Well, I had rather than twice the worth of her she had ne’er come here.
I'd rather pay twice what she costs than have her here.
I'd pay double to not have her.
wish she wasn't here.
Fie, fie upon her! She’s able to freeze the god Priapus, and undo a
whole generation. We must either get her ravished, or be rid of her.
When she should do for clients her fitment, and do me the kindness of
our profession, she has me her quirks, her reasons, her master reasons,
her prayers, her knees; that she would make a puritan of the devil, if
he should cheapen a kiss of her.
Damn her! She's so virtuous she'd make even the god of lust ashamed, and she'll ruin an entire generation. We must either force her into this work or get rid of her. When she should be serving clients as her job demands and showing professional courtesy, she gives me excuses, reasons, philosophical arguments, prayers, and begging—so much that she would turn the devil himself into a puritan if he tried to buy a kiss from her.
To hell with her! She's so pure she'd make even the god of sex embarrassed. She's going to ruin us. We either need to force her into this or throw her out. When she should be doing her job like a professional, she just gives excuses and reasons and prays and cries. She's so virtuous she'd make a hardened sinner become a monk.
screw this girl she's too virtuous she'll ruin everything either force her or get rid of her she won't do her job just makes excuses
Faith, I must ravish her, or she’ll disfurnish us of all our cavaliers,
and make our swearers priests.
Honestly, I'll have to force myself on her, or she'll drive all our customers away and turn our profane men into priests.
I swear, I've got to force her, or she'll chase away all our clients and turn all these rough men into holy men.
gotta force her or she'll drive clients away make these guys religious
Now, the pox upon her green sickness for me!
May the pox ruin her for her inexperience and stubbornness on my behalf!
Curse her for being so stubborn and ruining things for us!
ugh curse her stubborn ass
Faith, there’s no way to be rid on’t but by the way to the pox.
Here comes the Lord Lysimachus disguised.
Believe me, there's no way to remove her except through infection. Here comes Lord Lysimachus in disguise.
Honestly, the only way to get rid of her is if she gets infected. Oh, here comes Lord Lysimachus pretending to be someone else.
only way is if she gets sick here comes lysim in disguise
We should have both lord and lown, if the peevish baggage would but
give way to customers.
We'd have both noble and common men if this stubborn girl would just cooperate.
We'd have customers if she'd just give in.
if only she'd cooperate.
Lysimachus is the governor of Mytilene — a man of genuine public standing who is visiting a brothel in disguise. His opening line ('How a dozen of virginities?') establishes that he is not here innocently. His conversion by Marina is real, but it happens from a standing start of self-interest. He will reappear in Act 5 as a possible match for Marina, which is where his reform becomes plot-relevant. Note his exit line here: 'Thou art a piece of virtue, and I doubt not but thy training hath been noble.' He already suspects she is not what she appears to be in that place.
How now! How a dozen of virginities?
Greetings! Do you want a girl?
Welcome! Want a girl?
want girl?
Now, the gods to bless your honour!
May the gods bless your honor!
Gods bless you, sir!
gods bless you!
I am glad to see your honour in good health.
I'm pleased to see that you're in good health, sir.
Great to see you're doing well, my lord.
good to see u healthy sir
You may so; ’tis the better for you that your resorters stand upon
sound legs. How now? Wholesome iniquity have you that a man may deal
withal, and defy the surgeon?
You have good reason; it's better for you that your customers stay healthy and mobile. Do you have trustworthy women—ones a man can be with without risking infection?
You're right—it's good your customers stay healthy and keep coming back. But here's what I want to know: do you have clean women? The kind a guy can be with without catching something?
good ur customers r healthy do u have clean girls?
We have here one, sir, if she would—but there never came her like in
Mytilene.
We have one here, sir—if she would cooperate. But there's never been anyone like her in Mytilene.
We've got one amazing girl—if she'll do her job. Best in the city.
best girl ever.
If she’d do the deed of darkness, thou wouldst say.
If she'd do what you're hinting at, you'd say so.
If she'd actually sleep with you, you'd be bragging.
she won't sleep with you.
Your honour knows what ’tis to say well enough.
Your honor knows what I mean well enough.
You know what I mean.
you get it.
Well, call forth, call forth.
Well, bring her out.
Go get her.
get her.
For flesh and blood, sir, white and red, you shall see a rose; and she
were a rose indeed, if she had but—
For natural beauty, you'll see a rose—a genuine one—and she would be perfect if only she had—
You're going to see real beauty here, a true rose. She'd be absolutely perfect if she just had—
shes gorgeous totally would be perfect if she—
What, prithee?
What do you mean?
What?
what?
O, sir, I can be modest.
I can be modest when I need to.
I can keep it classy.
classy.
That dignifies the renown of a bawd no less than it gives a good report
to a number to be chaste.
That modest behavior honors a brothel keeper's reputation just as much as chastity honors a respectable woman's reputation.
Modesty actually makes a brothel keeper look better, kind of like how chastity makes a regular woman look good.
modesty makes u look good just like chastity does for others
Here comes that which grows to the stalk; never plucked yet, I can
assure you.
Here comes one who's still growing on the stalk, untouched, I promise you.
Here comes someone who's still fresh and untouched, totally pure, I swear.
here she is completely untouched promise
Is she not a fair creature?
Isn't she a beautiful woman?
She's gorgeous, don't you think?
isn't she pretty?
Faith, she would serve after a long voyage at sea. Well, there’s for
you: leave us.
She'll be perfect after a long sea voyage. Here's payment. Now leave—I want to talk to her.
She's perfect. Take this money and go. I need to talk to her.
take money. go. i'll talk to her.
I beseech your honour, give me leave: a word, and I’ll have done
presently.
I ask your forgiveness, sir, let me speak a quick word—it won't take long.
Excuse me, my lord—just let me say something quick and I'll be done.
can i say something real quick?
I beseech you, do.
Of course, do.
Go ahead.
go.
[_To Marina._] First, I would have you note, this is an honourable man.
First, I want you to understand that this is a man of honor.
Look, I want you to know this guy is a respectable man.
this guy is respectable keep that in mind
I desire to find him so, that I may worthily note him.
I hope to find him worthy of recognition.
I hope he's a good person.
hope he's good.
Lysimachus is the play's most ethically awkward character. He enters the brothel with money paid and intent clear. His conversion by Marina is genuine — but the question of what he would have done without it remains. His claim on exit that he 'came with no ill intent' is almost certainly false, or at best a face-saving revision. The play doesn't condemn him — in fact, it rewards him with Marina's hand in the final scene. Modern readers and scholars are often uncomfortable with this, and rightly so. The play's romance logic treats his conversion as sufficient: he is changed by Marina, and what he would have done is overwritten by what he did. Whether this is satisfying is a judgment call the play leaves to the audience.
Next, he’s the governor of this country, and a man whom I am bound to.
Moreover, he's the governor of this country, and someone I owe loyalty to.
Plus, he's the governor of this city, and someone I have to respect.
hes the governor i gotta listen to him
If he govern the country, you are bound to him indeed; but how
honourable he is in that, I know not.
BAWD. Pray you, without any more virginal fencing, will you use him
kindly? He will line your apron with gold.
If he rules the country, then yes, you are bound to him. But how honorable he is in that authority, I don't know. Come now, stop being so evasive about your virginity - will you be kind to him? He will reward your apron with gold.
If he runs the country, then sure, you owe him something. But how good a job he actually does at it? I have no idea. Look, quit playing games about this - will you just be nice to him? He'll fill your pockets with gold.
if he runs the country you gotta answer to him but idk how honorable he really is stop being coy about it ok? be nice to him and he'll pay you well
What he will do graciously, I will thankfully receive.
Whatever he wants to do graciously, I'll receive gratefully.
Whatever he chooses, I'll accept gracefully.
i'll accept.
Ha’ you done?
Are you done?
Done?
done?
My lord, she’s not paced yet: you must take some pains to work her to
your manage. Come, we will leave his honour and her together. Go thy
ways.
My lord, she's not yet trained: you'll need to put in effort to bring her to obedience. Come, we'll leave you and her together. Go on now.
Sir, she's not broken in yet—you'll need to work with her. Come on, let's leave you two alone. Off you go.
shes not trained yet you gotta work her well leave u two alone
Now, pretty one, how long have you been at this trade?
Pretty one, how long have you worked at this trade?
So how long have you been doing this?
how long?
What trade, sir?
What trade, sir?
What trade?
what trade?
Why, I cannot name’t but I shall offend.
I can't name it without offending you.
I can't say it without being gross.
can't say it.
I cannot be offended with my trade. Please you to name it.
I can't be offended by my own trade. Please name it.
My job doesn't offend me. Say it.
i'm not offended.
How long have you been of this profession?
How long have you been a prostitute?
How long have you been selling yourself?
how long been selling?
E’er since I can remember.
LYSIMACHUS. Did you go to’t so young? Were you a gamester at five or at
seven?
Since I can remember. Lysimachus: Did you start so young? Were you involved in this game at five or seven?
For as long as I can remember. Lysimachus: Wait, you started that young? Like, when you were five or seven?
for as long as i remember did u start at 5 or 7???
Earlier, too, sir, if now I be one.
Even earlier than I can remember, if I am one now.
Even before I can remember, if that's what I am.
before i could remember.
Why, the house you dwell in proclaims you to be a creature of sale.
The house you live in announces that you're a person available for sale.
I mean, the house you live in makes it pretty clear what you're here for.
the house makes it obvious what u are
Do you know this house to be a place of such resort, and will come
into’t? I hear say you are of honourable parts, and are the governor of
this place.
Do you know this is a place where people come for sex and still come here? I've heard of your reputation.
You know what this place is and you still come? I know who you are.
you know what this is.
Why, hath your principal made known unto you who I am?
Has your principal made known to you who I am?
So, has your boss told you who I am?
did your boss tell you who i am
Who is my principal?
Who is my keeper?
Who's my boss?
whos my boss?
Why, your herb-woman; she that sets seeds and roots of shame and
iniquity. O, you have heard something of my power, and so stand aloof
for more serious wooing. But I protest to thee, pretty one, my
authority shall not see thee, or else look friendly upon thee. Come,
bring me to some private place: come, come.
Your madam—she who plants seeds and roots of shame and wrongdoing. Oh, you've heard something of my power and authority, so you're holding back for more proper courtship. But I promise you, pretty one, my authority shall not harm you, or I'll look at you kindly. Come, bring me somewhere private.
Your madam—the one who runs this place of shame. Oh, you've heard I'm important and powerful, so you're being coy and waiting for proper treatment. But I'm telling you, you're safe with me. My position won't hurt you. Come, take me somewhere private.
your boss runs this place you heard i'm powerful that's why you're being coy but i promise you're safe let's go somewhere private
If you were born to honour, show it now;
If put upon you, make the judgement good
That thought you worthy of it.
If you were born noble, show it now. If nobility was given to you, prove you deserve it by leaving me alone.
If you're truly noble, prove it. Don't touch me.
prove nobility. don't touch me.
How’s this? how’s this? Some more; be sage.
What's this? Say more—be wise.
What? Keep going.
keep going.
For me,
That am a maid, though most ungentle Fortune
Have placed me in this sty, where, since I came,
Diseases have been sold dearer than physic,
O, that the gods
Would set me free from this unhallow’d place,
Though they did change me to the meanest bird
That flies i’ the purer air!
As for me, who am a maiden, though cruel Fortune has placed me in this pigsty, where, since I came, diseases have cost more than medicine to cure them, oh, that the gods would free me from this unholy place, even if they changed me into the lowest bird that flies through the purer air!
I'm a young woman trapped here by bad luck in this disgusting place where diseases are worth more than the medicine to treat them. I just want the gods to get me out of here, even if they turn me into the meanest, cheapest bird flying around in clean air.
i'm stuck in this pigstye diseases cost more than medicine here just let me out even if u turn me into the worst bird anything's better than this place
I did not think
Thou couldst have spoke so well; ne’er dream’d thou couldst.
Had I brought hither a corrupted mind,
Thy speech had alter’d it. Hold, here’s gold for thee:
Persever in that clear way thou goest,
And the gods strengthen thee!
I didn't think you could speak so eloquently; I never dreamed you could. If I had come here with a corrupted mind, your words would have changed it. Here, take this gold—keep going the way you're going, and may the gods strengthen you!
I never thought you'd be able to speak like that. I didn't think it was possible. If I'd come here planning to do something wrong, your words would've stopped me. Here, take some gold—keep going the way you're going. May the gods help you!
didn't think you could speak like that wow if i came planning evil your words would've stopped me here's gold keep being yourself gods help you
The good gods preserve you!
May the gods keep you safe.
May the gods protect you.
gods protect you.
For me, be you thoughten
That I came with no ill intent; for to me
The very doors and windows savour vilely.
Fare thee well. Thou art a piece of virtue, and
I doubt not but thy training hath been noble.
Hold, here’s more gold for thee.
A curse upon him, die he like a thief,
That robs thee of thy goodness! If thou dost
Hear from me, it shall be for thy good.
Please think of me as having come with no evil intent—the very doors and windows of this place smell vile to me. Farewell. You are a model of virtue, and I have no doubt that your upbringing was noble. Here, take more gold. May anyone who robs you of your goodness die like a thief! If you hear from me again, it will be for your benefit.
Please believe me, I didn't come here with bad intentions. This whole place disgusts me. Goodbye. You're truly virtuous, and I know you were raised well. Here's more gold for you. I curse anyone who tries to take away your goodness—may they die in shame! And if I ever contact you again, it'll be to help you.
believe me i meant no harm this place disgusts me goodbye you're truly good i know you were raised right here's more gold curse anyone who hurts you if i contact you it's to help
I beseech your honour, one piece for me.
Please, sir, let me have my turn with her.
Sir, can I have a turn?
my turn?
Avaunt, thou damned door-keeper!
Your house but for this virgin that doth prop it,
Would sink and overwhelm you. Away!
Get out, you damned doorkeeper! The only thing valuable in this brothel is this virgin. Without her, the whole place is worthless.
Get out! You're worthless. This girl is the only thing keeping this place running.
get out! she's worth everything.
How’s this? We must take another course with you. If your peevish
chastity, which is not worth a breakfast in the cheapest country under
the cope, shall undo a whole household, let me be gelded like a
spaniel. Come your ways.
What's this? We need to take a different approach with you. If your stubborn chastity, which isn't worth the price of a breakfast in the poorest country under the sky, is going to ruin a whole household, then let me be castrated like a spaniel. Come on.
What's going on? We need to handle you differently. Your uptight virginity isn't even worth the cost of breakfast in the cheapest place on earth, but if it's going to destroy this whole business, then fine, castrate me like a dog. Come on.
what is this? ur chastity isn't worth breakfast in the poorest country but if it ruins our whole house then castrate me like a dog come on
What Marina does in 4-6 is classical rhetoric applied to survival. With Lysimachus, she uses demonstratio — showing him what he actually is in this room (a powerful man visiting a brothel) against what he claims to be (an honourable governor). The argument works because it doesn't accuse; it questions. 'If you were born to honour, show it now' — she doesn't say 'you are dishonourable,' she says 'prove your honour.' With Boult, she uses a different technique: inventio, the systematic demolition of his position, followed immediately by a concrete alternative offer. She gives him a way out as well as a reason to take it. The gold makes it real. The wager makes it credible. Marina has been trained in 'music and letters' in Tarsus — which means she was trained in rhetoric, the fundamental art of persuasion. She is using her education to survive.
Whither would you have me?
Where would you have me go?
Where are you taking me?
where?
I must have your maidenhead taken off, or the common hangman shall
execute it. Come your ways. We’ll have no more gentlemen driven away.
Come your ways, I say.
I must take your virginity, or the executioner will do it. Come on—let's go.
I'm forcing you, or the law will. Let's go.
force or law. let's go.
How now! what’s the matter?
What's wrong?
What happened?
what?
Worse and worse, mistress; she has here spoken holy words to the Lord
Lysimachus.
Worse and worse—she spoke holy words to the governor! She's going to ruin us!
She turned the governor religious! She's destroying us!
she converted him! we're done!
O, abominable!
Horrible!
Awful!
awful!
She makes our profession as it were to stink afore the face of the
gods.
She makes our profession stink in the eyes of the gods.
She's making us look like sinners to the gods.
we look evil now.
Marry, hang her up for ever!
I swear, may she be hanged forever!
I hope she gets hanged forever!
hang her forever
The nobleman would have dealt with her like a nobleman, and she sent
him away as cold as a snowball; saying his prayers too.
The nobleman would have treated her with respect as a nobleman should, but she sent him away as coldly as a snowball, even making him pray.
A real gentleman tried to treat her right, and she completely froze him out—so cold she even got him praying.
noble guy tried to be respectful she rejected him hard even got him praying lol
Boult, take her away; use her at thy pleasure: crack the glass of her
virginity, and make the rest malleable.
Boult, take her away. Do what you want with her. Destroy her virginity. Get her working or I'll throw her out.
Boult, take her. Rape her if you have to. Get her working or she's done.
take her. rape her. make her work.
An if she were a thornier piece of ground than she is, she shall be
ploughed.
Even if she were worse than she is, I'll break her.
I don't care—I'll force her.
i'll force her.
Hark, hark, you gods!
Oh gods, listen to me!
Gods, help me!
gods help!
She conjures: away with her! Would she had never come within my doors!
Marry, hang you! She’s born to undo us. Will you not go the way of
womankind? Marry, come up, my dish of chastity with rosemary and bays!
She's casting spells! Get her away! I wish she had never come through my doors! May you hang! She was born to destroy us. Won't you act like a normal woman? Look at you, my perfect picture of chastity!
She's putting a curse on us! Get her out of here! I wish she'd never come here! Damn her! She's going to ruin us. Why can't she just be a normal woman? Look at you, all pure and virtuous like some fancy dish!
she's cursing us get her out wish she never came she'll ruin us why can't she be normal
Come, mistress; come your way with me.
Come on, come with me.
Come on, let's go.
let's go.
Whither wilt thou have me?
Where do you want to take me?
Where are you taking me?
where r u taking me?
To take from you the jewel you hold so dear.
To take the jewel you guard so carefully.
To take what you're protecting.
to take your virginity.
Prithee, tell me one thing first.
Please, tell me one thing first.
Wait—one question.
one question.
Come now, your one thing?
So, what's this one thing you want to ask?
Alright, what's this one question?
so whats ur question?
What canst thou wish thine enemy to be?
What do you wish on your enemy?
What's the worst thing that could happen to someone?
worst thing?
Why, I could wish him to be my master, or rather, my mistress.
I'd wish him to be my master or mistress.
To end up like me—enslaved.
enslaved like me.
Neither of these are so bad as thou art,
Since they do better thee in their command.
Thou hold’st a place, for which the pained’st fiend
Of hell would not in reputation change:
Thou art the damned doorkeeper to every
Coistrel that comes inquiring for his Tib.
To the choleric fisting of every rogue
Thy ear is liable, thy food is such
As hath been belch’d on by infected lungs.
You're not as bad as them, since they at least command with authority. You hold a position that even the most tormented devil in hell wouldn't want: you're the cursed doorkeeper for every cowardly man who comes looking for his girl. You have to listen to every rogue's foul language, your ears endure their insults, and your food is what men have already chewed and spit out.
You're way worse off than them because at least they've got real authority. You've got a job that even the worst devil wouldn't trade places for: you're basically hell's doorman, letting in every pathetic loser looking for a girl. You get yelled at by every rogue, your ears take all their abuse, and you eat scraps that disgusting men have already chewed on.
ur worse than them even devils wouldnt want ur job worst doorkeeper ever get insulted all day and eat spit-on food
What would you have me do? Go to the wars, would you? where a man may
serve seven years for the loss of a leg, and have not money enough in
the end to buy him a wooden one?
What do you want me to do? Join the military? A man can serve seven years, lose a leg in battle, and still not have enough money at the end to buy himself a wooden replacement.
What do you want from me? Join the army? You can fight for seven years, lose your leg, and then not even have enough money to buy a wooden leg.
want me in the army? fight 7 years lose a leg no money for a fake one
Do anything but this thou doest. Empty
Old receptacles, or common shores, of filth;
Serve by indenture to the common hangman:
Any of these ways are yet better than this;
For what thou professest, a baboon, could he speak,
Would own a name too dear. O, that the gods
Would safely deliver me from this place!
Here, here’s gold for thee.
If that thy master would gain by me,
Proclaim that I can sing, weave, sew, and dance,
With other virtues, which I’ll keep from boast;
And I will undertake all these to teach.
I doubt not but this populous city will
Yield many scholars.
Do anything but what you're doing. Empty old waste pipes or sewers of filth; work as an indentured servant to the executioner—any of these would be better than this. What you do is so vile that even a baboon, if he could speak, would refuse to name it. Oh, that the gods would safely deliver me from this place! Here, take this gold. If your master wants to profit from me, announce that I can sing, weave, sew, and dance, with other accomplishments that I won't boast about. And I will teach all of these. I have no doubt this crowded city will provide many students.
Do literally anything else. Clean out sewers, work for the executioner—anything would be better than this. What you do is so disgusting that even a talking ape would refuse to do it. Please, gods, get me out of here! Here's gold for you. Tell your master I can sing, sew, weave, and dance, plus other skills I won't show off. I'll teach people all these things. This city's big enough—we'll have plenty of students.
do anything but this clean sewers work for the hangman anything's better what you do is disgusting please get me out here's gold tell your boss i can sing sew weave dance i'll teach this city has students
But can you teach all this you speak of?
Can you teach everything you're saying?
Can you actually do all this?
can you do it?
Prove that I cannot, take me home again,
And prostitute me to the basest groom
That doth frequent your house.
If I can't prove it, take me back and sell me to the lowest servant. But if I can, find me honest work.
If I can't, sell me as a slave. If I can, find me honest work.
sell me as slave if i fail. honest work if not.
Well, I will see what I can do for thee: if I can place thee, I will.
I'll see what I can do. If I can find you work, I will.
I'll try to help. If I find work for you, I'll do it.
i'll try to help.
But amongst honest women.
But with honest women.
Good women, not whores.
honest women.
Faith, my acquaintance lies little amongst them. But since my master
and mistress have bought you, there’s no going but by their consent:
therefore I will make them acquainted with your purpose, and I doubt
not but I shall find them tractable enough. Come, I’ll do for thee what
I can; come your ways.
Honestly, I don't know many honest women. But since my master and mistress have bought you, you can't leave without their permission. So I'll tell them what you're proposing, and I doubt not that I can persuade them to agree. Come, I'll do what I can for you. Come on.
Look, I don't know many good women. But my master and mistress own you now, so you can't just leave. I'll talk to them about your plan, and I think I can convince them to go for it. Come on, let me help you with this.
i don't know good women but my boss owns you now i'll talk to them i think they'll say yes let me help you
The Reckoning
This is the scene where Marina takes control. Everything before this — the kidnap, the brothel, the threats — has been done to her. In 4-6, she starts doing things to others. She converts Lysimachus. She demolishes Boult's self-image so completely that he switches from threat to ally within thirty lines. The scene is the play's most morally complex because it asks us to watch Marina weaponize her eloquence against men who have power over her body — and it is not entirely comfortable. Lysimachus entered with no good intentions. His conversion is real, but his original visit was not innocent. Marina sees through all of it and responds not with moral condemnation but with argument, gold, and a business proposal.
If this happened today…
A trafficked girl in a locked room with the city official who came to use her. She keeps him talking. Within an hour he's given her money and left. Then the manager sends the enforcer in. She talks to him too, lays out exactly how bad his life is, then offers him a cut of a different business she can start. He becomes her handler in the legitimate version.