VINCENTIO,
           the Duke

    ANGELO,
           the Deputy

    ESCALUS,
           an ancient Lord

    CLAUDIO,
           a young gentleman

    LUCIO,
           a fantastic

    Two other like Gentlemen

    VARRIUS,
           a gentleman,
         servant to the Duke

   PROVOST

    THOMAS,
           friar

    PETER,
           friar

   A JUSTICE

    ELBOW,
           a simple constable

    FROTH,
           a foolish gentleman

    POMPEY,
           a clown and servant
               to Mistress Overdone

    ABHORSON,
           an executioner

    BARNARDINE,
           a dissolute prisoner

    ISABELLA,
           sister to Claudio

    MARIANA,
           betrothed to Angelo

    JULIET,
           beloved of Claudio

    FRANCISCA,
           a nun

    MISTRESS OVERDONE,
           a bawd

    Lords,
           Officers,
         Citizens,
           Boy,
         and Attendants

   SCENE:

    Vienna
 
  ACT I. SCENE I. The DUKE'S
       palace

    Enter DUKE,
           ESCALUS,
         LORDS,
           and ATTENDANTS

    DUKE.

    Escalus!

    ESCALUS.

    My lord.

    DUKE.

    Of government the properties
           to unfold
        Would seem
               in me t' 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,
           y'are as pregnant in
               As art and practice
              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.

    Exit an ATTENDANT
         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?

    ESCALUS.

    If any in Vienna
          be of worth
              To undergo such ample grace
                   and honour,
           It is Lord Angelo.

    Enter ANGELO

    DUKE.

    Look where he comes.

    ANGELO.

    Always obedient
           to your Grace's will,
         I come
              to know your pleasure.

    DUKE.

    Angelo,
           There is a kind
               of character
             in thy life
             That to th' 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.