Romeo and Juliet
Text Circles Dramatis Personae Synopsis All Definitions

Share
All
text
First folio
Modern text
Definitions
Key line
Enter Iuliet.Enter Juliet RJ II.v.1
Iul. JULIET 
The clocke strook nine, when I did send the Nurse,The clock struck nine when I did send the Nurse. RJ II.v.1
In halfe an houre she promised to returne,In half an hour she promised to return. RJ II.v.2
Perchance she cannot meete him: that's not so:Perchance she cannot meet him. That's not so.perchance (adv.)
perhaps, maybe		RJ II.v.3
Oh she is lame, Loues Herauld should be thoughts,O, she is lame! Love's heralds should be thoughts, RJ II.v.4
Which ten times faster glides then the Sunnes beames,Which ten times faster glides than the sun's beams, RJ II.v.5
Driuing backe shadowes ouer lowring hils.Driving back shadows over louring hills.louring (adj.)

old form: lowring
gloomy, threatening, dark		RJ II.v.6
Therefore do nimble Pinion'd Doues draw Loue,Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw love,nimble-pinioned (adj.)swift-wingedRJ II.v.7
And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings:And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.wind-swift (adj.)
swift as the wind		RJ II.v.8
Cupid (n.)
[pron: 'kyoopid] Roman god of love, son of Venus and Mercury; a winged, blindfolded boy with curved bow and arrows
Now is the Sun vpon the highmost hillNow is the sun upon the highmost hillhighmost, high-most (adj.)
highest, topmost		RJ II.v.9
Of this daies iourney, and from nine till twelue,Of this day's journey, and from nine till twelve RJ II.v.10
I three long houres, yet she is not come.Is three long hours, yet she is not come. RJ II.v.11
Had she affections and warme youthfull blood,Had she affections and warm youthful blood,affection (n.)
desire, passion, lustful feeling		RJ II.v.12
She would be as swift in motion as a ball,She would be as swift in motion as a ball. RJ II.v.13
My words would bandy her to my sweete Loue,My words would bandy her to my sweet love,bandy (v.)
drive, strike, toss back		RJ II.v.14
And his to me,And his to me. RJ II.v.15
but old folkes, / Many faine as they were dead,But old folks, many feign as they were dead – feign (v.)

old form: faine
make appear, put on a demeanour		RJ II.v.16
Vnwieldie, slow, heauy, and pale as lead.Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead.heavy (adj.)

old form: heauy
slow-moving, sluggish, laggard		RJ II.v.17
Enter Nurse.Enter Nurse and Peter RJ II.v.18
O God she comes, O hony Nurse what newes?O God, she comes! O honey Nurse, what news? RJ II.v.18
Hast thou met with him? send thy man away.Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away. RJ II.v.19
Nur. NURSE 
Peter stay at the gate.Peter, stay at the gate.stay (v.)
linger, tarry, delay		RJ II.v.20
Exit Peter RJ II.v.20
Iul. JULIET 
Now good sweet Nurse: / O Lord, why lookest thou sad?Now, good sweet Nurse – O Lord, why lookest thou sad?sad (adj.)
serious, grave, solemn		RJ II.v.21
Though newes, be sad, yet tell them merrily.Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily. RJ II.v.22
If good thou sham'st the musicke of sweet newes,If good, thou shamest the music of sweet news RJ II.v.23
By playing it to me, with so sower a face.By playing it to me with so sour a face. RJ II.v.24
Nur. NURSE 
I am a weary, giue me leaue awhile,I am aweary. Give me leave a while.aweary, a-weary (adj.)

old form: a weary
weary, tired		RJ II.v.25
Fie how my bones ake, what a iaunt haue I had?Fie, how my bones ache! What a jaunce have I!jaunce (n.)

old form: iaunt
jaunt, fatiguing journey		RJ II.v.26
Iul. JULIET 
I would thou had'st my bones, and I thy newes:I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news. RJ II.v.27
Nay come I pray thee speake, good good Nurse speake.Nay, come, I pray thee speak. Good, good Nurse, speak. RJ II.v.28
Nur. NURSE 
Iesu what hast? can you not stay a while?Jesu, what haste! Can you not stay a while?stay (v.)
linger, tarry, delay		RJ II.v.29
Do you not see that I am out of breath?Do you not see that I am out of breath? RJ II.v.30
Iul JULIET 
How art thou out of breath, when thou hast brethHow art thou out of breath when thou hast breath RJ II.v.31
To say to me, that thou art out of breath?To say to me that thou art out of breath? RJ II.v.32
The excuse that thou dost make in this delay,The excuse that thou dost make in this delay RJ II.v.33
Is longer then the tale thou dost excuse.Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse. RJ II.v.34
Is thy newes good or bad? answere to that,Is thy news good or bad? Answer to that. RJ II.v.35
Say either, and Ile stay the circustance:Say either, and I'll stay the circumstance.circumstance (n.)

old form: circustance
detail(s), particular(s), specifics		RJ II.v.36
Let me be satisfied, ist good or bad?Let me be satisfied, is't good or bad? RJ II.v.37
Nur. NURSE 
Well, you haue made a simple choice, you knowWell, you have made a simple choice. You knowsimple (adj.)
foolish, silly, stupid		RJ II.v.38
not how to chuse a man: Romeo, no not he thoughnot how to choose a man. Romeo? No, not he. Though RJ II.v.39
his face be better then any mans, yet his legs excels allhis face be better than any man's, yet his leg excels all RJ II.v.40
mens, and for a hand, and a foote, and a body, thoughmen's; and for a hand and a foot, and a body, though RJ II.v.41
they be not to be talkt on, yet they are past compare:they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare. RJ II.v.42
he is not the flower of curtesie, but Ile warrant him asHe is not the flower of courtesy, but, I'll warrant him, aswarrant (v.)
assure, promise, guarantee, confirm		RJ II.v.43
gentle a Lambe: go thy waies wench, serue God. Whatgentle as a lamb. Go thy ways, wench. Serve God. What,wench (n.)
girl, lass		RJ II.v.44
haue you din'd at home?have you dined at home? RJ II.v.45
Iul. JULIET 
No no: but all this this did I know beforeNo, no. But all this did I know before. RJ II.v.46
What saies he of our marriage? what of that?What says he of our marriage? What of that? RJ II.v.47
Nur. NURSE 
Lord how my head akes, what a head haue I?Lord, how my head aches! What a head have I! RJ II.v.48
It beates as it would fall in twenty peeces.It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces. RJ II.v.49
My backe a tother side: o my backe, my backe:My back a't' other side – ah, my back, my back! RJ II.v.50
Beshrew your heart for sending me aboutBeshrew your heart for sending me aboutbeshrew, 'shrew (v.)
curse, devil take, evil befall		RJ II.v.51
To catch my death with iaunting vp and downe.To catch my death with jauncing up and down!jaunce (v.)

old form: iaunting
jaunt, trudge about, run around		RJ II.v.52
Iul. JULIET 
Ifaith: I am sorrie that thou art so well.I'faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. RJ II.v.53
Sweet sweet, sweet Nurse, tell me what saies my Loue?Sweet, sweet, sweet Nurse, tell me, what says my love? RJ II.v.54
Nur. NURSE 
Your Loue saies like an honest Gentleman,Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and ahonest (adj.)
honourable, respectable, upright		RJ II.v.55
And a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, / And I warrantcourteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I warrant, RJ II.v.56
a vertuous: where is your Mother?a virtuous – Where is your mother? RJ II.v.57
Iul. JULIET 
Where is my Mother? / Why she is within,Where is my mother? Why, she is within. RJ II.v.58
where should she be? / How odly thou repli'st:Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest! RJ II.v.59
Your Loue saies like an honest Gentleman:‘ Your love says, like an honest gentleman, RJ II.v.60
Where is your Mother?“ Where is your mother? ”’ RJ II.v.61.1
Nur. NURSE 
O Gods Lady deare,O God's Lady dear! RJ II.v.61.2
Are you so hot? marrie come vp I trow,Are you so hot? Marry come up, I trow.hot (adj.)
enthusiastic, ardent, eager, keen		RJ II.v.62
trow (v.)
think, be sure
marry come up
expression of (real or playful) impatience
Is this the Poultis for my aking bones?Is this the poultice for my aching bones? RJ II.v.63
Henceforward do your messages your selfe.Henceforward do your messages yourself. RJ II.v.64
Iul. JULIET 
Heere's such a coile, come what saies Romeo?Here's such a coil! Come, what says Romeo?coil (n.)

old form: coile
turmoil, disturbance, fuss		RJ II.v.65
Nur. NURSE 
Haue you got leaue to go to shrift to day?Have you got leave to go to shrift today?shrift (n.)
confession		RJ II.v.66
Iul. JULIET 
I haue.I have. RJ II.v.67
Nur. NURSE 
Then high you hence to Frier Lawrence Cell,Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence' cell.hie (v.)

old form: high
hasten, hurry, speed		RJ II.v.68
There staies a Husband to make you a wife:There stays a husband to make you a wife. RJ II.v.69
Now comes the wanton bloud vp in your cheekes,Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks.wanton (adj.)
unrestrained, undisciplined, boisterous, uncontrolled		RJ II.v.70
Thei'le be in Scarlet straight at any newes:They'll be in scarlet straight at any news.straight (adv.)
straightaway, immediately, at once		RJ II.v.71
Hie you to Church, I must an other way,Hie you to church. I must another way, RJ II.v.72
To fetch a Ladder by the which your LoueTo fetch a ladder, by the which your love RJ II.v.73
Must climde a birds nest Soone when it is darke:Must climb a bird's nest soon when it is dark.climb (v.)

old form: climde
reach, attain, achieve		RJ II.v.74
I am the drudge, and toile in your delight:I am the drudge, and toil in your delight. RJ II.v.75
But you shall beare the burthen soone at night.But you shall bear the burden soon at night. RJ II.v.76
Go Ile to dinner, hie you to the Cell.Go. I'll to dinner. Hie you to the cell. RJ II.v.77
Iui. JULIET 
Hie to high Fortune, honest Nurse, farewell. Hie to high fortune! Honest Nurse, farewell. RJ II.v.78
Exeunt.Exeunt RJ II.v.78
 Previous Act II, Scene V Next  
x

Jump directly to