roman goddess of hunting. She is associated with virginity


102 chastity: virginity/sexual purity 103


From love’s…uncharmed: i.e. she is unaffected by love


She will not…loving terms: She will not succumb to words of love


Nor bide…assailing eyes: nor put up with loving glances


106 ope: open 107


store: 1. treasure of beauty 2. chastity 3. potential for having children


113


Be ruled by me: Do as I say/ Listen to me


21


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