| Aurora | The Goddess of dawn in Roman mythology |
| Cupid | The God of erotic love in Roman mythology |
| Dian | Diana, goddess of the hunt in Roman mythology |
| Ethiop | A person from Ethiopia, a country in Africa |
| holy palmer’s kiss | A “palmer” is a Christian pilgrim who brought back a palm leaf as a symbol of his journey to his holy land |
| Lammas-eve | July 31, the evening before Lammas Day, (August 1) which is the festival of wheat harvest |
| Lammas- tide | Lammas Day, August 1, which is the festive of wheat harvest |
| Pentecost | A feast day of the Christian calendar; seven weeks after Easter Sunday |
| poor John | A small, shriveled up fish |
| Queen Mab | A fairy queen |
| Spanish blades | Spanish swords |
| Tartar’s painted bow of lath | A colorful cross-bow |
| Venus | The Roman goddess of love |
| purblind son and heir, young Adam Cupid | A reference to Cupid, who is the son of Venus |
| King Cophetua | According to legend, King Cophetua was the king of a colony in Africa. He falls in love at first sight with a beggar maid |
| Jove (Jupiter) | King of the gods in Roman mythology |
| Echo | In Roman mythology, a nymph who love the sound of her own voice |
| Titan | Also called Helios, Titan is the sun personified; he was often depicted driving a chariot of fire |
| Saint Francis | May refer to a number of Roman Catholic Saints |
| Jesu Maria | An expression similar to “Oh, my goodness” |
| Blind bow-boy’s butt shaft | The blunt end of Cupid’s arrow |
| Prince of cats | Tybalt is called the “prince if cats”; the name Tybalt comes from a trickster tale about a fox |
| Prick-song | Music that has been written down |
| Passado | A forward thrust in fencing or swordfighting |
| Punto reverso | A backhanded thrust in fencing or swordfighting |
| Hai | A thrust that goes straight through |
| Jesu | Jesus |
| Petrarch | Francesco Petrarca, an Italian poet and scholar |
| Laura | The subject of love poetry by Petrarch |
| Dido | The founder and first queen of Carthage |
| Cleopatra | The last queen of Egypt |
| Helen | In Greek mythology, the daughter of Zeus; her abduction brought about the Trojan War |
| Hero | A priestess of Aphrodite; lover of Leander |
| Thisbe | In roman mythology, Pryamus and Thisbe were famous lovers who were forbidden to be we’d because of their parents rivalry |
| Jacks | Rowdy young men |
| Easter | A Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus |
| Alla staccato | In a staccato singing manner |
| Phebus | In Latin, a name given to either the god Appollo or the sun |
| Phaethon | Th son of Helios who tried to drive his father’s chariot |
| Cynthia’s brow | The moon |
| Saint Peter | A leader of the early Christian church; one of the twelve apostles |
| Angelica | A term of endearment, “angle” |
| Infectious pestilence | Black Death, or Black Plague, a plague beginning in the 14th century that killed nearly half of Europe’s population and continued until the 18th century |
Romeo and Juliet List of Allusions
November 24, 2019