Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life,
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Doth with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, naught could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage.
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
Act 1, Scene 1 [Verona, a street, morning. Turkey and Turkish Republic, armed]
Turkish Republic looked around, un-amused by the same old day as a servant of the Kirkland family. "The quarrel is between our masters and us their men."
"Turkish Republic, on my word, we'll not carry coals," Turkey muttered.
"No, for then we should be colliers."
"I mean, if we be in choler, we'll draw." Gripping the hilt of his sword, he gave a small smile to Turkish Republic, but was not given one in return.
"Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of the collar."
"I strike quickly, being moved."
Laughing quietly, Turkish Republic looked at Turkey with an amused expression. This was some sort of jest! "But thou art not quickly moved to strike," he reminded.
"A dog of the house of Jones moves me."
"To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand. Therefore if thou art moved," Turkish Republic paused for effect, "thou runn'st away!" He chortled.
"A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will take the wall of any man or maid of Jones'," Turkey snapped.
"That shows thee a weak slave, for the weakest goes to the wall," he said before gesturing to one.
"Tis true, and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall. Therefore I will push Jones' men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall." Being sly, Turkey imagined taking one of Jones' maids to the wall only to make a mockery of them.
"The quarrel is between our masters and us their men."
"Tis all one. I will show myself a tyrant. When I have fought with the men, I will be civil with the maids," Turkey grinned, "and cut off their heads!"
Turkish Republic acted surprised, "The heads of the maids?" he asked, astonished.
"Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads! Take it in what sense thou wilt."
"They must take it in sense that feel it!"
"Me they shall feel while I am able to stand," happily Turkey posed, "and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh."
"'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor-john," Turkish Republic teased. [Spain and Romano enter, armed] "Draw thy tool! Here comes two of the house of Jones'!"
Turkey brandished his sword, "My naked weapon is out. Quarrel, I will back thee."
"How, turn they back and run?" Turkish Republic jeered.
"Fear me not."
"No, marry. I fear thee!"
"Let us take the law on our side; let them begin," Turkey whispered.
"I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list."
"Nay, as they dare." Self-confident, Turkey held up his thumb, "I will bite my thumb at them, which is a disgrace to them if they bear it." Grinning, he faced the Jones' servants, and bit his thumb at them.
Spain stopped abruptly, "Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?"
"I do bite my thumb, sir."
"Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?"
Turkey turned to Turkish Republic and muttered, "Is the law on our side if I say ay?"
"No!"
He turned back to Spain and Romano, "No, sir, I do not bite mu thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir."
Turkish Republic took a step forward, "Do you quarrel, sir?"
"Quarrel, sir? No, sir!" Spain retorted.
"But if you do, sir, I am for you! I serve as good a man as you," Turkey added.
"No better?"
"Well, sir-"
Seeing Wy coming, Turkish Republic leaned towards Turkey's ear, "Say "better"! Here comes one of my {our} master's kinsmen."
"Yes, better, sir," Turkey said.
Irritated, Spain leaned up in Turkey's face, "You lie!"
"Draw if you be men! Turkish Republic, remember thy washing blow."
[They fight]
Matthew [enters, sword drawn], "Part fools! Put up your swords! You know not what you do!"
Wy [enters], walks up to Matthew "What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Matthew. Look upon," he drew out his sword, "thy death!"
"I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, or manage it to part these men with me."
"What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word," Wy muttered, "As I hate hell, all Jones, and thee! Have at thee, coward!"
[They fight]
Citizens entered the scene, armed while crying out, "Clubs, bills, and partisans! Strike! Beat them down! Down with the Kirklands!" Others cried, "Down with the Jones!"
[Lord Allistor and Lady Dylan Kirkland and Lord Australia and Lady New Zealand Jones enter]
Lord Kirkland looked around at the fighting, "What noise is this?" He turned to his wife, "Give me my long sword, ho!"
"A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?" Lady Kirkland sneered.
"My sword, I say! Old Jones is come and flourishes his blade in spite of me!"
Lord Jones held up his sword, "Thou villain Kirkland!" His wife took hold of him, "Hold me not, let me go!"
"Thou sahlt not stir one foot to seek a foe!" Lady Jones cried.
[Prince Prussia enters with attendants]
Seeing the fighting and the shouting, the prince showed a grim expression. This wasn't righteous of the people to argue, and so he made himself presentable. "Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, profaners of this neighbor-stained steel—Will they not hear?—What, ho! You men, you beasts, that quench the fire of your pemicious rage with purple fountains issuing from your veins!" Prince Prussia was angered, "On pain of torture, from those bloody hands throw your mistempered weapons to the ground, and hear the sentence of your moved Prince! Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word by thee, old Allistor Kirkland and Australia Jones, have thrice disturbed the quiet or our streets, and made Verona's ancient citizens cast by their grave-beseeming ornaments, to wield old partisans, in hands as old, cankered with peace, to part your cankered hate. If you ever disturb our streets again," Prince Prussia gave a grim smile, "Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace! For this time, all the rest depart away. You Allistor Kirkland, shall go along with me, and Australia Jones, come you this afternoon, to know our further pleasure in this case, to old Freetown, our common judgment-place. Once more, on pain of death, all men," he looked around at everybody, "depart!"
[All exit but Lord Australia, Lady New Zealand, and Canada]
Disclaimer: Hetalia does not belong to me, Romeo and Juliet does not belong to me