Original
Modern English
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.
In the city of Verona, we stage our story of two households, equally noble. Their old grudges gives rise to a new fight, which takes lives of few citizens of Verona, as well.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life; Whose misadventur’d piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents’strife.
Two young souls from each of these bloody bloodlines fall in love with each other. Eventually, they are forced to commit suicide. The tragic end to their love story puts an end the age old feud between their families.
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;
Now, we will present to you the story of their love and its tragic end, which was the only thing that could put an end to their families’ rage.
The which, if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
If we have left out anything out of this prologue, listen to the entire story. We will work to make you understand everything.