Lucio speaks in rapid, darting, often brilliant wit — he fires jokes faster than he thinks, then occasionally says something devastatingly true. Watch for how his irreverence coexists with genuine feeling; he's not as shallow as he sounds.
If the Duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the
King of Hungary, why then all the dukes fall upon the King.
If the Duke and the other dukes don't reach an agreement with the King of Hungary, then all the dukes will join forces against the King.
If the Duke doesn't negotiate peace with Hungary, then all the dukes will gang up on the Hungarian king.
if our duke doesnt deal with hungary all the dukes fight together against the king
Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary’s!
May Heaven grant us peace, but not the kind of peace the King of Hungary wants.
God help us find peace, just not on Hungary's terms.
i hope we get peace but not hungarys kind
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
yes
Thou conclud’st like the sanctimonious pirate that went to sea with the
ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table.
You argue like that pious pirate who went to sea with the Ten Commandments but scratched one out from the tablets.
You sound like that sanctimonious pirate who went to sea with the Ten Commandments but scratched one off the stone tablets.
youre like that holy pirate who had the ten commandments but scratched one off
“Thou shalt not steal”?
"Don't steal"?
"Don't steal"?
dont steal?
Ay, that he razed.
Yes, that one he erased.
Yep, that's the one he scratched out.
yup that one
Why, ’twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from
their functions! They put forth to steal. There’s not a soldier of us
all that, in the thanksgiving before meat, do relish the petition well
that prays for peace.
Well, that would have been a commandment ordering the captain and all his crew to stop being pirates! They went to sea to steal. None of us soldiers really mean it when we pray for peace before meals.
That would've been the only rule keeping the captain and his crew from stealing! They sailed out to rob. And honestly, not one of us soldiers means it when we pray for peace at dinner.
that rule would stop pirates from stealing but they sailed to rob we soldiers dont even mean pray for peace at dinner
I never heard any soldier dislike it.
I've never heard any soldier complain about prayers for peace.
I've never heard a soldier complain about praying for peace.
ive never heard a soldier complain about it
I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where grace was said.
I believe you—because I don't think you've ever been anywhere that grace before meals was said.
I believe you, because you've never been anywhere that people actually said grace.
i believe you because youve never been where prayers happen
No? A dozen times at least.
Never? At least a dozen times.
Never? I've done it like a dozen times.
no like a dozen times
What? In metre?
What? In verse?
In verse? With rhyme and rhythm?
in verse?
In any proportion or in any language.
In any metre, verse, or language you can imagine.
Any way you can think of—verse, prose, whatever language.
any way at all
I think, or in any religion.
I think, or in any religion, too.
Or from any religion, for that matter.
from any religion
Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy; as, for
example, thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace.
Exactly. Grace is grace, no matter the disagreement; just as you yourself are a wicked villain, no matter how much grace you claim.
Exactly. Grace is grace, period. Just like you're a wicked bastard, no matter what holy face you put on.
grace is grace no matter what just like youre a wicked villain no matter how good you act
Well, there went but a pair of shears between us.
Well, there's only a narrow difference between us then.
So we're basically the same person.
so were basically the same
I grant, as there may between the lists and the velvet. Thou art the
list.
I grant there may be a difference—like the difference between the rough edges and the soft pile of velvet. You're the rough edge.
Yeah, there's a difference—like between rough linen and soft velvet. You're the rough edge.
sure theres a difference like rough vs soft youre the rough
And thou the velvet. Thou art good velvet; thou’rt a three-piled piece,
I warrant thee. I had as lief be a list of an English kersey as be
piled, as thou art piled, for a French velvet. Do I speak feelingly
now?
And you're the velvet—good soft velvet, thick pile. I'd rather be rough linen than soft velvet like you—all puffed up and infected with French disease. Does that sting?
And you're the velvet, soft and expensive. I'd rather be cheap rough cloth than puffed up and diseased like you. That hurt?
youre the soft velvet id rather be rough than diseased like you stings?
I think thou dost, and indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech.
I will, out of thine own confession, learn to begin thy health; but,
whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.
I think you're right, and I can feel the pain in your words. I'll learn to drink to your health from your own confession, but I'll never drink after you.
Yeah, I feel that hit home. I'll toast to your health based on what you just admitted, but I'm not drinking after you.
ouch i felt that ill toast you but not sharing your cup
I think I have done myself wrong, have I not?
I think I've damaged myself, haven't I?
I screwed myself over, didn't I?
i just made it worse didnt i
Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted or free.
Yes, you have—whether you're infected or clean, you've insulted yourself.
Yep, whether you're sick or healthy, you just made yourself look bad.
yeah no matter what
Claudio's case turns on an Elizabethan legal distinction that would have been immediately legible to Shakespeare's first audience. A formal 'contract' of betrothal — spoken vows witnessed by others — was legally binding as marriage in English law. The 'denunciation' (the public banns, the church ceremony) was required for full legal completion, but the contract alone created genuine marital obligations. Claudio and Juliet had the contract; they were waiting to announce it until they could secure her dowry from her family. In strict technical terms, Claudio has committed fornication under the newly enforced statute. But in every meaningful sense, he and Juliet are married. Angelo, of course, knows this distinction and ignores it. The law as written reaches him; the equitable interpretation does not.
Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes! I have purchased as many
diseases under her roof as come to—
Look, here comes Madam Mitigation! I've picked up as many diseases under her roof as add up to—
Oh, here comes the Bawd! I've caught so many diseases at her place, it comes to—
here comes the bawd i caught so many diseases there
To what, I pray?
To what, I pray?
How many?
to what
Judge.
Judge.
Guess.
guess
To three thousand dolours a year.
Three thousand crowns' worth a year.
About three thousand crowns' worth a year.
about three thousand crowns a year
Ay, and more.
And more.
Maybe more.
maybe more
A French crown more.
A French crown more.
One more crown's worth of French disease.
plus the french pox
Thou art always figuring diseases in me, but thou art full of error; I
am sound.
You're always imagining diseases in me, but you're full of mistakes. I'm healthy.
You're always saying I'm diseased, but you're the one making mistakes. I'm fine.
youre always saying im sick but im healthy
Nay, not, as one would say, healthy, but so sound as things that are
hollow. Thy bones are hollow. Impiety has made a feast of thee.
Not healthy exactly, but hollow—like things that are hollow. Your bones are hollow. Impiety has made a feast of you.
Not healthy like a normal person. Hollow. Like a dead thing. Your bones are eaten out. All your wickedness has hollowed you out.
not healthy hollow inside like a dead thing wickedness ate you out
How now, which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?
Which of your hips has the worst pain from sciatica?
Which hip hurts worse from sciatica?
which hip hurts
Well, well! There’s one yonder arrested and carried to prison was worth
five thousand of you all.
Well, there's a man who was arrested and taken to prison who's worth five thousand of all of you put together.
Well, there's a guy who just got arrested and thrown in prison who's worth more than all five of you combined.
theres a guy arrested whos worth way more than all of you
Who’s that, I pray thee?
Who is he, I beg you?
Who?
who
Marry, sir, that’s Claudio, Signior Claudio.
Well, it's Claudio, Signior Claudio.
It's Claudio. Claudio.
claudio
Claudio to prison? ’Tis not so.
Claudio arrested? That can't be true.
Claudio? In prison? No way.
no way claudio
Nay, but I know ’tis so. I saw him arrested, saw him carried away; and,
which is more, within these three days his head to be chopped off.
I'm sure of it. I saw him arrested, saw him carried away. And what's worse, within three days his head will be chopped off.
I know what I saw. They arrested him, took him away. And worse—they're going to behead him in three days.
i saw it they took him and hes getting beheaded in three days
But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so. Art thou sure of
this?
But after all this joking around, I wouldn't want it to be true. Are you sure?
After all that joking, I hope you're wrong. You absolutely sure?
after all that joking i hope youre wrong are you sure
I am too sure of it. And it is for getting Madam Julietta with child.
I'm absolutely sure. It's because he got Juliet pregnant.
I'm certain. He got Juliet with child.
i know for sure he got juliet pregnant
Believe me, this may be. He promised to meet me two hours since, and he
was ever precise in promise-keeping.
I believe it might be true. He was supposed to meet me two hours ago, and he's always reliable about keeping his promises.
It could be. He was supposed to meet me two hours back, and Claudio always shows up when he says he will.
it could be true he was supposed to meet me and he never misses
Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such
a purpose.
Besides, you know, it fits with what we were just talking about.
And anyway, it matches what we were just saying.
and it fits what we were talking about
But most of all agreeing with the proclamation.
Especially with the new proclamation.
Especially with this new law they announced.
fits the new law
Away! Let’s go learn the truth of it.
Come on. Let's go find out if this is really true.
Let's go find out what's really happening.
lets go find out
Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows,
and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk.
Between the wars, the plague, the hangings, and poverty, my business has shrunk away to nothing.
With the war, the sweating sickness, people getting hanged, and poverty, my brothel's been emptied out.
war plague hanging poverty no customers
Shakespeare does something formally bold in this scene: he puts the play's central crisis inside a bawdy comedy scene. Lucio and the Gentlemen are engaged in routine Elizabethan street humor — syphilis jokes, pirate theology, fabric puns — when the play's catastrophe walks through in chains. The juxtaposition is deliberate. The comic world of the Vienna underclass doesn't stop when Claudio is arrested; it just has to absorb the news. What's remarkable is how quickly even Lucio's reflexive wit goes quiet when he realizes his friend might die. Comedy can absorb almost anything until it can't. That transition — from laughter to silence — is one of Shakespeare's signature moves, and he executes it here with characteristic precision.
Pompey talks around the point with maddening obliqueness, always arriving at a dirty meaning through a circuitous route. Watch for the way he uses euphemism and evasion as a comedy strategy — and as a survival strategy.
Yonder man is carried to prison.
That man over there has been taken to prison.
That guy over there just got taken to prison.
that guy arrested
Well, what has he done?
Well, what did he do?
What'd he do?
what did he do
A woman.
A woman.
A woman.
a woman
But what’s his offence?
But what's his crime?
Yeah, but what's the actual crime?
but whats his crime
Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.
Groping for fish in a private river.
Fishing in someone else's river without permission.
fishing in someones river without permission
What? Is there a maid with child by him?
What? Is there a girl who got pregnant by him?
Wait—did he get some girl pregnant?
he got a girl pregnant
No, but there’s a woman with maid by him. You have not heard of the
proclamation, have you?
No, but there's a woman who is now with child by him. Haven't you heard the new proclamation?
No, but there's a woman who got pregnant from him. You haven't heard the new law?
no but shes pregnant now didnt you hear about the new law
What proclamation, man?
What proclamation?
What new law?
what law
All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.
All the brothels in the suburbs of Vienna must be torn down.
They're tearing down all the brothels in the suburbs of Vienna.
theyre destroying all the brothels in the suburbs
And what shall become of those in the city?
And what will happen to the ones in the city?
What about the brothels in the city itself?
what about the ones in the city
They shall stand for seed. They had gone down too, but that a wise
burgher put in for them.
They'll stay standing—for breeding, as it were. They would have been torn down too, but a wise businessman lobbied to save them.
They'll be left alone—to keep breeding new customers. Someone in the city council lobbied to save them.
those stay someone bought them off
But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled down?
But they're really tearing down all our houses of business in the suburbs?
So they really are destroying all the brothels out in the suburbs?
theyre really tearing down all our places
To the ground, mistress.
To the ground, ma'am.
Completely. Razed to the ground.
completely
Why, here’s a change indeed in the commonwealth! What shall become of
me?
This is a major change in government! What's going to happen to me?
This is insane. This is a total shift in how the government works. What do I do now?
what am i supposed to do now everythings destroyed
Come, fear not you. Good counsellors lack no clients. Though you change
your place, you need not change your trade. I’ll be your tapster still.
Courage, there will be pity taken on you. You that have worn your eyes
almost out in the service, you will be considered.
Don't be afraid. Good lawyers never lack for clients. Even if you change your location, you won't need to change your profession. I'll still be your bartender. Don't worry—people will take pity on you. You've worn out your eyes serving others; you'll be taken care of.
Don't worry. Good counselors always have clients. Change your location but not your business. I'll still work for you. People will feel bad for you. You've worn yourself out in service; you'll be okay.
dont worry lawyers always have work move but keep the same business people will take care of you
What’s to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let’s withdraw.
What's to be done here? Let's withdraw and talk more privately.
Not much we can do here. Let's go talk about this privately.
lets go talk this through
Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the Provost to prison. And there’s
Madam Juliet.
Look, here comes Signior Claudio, being led by the Provost to prison. And there's Madam Juliet with him.
There's Claudio now, the Provost's taking him to prison. And that's Juliet with him.
theres claudio and juliet
Claudio speaks in verse even under arrest, and his language is precise and self-aware — he understands exactly what's being done to him and why. Watch for the intelligence trapped behind his powerlessness.
Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world?
Bear me to prison, where I am committed.
Friend, why are you displaying me this way to the world? Take me to prison, where I'm being held.
Why are you parading me through the streets like this? Take me to prison already.
why are you showing me off take me to prison go
Mistress Overdone's brief lament — 'what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk' — is one of the play's most honest lines. She's running a small business at the intersection of every social catastrophe available: military mortality, epidemic disease, capital punishment, and poverty. The crackdown on brothels isn't a moral tragedy for her; it's a business catastrophe. Shakespeare gives her the play's most purely economic analysis of Angelo's legislation. The play never quite decides whether to treat her as pathetic or as a rational economic actor — and that ambivalence is part of what makes Measure for Measure so uncomfortable as a comedy.
I do it not in evil disposition,
But from Lord Angelo by special charge.
I don't do this out of cruelty, but by special order from Lord Angelo.
I don't want to humiliate you. Lord Angelo ordered me to do this.
its not me angelo ordered it
Thus can the demi-god Authority
Make us pay down for our offence by weight.
The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will;
On whom it will not, so; yet still ’tis just.
This is how a half-god authority can make us atone for our offense by weight—measure for measure. The will of Heaven—he grants it to one, denies it to another. But it's still just.
So that's how an all-powerful man works. He makes you pay for your sin in exact measure. Heaven allows it for some, refuses it for others. But it's still justice.
thats how power works measure for measure heaven does it justice done
Why, how now, Claudio? Whence comes this restraint?
So, how are you, Claudio? What has caused this arrest?
Claudio! What happened? Why are you arrested?
claudio what happened
From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty.
As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue,
Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,
A thirsty evil; and when we drink, we die.
From having too much freedom, my Lucio. Freedom itself. Just as overeating causes fasting later, so does unlimited freedom lead to constraint. Our nature pursues a thirsty evil like rats running toward their own poison—and when we drink it, we die.
From too much freedom, Lucio. Pure freedom. Like how eating too much leads to hunger and sickness, so too much freedom leads to getting locked up. We chase vice like rats running to their own poison. And when we drink it, we die.
too much freedom like overeating leads to sickness we chase evil and it kills us
If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send for certain of
my creditors; and yet, to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery
of freedom as the morality of imprisonment. What’s thy offence,
Claudio?
If I could speak that wisely while under arrest, I'd send for my creditors! But honestly, I'd rather have the foolish freedom than the serious imprisonment. What's your offense, Claudio?
If I could talk that smart while in chains, I'd call my creditors here to pay them! But truth is, I'd rather have stupid freedom than smart jail time. What did you actually do?
if i could talk that smart in chains id call my creditors but id pick stupid freedom over smart jail whats your crime
What but to speak of would offend again.
Saying what it is would be a crime in itself.
If I say it out loud, I commit the crime again.
i cant even say it without committing it again
What, is’t murder?
Is it murder?
Did you kill someone?
murder
No.
No.
No.
no
Lechery?
Lechery?
Sexual sin?
sex
Call it so.
You could call it that.
Yeah. That's what they're calling it.
yeah
Away, sir; you must go.
Come on, you have to go now.
We need to go. Now.
we have to go
One word, good friend.—Lucio, a word with you.
One word, friend. Lucio, can I speak with you?
Wait. Lucio, one second.
wait lucio
A hundred, if they’ll do you any good. Is lechery so looked after?
A hundred words if they'll help. Is lechery being enforced this strictly now?
Whatever you need. They really enforcing that law? Like, actually going after it?
anything theyre really enforcing this
Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract
I got possession of Julietta’s bed.
You know the lady; she is fast my wife,
Save that we do the denunciation lack
Of outward order. This we came not to
Only for propagation of a dower
Remaining in the coffer of her friends,
From whom we thought it meet to hide our love
Till time had made them for us. But it chances
The stealth of our most mutual entertainment
With character too gross is writ on Juliet.
This is my situation: I had a true marriage contract with Juliet and consummated it. You know her—she's truly my wife now, except we haven't had a formal public ceremony yet. We delayed that because her family wanted to hide our relationship until they settled some money issues. But her pregnancy has written the secret across her body so plainly that the secret is now public.
Here's the thing: Juliet and I made an actual marriage contract and slept together. You know her. She's my wife—we just haven't had the official wedding yet. We were waiting because her family wanted the engagement kept quiet until they could get money sorted. But she got pregnant, and now the whole city knows.
we made a real contract shes my wife just no ceremony waited for money issues but she got pregnant everyone knows
With child, perhaps?
With child, perhaps?
She's pregnant?
shes pregnant
Unhappily, even so.
And the new deputy now for the Duke—
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness,
Or whether that the body public be
A horse whereon the governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the seat, that it may know
He can command, lets it straight feel the spur;
Whether the tyranny be in his place,
Or in his eminence that fills it up,
I stagger in—but this new governor
Awakes me all the enrolled penalties
Which have, like unscoured armour, hung by th’ wall
So long that nineteen zodiacs have gone round,
And none of them been worn; and for a name
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act
Freshly on me. ’Tis surely for a name.
Sadly, yes. And this new deputy—whether it's the eagerness of his new position, or whether the city itself is like a horse whose new rider has to make the horse feel his spurs to prove he can ride it, or whether the tyranny comes from the office itself or from his personality filling the office—I don't know. But this deputy has awakened every old law we have. These laws have hung unused like rusty armor for nineteen years, and no one's enforced them. But now he's dusting off this old statute just to make a name for himself. It has to be about reputation.
Unfortunately. And this new deputy—I don't know if it's because he's new and eager, or because the city is like a horse and he's the new rider who has to prove he can control it by using the spurs, or if the corruption is just built into the office or into him as a person. But he's dug up every old law we have. Laws that have been hanging there unused like old armor for nineteen years. Nobody enforced them. Now he's suddenly enforcing this dead law just to make himself look good. That's all this is.
this new deputy wants to prove hes boss so he dug up old laws no ones enforced in years just to make a name for himself thats all this is
I warrant it is. And thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders that a
milkmaid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the Duke, and
appeal to him.
I'm sure it is. And your head sits so precariously on your shoulders that a lovesick milkmaid could blow it off with a sigh. Send word to the Duke and appeal to him.
That's exactly it. And your head's balanced on your shoulders so loosely that a girl in love could knock it off with one sigh. Send word to the Duke. Appeal to him.
youre done if a lovestruck girl sneezes send word to the duke appeal to him
I have done so, but he’s not to be found.
I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service:
This day my sister should the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation.
Acquaint her with the danger of my state;
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him.
I have great hope in that. For in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect
Such as moves men; beside, she hath prosperous art
When she will play with reason and discourse,
And well she can persuade.
I've tried, but the Duke can't be found. Please, Lucio, do me a favor. My sister enters the convent today and gets her vows approved. Go tell her what danger I'm in. Beg her, in my name, to go to that strict deputy and try to persuade him. I have great hope in this. She has a quiet, speechless way about her that moves men's hearts. And when she chooses to use her intelligence and eloquence, she can be very persuasive.
I tried, but nobody can find him. Lucio, I need you to do something. My sister's taking her vows at the convent today. Go tell her what's happening to me. Ask her to go talk to the deputy. Tell her to try to convince him to let me live. I really think she can do it. There's something about her—she doesn't talk much but men listen to her anyway. And when she does speak, she's smart and convincing.
i tried the duke is gone my sister takes her vows today tell her ask her to talk to the deputy shes quiet but men listen shes smart
I pray she may, as well for the encouragement of the like, which else
would stand under grievous imposition, as for the enjoying of thy life,
who I would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of
tick-tack. I’ll to her.
I pray she succeeds, both for your sake and for the sake of others in your situation, and for the sake of preserving your life, which would be a sad waste in such a foolish game. I'll go to her now.
I hope she can do it. Not just for you, but for everyone else in your situation, and to keep your life from being wasted like that. I'll go find her now.
i hope she saves you and everyone else like you ill go to her now
I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Thank you, Lucio, my good friend.
Thank you, Lucio.
thanks
Within two hours.
I'll be there within two hours.
I'll be there in two hours.
two hours
Come, officer, away.
Come on, officer. Let's go.
Let's go.
lets go
The Reckoning
Shakespeare's first scene established power in the abstract. This one shows what power looks like from the street. Lucio and the Gentlemen are all talk and sexual banter — they barely register the news that a man will be beheaded until it's standing in front of them. Claudio's arrest cuts through the comedy like a cold blade. His speech about why he's being punished — the new governor testing his spurs on the first available body — is the most politically astute thing anyone has said in the play so far. We're left feeling the full weight of what Angelo's appointment actually means: a real man, for a real act that harms no one, will die unless someone can stop it.
If this happened today…
You're at a bar with your friends, riffing on politics and sex scandals, laughing at how absurd everyone in power is. Then one of your group gets a text: your friend Claudio has been arrested because the new DA is making examples — turns out there's a law on the books from decades ago that everyone ignored, and he's decided to enforce it. Claudio's with child by his long-term partner; they just hadn't done the formal marriage paperwork yet because of a family money dispute. Now he's looking at a serious sentence. You stop laughing.