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What did Balthazar and Abram do during the fight in Act 1, Scene 1?

Abraham and Balthasar start a fight with Sampson and Gregory as part of the Montague-Capulet Feud.

Sampson and Gregory represent the House of Capulet, and Abraham and Balthasar represent the House of Montague.  The two families are in a feud that affects everyone even remotely related to them.  For this reason, apparently you can’t even walk on the street in Verona without a brawl starting.


Abraham and Balthasar’s brawl starts pretty innocently.   They are walking along in the street (with swords, of course), when Sampson insults them.  He does so slyly and silently, with what would be the equivalent of the modern middle finger.  Abraham calls him out on it.



Enter ABRAHAM and BALTHASAR


ABRAHAM


Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?


SAMPSON


I do bite my thumb, sir.


ABRAHAM


Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?


SAMPSON


[Aside to GREGORY] Is the law of our side, if I say
ay?


GREGORY


No. (Act 1, Scene 1) 



Balthasar doesn’t say anything, but he seems to engage in the fight.  Benvolio, another Montague, comes and tries to break it up.  Then Tybalt, another Capulet, comes and joins the fight.  Soon there is an all-out brawl in the streets where anyone who sides with either family joins in.



Enter, several of both houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs


First Citizen


Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down!
Down with the Capulets! down with the Montagues! No. (Act 1, Scene 1) 



The heads of the two houses arrive, and then the prince.  He declares that there has been too much fighting, and lectures the Montagues and Capulets.  He also dictates the punishment of death to anyone who fights from then on. 


This scene indicates from the beginning how serious the feud is.  Everyone walks around with swords, and they are ready to use them at a moment’s notice for the smallest insult.  In addition, there is the penalty now for fighting. 

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