Original
Modern English
No, holy father; throw away that thought; Believe not that the dribbling dart of love Can pierce a complete bosom. Why I desire thee To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends Of burning youth.
No, holy father; forget that idea; Don’t believe that the weak arrow of love can wound a steady heart. The reason I want you to give me shelter here has a more serious and thoughtful purpose than the aims and goals of reckless youth.
May your grace speak of it?
May your grace explain it?
My holy sir, none better knows than you How I have ever loved the life removed And held in idle price to haunt assemblies Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps. I have deliver’d to Lord Angelo, A man of stricture and firm abstinence, My absolute power and place here in Vienna, And he supposes me travell’d to Poland; For so I have strew’d it in the common ear, And so it is received. Now, pious sir, You will demand of me why I do this?
My holy sir, no one knows better than you how I’ve always preferred the quiet life, keeping away from gatherings where youth, money, and senseless bravery are found. I’ve handed over my absolute power and position here in Vienna to Lord Angelo, a man of strict rules and total self-control, and he thinks I’ve traveled to Poland, because that’s what I’ve told everyone, and that’s what they believe. Now, pious sir, you’ll probably ask me why I’m doing this?
Gladly, my lord.
Gladly, my lord.
We have strict statutes and most biting laws. The needful bits and curbs to headstrong weeds, Which for this nineteen years we have let slip; Even like an o’ergrown lion in a cave, That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond fathers, Having bound up the threatening twigs of birch, Only to stick it in their children’s sight For terror, not to use, in time the rod Becomes more mock’d than fear’d; so our decrees, Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead; And liberty plucks justice by the nose; The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart Goes all decorum.
We have strict laws and harsh punishments. We have the necessary rules to control unruly actions, but for the last nineteen years we’ve let them slip by; it’s like an overgrown lion in a cage, that doesn’t go out to hunt. Now, like foolish fathers, who tie up the threatening birch twig, only to show it to their children to scare them, but never use it, eventually the rod becomes more of a joke than a threat; so our laws, dead to enforcement, are as good as dead themselves; and liberty mocks justice; the child beats the nurse, and all order is turned upside down.
It rested in your grace To unloose this tied-up justice when you pleased: And it in you more dreadful would have seem’d Than in Lord Angelo.
Your grace had the power to undo this tied-up justice whenever you wanted: and it would have been more frightening coming from you than from Lord Angelo.
I do fear, too dreadful: Sith ’twas my fault to give the people scope, ’Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them For what I bid them do: for we bid this be done, When evil deeds have their permissive pass And not the punishment. Therefore indeed, my father, I have on Angelo imposed the office; Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home, And yet my nature never in the fight To do in slander. And to behold his sway, I will, as ’twere a brother of your order, Visit both prince and people: therefore, I prithee, Supply me with the habit and instruct me How I may formally in person bear me Like a true friar. More reasons for this action At our more leisure shall I render you; Only, this one: Lord Angelo is precise; Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confesses That his blood flows, or that his appetite Is more to bread than stone: hence shall we see, If power change purpose, what our seemers be.
I fear it would have been too frightening: Since it was my fault for giving the people too much freedom, it would be my tyranny to punish them for doing what I allowed: for we gave permission for this to happen, but didn’t punish the wrongdoers. So, my father, I’ve given Angelo the responsibility; He can, under the cover of my name, do what’s needed, but my nature will never allow me to personally do wrong. To observe how he rules, I’ll visit both prince and people, and I’ll take on the role of a friar in your order: Please, I ask you, give me the habit and teach me how to carry myself as a true friar. There are more reasons for my actions that I’ll explain later; but here’s one reason: Lord Angelo is very strict; He stands guard with jealousy; he hardly admits that he has any emotions, or that his desires are more for food than power: we’ll see, if power changes his intentions, what he really is.