Enter DUKE VINCENTIO, ESCALUS, Lords and Attendants
|
DUKE VINCENTIO, ESCALUS, lords, and attendants enter.
|
DUKE VINCENTIO Escalus.
|
DUKE VINCENTIO Escalus.
|
ESCALUS My lord.
|
ESCALUS My lord.
|
DUKE VINCENTIO Of government the properties to unfold, Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse; Since I am put to know that your own science Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice My strength can give you: then no more remains, But that to your sufficiency as your Worth is able, And let them work. The nature of our people, Our city's institutions, and the terms For common justice, you're as pregnant in As art and practise hath enriched any That we remember. There is our commission, From which we would not have you warp. Call hither, I say, bid come before us Angelo.
|
DUKE VINCENTIO It seems like I should make a speech to explain all the ins and outs of government to you. But since I know that your knowledge of that exceeds all the lists of advice I would give you, there's nothing left to do other than to put them into your capable hands and let them work. When it comes to the nature of our people, our city's institutions, and the standards of public law, you have as much theory and practice as anyone I can remember. There's our commission, from which I don't want you to waver.
[To an attendant] Hey, call up Angelo; ask him to come to me.
|
Exit an attendant
|
An attendant exits.
|
What figure of us think you he will bear? For you must know, we have with special soul Elected him our absence to supply, Lent him our terror, dress'd him with our love, And given his deputation all the organs Of our own power: what think you of it?
|
How do you think Angelo will measure up to me? You should know that I've especially chosen him to fill in during my absence: I've given him my authority, dressed him in my love, and granted him access to all the implements of my own power. What do you think about it?
|
ESCALUS If any in Vienna be of worthTo undergo such ample grace and honour,It is Lord Angelo.
|
ESCALUS If anyone in Vienna is worthy of such plentiful grace and honor, it is Lord Angelo.
|
DUKE VINCENTIO Look where he comes.
|
DUKE VINCENTIO Look, here he comes.
|
Enter ANGELO
|
ANGELO enters.
|
ANGELO Always obedient to your grace's will,I come to know your pleasure.
|
ANGELO I am always obedient to you, your Grace. I came to find out what you want.
|
DUKE VINCENTIO Angelo, There is a kind of character in thy life, That to the observer doth thy history Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings Are not thine own so proper as to waste Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee. Heaven doth with us as we with torches do, Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd But to fine issues, nor Nature never lends The smallest scruple of her excellence But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines Herself the glory of a creditor, Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech To one that can my part in him advertise; Hold therefore, Angelo: — In our remove be thou at full ourself; Mortality and mercy in Vienna Live in thy tongue and heart: old Escalus, Though first in question, is thy secondary. Take thy commission.
|
DUKE VINCENTIO Angelo, there is a level of quality in your life that makes your whole story apparent to any observer. Your circumstances and your very self are not exclusively your own, for you to weary yourself in becoming virtuous. Heaven does with us what we do with torches; we don't light them for their own sake. If our virtues didn't radiate from us, it would be as if we didn't have them. Our spirits are finely created to do fine things. Nature's a penny-pinching goddess: she won't give even the tiniest piece of greatness without figuring out how she will profit from it—both from people thanking her for it, and from them using it. But I'm speaking to someone that can take on my role himself. Kneel, then, Angelo. [ANGELO kneels] With my permission: be completely like me. Mortality and mercy in Vienna are at your word and in your heart. Old Escalus, though my right-hand man, is second to you. Take your commission.
|