Benvolio

• 'Take thou some new infection to thy eye, and the rank poison of the old will die' - Benvolio


  Benvolio is claiming Romeos love for rosaline is brief and superficial, as he will replace her quickly. He uses an extended metaphor by comparing Rosalines hold over romeo to an 'infection' which demonstrates how lovesick Romeo is. Shakespeare uses foreshadowing as he compares romeos lovers to poison, which will ultimately kill him.
• 'I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword'


  -Benvolio rejects the feud, despite being involved through blood.

  -He feels it is his duty to deter violence, as shown throughout the play, Tybalts Foil.
• 'Deaf to peace... come back to Romeo'


  -Benvolio tells the prince that Tybalt wasn't reasonable and was insistent on vengeance on Romeo.

  -This allows the Prince to see that Tybalt started the fight and Romeo wasn't the only one at fault.

  -This leads to Romeo's banishment rather than his death.
• 'Part fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you do'

  -Immediately Benvolio demonstrates his peaceful nature.

  -He also displays that he thinks before he acts, telling the servants to stop fighting as he knows that the Prince is angry at the fighting and he worries about the other Montague's and Capulet's safety