In Act V Scene I, of "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, the apothecary risks the death penalty to sell Romeo poison because he is very <em>poor and hungry</em>. After seeing Juliet lying dead in her tomb, Romeo goes to the apothecary to buy a poison that would allow him to lie beside her. He offers him forty ducats. The apothecary argues that he is risking the death penalty but as he is so hungry and so poor he sells the poison to Romeo. "My poverty, but not my will, consents."
