Sampson and Gregory start the play off. They are the ones who restate the feelings of the Montagues and Capulets after the introduction by the Chorus. They are the servants of the Capulets, so when they see a Montague, they are ready to start a fight. The first thing that Gregory is says is, "The quarrel is between our masters, and us their men!" A couple of Montague's servants, Abram and Balthasar, arrive and Sampson and Gregory begin a fight with them. Sampson bites his thumb at them, which is an insult similar to today's use of the middle finger. They exchange words and begin to fight. Benvolio, nephew to Lord Montague, tries to break up the fight, but Tybalt, nephew to Lor Capulet, keeps it going. After the initial scene in the square, we do not hear of Sampson or Gregory causing any more problems.

Note: In the 1996 film version of Romeo and Juliet, Sampson and Gregory are portrayed as Montagues, and Abram is a Capulet. It is not uncommon for a director to take such liberties with these roles.