Ben. There lies that Tybalt.
First Cit. Up, sir, go with me;[799][800]135
I charge thee in the prince's name, obey.[801]
Enter Prince, attended; Montague, Capulet, their Wives, and others.
Prin. Where are the vile beginners of this fray?[802]
Ben. O noble prince, I can discover all[803]
The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl:
There lies the man, slain by young Romeo, 140
That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.[804]
La. Cap. Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child![805]
O prince! O cousin! husband! O, the blood is spilt[806]
Of my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,
For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague. 145
O cousin, cousin![807]
Prin. Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?[808]
Ben. Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay;
Romeo that spoke him fair, bid him bethink[809]
How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal 150
Your high displeasure: all this uttered
With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow'd,[810]
Could not take truce with the unruly spleen[811]
Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tilts[812]
With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast; 155
Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point,
And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
Cold death aside, and with the other sends
It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity
Retorts it: Romeo he cries aloud,[813] 160
'Hold, friends! friends, part!' and, swifter than his tongue,
His agile arm beats down their fatal points,[814]
And 'twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm
An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life
Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled: 165
But by and by comes back to Romeo,
Who had but newly entertain'd revenge,[815]
And to't they go like lightning: for, ere I[816]
Could draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain;
And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly;[817] 170
This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.
La. Cap. He is a kinsman to the Montague,[804][818]
Affection makes him false, he speaks not true:
Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,
And all those twenty could but kill one life. 175
I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give;
Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.
Prin. Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio;
Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?[819]