I. i. 65. kinsmen. This of course refers to Tybalt, whom Gregory sees approaching. Benvolio enters behind Gregory.
I. i. 79. Clubs. A bit of English rather than Italian color. This was the rallying cry of London apprentices, who used their clubs sometimes to enforce peace and sometimes to break it. Bills were weapons consisting of a long wooden handle having at one end a blade or axe-shaped head; partisans, long-handled spears having one or more lateral cutting projections.
I. i. 108. Free-town. Brooke's translation of the Italian name 'Villa Franca.'
I. i. 158. sun. Most editors follow Theobald in substituting 'sun' for 'same,' the word found in the early editions.
I. i. 176. view is muffled. Cupid, although commonly represented as blindfolded, is still able to direct his arrows where he likes.
I. i. 180. more with love. As presently appears, it was with one of the Capulets that Romeo believed himself in love.
I. i. 181–186. Such strained antitheses as these appear frequently in the more conventional love sonnets imitated from the Italian by Shakespeare's contemporaries.
I. i. 222. This probably means that since she refuses to have children she can in no way leave her beauty behind when she dies.
I. ii. S. d. Clown. This designation of Capulet's servant shows that the part was assigned to one of the low comedians or 'merrymen' of the company.
I. ii. 15. This may mean either, She is the one who will inherit my estate, or, the one in whom all my hopes are centered.
I. ii. 29. fennel. Capulet has reference to the supposed power of fennel to awaken passion. Fennel was thrown in the path of brides, and it was especially the flower of newly married couples. The
