Duke.
So, then you've hope of pardon from lord Angelo?

Claud.
The miserable have no other medicine,
But only Hope: I've hope to live, and am prepar'd to die.

Duke.
Be absolute for death:^{9 note}
or death, or life,
Shall thereby be the sweeter. Reason thus with life;
If I do lose thee, I do lose a thing,
That none but fools would keep;^{1 note}

Hourly afflict; meerly thou art death's fool;^{3 note}


For him thou labour'st by thy flight to shun,
And yet runn'st tow'rd him still. Thou art not noble;
For all th' accommodations, that thou bear'st,
Are nurs'd by baseness:^{4 note} thou'rt by no means valiant;
For thou dost fear the soft and tender fork
Of a poor worm.^{5 note}


Thy best of Rest is sleep,^{6 note}

Thy death, which is no more.^{7 note} Thou'rt not thyself;
For thou exist'st on many a thousand grains,
That issue out of dust. Happy thou art not;
For what thou hast not, still thou striv'st to get;
And what thou hast forget'st. Thou are not certain;
For thy complexion shifts to strange effects,^{8 note}
After the moon. If thou art rich, thou'rt poor;
For, like an ass, whose back with ingots bows,
Thou bear'st thy heavy riches but a journey,
And death unloadeth thee. Friend hast thou none;
For thy own bowels, which do call thee Sire,
The meer effusion of thy proper loins,
Do curse the Gout, Serpigo, and the Rheum,
For ending thee no sooner. Thou hast nor youth, nor age;^{9 note}


But as it were an after-dinner's sleep,
Dreaming on both; for all thy blessed youth^{1 note}

Becomes as aged, and doth beg the alms
Of palsied Eld; and when thou'rt old and rich,
Thou hast neither hear, affection, limb, nor beauty^{2 note}

To make thy riches pleasant. What's yet in this,
That bears the name of life? yet in this life
Lye hid more thousand deaths;^{3 note} yet death we fear,
That makes these odds all even.

Claud.
I humbly thank you.
To sue to live, I find, I seek to die;
And, seeking death, find life: let it come on. Enter Isabella.

Isab.
What, ho? peace here, grace and good company!

Prov.
Who's there? come in: the wish deserves a welcome.

Duke.
Dear Sir, ere long I'll visit you again.

Claud.
Most holy Sir, I thank you.

Isab.
My business is a word, or two, with Claudio.

Prov.
And very welcome. Look, Signior, here's your sister.

Duke.
Provost, a word with you.

Prov.
As many as you please.

Duke.
Bring them to speak where I may be conceal'd,
Yet hear them. [Exeunt Duke and Provost.

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