Act 5, scene 3

Paris visits Juliet’s tomb and, when Romeo arrives, challenges him. Romeo and Paris fight and Paris is killed. Romeo, in…

SAMPSON Gregory, on my word we’ll not carry coals. GREGORY No, for then we should be colliers. SAMPSON I mean, an we be in choler, we’ll draw. GREGORY Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of 5 collar. SAMPSON I strike quickly, being moved. GREGORY But thou art not quickly moved to strike. SAMPSON A dog of the house of Montague moves me. GREGORY To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to 10 stand. Therefore if thou art moved thou runn’st away. SAMPSON A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague’s. GREGORY That shows thee a weak slave, for the weakest 15 goes to the wall. SAMPSON ‘Tis true, and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall. Therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall and thrust his maids to the wall. GREGORY 20 The quarrel is between our masters and us their men. SAMPSON ‘Tis all one. I will show myself a tyrant. When I have fought with the men, I will be civil with the maids; I will cut off their heads.

GREGORY 25 The heads of the maids? SAMPSON Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads. Take it in what sense thou wilt. GREGORY They must take it ? in ? sense that feel it. SAMPSON Me they shall feel while I am able to stand, 30 and ‘tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh. GREGORY ‘Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor-john. Draw thy tool. Here comes of the house of Montagues.

SAMPSON Draw if you be men

SAMPSON My naked weapon is out. Quarrel, I will back 35 thee. GREGORY How? Turn thy back and run? SAMPSON Fear me not. GREGORY No, PSON Let us take the law of our sides; let them 40 begin. GREGORY I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list. SAMPSON Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them, which is disgrace to them if they bear it. ? He bites his thumb. ? ABRAM 45 Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? SAMPSON I do bite my thumb, sir. ABRAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? SAMPSON , ? aside to Gregory ? Is the law of our side if I say “Ay”? GREGORY , ? aside to Sampson ? 50 No. SAMPSON No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir. GREGORY Do you quarrel, sir? ABRAM Quarrel, sir? No, sir. SAMPSON 55 But if you do, sir, I am for you. I serve as good a man as you. ABRAM No better.

GREGORY , ? aside to Sampson ? Say “better”; here comes 60 one of my master’s kinsmen. SAMPSON Yes, better, sir. ABRAM You lie. -Gregory, remember thy washing blow. They fight. BENVOLIO 65 Part, fools! ? Drawing his sword. ? Put up your swords. You know not what you do.

TYBALT What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio; look upon thy death. BENVOLIO I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, 70 Or manage it to part these men with me. TYBALT What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee, coward! ? They fight. ?