SCENE I. Verona. A public place.

Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY, of the house of Capulet, armed with swords and bucklers

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

GREGORY
No, for then we should be colliers.

SAMPSON
I mean, and 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.