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Appear thou in likeness of a sigh,
Speak but one rhyme and I am satisfied,
Cry but “Ay me,” pronounce but “love” and “dove”
At the start of Act 2, Scene 1, after they leave the Capulet ball, Benvolio asks Mercutio to help find Romeo, who has climbed over a wall and into the Capulet property. Unaware that Romeo has fallen in love with Juliet at the ball, Mercutio responds by making fun of Romeo’s habit of using clichéd, overly-romantic language in professing his love for Rosaline. Romeo can hear Mercutio’s jokes, but he keeps quiet because he doesn’t want to be found. Read more about this quote in Quotes by Character: Mercutio (the second quote).
This cannot anger him. 'Twould anger him
To raise a spirit in his mistress' circle
Of some strange nature, letting it there stand
Till she had laid it and conjured it down.
That were some spite. My invocation
Is fair and honest. In his mistress' name
I conjure only but to raise up him.
Suspecting that Romeo can hear Mercutio making fun of him, Benvolio warns Mercutio could make Romeo angry, prompting this crude response from Mercutio. In essence, Mercutio is saying that if he were to summon a spirit to have sex with would Romeo be angry. He then implies that he’s only talking about Rosaline to lure Romeo out of hiding.
O Romeo, that she were, O, that she were
An open-arse, thou a poperin pear!
Mercutio continues making anti-romantic and ribald jokes at Romeo’s expense as Romeo hides with this quote that contains two sexual puns. Read more about this quote and its puns in Quotes by Character: Mercutio (the third quote).
Romeo keeps quiet through Mercutio’s insults, which will prompt Mercutio and Benvolio to give up their search for him at the end of Act 2, Scene 1. However, Romeo will get the last word with the opening line of Scene 2, which reveals just what he thinks about Mercutio’s jesting when he says (to himself) “He jests at scars that never felt a wound.” This is basically Romeo saying that it’s easy for someone to joke about scars if they’ve never been cut—implying that he believes that Mercutio has never been in love.
