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ESCALUS One that, above all other strifes, contended
especially to know himself.
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ESCALUS Someone who, above everything else, truly wanted to know himself.
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DUKE VINCENTIO What pleasure was he given to?
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DUKE VINCENTIO What sort of things did he enjoy?
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ESCALUS
225Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than merry at
any thing which professed to make him rejoice: a
gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to
his events, with a prayer they may prove prosperous;
and let me desire to know how you find Claudio
230prepared. I am made to understand that you have
lent him visitation.
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ESCALUS He enjoyed seeing someone else happy more than doing something that made himself happy—an even-tempered man. But let’s leave him to his affairs, with a prayer that they’ll be prosperous, and tell me how Claudio is. I understand you’ve visited him.
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DUKE VINCENTIO He professes to have received no sinister measure
from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself
to the determination of justice: yet had he framed
235to himself, by the instruction of his frailty, many
deceiving promises of life; which I by my good
leisure have discredited to him, and now is he
resolved to die.
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DUKE VINCENTIO He claims to have received no unfair treatment from his judge, but willingly yields to the law’s verdict. Out of human weakness, he’d formed many deceptive hopes about a reprieve. But gradually I showed him these made no sense, and now he is ready to die.
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ESCALUS You have paid the heavens your function, and the
240prisoner the very debt of your calling. I have
laboured for the poor gentleman to the extremest
shore of my modesty: but my brother justice have I
found so severe, that he hath forced me to tell him
he is indeed Justice.
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ESCALUS You have fulfilled your duty to both God and the prisoner. I pleaded for the poor man as much as I could, without giving offense, but my fellow judge is so severe, I swear, he’s like Justice itself.
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