He’s hearing of a cause. He will come straight.
I’ll tell him of you.
He's currently hearing a legal case. He'll come right away. I'll inform him of your presence.
He's in the middle of hearing a case right now. He'll be here in a minute. I'll let him know you're here.
hes in a case rn. coming soon. ill tell him ur here
Pray you do.
Please do.
Yes, please do.
ok
I’ll know
His pleasure, may be he will relent. Alas,
He hath but as offended in a dream;
All sects, all ages, smack of this vice, and he
To die for ’t!
Let me find out what he wants - maybe he'll show mercy. Claudio's crime is barely real, like something from a dream. Everyone of all kinds and ages commits this sin, yet he must die for it.
I'll see if he changes his mind - perhaps he'll be merciful. The poor man, his offense is almost nothing, just a dream-like thing. People everywhere do this, but somehow he's the one who pays with his life.
maybe he'll show mercy everyone does this but he dies for it anyway
Now, what’s the matter, Provost?
What's the issue, Provost?
So what's going on, Provost?
whats up?
Is it your will Claudio shall die tomorrow?
Do you want Claudio to be executed tomorrow?
So Claudio dies tomorrow, right? That's what you want?
claudio dies 2morrow?
Did not I tell thee yea? Hadst thou not order?
Why dost thou ask again?
Didn't I already tell you yes? Didn't you already receive your orders? Why are you asking me again?
Didn't I already say yes? Didn't you get your orders? Why are you asking me this again?
i already said yes. u got ur orders. why asking again?
Lest I might be too rash.
Under your good correction, I have seen
When, after execution, judgement hath
Repented o’er his doom.
In case I'm acting too hastily. With your permission to speak, I've seen cases where, after an execution, the judge regretted his decision.
Because I don't want to rush into this. If I may say so, I've seen judges who regretted their death sentences after the fact.
dont wanna rush. ive seen judges regret death sentences after
Go to; let that be mine.
Do you your office, or give up your place,
And you shall well be spared.
That responsibility is mine. Either do your job or resign from your position, and you'll be relieved of duty.
That's my burden to carry. Do your job or quit, and I'll let you go.
thats on me. do ur job or quit
I crave your honour’s pardon.
What shall be done, sir, with the groaning Juliet?
She’s very near her hour.
I beg your honor's forgiveness. What should we do, sir, with Juliet, who is in labor? She's very close to giving birth.
Forgive me, sir. What do we do about Juliet? She's about to have the baby.
srry sir. what about juliet? shes about 2 give birth
Dispose of her
To some more fitter place; and that with speed.
Arrange for her to go to a more suitable place, and do it quickly.
Get her somewhere more appropriate, and do it fast.
move her somewhere better asap
Here is the sister of the man condemned
Desires access to you.
The sister of the condemned man is here and wishes to speak with you.
The sister of the guy you're executing is here and wants to talk to you.
the condemned guys sister is here wants 2 talk
Hath he a sister?
Does he have a sister?
He has a sister?
he got family?
Isabella's 'alas, all souls that were were forfeit once' argument is not improvised — it's classical Christian theology of redemption. The doctrine of Original Sin holds that all humanity is 'forfeit' (condemned) since Adam's fall; God, 'who might the vantage best have took,' chose redemption (grace) over strict legal punishment. Isabella is essentially arguing: if divine justice accommodated human weakness through mercy, human justice should do the same. This is the logic of equitable jurisdiction — the equity courts in Elizabethan England operated on exactly this principle, providing relief from strict common law when strict application would produce injustice. The play is set in a jurisdictional dispute between strict law and mercy that was live in 1603 London. James I, the new king, had just inherited this tension and was himself interested in equity. Isabella's argument isn't just theological — it's political theory.
Ay, my good lord, a very virtuous maid,
And to be shortly of a sisterhood,
If not already.
Yes, my lord, a very virtuous young woman, and she's about to enter a convent, if she hasn't already.
Yes, sir, she's very virtuous, and she's about to become a nun, or maybe already is.
ya shes very virtuous bout 2 be a nun or already is
Well, let her be admitted.
Well, let her come in.
Alright, let her in.
let her in
See you the fornicatress be removed;
Let her have needful but not lavish means;
There shall be order for it.
Make sure the woman is removed. Give her the necessary means, but nothing lavish. There will be an order for it.
Get her out of here. Give her what she needs - the basics, nothing fancy. I'll arrange it.
remove her basics only not lavish
[_Offering to retire_.] Save your honour!
Goodbye, your honor!
I'll take my leave, sir.
bye sir
Stay a little while. [_To Isabella_.] You are welcome. What’s your
will?
Wait a moment. [To Isabella] You're welcome. What do you want to ask me?
Hold on a second. [To Isabella] Welcome. What can I do for you?
wait. welcome. what u want?
I am a woeful suitor to your honour,
Please but your honour hear me.
I come before you as a sorrowful person making a request, and I ask that your honor would listen to me.
I'm here as someone desperate for help, and I'm asking you to please hear me out.
im desperate. please listen 2 me
Well, what’s your suit?
What is it you're asking for?
What do you want?
what do u want?
There is a vice that most I do abhor,
And most desire should meet the blow of justice;
For which I would not plead, but that I must;
For which I must not plead, but that I am
At war ’twixt will and will not.
There is a sin that I despise most of all, and I want justice to be served against it; but I wouldn't ask for mercy regarding it, except that I must; and I shouldn't ask for mercy, except that I'm torn between what I should do and what I shouldn't do.
There's a crime I hate most of anything, and I think justice should be done for it. But I have to plead for mercy anyway because I'm so torn about this.
theres a crime i hate. justice should happen. but im torn asking 4 mercy
Well, the matter?
Well, the matter?
Well, the matter?
Well, the matter?
I have a brother is condemned to die;
I do beseech you, let it be his fault,
And not my brother.
I have a brother who has been sentenced to death. I beg you, punish his crime, not him - not my brother.
My brother is going to be executed. I'm begging you to punish the crime, not my brother.
my bro is sentenced 2 death. punish the crime not him
Heaven give thee moving graces.
May heaven grant you the power to move people with your words.
May heaven give you the gift to persuade people.
hope u can convince him
Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it?
Why, every fault’s condemned ere it be done.
Mine were the very cipher of a function
To find the faults whose fine stands in record,
And let go by the actor.
Punish the crime and not the person who committed it? But every crime is already condemned before it's even done. My job would be meaningless if I only recorded the punishments without addressing the person who broke the law.
Punish the crime but not the criminal? That makes no sense. Every crime is already condemned as a crime. If I just found the punishment in the records and let the guilty person go free, what would be my job?
punish crime not criminal? every crime is already condemned. whats my job then?
O just but severe law!
I had a brother, then. Heaven keep your honour!
Oh, the law is just but also severe! I had a brother. May heaven protect your honor.
So the law is fair but harsh. I had a brother. I hope heaven looks after you.
the law is just but harsh. i had a brother
Angelo's soliloquy is one of Shakespeare's great psychological portraits — specifically because he doesn't understand himself and then does. The trajectory of the speech moves from confusion ('What's this?') through attribution ('The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?') to self-exculpation ('Not she; nor doth she tempt') to the image of the carrion — which is the breakthrough. He realizes his corruption is not coming from something bad in Isabella; it's coming from something good in her that acts like sunlight on dead flesh. This is psychologically specific: Angelo is not seduced by sensuality. He's seduced by virtue. His self-image was built on the assumption that his purity was proof of superior nature. What he discovers is that his purity was only the absence of adequate temptation. The most dangerous element of his soliloquy is the final line: 'When men were fond, I smiled and wondered how.' He had contempt for desire. He's now one of them.
[_To Isabella_.] Give’t not o’er so. To him again, entreat him,
Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown;
You are too cold. If you should need a pin,
You could not with more tame a tongue desire it.
To him, I say.
Don't give up so easily. Go to him again, beg him, kneel down before him, hang upon his robe. You're too reserved. If you needed a pin you couldn't ask for it in a tamer way than this. Go back to him, I say.
Don't stop now. Go back to him, plead with him, get on your knees, grab his clothes. You're being too polite and calm. Even if you were asking for a pin, you'd sound more desperate than this. Go back and really ask him!
dont give up go back to him plead with him get on ur knees u're being too polite be more desperate
Must he needs die?
Must he actually have to die?
Does he really have to die?
he gotta die?
Maiden, no remedy.
Maiden, no remedy.
Maiden, no remedy.
Maiden, no remedy.
Yes, I do think that you might pardon him,
And neither heaven nor man grieve at the mercy.
Yes, I believe you could forgive him, and neither heaven nor anyone else would object to this mercy.
Yes, I think you could let him go, and nobody - not God, not anyone - would be upset about showing mercy.
u could forgive him & no1 would object
I will not do’t.
I'm not going to do it.
I'm not doing it.
no
But can you if you would?
But could you do it if you wanted to?
But you could if you wanted to, right?
but u could if u wanted?
Look, what I will not, that I cannot do.
What I don't want to do, I'm unable to do.
I can't do what I don't want to do.
cant do what i dont wanna do
But might you do’t, and do the world no wrong,
If so your heart were touched with that remorse
As mine is to him?
But could you do this and cause no wrong in the world, if your heart felt the same regret I feel toward him?
But couldn't you spare him without hurting anyone if your heart felt the same pain about him that I do?
could u save him if ur heart felt what i feel?
He’s sentenced, ’tis too late.
He's been sentenced; it's too late now.
He's already been sentenced. It's too late.
hes sentenced. too late
[_To Isabella_.] You are too cold.
You are too reserved.
You're not being passionate enough.
ur being too cold
Too late? Why, no. I that do speak a word
May call it back again. Well, believe this:
No ceremony that to great ones longs,
Not the king’s crown, nor the deputed sword,
The marshal’s truncheon, nor the judge’s robe,
Become them with one half so good a grace
As mercy does.
If he had been as you, and you as he,
You would have slipped like him, but he like you
Would not have been so stern.
Too late? No, that's not true. I can speak a word that calls back his sentence. Believe me: no symbol of rank that belongs to great people - not the king's crown, not the king's official sword, not the general's baton, not the judge's robes - looks as beautiful on them as mercy does. If he had been you and you had been him, you would have fallen into sin like him, but he like you would not have been so harsh.
Too late? No way. A word from me can reverse it. Trust me: there's nothing that looks as good on powerful people - not a crown, not a sword, not a general's staff, not a judge's robe - as mercy does. If you were him and he were you, you'd mess up like him, but he wouldn't be as cruel as you.
not too late i can reverse it. mercy looks better than any crown or robe. if u were him ud mess up too
Pray you be gone.
Please go now.
You should leave.
go
I would to heaven I had your potency,
And you were Isabel! Should it then be thus?
No; I would tell what ’twere to be a judge
And what a prisoner.
I wish I had your power, and you were Isabella! Would it be the same then? No; I would explain what it means to be a judge and what it means to be a prisoner.
I wish I had your authority and you were me. Would things be different? Yes, they would. Then you'd understand what it's like to judge and what it's like to be judged.
wish i had ur power & u were me. things would b different
[_Aside_.] Ay, touch him; there’s the vein.
Yes, you're reaching him; that's the right approach.
Yes, you're getting to him now; keep it up.
yes u got him keep going
Your brother is a forfeit of the law,
And you but waste your words.
Your brother is subject to the law's punishment, and you're just wasting your words.
Your brother is liable under the law, and you're just talking in circles.
ur bro is guilty by law. ur wasting words
Alas, alas!
Why, all the souls that were were forfeit once,
And He that might the vantage best have took
Found out the remedy. How would you be
If He, which is the top of judgement, should
But judge you as you are? O, think on that,
And mercy then will breathe within your lips,
Like man new made.
Oh no! All human souls were once guilty, and the one who could have punished most harshly instead found a way to forgive. How would you fare if the supreme judge examined you exactly as you are? Think about that, and then mercy will flow from your lips like someone being born again.
Oh my God! Everyone who ever lived was once guilty, and the one who could have punished them the most chose to forgive instead. How would you do if the ultimate judge looked at you the way you actually are? Think about it, and mercy will come naturally to you.
everyones been guilty. the ultimate judge chose 2 forgive. how would u do if judged? have mercy
2-2 has a director. Lucio stands to the side and coaches Isabella through the scene — whispering, encouraging, pushing her back when she gives up. His interventions are small ('you are too cold,' 'to him, to him, wench') but structurally crucial: without him, Isabella leaves after Angelo's first 'no remedy.' Lucio's role is dramatically interesting because he has no personal stake in Angelo's response in the way Isabella does. He's operating almost like a theatrical manager — shaping the performance of the plea. The effect is to make the scene slightly self-aware: there's a miniature play within the play, with Lucio as the audience who knows what the scene needs. He's right, incidentally — his adjustments work. Isabella's peak eloquence comes after Lucio's 'you are too cold.' His instinct for theater is as reliable as his ethics are not.
Be you content, fair maid.
It is the law, not I, condemns your brother.
Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son,
It should be thus with him. He must die tomorrow.
Be satisfied, young woman. It's the law, not I, that condemns your brother. If he were my relative, my brother, or my son, it would be the same for him. He must die tomorrow.
Accept it, miss. It's not me condemning your brother - it's the law. Even if he were my own brother or son, it would be the same. He dies tomorrow.
its the law not me. even if he was my bro hed die 2morrow
Tomorrow? O, that’s sudden! Spare him, spare him!
He’s not prepared for death. Even for our kitchens
We kill the fowl of season. Shall we serve heaven
With less respect than we do minister
To our gross selves? Good, good my lord, bethink you.
Who is it that hath died for this offence?
There’s many have committed it.
Tomorrow? That's so sudden! Please spare him! He's not ready to die. We wouldn't even kill an animal for food without waiting for the right season. Should we serve heaven with less care than we show our own bodies? Please, sir, reconsider. Who has ever been executed for this crime? Many people have committed it.
Tomorrow? That's way too sudden! Save him! He's not prepared to die. We even wait for the right season to slaughter animals for food. Shouldn't we treat heaven's justice with more respect than we treat our own lives? Come on, sir, think about it. How many people have actually been executed for this? Lots of people do it.
2morrow too sudden! hes not ready. we wait b4 killing animals. who actually dies 4 this? many ppl do it
Ay, well said.
Yes, well argued.
Exactly! You said it perfectly.
yes
The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept.
Those many had not dared to do that evil
If the first that did th’ edict infringe
Had answered for his deed. Now ’tis awake,
Takes note of what is done, and, like a prophet,
Looks in a glass that shows what future evils,
Either now, or by remissness new conceived,
And so in progress to be hatched and born,
Are now to have no successive degrees,
But, where they live, to end.
The law hasn't been eliminated, just sleeping. Those many would not have dared to commit this evil if the first person to break this law had been punished. Now it's awake, paying attention to what's happening, and like a prophet, it sees what future crimes will occur, either now or developed later through carelessness, and these future crimes are now going to be prevented before they multiply, instead being stopped where they start.
The law hasn't disappeared - it's just been asleep. All those people wouldn't have dared commit this crime if the first person who broke the law had been punished. Now the law is awake and watching. It's like a prophet seeing future crimes that could happen now or grow later through negligence. We're going to stop them before they multiply, putting an end to them right at the source.
laws not dead just sleeping. if first guy was punished others wouldnt dare. now its awake stopping crimes b4 they spread
Yet show some pity.
Just show a little mercy.
Show him some compassion.
show mercy
I show it most of all when I show justice;
For then I pity those I do not know,
Which a dismissed offence would after gall,
And do him right that, answering one foul wrong,
Lives not to act another. Be satisfied;
Your brother dies tomorrow; be content.
I show the most mercy when I show justice, because then I pity people I don't even know, people who would later suffer because a dismissed crime would cause them pain. And I do right by the person who, after answering for one terrible crime, won't be able to commit another. Be satisfied: your brother dies tomorrow; accept it.
I show the most mercy by enforcing justice, because I'm protecting people I don't even know from suffering caused by letting crimes go unpunished. And I'm doing right by the guilty person too - if they're punished for one terrible crime, they can't commit another. That's it: your brother dies tomorrow. Accept it.
mercy = justice. im protecting ppl by punishing crimes. ur bro dies 2morrow. deal with it
So you must be the first that gives this sentence,
And he that suffers. O, it is excellent
To have a giant’s strength; but it is tyrannous
To use it like a giant.
So you're the one giving this death sentence, and he's the one suffering it. Having great power is wonderful; but using it tyrannically is wrong.
So you get to pronounce the death sentence and he gets to die. Having huge power is great, but using it like a tyrant is terrible.
u give the sentence & he suffers. huge power is great but using it cruelly is wrong
That’s well said.
That’s well said.
That’s well said.
That’s well said.
Could great men thunder
As Jove himself does, Jove would ne’er be quiet,
For every pelting petty officer
Would use his heaven for thunder.
Nothing but thunder. Merciful Heaven,
Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt
Splits the unwedgeable and gnarled oak,
Than the soft myrtle. But man, proud man,
Dressed in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he’s most assured,
His glassy essence, like an angry ape
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As makes the angels weep; who, with our spleens,
Would all themselves laugh mortal.
If great men could command thunder like Jove does, Jove would never have peace, because every petty official would use the power of the gods just for thunder. Only thunder, all the time. Merciful Heaven, you strike the tough, tangled oak with your sharp, burning lightning rather than the soft myrtle. But humans, proud humans, dressed in a little temporary authority, mostly ignorant about their own deepest nature, his glassy inner essence, like an angry ape, performs such ridiculous tricks before the eyes of heaven that it makes the angels cry; if they had our emotions, they would all laugh themselves to death.
If powerful men had the ability to make thunder like God does, God would never get peace, because every minor official would abuse that power just to make thunder. Nothing but thunder all day. Merciful God, you strike the hard, gnarled oak with your sharp, fiery bolt instead of the soft myrtle. But humans, arrogant humans, dressed up in some temporary power, mostly clueless about their own true nature - their fragile essence, like an angry monkey - they perform such ridiculous stunts before heaven that it makes angels weep. If they had human emotions, they'd laugh themselves to death.
if guys had gods power every minor official would abuse it. god strikes oak not myrtle. humans with temp power r arrogant & foolish. make angels cry
O, to him, to him, wench! He will relent;
He’s coming. I perceive ’t.
Go after him, girl! He's going to give in; I can see it.
Push him, girl! He's about to break; I can tell.
push him hes bout 2 break!
Pray heaven she win him.
Let heaven grant that she wins him over.
Hope she can sway him.
hope she wins him
We cannot weigh our brother with ourself.
Great men may jest with saints; ’tis wit in them,
But in the less, foul profanation.
We can't compare our brother's life to our own interests. Powerful people can joke around with holy people and it counts as wit in them, but when ordinary people do it, it's a serious offense.
We can't put our own interests before our brother's life. Powerful people can make jokes about holy people and it's clever, but when normal people do it, it's disgusting.
cant put self b4 bro. powerful ppl joking bout saints = clever. ordinary ppl = disgusting
Thou’rt i’ th’ right, girl; more o’ that.
You're exactly right, girl; keep going.
You're totally right, girl; keep it up.
ur right keep going
That in the captain’s but a choleric word
Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy.
What in a captain is just an angry outburst, in a soldier is complete blasphemy.
What's just a hot-tempered comment from a captain is considered serious blasphemy from a regular soldier.
captains outburst = soldiers blasphemy
Art advised o’ that? More on’t.
Do you understand that? More on that point.
You see what I mean? That's the idea.
get it? thats the point
Why do you put these sayings upon me?
Why are you applying these arguments to me?
Why are you directing all this at me?
why u saying this 2 me?
This scene is the hinge on which everything turns. Before 2-2, the play is about law and power. After 2-2, it's about desire, corruption, and whether any of the characters' ideals survive the pressure they're under. What makes the scene structurally perfect is that both Isabella and Angelo believe they're in a proceeding about Claudio. Neither understands what is actually happening between them. Isabella's eloquence grows because she's fighting for her brother's life, not because she's trying to affect Angelo personally. Angelo's resistance crumbles not because he's corrupt but because a genuinely good person is making a genuinely good argument — and the combination of her virtue and her presence undoes him. The play asks us to decide whether Angelo's desire is forgivable (it was provoked by something beautiful) or not (it led to an attempted rape). It never fully resolves the question.
Because authority, though it err like others,
Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself
That skins the vice o’ th’ top. Go to your bosom,
Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know
That’s like my brother’s fault. If it confess
A natural guiltiness such as is his,
Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue
Against my brother’s life.
Because authority, even though it makes mistakes like everyone else, has a kind of natural cure built into itself - it can hide the ugly part. Look into your heart, ask yourself whether you have the same urges that your brother has. If your heart confesses that you share his same human weakness, then don't speak a word against my brother's life.
Because power, even when it's wrong like everything else, has its own natural check - it covers up the ugliness. Search your own heart and ask if you have the same desires your brother has. If you admit to yourself that you're guilty of the same thing, don't say a word against my brother's life.
authority hides its ugliness. check ur heart. if ur guilty of same thing dont speak against my bro
She speaks, and ’tis such sense
That my sense breeds with it. [_Going_.]
Fare you well.
She speaks with such logic that my understanding aligns with it. [Leaving] Goodbye.
What she's saying makes so much sense that I agree with her. [Starting to leave] Bye.
what shes saying makes sense. [leaving] bye
Gentle my lord, turn back.
My lord, please turn around and stay.
Sir, please don't go. Stay.
sir wait dont leave
I will bethink me. Come again tomorrow.
I'll think about this. Come back to me tomorrow.
Let me think about it. Come back tomorrow.
let me think. come back 2morrow
Hark how I’ll bribe you. Good my lord, turn back.
Listen to how I'll convince you. Please, my lord, turn around.
Wait, listen to how I'll persuade you. Sir, turn back.
wait listen how ill convince u
How? Bribe me?
How? Bribe me?
How? Bribe me?
How? Bribe me?
Ay, with such gifts that heaven shall share with you.
Yes, with gifts so precious that heaven itself will approve.
Yes, with gifts so valuable that even heaven would endorse them.
ya w gifts heaven wld approve
You had marred all else.
You would have ruined everything else.
You almost wrecked the whole thing.
u almost ruined it
Not with fond shekels of the tested gold,
Or stones, whose rates are either rich or poor
As fancy values them, but with true prayers,
That shall be up at heaven and enter there
Ere sunrise, prayers from preserved souls,
From fasting maids, whose minds are dedicate
To nothing temporal.
Not with foolish gold coins or jewels whose value depends on what people fancy, but with true prayers that will rise to heaven and arrive before sunrise - prayers from souls who are protected, from fasting nuns whose thoughts are dedicated entirely to spiritual things, not worldly matters.
Not with silly gold or gems that are only worth what people think they're worth, but with real prayers that will reach heaven before sunrise - prayers from souls who are saved, from nuns who fast and devote themselves completely to spiritual things, nothing material.
not w gold or gems but real prayers that reach heaven b4 sunrise from holy nuns
Well; come to me tomorrow.
Very well; return to me tomorrow.
Alright, come back tomorrow.
come back 2morrow
[_Aside to Isabella_.] Go to, ’tis well; away.
Come now, it's good; go away.
That's enough for now; you should go.
ok that's good go now
Heaven keep your honour safe.
May heaven keep you safe, sir.
God keep you safe, sir.
god keep u safe
[_Aside_.] Amen.
For I am that way going to temptation,
Where prayers cross.
Amen. For I am heading in the direction of temptation, where prayer conflicts with desire.
Amen. But I'm walking straight into temptation right now, where my prayers and my desires are at war.
amen but i'm going to temptation prayers vs desire
At what hour tomorrow
Shall I attend your lordship?
What time tomorrow shall I come to meet with you?
What time tomorrow should I come see you?
what time 2morrow?
At any time ’fore noon.
At any time before noon.
Anytime before noon.
b4 noon
Save your honour.
May your honor be preserved.
Take good care of yourself.
take care
From thee, even from thy virtue!
What’s this? What’s this? Is this her fault or mine?
The tempter or the tempted, who sins most, ha?
Not she; nor doth she tempt; but it is I
That, lying by the violet in the sun,
Do as the carrion does, not as the flower,
Corrupt with virtuous season. Can it be
That modesty may more betray our sense
Than woman’s lightness? Having waste ground enough,
Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary
And pitch our evils there? O, fie, fie, fie!
What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?
Dost thou desire her foully for those things
That make her good? O, let her brother live.
Thieves for their robbery have authority
When judges steal themselves. What, do I love her,
That I desire to hear her speak again
And feast upon her eyes? What is’t I dream on?
O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint,
With saints dost bait thy hook! Most dangerous
Is that temptation that doth goad us on
To sin in loving virtue. Never could the strumpet
With all her double vigour, art, and nature,
Once stir my temper, but this virtuous maid
Subdues me quite. Ever till now
When men were fond, I smiled and wondered how.
Away from you, away from your virtue! What is this? What is happening? Is this her mistake or mine? Is she the tempter or am I being tempted - who is more guilty? Not her; she doesn't tempt me at all; it's me who am tempted by her. Like a rotten corpse lying next to a flower in the sun, I decay instead of growing pure. Can purity betray my senses more than a woman's lack of virtue? Having wasted areas available, should I desire to demolish the holy place and commit my crimes there? No, that's shameful! Who am I, Angelo? What have I become? You desire her for the very things that make her good - want to do evil. Please, let her brother live. Criminals have the right to authority when they're punished; but when judges steal, they have no such right. Do I love her? Is that why I want to hear her speak again and look at her eyes? What am I dreaming about? You clever danger - to trap a saint, you use saints as bait! The most dangerous temptation is the one that leads us toward sin while seeming to involve virtue. Even the most skilled woman with all her power, skill, and natural talent never once moved me to lose control, but this virtuous girl completely overcomes me. Until now, when men acted foolishly from desire, I just smiled and was amazed at how they could be so stupid.
Get away from you and your goodness! What's happening to me? Is this her fault or mine? Who's doing the tempting - her or me? Not her - she's not tempting me at all. I'm the one being tempted. Like rotten meat rotting next to a flower in the sun, I'm decaying when I should be pure. Can a pure person mess with my mind more than a woman messing around? I have plenty of opportunities for sin, so why would I want to desecrate the holy place? That's disgusting! Who am I? What am I doing, Angelo? You want her specifically because she's good. Stop it. Let her brother live. Criminals can claim authority was on their side when they're punished, but when judges sin, they can't claim anything. Do I love her? Is that why I want to hear her talk and see her face? What am I fantasizing about? You clever trap - to catch a saint, you use saints as bait! The most dangerous temptation is the one that looks spiritual but leads to sin. No woman, no matter how skilled or natural at seduction, ever made me lose my cool like this. Only this good woman has completely destroyed me. Before now, when I saw men act stupid over desire, I just laughed and wondered how they could be so dumb.
shes good. im not pure around her like rotten meat next 2 flower. shes tempting me not other way. i love her i think. dont deserve 2 judge her. fools always act dumb over desire but im the fool now
The Reckoning
This is the scene the entire play was written to deliver. Isabella comes in cautious, almost apologetic — she agrees with the law she's asking Angelo to break. Angelo is a wall. And then something happens that neither of them expected: her eloquence keeps hitting him somewhere he didn't know he was vulnerable, and his attempts to end the meeting keep failing. By the time she leaves, the man who called himself immune to desire is asking what he's dreaming on. The soliloquy at the end is one of Shakespeare's most disturbing psychological portraits: a man who understands exactly what is happening to him and cannot stop it. The audience is left watching a catastrophe already in motion.
If this happened today…
A freshly appointed ethics board chair — the one hired specifically because of his unblemished reputation — has to review a case involving a university student who broke a strict code-of-conduct rule. The student's sister comes in to appeal. She's a first-year law student, nervous at first, but once she finds her footing she makes the most compelling case for proportionate mercy the chair has ever heard. And somewhere around the third time she leans forward and holds his gaze, he realizes he's stopped listening to her arguments and started listening to her voice. Afterward, alone in his office, he stares at his ethics policy binder and types her name into the faculty directory. That's 2-2.