Scene Four
[A Street]
Enter Benvolio and Mercutio.
Mer. Where the devil should this Romeo be?
Came he not home to-night?
Ben. Not to his father's; I spoke with his man.
Mer. Why that same pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline, 4
Torments him so, that he will sure run mad.
Ben. Tybalt, the kinsman to old Capulet,
Hath sent a letter to his father's house.
Mer. A challenge, on my life. 8
Ben. Romeo will answer it.
Mer. Any man that can write may answer a letter.
Ben. Nay, he will answer the letter's master,
how he dares, being dared. 12
Mer. Alas! poor Romeo, he is already dead;
stabbed with a white wench's black eye; run
through the ear with a love-song; the very pin
of his heart cleft with the blind bow-boy's
butt-shaft; and is he a man to encounter
Tybalt?
Ben. Why, what is Tybalt? 19
Mer. More than prince of cats, I can tell you.
O! he is the courageous captain of compliments.
He fights as you sing prick-song, keeps time,
distance, and proportion; rests me his minim
rest, one, two, and the third in your bosom; the
12 dared: defied
15 pin: peg in the centre of a target
17 butt-shaft: unbarbed arrow used in shooting at targets
20 prince of cats; cf. n.
21 captain of compliments: chief observer of formal ceremonies
22 prick-song: a part written out, not improvised
23 proportion: rhythm
minim: half measure (in music)
