Act II, Scene 4 is set on a street in Verona. Mercutio and Benvolio are waiting for Romeo, who ditched them the night before so he could see Juliet. They are eventually on their way to Lord Montague's house for dinner. At first they talk about the challenge Tybalt has sent to Romeo. Toward the end of the scene when Romeo is talking to the Nurse, Mercutio asks Romeo if they will see him there. Mercutio says,
Romeo, will you come to your father’s? We’ll to
dinner thither.
The scene is made interesting by the absurd exaggeration of Mercutio as he comments on a number of topics, including Tybalt, the prince of cats, sword fighting, "fashion-mongers," whores, Petrarch's love poetry about Laura, Cleopatra and, finally, the fact that Romeo seems more like himself again after being despondent over his failed love for Rosaline. Romeo and Mercutio trade bawdy puns about "pink flowers," "pumps" and wild goose chases. Mercutio likes that he can trade barbs with his friend again. He says,
Why, is not this better now than groaning
for love? Now art thou sociable, now art thou
Romeo, now art thou what thou art, by art as well as
by nature. For this driveling love is like a great
natural that runs lolling up and down to hide his
bauble in a hole.
When the Nurse arrives as a messenger for Juliet she is treated rudely by Mercutio who insults her with crude sexual jokes. The scene ends with Romeo arranging his marriage to Juliet with the Nurse. We assume that Benvolio and Mercutio went to dinner, but Romeo went to the Friar's cell for the wedding.
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