Original: Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
Modern: Hurry up, you fast horses of the sun,

Original: Towards Phoebus’ lodging: such a wagoner
Modern: Racing toward the sun god’s home: a driver

Original: As Phaethon would whip you to the west,
Modern: Like Phaethon would drive you toward the west,

Original: And bring in cloudy night immediately.
Modern: And bring the dark night right away.

Original: Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,
Modern: Draw your secret curtains, night that helps lovers,

Original: That runaway’s eyes may wink and Romeo
Modern: So that the sun’s eyes will close and Romeo

Original: Leap to these arms, untalk’d of and unseen.
Modern: Can jump into my arms without anyone talking about it or seeing us.

Original: Lovers can see to do their amorous rites
Modern: Lovers can see well enough to make love

Original: By their own beauties; or, if love be blind,
Modern: By their own inner light; or, if love is blind,

Original: It best agrees with night. Come, civil night,
Modern: Then it goes perfectly with darkness. Come, well-mannered night,

Original: Thou sober-suited matron, all in black,
Modern: You serious lady dressed all in black,

Original: And learn me how to lose a winning match,
Modern: And teach me how to lose a game I’m winning,

Original: Play’d for a pair of stainless maidenhoods:
Modern: Where we’re both betting our pure virginities:

Original: Hood my unmann’d blood, bating in my cheeks,
Modern: Cover my wild blood that’s beating in my cheeks,

Original: With thy black mantle; till strange love, grown bold,
Modern: With your black cloak; until this new love, growing brave,

Original: Think true love acted simple modesty.
Modern: Will think that real love is just acting modest.

Original: Come, night; come, Romeo; come, thou day in night;
Modern: Come, night; come, Romeo; come, you who are like daylight in the darkness;

Original: For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night
Modern: Because you will rest on night’s dark wings

Original: Whiter than new snow on a raven’s back.
Modern: Looking whiter than fresh snow on a black bird’s back.

Original: Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-brow’d night,
Modern: Come, gentle night, come, loving, dark-browed night,

Original: Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die,
Modern: Give me my Romeo; and, when he dies someday,

Original: Take him and cut him out in little stars,
Modern: Take him and cut him up into little stars,

Original: And he will make the face of heaven so fine
Modern: And he will make the sky so beautiful

Original: That all the world will be in love with night
Modern: That everyone in the world will fall in love with night

Original: And pay no worship to the garish sun.
Modern: And won’t care about the bright, showy sun anymore.

Original: O, I have bought the mansion of a love,
Modern: Oh, I have purchased the house of love,

Original: But not possess’d it, and, though I am sold,
Modern: But I don’t own it yet, and, even though I’ve committed myself,

Original: Not yet enjoy’d: so tedious is this day
Modern: I haven’t enjoyed it yet: this day drags on so slowly

Original: As is the night before some festival
Modern: Like the night before a holiday

Original: To an impatient child that hath new robes
Modern: For an eager child who has new clothes

Original: And may not wear them. O, here comes my nurse,
Modern: But isn’t allowed to wear them yet. Oh, here comes my nurse,

Original: And she brings news; and every tongue that speaks
Modern: And she’s bringing news; and anyone who speaks

Original: But Romeo’s name speaks heavenly eloquence.
Modern: Romeo’s name is speaking like an angel.

In Act III, Scene 2 of “Romeo and Juliet,” Juliet eagerly awaits nightfall and her wedding night with Romeo. She delivers a passionate soliloquy calling for the sun to set quickly so that night will come and bring Romeo to her. Juliet speaks of her anticipation for their physical union and her desire to learn the art of love from Romeo, expressing her youthful impatience and excitement about their secret marriage consummated.

The Nurse enters in great distress, lamenting and crying out about a death, which initially leads Juliet to fear that Romeo has died. Through the Nurse’s confused and emotional storytelling, Juliet learns that Romeo has killed Tybalt and has been banished from Verona. Juliet’s emotions swing dramatically from relief that Romeo is alive to anguish over Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s exile. She briefly curses Romeo for killing her cousin, but quickly repents and defends her husband, ultimately grieving that Romeo’s banishment means their wedding night and married life together have been destroyed. The Nurse promises to find Romeo and bring him to Juliet for their final night together before his exile.

“Romeo and Juliet” tells the story of two young lovers from feuding families in Verona. Romeo Montague attends a Capulet feast in disguise, where he meets and instantly falls in love with Juliet Capulet. They meet secretly that night on her balcony and decide to marry the next day. Friar Lawrence agrees to perform the ceremony, hoping their union might end the family feud.

After the secret wedding, Romeo encounters Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, who challenges him to a duel. When Romeo refuses to fight, his friend Mercutio accepts the challenge and is killed by Tybalt. In revenge, Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished from Verona by Prince Escalus. Meanwhile, Juliet’s parents, unaware of her secret marriage, arrange for her to wed Count Paris.

Desperate to avoid this second marriage, Juliet seeks help from Friar Lawrence, who gives her a potion that will make her appear dead. The plan is for Romeo to return and take her away when she awakens in the Capulet tomb. However, Romeo never receives the friar’s message explaining the scheme. Believing Juliet truly dead, he purchases poison and drinks it beside her tomb.

Juliet awakens to find Romeo’s lifeless body and, in despair, kills herself with his dagger. The tragic deaths of their children finally reconcile the Montague and Capulet families, who vow to end their ancient hatred. Prince Escalus concludes that all are punished by this sorrowful outcome of the families’ bitter feud.