He heareth not, he stirreth not, he moveth not:
The ape is dead, and I must conjure him.
– William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 1. This scene opens with Mercutio and Benvolio calling Romeo and mocking him over his romantic feelings for Rosaline. Mercutio, who is speaking here, doesn’t know that Romeo has snuck away to Capulet’s orchard to find Juliet, whom he has fallen for. In a metaphor, Mercutio is comparing Romeo to an ape, or performing monkey, trained to play dead until he is conjured back to life by his master calling out to him.