Pilia-Borza is a local thief and Bellamira’s partner. Pilia-Borza breaks into Barabas’s counting-house and steals a bag of silver coins, and he is determined to get back in and take Barabas’s huge stash of gold. Bellamira and Pilia-Borza scheme together to exploit Ithamore and blackmail Barabas for his money, and they easily convince Ithamore to go along with them. Like many of Marlowe’s characters, Pilia-Borza is exceedingly greedy, and he goes back to Barabas several times to demand more gold. Pilia-Borza and Bellamira decide to turn Barabas and Ithamore into Ferneze, hoping the governor will give them a financial award for turning in his son, Lodowick’s murder; however, both Pilia-Borza and Bellamira die after Barabas poisons them with a tainted flower, before they have the chance to convince Ferneze and collect their reward. Like Bellamira, Pilia-Borza embodies greed and Machiavellian scheming, which Marlowe suggests are common human traits.
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Pilia-Borza Character Timeline in The Jew of Malta
The timeline below shows where the character Pilia-Borza appears in The Jew of Malta. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 3, Scene 1
...“chaste” “against [her] will,” but she is certain that her beauty will not fail her. Pilia-Borza, a thief who often works with Bellamira, enters and hands her a bag of money....
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Pilia-Borza sees Ithamore approach and tells Bellamira not to look at the slave. Bellamira and Pilia-Borza...
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Act 4, Scene 2
Bellamira and Pilia-Borza enter, and Bellamira asks if he delivered the letter to Ithamore. Pilia-Borza confirms he did,...
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...checking on a ship and says he must go, but Bellamira begs him to stay. Pilia-Borza reminds Ithamore that Bellamira loves him, and Ithamore says he would give all Barabas’s wealth...
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Pilia-Borza says Ithamore can give Bellamira all Barabas’s wealth, but Ithamore assures him it is impossible—Barabas...
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Pilia-Borza tells Ithamore to ask for at least 100 crowns, and he further tells Ithamore to...
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Pilia-Borza soon returns. He says that Barabas embraced him after reading the letter, and then Barabas...
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Act 4, Scene 3
...is to blame, and now he must slit Ithamore’s throat as well. Even worse is Pilia-Borza, a worthless slave, with his mangled hands and “some fingers cut quite off.” As Barabas...
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Barabas asks Pilia-Borza why Ithamore does not come himself. If Ithamore asks Barabas, Barabas will gladly give him...
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Pilia-Borza immediately knows that Barabas is referring to the theft in his counting-house, but Pilia-Borza doesn’t...
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Pilia-Borza tells Barabas that he is all talk and no gold, so Barabas reluctantly gives him...
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Act 4, Scene 4
Pilia-Borza enters with Bellamira and Ithamore. The three are drinking and celebrating, and Bellamira and Ithamore...
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...to Abigail and the nuns and strangling Bernardine with his belt. In a quick aside, Pilia-Borza suggests to Bellamira that they tell Ferneze, but Bellamira says they should wait and get...
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...to play. “Must tuna my lute for sound,” Barabas says, “twang twang first.” Bellamira asks Pilia-Borza to get her the posy in Barabas’s hat, and Barabas gives Pilia-Borza the flowers. Bellamira...
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Pilia-Borza suggests they send another letter to Barabas with the French musician and demand more gold,...
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Act 5, Scene 1
...the Turks have come, and they will take Malta or die trying. Suddenly, Bellamira and Pilia-Borza enter, asking to speak to the governor. Ferneze turns them away, calling Bellamira a lowly...
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...before a judge. Ferneze agrees, and as the officers drag away Barabas, Ithamore, Bellamira, and Pilia-Borza, Barabas prays that his poison will soon take effect.
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...in jail, awaiting trial. Suddenly, and officer bursts in and tells Ferneze that Ithamore, Bellamira, Pilia-Borza, and Barabas are dead. Ferneze is shocked, and Bosco notes how suspicious the timing is....
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