Borrow Cupid's wings and soar with them above a common bound?

Answer 1

Romeo and his friends are on their way to gatecrash Old Capulet's party. Romeo's friend Benvolio has talked Romeo into coming, in the hope that Rosaline ( Romeo has a pash for her, though she has no interest in him) will be there.

On the way Romeo tries to explain that he doesn't really want to go (he doesn't think Rosaline is going to change her mind about him) and that this is why he isn't as high-spirited as the others.

Mecutio - Romeo's other closest friend - starts some rather cruel teasing (Mercutio seems very bipolar throughout this play) and taunts:

You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings

And soar with them above a common bound.

(since you are in love, and love gives you wings, you ought to be able to give really high leaps when you dance).

What Mercutio is saying isn't very clever, it is just a simple joke based on the cliché that love gives you wings. Most of the time Mercutio is not nearly as clever as he thinks he is; but this is true of most of the witty things young men say when they are together.