Speeches (Lines) for Sampson in "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet"

Chorus. 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-marked love
And the continuance of their parents' rage -
Which but their children's end, nought 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.

Sampson. Gregory, o' my word, we'll not carry coals.

Gregory. No, for then we should be colliers.

Sampson. I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw.

Gregory. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.

Sampson. I strike quickly, being moved.

Gregory. But thou art not quickly moved to strike.

Sampson. A dog of the house of Montague moves me.

Gregory. To move is to stir; and to be valiant is to stand:
therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn'st away.

Sampson. A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will
take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's.

Gregory. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes
to the wall.

Sampson. True; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels,
are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push
Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids
to the wall.

Gregory. The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.

Sampson. 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I
have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the
maids, and cut off their heads.

Gregory. The heads of the maids?

Sampson. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads;
take it in what sense thou wilt.

Gregory. They must take it in sense that feel it.

Sampson. Me they shall feel while I am able to stand: and
'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.

Gregory. 'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou
hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool! here comes
two of the house of the Montagues.

Sampson. My naked weapon is out: quarrel, I will back thee.

Gregory. How! turn thy back and run?

Sampson. Fear me not.

Gregory. No, marry; I fear thee!

Sampson. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.

Gregory. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as
they list.

Sampson. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them;
which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.

Abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

Sampson. I do bite my thumb, sir.

Abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

Sampson. [Aside to GREGORY] Is the law of our side, if I say
ay?

Gregory. No.

Sampson. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I
bite my thumb, sir.

Abraham. Quarrel sir! no, sir.

Sampson. If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you.

Abraham. No better.

Sampson. Well, sir.

Gregory. Say 'better:' here comes one of my master's kinsmen.

Sampson. Yes, better, sir.

Abraham. You lie.

Sampson. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow.