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;Whole misadventured piteous

overthrows.Do 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, 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.




Adapted from http://shakespeare.mit.edu/romeo_juliet/romeo_juliet.1.0.html