A plague o’ both your houses. I am sped.

Is he gone, and hath nothing?


BENVOLIO.

What, art thou hurt?


MERCUTIO.

Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Marry, ’tis enough.

Where is my page? Go villain, fetch a surgeon.


 [Exit Page.]
ROMEO.

Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much.


MERCUTIO.

No, ’tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but

’tis enough, ’twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find

me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o’

both your houses. Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to

death. A braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of

arithmetic!—Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.


ROMEO.

I thought all for the best.


MERCUTIO.

Help me into some house, Benvolio,

Or I shall faint. A plague o’ both your houses.

They have made worms’ meat of me.

I have it, and soundly too. Your houses!


 [Exeunt Mercutio and

Benvolio.]
ROMEO.

This gentleman, the Prince’s near ally,

My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt

In my behalf; my reputation stain’d

With Tybalt’s slander,—Tybalt, that an hour

Hath been my cousin. O sweet Juliet,

Thy beauty hath made me effeminate

And in my temper soften’d valour’s steel.


 Re-enter Benvolio.
BENVOLIO.

O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio’s dead,

That gallant spirit hath aspir’d the clouds,

Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.


ROMEO.

This day’s black fate on mo days doth depend;

This but begins the woe others must end.


 Re-enter Tybalt.
BENVOLIO.

Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.


ROMEO.

Again in triumph, and Mercutio slain?

Away to heaven respective lenity,

And fire-ey’d fury be my conduct now!

Now, Tybalt, take the ‘villain’ back again

That late thou gav’st me, for Mercutio’s soul

Is but a little way above our heads,

Staying for thine to keep him company.

Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.