Chorus.

    Escalus,
           Prince of Verona.

    Paris,
           a young Count,
         kinsman to the Prince.

    Montague,
           heads of two houses
               at variance
             with each other.

    Capulet,
           heads of two houses
               at variance
             with each other.

    An old Man,
           of the Capulet family.

    Romeo,
           son to Montague.

    Tybalt,
           nephew to Lady Capulet.

    Mercutio,
           kinsman to the Prince
               and friend to Romeo.

    Benvolio,
           nephew to Montague,
         and friend to Romeo

    Tybalt,
           nephew to Lady Capulet.

    Friar Laurence,
           Franciscan.

    Friar John,
           Franciscan.

    Balthasar,
           servant to Romeo.

    Abram,
           servant to Montague.

    Sampson,
           servant to Capulet.

    Gregory,
           servant to Capulet.

    Peter,
           servant to Juliet's nurse.

    An Apothecary.

    Three Musicians.

    An Officer.

    Lady Montague,
           wife to Montague.

    Lady Capulet,
           wife to Capulet.

    Juliet,
           daughter to Capulet.

    Nurse to Juliet.

    Citizens of Verona;
        Gentlemen and Gentlewomen of
               both houses;
        Maskers,
           Torchbearers,
         Pages,
           Guards,
         Watchmen,
           Servants,
         and Attendants.

    SCENE.

    --Verona;
        Mantua.

 
  THE PROLOGUE

    Enter Chorus.

    Chor.

    Two households,
           both alike in dignity,
         In fair Verona,
           where we lay our scene,
         From ancient grudge
               break to new mutiny,
           Where civil blood
            makes civil hands unclean.

    From forth the fatal loins
           of these two foes
               A pair
           of star-cross'd lovers
          take their life;
        Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows
            Doth with their death
                  bury their parents' strife.

    The fearful passage
           of their death-mark'd love,
         And the continuance
               of their parents' rage,
         Which,
           but their children's end,
         naught could remove,
           Is now
               the two hours' traffic
             of our stage;
        The which
             if you
                   with patient ears attend,
           What here shall miss,
         our toil
            shall strive to mend.

    [Exit.]

 
  ACT I. Scene I. Verona. A
       public place.

    Enter Sampson and Gregory
         (with swords and bucklers)
            of the house of Capulet.

    Samp.

    Gregory,
           on my word,
         we'll not carry coals.

    Greg.

    No,
           for then
             we should be colliers.

    Samp.

    I mean,
           an we be in choler,
         we'll draw.

    Greg.

    Ay,
           while you live,
         draw your neck
               out of collar.

    Samp.

    I strike quickly,
           being moved.

    Greg.

    But thou art not quickly
          moved to strike.

    Samp.

    A dog
           of the house
         of Montague moves me.

    Greg.

    To move is to stir,
           and to be valiant
            is to stand.