Act+1

Romeo: "she'll not be hit / With Cupid's arrow; she hath Dian's wit...." **Sampson and Gregory, servants to the Capulets and Abraham and Balthasar, servants to the Montague family start a street fight, which is joined by Benvolio (Montague) and Tybalt (Capulet). Escalus, Prince of Verona declares a death penalty for further fighting. We learn Romeo is lovesick; Rosaline will not requite (return) his love. His friend Benvolio tells Romeo to look at other girls...** Sampson and Gregory, servants of the Capulet family discuss their hatred of the Montague family. Gregory mocks Sam's heroism. Abraham and Balthasar, servants of the Montague family arrive. Both sides wish to fight, but neither wishes to be responsible for starting the ensuing brawl. When Sam (Capulet) says he serves a man better than Abraham (Montague), a fight follows. Benvolio enters, telling both parties to stop fighting: "Part, fools!" (Line 68). Tybalt arrives, challenging Benvolio to fight. He refuses and now the fighting turns into a major brawl. Capulet and wife and Montague and wife arrive at the scene. The Prince arrives, stating that he has had enough of these "civil brawls," (public brawls), (Line 95), adding that any further fighting (it has happened three times already) which disturbs the peace will result in death: "Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace" he darkly warns (Line 103). Montague asks Benvolio what happened and Lady Montague asks of Romeo's whereabouts. Benvolio answers that Romeo is much troubled and Montague explains how, "Many a morning hath he there been seen, / With tears augmenting [adding to] the fresh morning's dew, / Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs:" (Line 136). Romeo meets up with Benvolio. Benvolio asks what is troubling Romeo. We learn that Romeo is saddened by the rejection of his love (Rosaline, mentioned later) adding that "she'll not be hit / With Cupid's arrow; she hath Dian's wit;" (she will not be hit by Cupid's arrow or fall in love with me; she has the wit and elusiveness of Diana, the goddess of hunting) and that she will remain chaste (pure), (Line 214). Benvolio advises Romeo to forget this girl, telling him to "Examine other beauties" (look at other beauties / girls), (Line 233). Romeo dismisses this as impossible, telling Benvolio "thou [you] canst [can] not teach me to forget [Rosaline]" (Line 243). .
 * Act I. Scene I. -** Verona. A Public place.