The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (421 page)

LUCIO, a Fantastic. Two other like Gentlemen

VARRIUS, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke

PROVOST.

THOMAS, friar

PETER, friar

A JUSTICE. ELBOW, a simple Constable

FROTH, a foolish Gentleman

CLOWN, Servant to Mistress Overdone

ABHORSON, an Executioner

BARNARDINE, a dissolute Prisoner.

ISABELLA, Sister to Claudio

MARIANA, betrothed to Angelo

JULIET, beloved by Claudio

FRANCISCA, a nun

MISTRESS OVERDONE, a Bawd.

Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other Attendants.

Enter DUKE VINCENTIO, ESCALUS, Lords and Attendants

DUKE VINCENTIO

Escalus.

ESCALUS

My lord.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Of government the properties to unfold,

To explain the qualities needed in governing well,
Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse;

Would make me seem enamored with the sound of my own voice;
Since I am put to know that your own science

Since I am obliged to admit that your own knowledge
Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice

Of this exceeds the limits of all advice
My strength can give you: then no more remains,

That my strength can give you: then no more remains,
But that to your sufficiency as your Worth is able,

But that you put your adequacy and worth,
And let them work. The nature of our people,

To work. The nature of our people,
Our city's institutions, and the terms

Our city’s institutions, and the methods of the courts procedures
For common justice, you're as pregnant in

For common justice, you’re as full of
As art and practise hath enriched any

Art and practice as anyone
That we remember. There is our commission,

That we can remember. Here is our commission,
From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,

Which we don’t want you to alter. Call forth
I say, bid come before us Angelo.

I say, and call Angelo here.

Exit an Attendant

What figure of us think you he will bear?

What you think he will think of us?
For you must know, we have with special soul

For you must know, we have with all the power of our hearts and minds
Elected him our absence to supply,

Chosen him to supply our absence,
Lent him our terror, dress'd him with our love,

Lent him our terror, dressed him with our love,
And given his deputation all the organs

And given him as deputy all the instruments
Of our own power: what think you of it?

Of our own power: what do you think of it?

ESCALUS

If any in Vienna be of worth

If any in Vienna are worthy
To undergo such ample grace and honour,

To bear the weight of such ample grace and honor,
It is Lord Angelo.

It is Lord Angelo.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Look where he comes.

Here he comes.

Enter ANGELO

ANGELO

Always obedient to your grace's will,

Always obedient to your will,
I come to know your pleasure.

I come here to know what you need from me.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Angelo,
There is a kind of character in thy life,

There is a kind of written sign in your life,
That to the observer doth thy history

That tells the observer your history
Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings

Completely. Yourself and your attributes
Are not thine own so proper as to waste

Are not your own so exclusively as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.

Yourself on your virtues, they on you.
Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,

Heaven does with us as we do with torches,
Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues

Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

Did not go before us, it would be
As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd

As if we didn’t have them. Spirits are not finely endowed
But to fine issues, nor Nature never lends

Except for fine purposes, nor does Nature ever lend
The smallest scruple of her excellence

The smallest scruple of her excellence
But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines

Except when she, like a thrifty goddess, she assumes
Herself the glory of a creditor,

For herself the privileges of a creditor,
Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech

Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech
To one that can my part in him advertise;

To one that already knows more than I know;
Hold therefore, Angelo:--

Hold therefore, Angelo:--
In our remove be thou at full ourself;

In our absence be in every respect myself;
Mortality and mercy in Vienna

Mortality and mercy in Vienna
Live in thy tongue and heart: old Escalus,

Live in your tongue and heart: old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary.

Thought senior and first appointed, is your right hand.
Take thy commission.

Take your commission.

ANGELO

Now, good my lord,

Now, my good lord,
Let there be some more test made of my metal,

There should be some more test of my temper and quality,
Before so noble and so great a figure

Before such a noble and great figure
Be stamp'd upon it.

Is stamped upon it.

DUKE VINCENTIO

No more evasion:

No more evasion:
We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice

We have with a carefully considered and prepared choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.

Proceeded to you; therefore take your honors.
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition

The cause for my hasty departure is so urgent
That it prefers itself and leaves unquestion'd

That it takes precedence over all other matters, and leaves unconsidered
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,

As time and our concernings shall importune,

As much as time and our business allows,
How it goes with us, and do look to know

And let you know how it goes with us, and will want to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well;

What happens to you here. So, may you fare well;
To the hopeful execution do I leave you

I leave you to the hopeful execution
Of your commissions.

Of your commissions.

ANGELO

Yet give leave, my lord,

But give me permission, my lord,
That we may bring you something on the way.

So that we can bring you something on the way.

DUKE VINCENTIO

My haste may not admit it;

I may be in too much of a hurry for that;
Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
Nor do you, I promise, have to do

With any scruple; your scope is as mine own

With any scruple; you have my same powers
So to enforce or qualify the laws

To enforce or qualify the laws
As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand:

As you yourself deem right.
I'll privily away. I love the people,

I’ll leave secretly. I love the people,
But do not like to stage me to their eyes:

But I do not like to make a show of myself to them:
Through it do well, I do not relish well

Through it do well, I don’t exactly relish
Their loud applause and Aves vehement;
Their loud applause and hails of acclamation;

Nor do I think the man of safe discretion

Nor do I think that a man of safe discretion
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.

Would want it. Once again, goodbye.

ANGELO

The heavens give safety to your purposes!

May the heavens see you safely to your purposes!

ESCALUS

Lead forth and bring you back in happiness!

Lead ahead, and bring back happiness!

DUKE

I thank you. Fare you well.

I thank you. Goodbye.

Exit

ESCALUS

I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave

I will want you, sir, to give me permission
To have free speech with you; and it concerns me

To speak freely to you; it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place:
To look into the extent of my commission and authority: