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Romeo & Juliet
 


     
ACT II, Scene iii
Act II, Scene iii: Friar Laurence's cell. Enter FRIAR LAURENCE, with a basket.
FRIAR LAURENCE
  The grey-eyed morning smiles on the frowning night.
It checkers the eastern clouds with streaks of light,
and the spotted darkness staggers like a drunk
from the path of the day and the sun's fiery wheels.
Now, before the sun can raise his burning eye
to cheer up the day and dry up night's dew,
I must fill this wicker basket
with deadly weeds and healing flowers.
The earth, which is the mother of nature, is also a tomb,
both a grave and a womb.
And from the earth's womb comes all kind of children
who suck from her natural breasts.
Many of the earth's children have many excellent uses--
not one child that doesn't have some use--and yet they're all different.
Great are the powerful uses that lie
in plants, herbs, stones, and in their pure qualities.
For there's nothing that lives on earth that is so bad
that it doesn't give the earth some special good.
And there isn't anything so good that when improperly used,
it stops serving its natural purpose and becomes poisonous.
Good can turn to bad when it is misused,
and sometimes evil can be made right by right action.
Enter ROMEO.
  Within the new bud of this weak flower,
there lies poison and medicinal power.
If you smell this flower, you'll be strengthened all over;
but if you take this flower, you die.
Two opposed kinds always live
within man, as well as in herbs--virtue and base lust.
Where evil is redominant,
the cankerworm will soon eat up that plant.
ROMEO
  Good morning, father.
FRIAR LAURENCE
  Bless you!
Who is the early riser who greets me so sweetly?
Young man, you must be very worried
to be out of bed so early in the morning.
Worry is always present in an old man's life,
and where you find worry, you'll never find sleep.
But when the young and the carefree
lie down to rest, then you'll find sleep is king.
So your appearance at this early hour tells me that
something is bothering you.
Or if that's not the case, then this must be right--
Romeo, you've not been to bed tonight.
ROMEO
  The last sentence is true. I had a sweeter rest than bed.
FRIAR LAURENCE
  God forgive your sin! Were you with Rosaline?
ROMEO
  With Rosaline, father? No!
I've forgotten that name and all the sorrow it brought.
FRIAR LAURENCE
  That's my good boy. But where have you been then?
ROMEO
  I'll tell you before you ask me again.
I was dining with my enemies
when all of a sudden, one of them wounded me,
whom I in turn wounded. You have the remedy
to help us both with your holy medicine.
I have no hatred, father, for
my request will also benefit my enemy.
FRIAR LAURENCE
  Good son, speak clearly and simply.
If you confess in riddles, you'll be forgiven in riddles.
ROMEO
  Then I'll tell you clearly that the girl I love
is the beautiful daughter of the rich Capulet.
Just as my heart is set on her, her heart is set on me,
and we're totally united, except by union
of holy marriage that you must perform. When, where, and how
we met, fell in love, and exchanged our vows,
I'll tell you later, but I ask you this now:
that you agree to marry us today.
FRIAR LAURENCE
  Holy Saint Francis! How you have changed!
So, Rosaline, whom you loved so much,
is so quickly forgotten? Then young men's love lies
not in their hearts but in their eyes.
Jesus and Mary, what a lot of salt tears
have washed your pale cheeks because of Rosaline!
A lot of salty tears were wasted
to flavor a love that you didn't really feel.
The sun has not yet cleared your signs from the heavens,
and your old groans are still ringing in my old ears.
Look, there's still a stain on your cheek
from a tear stain that is not yet washed off.
If ever you were yourself, and that old sorrow was yours,
you and your crying were all for Rosaline.
Have you changed? Say this sentences then:
"Women may fall when men don't have the strength to catch them.:"
ROMEO
  You often scolded me for loving Rosaline.
FRIAR LAURENCE
  For doting on her, not for loving her, my dear student.
ROMEO
  You told me to bury my love.
FRIAR LAURENCE
  Not in a grave where you bury one love to take another one out.
ROMEO
  Please, don't scold me. The one I love now
gives me kindness for kindness and love for love.
Rosaline did not.
FRIAR LAURENCE
  Rosaline knew all too well
that you were merely repeating words that you didn't mean.
But come, my changeable young man, go with me.
I will help you for just one reason:
this marriage alliance may prove to be so happy
that it will turn the hatred of your two households into love.
ROMEO
  Let's go. I insist on being quick about this.
FRIAR LAURENCE
  Let's be wise and slow. Those who run too fast stumble.
They exit.