O Mischief Thou Art Swift to Enter Into the Thoughts of a Desperate Man Literary Element
Romeo and Juliet Translation Act 5, Scene 1
ROMEO
If I may trust the flattering truth of sleep, My dreams presage some joyful news at hand. My bosom's lord sits lightly in his throne, And all this twenty-four hours an unaccustomed spirit Lifts me to a higher place the footing with cheerful thoughts. I dreamt my lady came and found me dead— Strange dream, that gives a dead man leave to think— And breathed such life with kisses in my lips That I revived and was an emperor. Ah me! How sweet is love itself possessed When but beloved'due south shadows are so rich in joy!
ROMEO
If I tin can trust the favorable truth of sleep, then my dreams foretell some joyful news is on the mode. Love sits lightly in my heart, and all day an odd feeling has seemed to lift me up with cheerful thoughts. I had a dream that my lady came and found me dead—what a strange dream, in which a dead human being is able to call back. And she breathed life back into me past kissing my lips. I revived and became an emperor. Oh! How sweet it would exist to exist with my dear, when my dreams of love solitary fill up me with and then much joy.
ROMEO's servant BALTHASAR enters.
News from Verona!—How now, Balthasar? Dost thou not bring me messages from the friar? How doth my lady? Is my father well? How fares my Juliet? That I ask again, For nothing can be ill if she be well.
News from Verona! How are you, Balthasar? Have you brought me a letter from the friar? How is my wife? Is my father well? How is my Juliet? I enquire that once more because zippo can be bad if she is well.
BALTHASAR
Then she is well, and nothing can be ill. Her body sleeps in Capels' monument, And her immortal part with angels lives. I saw her laid low in her kindred's vault And presently took post to tell it you. O, pardon me for bringing these ill news, Since yous did leave it for my office, sir.
BALTHASAR
Then she is well, and nothing is bad. Her trunk sleeps in the Capulet crypt, and her immortal soul lives with the angels. I saw her cached in her family unit's tomb, and rushed here to tell y'all the news. Oh, pardon me for bringing this bad news, but y'all told me it was my duty to do and so, sir.
ROMEO
Is it e'en so? And then I defy you, stars! Thou know'st my lodging. Get me ink and newspaper, And rent mail horses. I will hence this evening.
ROMEO
Is information technology true? And then I defy you, fate!
[To BALTHASAR] You know where I'thousand staying. Get there and get me some ink and paper, and hire some horses. I volition exit here this night.
BALTHASAR
I do beseech you, sir, have patience. Your looks are pale and wild, and exercise import Some misadventure.
BALTHASAR
I beg you lot, sir, have patience. You wait pale and wild, every bit if you're nigh to do something reckless.
ROMEO
Tush, yard fine art deceived. Go out me and practise the thing I bid thee do. Hast grand no letters to me from the friar?
ROMEO
Come up now, you're beingness airheaded. Leave me and practice what I told y'all to practise. Do you lot really non have a letter for me from the friar?
BALTHASAR
No, my good lord.
BALTHASAR
No, my adept lord.
ROMEO
No matter. Get thee gone, And hire those horses. I'll exist with thee directly.
ROMEO
No thing. Get going, and rent those horses. I'll exist with you soon.
Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight. Permit's see for means. O mischief, yard art swift To enter in the thoughts of desperate men! I do remember an apothecary— And hereabouts he dwells—which tardily I noted In tattered weeds, with overwhelming brows, Alternative of simples. Meager were his looks, Sharp misery had worn him to the bones, And in his needy shop a tortoise hung, An alligator stuffed, and other skins Of sick-shaped fishes; and about his shelves A measly account of empty boxes, Green earthen pots, bladders and musty seeds, Remnants of packthread and quondam cakes of roses, Were thinly scattered to make upward a show. Noting this penury, to myself I said, "An if a man did need a poison now"— Whose auction is present decease in Mantua— "Hither lives a caitiff wretch would sell it him." Oh, this same thought did but forerun my need, And this aforementioned needy man must sell it me. As I remember, this should be the house. Being holiday, the beggar's shop is shut. What, ho! Apothecary!
Well, Juliet, I'll lie with you tonight. Let me recollect how. Evil acts are quick to enter the thoughts of desperate men! I remember a pharmacist who lives around here, and who I recently noted wears tattered dress and has jutting brows. He knows his medicinal herbs. He looks poor, every bit if misery had worn him to the bone. A tortoise vanquish hung in his shabby shop, forth with a stuffed alligator and the skins of odd-shaped fish. A few empty boxes sat on his shelves, also as green dirt pots, empty h2o skins, and some musty seeds. Old strands of cord and rose petals pressed into cakes were displayed all scattered around. Seeing his poverty, I said to myself, "If a man needed some toxicant"—which is punishable by immediate death to sell in Mantua—"here is a miserable wretch who'd sell it to him." Oh, this idea came before I even knew I needed the poison. But this is the poor man who will sell information technology to me. As I remember, this is the firm. Since today's a vacation, the beggar's shop is shut. Hey! Pharmacist!
APOTHECARY
Who calls so loud?
APOTHECARY
Who'south that calling so loudly?
ROMEO
Come up here, man. I see that chiliad art poor. Hold, there is twoscore ducats. Let me have A dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear As volition disperse itself through all the veins That the life-weary taker may fall dead, And that the body may be discharged of jiff As violently as hasty powder fired Doth bustle from the fatal cannon'southward womb.
ROMEO
Come here, man. I see that y'all are poor. Here's xl aureate coins. Permit me accept a fleck of poison, something that spreads then fast through the veins that the tired-out person who takes information technology will lose the breath of life every bit quickly as gunpowder explodes from the inside of a cannon.
APOTHECARY
Such mortal drugs I have, just Mantua's police Is death to whatsoever he that utters them.
APOTHECARY
I have such mortiferous poisons. Merely those who sell poison receive the death penalty in Mantua.
ROMEO
Art g then bare and total of wretchedness, And fear'st to die? Famine is in thy cheeks. Need and oppression starveth in thine eyes. Contempt and beggary hangs upon thy back. The earth is not thy friend nor the earth's law. The globe affords no police to make thee rich. Then be not poor, but suspension it, and accept this. [Holds out money]
ROMEO
How can you lot be then poor and wretched and still be agape to die? Your cheeks are thin from hunger. Starvation and oppression are visible in your optics. Your poverty, and the contempt of others for your situation, is like a monkey on your back. The globe is not your friend, and neither are the world's laws. The world doesn't provide a law that will brand y'all rich. So don't be poor. Break the police, and accept this coin. [He holds out coin]
APOTHECARY
My poverty, simply not my will, consents.
APOTHECARY
It is my poverty, not my morals, that forces me to concur.
ROMEO
I pay thy poverty and not thy will.
ROMEO
I'm paying your poverty, not your morals, and so.
APOTHECARY
[Gives ROMEO poison] Put this in whatever liquid thing y'all volition And drink information technology off; and, if you had the force Of 20 men, information technology would acceleration you direct.
APOTHECARY
[He gives ROMEO toxicant] Put this in whatsoever kind of liquid you lot want, and drink it. Even if you had the strength of twenty men, it would kill y'all quickly.
ROMEO
[Giving money] There is they gold—worse poison to men'southward souls, Doing more murder in this loathsome world, Than these poor compounds that thou mayst not sell. I sell thee poisonous substance; thou hast sold me none. Goodbye, purchase food, and get thyself in flesh.
ROMEO
[Giving coin to the APOTHECARY] At that place is your gold. Money is a worse poisonous substance to men's souls, and commits more murders in this awful world than these poor medicines y'all aren't permitted to sell. I'thou selling you lot poisonous substance; yous oasis't sold me whatever. Bye. Buy yourself some food, and put on some weight.
Come up, cordial and not poison, go with me To Juliet'south grave, for there must I utilise thee.
Come with me, medicine—you're no poison. We'll go to Juliet'due south grave, where I must use y'all.
Source: https://www.litcharts.com/shakescleare/shakespeare-translations/romeo-and-juliet/act-5-scene-1