Notes originally placed at the bottom of each page appear below, following the Epilogue. Where these notes gloss a word in the text, the gloss can also be found by hovering over the text.

Where these notes refer to an end note (cf. n. = confer notam; "consult note"), a link to the accompanying end note is provided from the Footnotes section. The end notes accompanying the Epilogue appear on page 88 of the original volume.

William Shakespeare4362704The Tragedy of Romeo and JulietThe Text: Epilogue1917Willard Higley Durham

EPILOGUE

Spoken by Prospero.

Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own;
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confin'd by you, 4
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your spell; 8
But release me from my bands
With the help of your good hands.
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails, 12
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant;
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be reliev'd by prayer, 16
Which pierces so that it assaults
Mercy itself and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free. 20

Exit.

FINIS.

Footnotes to the Epilogue

Epilogue: cf. n.
10 hands: applause
13 want: lack
18 Mercy: God