[ III. 1 Scene I.] A room in the prison.
Enter Duke disguised as before, Claudio, and Provost.
Duke. So, then, you 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.
5 Duke. Be absolute for death; [either] 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]: a breath thou art,