Prince Escalus

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Prince Escalus, fictional Prince of Verona, is the mediator of the feuding families in William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". Escalus is the voice of authority in Verona. He appears only three times within the text and only to administer justice following major events in the feud between the Capulet and Montague families. He first punishes both Lord Capulet and Lord Montague in I.i for the quarrel between Tybalt, Benvolio, and a handful of servants. He returns in III.i, too late to stop the fatal brawls between Tybalt and Mercutio and, subsequently, Tybalt and Romeo. Escalus is prepared to execute Romeo for his offense - Romeo killing Tybalt - but lightens the sentence to a lifetime banishment from Verona when Benvolio insists that Tybalt started the quarrel by murdering Mercutio, a kinsman to the Prince. He returns in the final scene - V.iii - following the double suicide of Romeo and Juliet and at last orders the lords of the feuding families to make peace.

Relationships

Escalus is the cousin of Count Paris, who seeks Juliet Capulet's hand in marriage. Escalus is also related somehow to Mercutio; though it is never specified how directly, Escalus does refer to Mercutio as his "blood," implying a close relation. In the list of people invited to the Capulet's party, it is mentioned that Mercutio also has a brother, named Valentine. It is obvious that Paris is also related to him