Romeo and Juliet Play/Story

Chapter three

——(CAPULET is with County PARIS, along with PETER, a servent.)——

CAPULET
(continuing a conversation) But Montague had sworn an oath just like I have, and he's under the same penalty. I don't think it will be hard for men as old as we are to keep the peace,

PARIS (🤮)
You both have honorable reputations, and it's too bad you've been enemies for so long. But what do you say to my request?

CAPULET
I can only repeat what I have said before. My daughter is still very young. She's not even fourteen years old. Let's wait two more summers before we start thinking she's ready to get married.

PARIS (🤢🤢)
Girls younger than she often marry and become happy mothers.

CAPULET
Girls who Marty's o young grow up too soon. But go ahead and charm her, gentle Paris; make her love you. My permission is only part of her decision: if she agrees to marry you, my blessing and fair words will confirm her choice. Tonight I'm having a feast that we've celebrated for many years, I've invited many of my closest friends, and I'd like you welcome you and add you to the guest list. At my humble house tonight, you can expect to see dazzling starts that walk on the ground and light the sky from below.

You'll be delighted by young women as fresh as spring flowers. Look at anyone you like, and choose the hat ever woman seems best to you. Once you see a lot of girls, you might not think my daughter's the best anymore, come along with me.

(to PETER, handing him a paper) Go, little fellow, walk all around Verona. Find the people on this list and tell them they're welcome at my house tonight.

——(they leave PETER alone with the list and his thoughts.)——
***
PETER
(to himself) Find the people whose names are on this list? It is written that shoemakers and tailors should play with each others tools, that fishermen should play with paints, and painters should play with fishing nets. But I've been sent to find the people whose names are written on this list, and I can't read! I'll never find them in my own. I've got to go find somebody who knows how to read to help me. Ooh...some people have come right in the nick of time.

——(he watches as BRNVOLIO and ROMEO walk in the nearby streets.)——

BENVOLIO
(to ROMEO) Come on, man. You can put out one fire by starting another. A new pain will make the one you already have seem less. If you make yourself dizzy, you'd an cure yourself by spinning back around in the opposite direction.

A new grief will out the old one out of your mind. Make yourself lovesick by gazing at some new girl, and your old love sickness will be cured.

ROMEO
The plantain leaf is excellent for that.

BENVOLIO
For what, Romeo?

ROMEO
For when you cut your shin.

BENVOILO
(gives him a look) What? Romeo, are you crazy?

ROMEO
I'm not crazy! But I'm tied up tighter than a mental patient in a straitjacket. I'm locked up in a prison and deprived of food. I'm whipped and tortured—(sees PETER walking by) Good evening, good fellow.

PETER
(nods to ROMEO and BENVOLIO) May God give you a good evening. Excuse me, sir, do you know how to read?

ROMEO
(sighs dramatically) I can read my own fortune in my misery.

PETER
Perhaps you've learned from life and not from books. But please tell me, can you read anything you see?

ROMEO
Yes, if I know the language and the letters.

PETER
I see. Well, that's an honest answer. Have a nice day...

ROMEO
Stay, fellow. I can read (he reads the letter written by LORD CAPULET handed to him by PETER)

"Signor Martino and his wife and daughters, Count Anselme and his beautiful sisters, Vitruvio's Widow, Signor Placentio and his lovely nieces, Mercutio  and his brother Valentine, my  Uncle Capulet and his wife and daughters, my fair niece Rosalind and Livia, Signor Valentino and his cousin Tybalt, and Lucio and the lovely Helena."

This is a nice group of people. Where are they supposed to come?

PETER
Up.

ROMEO
Where? To supper?

PETER
To our house.

ROMEO
Who's house?

PETER
My master's house.

ROMEO
Indeed, I should have asked you before who he was.

PETER
Now I'll tell you so you don't have to ask. My master is the great and rich Lord Capulet, and if you don't belong to the house of Montague, please come and drink a cup of wine. Have a nice day! (takes the letter back and walks away from BENVOLIO and ROMEO)

*
BENVOLIO
Hmm. This beautiful Rosalind whom you live so much will be at the Capulet's traditional feast, along with every beautiful woman in Verona. Go there and compare her objectively to some other girls I'll show you. The woman who you think is as beautiful as a swan is going to look as ugly as a crow.

ROMEO
If my eyes ever lie to me like that, let my tears turn into flames and burn them for being such obvious liars!

A woman more beautiful than the one I love? The sun itself has never seen anyone as beautiful since the world began.

BENVOLIO
Come on, you first decided she was beautiful when no one else was around. There was no one to compare her to except herself. But let your eyes compare her to another beautiful woman who I'll show you at this feast, and you won't think she's the best anymore.

ROMEO
I'll go with you. Not because I think you'll show me anything better, but so I can see the woman I love.

***
A/N: for anyone that does not know of Romeo and Juliet and decides to read this for whatever reason. Juliet in the original story is 13/14 and Romeo is 15-17 (his age is never specifically stated, but yea). You can change their age in your head, mind you in every other adaption they are 14-16 or 17-20. Idk. Go wild!