As the play starts, we see Sampson and Gregory, two Capulet servants, scoffing the Montagues saying,”That shows thee a weak slave, for the weakest goes to the wall.” They go on mocking the maids saying that they would either cut off their heads or take their virginity. At that point, Abram and another Montague servant enter and argue with the Capulet servants, but Benvolio, Capulet’s nephew and Romeo’s cousin, enters and tells the servants to get out their swords and to prepare for battle. At that point, Tybalt enters and fights Benvolio creating panic around the city of Verona, but they’re stopped by the Prince of Verona.

He tells the two and their families that if there is another disturbance, there would be dire consequences for them.

Later, Benvolio meets with Romeo, who has recently broken up with a girl named Rosaline and he is not dealing with it well because he thought they had a special connection. Benvolio tells him that he should give up on her and should find someone else who would be a lot better suited for Romeo but he still disagrees and thinks cupids arrow hit them both.