diff --git "a/res/the_merchant_of_venice.txt" "b/res/the_merchant_of_venice.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/res/the_merchant_of_venice.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,4051 @@ +The Merchant of Venice +by William Shakespeare + + +Characters in the Play +====================== +PORTIA, an heiress of Belmont +NERISSA, her waiting-gentlewoman +Servants to Portia: + BALTHAZAR + STEPHANO +Suitors to Portia: + Prince of MOROCCO + Prince of ARRAGON +ANTONIO, a merchant of Venice +BASSANIO, a Venetian gentleman, suitor to Portia +Companions of Antonio and Bassanio: + SOLANIO + SALARINO + GRATIANO + LORENZO +LEONARDO, servant to Bassanio +SHYLOCK, a Jewish moneylender in Venice +JESSICA, his daughter +TUBAL, another Jewish moneylender +LANCELET GOBBO, servant to Shylock and later to Bassanio +OLD GOBBO, Lancelet's father +SALERIO, a messenger from Venice +Jailer +Duke of Venice +Magnificoes of Venice +Servants +Attendants and followers +Messenger +Musicians + + +ACT 1 +===== + +Scene 1 +======= +[Enter Antonio, Salarino, and Solanio.] + + +ANTONIO +In sooth I know not why I am so sad. +It wearies me, you say it wearies you. +But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, +What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, +I am to learn. +And such a want-wit sadness makes of me +That I have much ado to know myself. + +SALARINO +Your mind is tossing on the ocean, +There where your argosies with portly sail +(Like signiors and rich burghers on the flood, +Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea) +Do overpeer the petty traffickers +That curtsy to them, do them reverence, +As they fly by them with their woven wings. + +SOLANIO +Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth, +The better part of my affections would +Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still +Plucking the grass to know where sits the wind, +Piring in maps for ports and piers and roads; +And every object that might make me fear +Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt +Would make me sad. + +SALARINO My wind cooling my broth +Would blow me to an ague when I thought +What harm a wind too great might do at sea. +I should not see the sandy hourglass run +But I should think of shallows and of flats, +And see my wealthy Andrew docked in sand, +Vailing her high top lower than her ribs +To kiss her burial. Should I go to church +And see the holy edifice of stone +And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks, +Which, touching but my gentle vessel's side, +Would scatter all her spices on the stream, +Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks, +And, in a word, but even now worth this +And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought +To think on this, and shall I lack the thought +That such a thing bechanced would make me sad? +But tell not me: I know Antonio +Is sad to think upon his merchandise. + +ANTONIO +Believe me, no. I thank my fortune for it, +My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, +Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate +Upon the fortune of this present year: +Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad. + +SOLANIO +Why then you are in love. + +ANTONIO Fie, fie! + +SOLANIO +Not in love neither? Then let us say you are sad +Because you are not merry; and 'twere as easy +For you to laugh and leap, and say you are merry +Because you are not sad. Now, by two-headed +Janus, +Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time: +Some that will evermore peep through their eyes +And laugh like parrots at a bagpiper, +And other of such vinegar aspect +That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile +Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable. + +[Enter Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano.] + +Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman, +Gratiano, and Lorenzo. Fare you well. +We leave you now with better company. + +SALARINO +I would have stayed till I had made you merry, +If worthier friends had not prevented me. + +ANTONIO +Your worth is very dear in my regard. +I take it your own business calls on you, +And you embrace th' occasion to depart. + +SALARINO +Good morrow, my good lords. + +BASSANIO +Good signiors both, when shall we laugh? Say, +when? +You grow exceeding strange. Must it be so? + +SALARINO +We'll make our leisures to attend on yours. +[Salarino and Solanio exit.] + +LORENZO +My Lord Bassanio, since you have found Antonio, +We two will leave you. But at dinner time +I pray you have in mind where we must meet. + +BASSANIO +I will not fail you. + +GRATIANO +You look not well, Signior Antonio. +You have too much respect upon the world. +They lose it that do buy it with much care. +Believe me, you are marvelously changed. + +ANTONIO +I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano, +A stage where every man must play a part, +And mine a sad one. + +GRATIANO Let me play the fool. +With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come, +And let my liver rather heat with wine +Than my heart cool with mortifying groans. +Why should a man whose blood is warm within +Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster? +Sleep when he wakes? And creep into the jaundice +By being peevish? I tell thee what, Antonio +(I love thee, and 'tis my love that speaks): +There are a sort of men whose visages +Do cream and mantle like a standing pond +And do a willful stillness entertain +With purpose to be dressed in an opinion +Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit, +As who should say "I am Sir Oracle, +And when I ope my lips, let no dog bark." +O my Antonio, I do know of these +That therefore only are reputed wise +For saying nothing, when, I am very sure, +If they should speak, would almost damn those ears +Which, hearing them, would call their brothers +fools. +I'll tell thee more of this another time. +But fish not with this melancholy bait +For this fool gudgeon, this opinion.-- +Come, good Lorenzo.--Fare you well a while. +I'll end my exhortation after dinner. + +LORENZO +Well, we will leave you then till dinner time. +I must be one of these same dumb wise men, +For Gratiano never lets me speak. + +GRATIANO +Well, keep me company but two years more, +Thou shalt not know the sound of thine own +tongue. + +ANTONIO +Fare you well. I'll grow a talker for this gear. + +GRATIANO +Thanks, i' faith, for silence is only commendable +In a neat's tongue dried and a maid not vendible. +[Gratiano and Lorenzo exit.] + +ANTONIO Is that anything now? + +BASSANIO Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, +more than any man in all Venice. His reasons are as +two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff: you +shall seek all day ere you find them, and when you +have them, they are not worth the search. + +ANTONIO +Well, tell me now what lady is the same +To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage, +That you today promised to tell me of? + +BASSANIO +'Tis not unknown to you, Antonio, +How much I have disabled mine estate +By something showing a more swelling port +Than my faint means would grant continuance. +Nor do I now make moan to be abridged +From such a noble rate. But my chief care +Is to come fairly off from the great debts +Wherein my time, something too prodigal, +Hath left me gaged. To you, Antonio, +I owe the most in money and in love, +And from your love I have a warranty +To unburden all my plots and purposes +How to get clear of all the debts I owe. + +ANTONIO +I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it; +And if it stand, as you yourself still do, +Within the eye of honor, be assured +My purse, my person, my extremest means +Lie all unlocked to your occasions. + +BASSANIO +In my school days, when I had lost one shaft, +I shot his fellow of the selfsame flight +The selfsame way with more advised watch +To find the other forth; and by adventuring both +I oft found both. I urge this childhood proof +Because what follows is pure innocence. +I owe you much, and, like a willful youth, +That which I owe is lost. But if you please +To shoot another arrow that self way +Which you did shoot the first, I do not doubt, +As I will watch the aim, or to find both +Or bring your latter hazard back again, +And thankfully rest debtor for the first. + +ANTONIO +You know me well, and herein spend but time +To wind about my love with circumstance; +And out of doubt you do me now more wrong +In making question of my uttermost +Than if you had made waste of all I have. +Then do but say to me what I should do +That in your knowledge may by me be done, +And I am prest unto it. Therefore speak. + +BASSANIO +In Belmont is a lady richly left, +And she is fair, and, fairer than that word, +Of wondrous virtues. Sometimes from her eyes +I did receive fair speechless messages. +Her name is Portia, nothing undervalued +To Cato's daughter, Brutus' Portia. +Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth, +For the four winds blow in from every coast +Renowned suitors, and her sunny locks +Hang on her temples like a golden fleece, +Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos' strond, +And many Jasons come in quest of her. +O my Antonio, had I but the means +To hold a rival place with one of them, +I have a mind presages me such thrift +That I should questionless be fortunate! + +ANTONIO +Thou know'st that all my fortunes are at sea; +Neither have I money nor commodity +To raise a present sum. Therefore go forth: +Try what my credit can in Venice do; +That shall be racked even to the uttermost +To furnish thee to Belmont to fair Portia. +Go presently inquire, and so will I, +Where money is, and I no question make +To have it of my trust, or for my sake. +[They exit.] + +Scene 2 +======= +[Enter Portia with her waiting woman Nerissa.] + + +PORTIA By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary +of this great world. + +NERISSA You would be, sweet madam, if your miseries +were in the same abundance as your good fortunes +are. And yet, for aught I see, they are as sick that +surfeit with too much as they that starve with +nothing. It is no mean happiness, therefore, to be +seated in the mean. Superfluity comes sooner by +white hairs, but competency lives longer. + +PORTIA Good sentences, and well pronounced. + +NERISSA They would be better if well followed. + +PORTIA If to do were as easy as to know what were +good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor +men's cottages princes' palaces. It is a good divine +that follows his own instructions. I can easier teach +twenty what were good to be done than to be one of +the twenty to follow mine own teaching. The brain +may devise laws for the blood, but a hot temper +leaps o'er a cold decree: such a hare is madness the +youth, to skip o'er the meshes of good counsel the +cripple. But this reasoning is not in the fashion to +choose me a husband. O, me, the word "choose"! I +may neither choose who I would nor refuse who I +dislike. So is the will of a living daughter curbed by +the will of a dead father. Is it not hard, Nerissa, that +I cannot choose one, nor refuse none? + +NERISSA Your father was ever virtuous, and holy men +at their death have good inspirations. Therefore the +lottery that he hath devised in these three chests of +gold, silver, and lead, whereof who chooses his +meaning chooses you, will no doubt never be +chosen by any rightly but one who you shall rightly +love. But what warmth is there in your affection +towards any of these princely suitors that are already +come? + +PORTIA I pray thee, overname them, and as thou +namest them, I will describe them, and according +to my description level at my affection. + +NERISSA First, there is the Neapolitan prince. + +PORTIA Ay, that's a colt indeed, for he doth nothing but +talk of his horse, and he makes it a great appropriation +to his own good parts that he can shoe him +himself. I am much afeard my lady his mother +played false with a smith. + +NERISSA Then is there the County Palatine. + +PORTIA He doth nothing but frown, as who should say +"An you will not have me, choose." He hears +merry tales and smiles not. I fear he will prove the +weeping philosopher when he grows old, being so +full of unmannerly sadness in his youth. I had +rather be married to a death's-head with a bone in +his mouth than to either of these. God defend me +from these two! + +NERISSA How say you by the French lord, Monsieur Le +Bon? + +PORTIA God made him, and therefore let him pass for +a man. In truth, I know it is a sin to be a mocker, +but he!--why, he hath a horse better than the +Neapolitan's, a better bad habit of frowning than +the Count Palatine. He is every man in no man. If a +throstle sing, he falls straight a-cap'ring. He will +fence with his own shadow. If I should marry him, I +should marry twenty husbands! If he would despise +me, I would forgive him, for if he love me to +madness, I shall never requite him. + +NERISSA What say you then to Falconbridge, the young +baron of England? + +PORTIA You know I say nothing to him, for he understands +not me, nor I him. He hath neither Latin, +French, nor Italian; and you will come into the +court and swear that I have a poor pennyworth in +the English. He is a proper man's picture, but alas, +who can converse with a dumb show? How oddly +he is suited! I think he bought his doublet in Italy, +his round hose in France, his bonnet in Germany, +and his behavior everywhere. + +NERISSA What think you of the Scottish lord, his +neighbor? + +PORTIA That he hath a neighborly charity in him, for +he borrowed a box of the ear of the Englishman, +and swore he would pay him again when he was +able. I think the Frenchman became his surety and +sealed under for another. + +NERISSA How like you the young German, the Duke of +Saxony's nephew? + +PORTIA Very vilely in the morning, when he is sober, +and most vilely in the afternoon, when he is drunk. +When he is best he is a little worse than a man, and +when he is worst he is little better than a beast. An +the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I shall make shift +to go without him. + +NERISSA If he should offer to choose, and choose the +right casket, you should refuse to perform your +father's will if you should refuse to accept him. + +PORTIA Therefore, for fear of the worst, I pray thee set +a deep glass of Rhenish wine on the contrary +casket, for if the devil be within and that temptation +without, I know he will choose it. I will do +anything, Nerissa, ere I will be married to a sponge. + +NERISSA You need not fear, lady, the having any of +these lords. They have acquainted me with their +determinations, which is indeed to return to their +home and to trouble you with no more suit, unless +you may be won by some other sort than your +father's imposition depending on the caskets. + +PORTIA If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as +chaste as Diana unless I be obtained by the manner +of my father's will. I am glad this parcel of wooers +are so reasonable, for there is not one among them +but I dote on his very absence. And I pray God +grant them a fair departure! + +NERISSA Do you not remember, lady, in your father's +time, a Venetian, a scholar and a soldier, that came +hither in company of the Marquess of Montferrat? + +PORTIA Yes, yes, it was Bassanio--as I think so was he +called. + +NERISSA True, madam. He, of all the men that ever my +foolish eyes looked upon, was the best deserving a +fair lady. + +PORTIA I remember him well, and I remember him +worthy of thy praise. + +[Enter a Servingman.] + +How now, what news? + +SERVINGMAN The four strangers seek for you, madam, +to take their leave. And there is a forerunner come +from a fifth, the Prince of Morocco, who brings +word the Prince his master will be here tonight. + +PORTIA If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good +heart as I can bid the other four farewell, I should +be glad of his approach. If he have the condition of +a saint and the complexion of a devil, I had rather +he should shrive me than wive me. +Come, Nerissa. [To Servingman.] Sirrah, go before.-- +Whiles we shut the gate upon one wooer, another +knocks at the door. +[They exit.] + +Scene 3 +======= +[Enter Bassanio with Shylock the Jew.] + + +SHYLOCK Three thousand ducats, well. + +BASSANIO Ay, sir, for three months. + +SHYLOCK For three months, well. + +BASSANIO For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall +be bound. + +SHYLOCK Antonio shall become bound, well. + +BASSANIO May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? +Shall I know your answer? + +SHYLOCK Three thousand ducats for three months, +and Antonio bound. + +BASSANIO Your answer to that? + +SHYLOCK Antonio is a good man. + +BASSANIO Have you heard any imputation to the +contrary? + +SHYLOCK Ho, no, no, no, no! My meaning in saying he +is a good man is to have you understand me that he +is sufficient. Yet his means are in supposition: he +hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the +Indies. I understand, moreover, upon the Rialto, +he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and +other ventures he hath squandered abroad. But +ships are but boards, sailors but men; there be land +rats and water rats, water thieves and land +thieves--I mean pirates--and then there is the +peril of waters, winds, and rocks. The man is, +notwithstanding, sufficient. Three thousand ducats. +I think I may take his bond. + +BASSANIO Be assured you may. + +SHYLOCK I will be assured I may. And that I may be +assured, I will bethink me. May I speak with +Antonio? + +BASSANIO If it please you to dine with us. + +SHYLOCK Yes, to smell pork! To eat of the habitation +which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the +devil into! I will buy with you, sell with you, talk +with you, walk with you, and so following; but I +will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with +you.--What news on the Rialto?--Who is he comes +here? + +[Enter Antonio.] + + +BASSANIO This is Signior Antonio. + +SHYLOCK, [aside] +How like a fawning publican he looks! +I hate him for he is a Christian, +But more for that in low simplicity +He lends out money gratis and brings down +The rate of usance here with us in Venice. +If I can catch him once upon the hip, +I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. +He hates our sacred nation, and he rails, +Even there where merchants most do congregate, +On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift, +Which he calls "interest." Cursed be my tribe +If I forgive him! + +BASSANIO Shylock, do you hear? + +SHYLOCK +I am debating of my present store, +And, by the near guess of my memory, +I cannot instantly raise up the gross +Of full three thousand ducats. What of that? +Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, +Will furnish me. But soft, how many months +Do you desire? [To Antonio.] Rest you fair, good +signior! +Your Worship was the last man in our mouths. + +ANTONIO +Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow +By taking nor by giving of excess, +Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend, +I'll break a custom. [To Bassanio.] Is he yet +possessed +How much you would? + +SHYLOCK Ay, ay, three thousand +ducats. + +ANTONIO And for three months. + +SHYLOCK +I had forgot--three months. [To Bassanio.] +You told me so.-- +Well then, your bond. And let me see--but hear +you: +Methoughts you said you neither lend nor borrow +Upon advantage. + +ANTONIO I do never use it. + +SHYLOCK +When Jacob grazed his Uncle Laban's sheep-- +This Jacob from our holy Abram was +(As his wise mother wrought in his behalf) +The third possessor; ay, he was the third-- + +ANTONIO +And what of him? Did he take interest? + +SHYLOCK +No, not take interest, not, as you would say, +Directly "interest." Mark what Jacob did. +When Laban and himself were compromised +That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied +Should fall as Jacob's hire, the ewes being rank +In end of autumn turned to the rams, +And when the work of generation was +Between these woolly breeders in the act, +The skillful shepherd pilled me certain wands, +And in the doing of the deed of kind +He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes, +Who then conceiving did in eaning time +Fall parti-colored lambs, and those were Jacob's. +This was a way to thrive, and he was blest; +And thrift is blessing if men steal it not. + +ANTONIO +This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served for, +A thing not in his power to bring to pass, +But swayed and fashioned by the hand of heaven. +Was this inserted to make interest good? +Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams? + +SHYLOCK +I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast. +But note me, signior-- + +ANTONIO, [aside to Bassanio] +Mark you this, Bassanio, +The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose! +An evil soul producing holy witness +Is like a villain with a smiling cheek, +A goodly apple rotten at the heart. +O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath! + +SHYLOCK +Three thousand ducats. 'Tis a good round sum. +Three months from twelve, then let me see, the +rate-- + +ANTONIO +Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding to you? + +SHYLOCK +Signior Antonio, many a time and oft +In the Rialto you have rated me +About my moneys and my usances. +Still have I borne it with a patient shrug +(For suff'rance is the badge of all our tribe). +You call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog, +And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine, +And all for use of that which is mine own. +Well then, it now appears you need my help. +Go to, then. You come to me and you say +"Shylock, we would have moneys"--you say so, +You, that did void your rheum upon my beard, +And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur +Over your threshold. Moneys is your suit. +What should I say to you? Should I not say +"Hath a dog money? Is it possible +A cur can lend three thousand ducats?" Or +Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key, +With bated breath and whisp'ring humbleness, +Say this: "Fair sir, you spet on me on Wednesday +last; +You spurned me such a day; another time +You called me 'dog'; and for these courtesies +I'll lend you thus much moneys"? + +ANTONIO +I am as like to call thee so again, +To spet on thee again, to spurn thee, too. +If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not +As to thy friends, for when did friendship take +A breed for barren metal of his friend? +But lend it rather to thine enemy, +Who, if he break, thou mayst with better face +Exact the penalty. + +SHYLOCK Why, look you how you storm! +I would be friends with you and have your love, +Forget the shames that you have stained me with, +Supply your present wants, and take no doit +Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me! +This is kind I offer. + +BASSANIO This were kindness! + +SHYLOCK This kindness will I show. +Go with me to a notary, seal me there +Your single bond; and in a merry sport, +If you repay me not on such a day, +In such a place, such sum or sums as are +Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit +Be nominated for an equal pound +Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken +In what part of your body pleaseth me. + +ANTONIO +Content, in faith. I'll seal to such a bond, +And say there is much kindness in the Jew. + +BASSANIO +You shall not seal to such a bond for me! +I'll rather dwell in my necessity. + +ANTONIO +Why, fear not, man, I will not forfeit it! +Within these two months--that's a month before +This bond expires--I do expect return +Of thrice three times the value of this bond. + +SHYLOCK +O father Abram, what these Christians are, +Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect +The thoughts of others! Pray you tell me this: +If he should break his day, what should I gain +By the exaction of the forfeiture? +A pound of man's flesh taken from a man +Is not so estimable, profitable neither, +As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say, +To buy his favor I extend this friendship. +If he will take it, so. If not, adieu; +And for my love I pray you wrong me not. + +ANTONIO +Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond. + +SHYLOCK +Then meet me forthwith at the notary's. +Give him direction for this merry bond, +And I will go and purse the ducats straight, +See to my house left in the fearful guard +Of an unthrifty knave, and presently +I'll be with you. + +ANTONIO Hie thee, gentle Jew. +[Shylock exits.] +The Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind. + +BASSANIO +I like not fair terms and a villain's mind. + +ANTONIO +Come on, in this there can be no dismay; +My ships come home a month before the day. +[They exit.] + + +ACT 2 +===== + +Scene 1 +======= +[Enter the Prince of Morocco, a tawny Moor all in +white, and three or four followers accordingly, with +Portia, Nerissa, and their train.] + + +MOROCCO +Mislike me not for my complexion, +The shadowed livery of the burnished sun, +To whom I am a neighbor and near bred. +Bring me the fairest creature northward born, +Where Phoebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles, +And let us make incision for your love +To prove whose blood is reddest, his or mine. +I tell thee, lady, this aspect of mine +Hath feared the valiant; by my love I swear +The best regarded virgins of our clime +Have loved it too. I would not change this hue +Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen. + +PORTIA +In terms of choice I am not solely led +By nice direction of a maiden's eyes; +Besides, the lott'ry of my destiny +Bars me the right of voluntary choosing. +But if my father had not scanted me +And hedged me by his wit to yield myself +His wife who wins me by that means I told you, +Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair +As any comer I have looked on yet +For my affection. + +MOROCCO Even for that I thank you. +Therefore I pray you lead me to the caskets +To try my fortune. By this scimitar +That slew the Sophy and a Persian prince, +That won three fields of Sultan Solyman, +I would o'erstare the sternest eyes that look, +Outbrave the heart most daring on the Earth, +Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she-bear, +Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey, +To win thee, lady. But, alas the while! +If Hercules and Lychas play at dice +Which is the better man, the greater throw +May turn by fortune from the weaker hand; +So is Alcides beaten by his page, +And so may I, blind Fortune leading me, +Miss that which one unworthier may attain, +And die with grieving. + +PORTIA You must take your chance +And either not attempt to choose at all +Or swear before you choose, if you choose wrong +Never to speak to lady afterward +In way of marriage. Therefore be advised. + +MOROCCO +Nor will not. Come, bring me unto my chance. + +PORTIA +First, forward to the temple. After dinner +Your hazard shall be made. + +MOROCCO Good fortune then, +To make me blest--or cursed'st among men! +[They exit.] + +Scene 2 +======= +[Enter Lancelet Gobbo the Clown, alone.] + + +LANCELET Certainly my conscience will serve me to +run from this Jew my master. The fiend is at mine +elbow and tempts me, saying to me "Gobbo, +Lancelet Gobbo, good Lancelet," or "good Gobbo," +or "good Lancelet Gobbo, use your legs, take +the start, run away." My conscience says "No. Take +heed, honest Lancelet, take heed, honest Gobbo," +or, as aforesaid, "honest Lancelet Gobbo, do not +run; scorn running with thy heels." Well, the most +courageous fiend bids me pack. "Fia!" says the +fiend. "Away!" says the fiend. "For the heavens, +rouse up a brave mind," says the fiend, "and run!" +Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my +heart, says very wisely to me "My honest friend +Lancelet, being an honest man's son"--or rather, +an honest woman's son, for indeed my father did +something smack, something grow to--he had a +kind of taste--well, my conscience says "Lancelet, +budge not." "Budge," says the fiend. "Budge not," +says my conscience. "Conscience," say I, "you +counsel well." "Fiend," say I, "you counsel well." +To be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with the +Jew my master, who (God bless the mark) is a kind +of devil; and to run away from the Jew, I should be +ruled by the fiend, who (saving your reverence) is +the devil himself. Certainly the Jew is the very devil +incarnation, and, in my conscience, my conscience +is but a kind of hard conscience to offer to counsel +me to stay with the Jew. The fiend gives the more +friendly counsel. I will run, fiend. My heels are at +your commandment. I will run. + +[Enter old Gobbo with a basket.] + + +GOBBO Master young man, you, I pray you, which is +the way to Master Jew's? + +LANCELET, [aside] O heavens, this is my true begotten +father, who being more than sandblind, high gravelblind, +knows me not. I will try confusions with him. + +GOBBO Master young gentleman, I pray you, which is +the way to Master Jew's? + +LANCELET Turn up on your right hand at the next +turning, but at the next turning of all on your left; +marry, at the very next turning, turn of no hand, +but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house. + +GOBBO Be God's sonties, 'twill be a hard way to hit. +Can you tell me whether one Lancelet, that dwells +with him, dwell with him or no? + +LANCELET Talk you of young Master Lancelet? [Aside.] +Mark me now, now will I raise the waters.--Talk +you of young Master Lancelet? + +GOBBO No master, sir, but a poor man's son. His +father, though I say 't, is an honest exceeding poor +man and, God be thanked, well to live. + +LANCELET Well, let his father be what he will, we talk +of young Master Lancelet. + +GOBBO Your Worship's friend, and Lancelet, sir. + +LANCELET But I pray you, ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech +you, talk you of young Master Lancelet? + +GOBBO Of Lancelet, an 't please your mastership. + +LANCELET Ergo, Master Lancelet. Talk not of Master +Lancelet, father, for the young gentleman, according +to Fates and Destinies, and such odd sayings, the +Sisters Three, and such branches of learning, is +indeed deceased, or, as you would say in plain +terms, gone to heaven. + +GOBBO Marry, God forbid! The boy was the very staff +of my age, my very prop. + +LANCELET, [aside] Do I look like a cudgel or a hovel-post, +a staff or a prop?--Do you know me, father? + +GOBBO Alack the day, I know you not, young gentleman. +But I pray you tell me, is my boy, God rest his +soul, alive or dead? + +LANCELET Do you not know me, father? + +GOBBO Alack, sir, I am sandblind. I know you not. + +LANCELET Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might +fail of the knowing me. It is a wise father that +knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you +news of your son. [He kneels.] Give me your blessing. +Truth will come to light, murder cannot be hid +long--a man's son may, but in the end, truth will +out. + +GOBBO Pray you, sir, stand up! I am sure you are not +Lancelet my boy. + +LANCELET Pray you, let's have no more fooling about +it, but give me your blessing. I am Lancelet, your +boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall +be. + +GOBBO I cannot think you are my son. + +LANCELET I know not what I shall think of that; but I +am Lancelet, the Jew's man, and I am sure Margery +your wife is my mother. + +GOBBO Her name is Margery, indeed. I'll be sworn if +thou be Lancelet, thou art mine own flesh and +blood. Lord worshiped might He be, what a beard +hast thou got! Thou hast got more hair on thy chin +than Dobbin my fill-horse has on his tail. + +LANCELET, [standing up] It should seem, then, that +Dobbin's tail grows backward. I am sure he had +more hair of his tail than I have of my face when I +last saw him. + +GOBBO Lord, how art thou changed! How dost thou +and thy master agree? I have brought him a present. +How 'gree you now? + +LANCELET Well, well. But for mine own part, as I have +set up my rest to run away, so I will not rest till I +have run some ground. My master's a very Jew. +Give him a present! Give him a halter. I am +famished in his service. You may tell every finger I +have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come! +Give me your present to one Master Bassanio, who +indeed gives rare new liveries. If I serve not him, I +will run as far as God has any ground. O rare +fortune, here comes the man! To him, father, for I +am a Jew if I serve the Jew any longer. + +[Enter Bassanio with Leonardo and a follower or two.] + + +BASSANIO, [to an Attendant] You may do so, but let it be +so hasted that supper be ready at the farthest by five +of the clock. See these letters delivered, put the +liveries to making, and desire Gratiano to come +anon to my lodging. [The Attendant exits.] + +LANCELET To him, father. + +GOBBO, [to Bassanio] God bless your Worship. + +BASSANIO Gramercy. Wouldst thou aught with me? + +GOBBO Here's my son, sir, a poor boy-- + +LANCELET Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew's man, +that would, sir, as my father shall specify-- + +GOBBO He hath a great infection, sir, as one would say, +to serve-- + +LANCELET Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the +Jew, and have a desire, as my father shall specify-- + +GOBBO His master and he (saving your Worship's +reverence) are scarce cater-cousins-- + +LANCELET To be brief, the very truth is that the Jew, +having done me wrong, doth cause me, as my +father being, I hope, an old man, shall frutify unto +you-- + +GOBBO I have here a dish of doves that I would bestow +upon your Worship, and my suit is-- + +LANCELET In very brief, the suit is impertinent to +myself, as your Worship shall know by this honest +old man, and though I say it, though old man yet +poor man, my father-- + +BASSANIO One speak for both. What would you? + +LANCELET Serve you, sir. + +GOBBO That is the very defect of the matter, sir. + +BASSANIO, [to Lancelet] +I know thee well. Thou hast obtained thy suit. +Shylock thy master spoke with me this day, +And hath preferred thee, if it be preferment +To leave a rich Jew's service, to become +The follower of so poor a gentleman. + +LANCELET The old proverb is very well parted between +my master Shylock and you, sir: you have "the +grace of God," sir, and he hath "enough." + +BASSANIO +Thou speak'st it well.--Go, father, with thy son.-- +Take leave of thy old master, and inquire +My lodging out. [To an Attendant.] Give him a livery +More guarded than his fellows'. See it done. +[Attendant exits. Bassanio and Leonardo talk apart.] + +LANCELET Father, in. I cannot get a service, no! I have +ne'er a tongue in my head! Well, [studying his palm] +if any man in Italy have a fairer table which doth +offer to swear upon a book--I shall have good +fortune, go to! Here's a simple line of life. Here's a +small trifle of wives--alas, fifteen wives is nothing; +eleven widows and nine maids is a simple coming-in +for one man--and then to 'scape drowning +thrice, and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a +featherbed! Here are simple 'scapes. Well, if Fortune +be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear. +Father, come. I'll take my leave of the Jew in the +twinkling. [Lancelet and old Gobbo exit.] + +BASSANIO +I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this. +[Handing him a paper.] +These things being bought and orderly bestowed, +Return in haste, for I do feast tonight +My best esteemed acquaintance. Hie thee, go. + +LEONARDO +My best endeavors shall be done herein. + +[Enter Gratiano.] + + +GRATIANO, [to Leonardo] Where's your master? + +LEONARDO Yonder, sir, he walks. [Leonardo exits.] + +GRATIANO Signior Bassanio! + +BASSANIO Gratiano! + +GRATIANO I have suit to you. + +BASSANIO You have obtained it. + +GRATIANO You must not deny me. I must go with you +to Belmont. + +BASSANIO +Why then you must. But hear thee, Gratiano, +Thou art too wild, too rude and bold of voice-- +Parts that become thee happily enough, +And in such eyes as ours appear not faults. +But where thou art not known--why, there they +show +Something too liberal. Pray thee take pain +To allay with some cold drops of modesty +Thy skipping spirit, lest through thy wild behavior +I be misconstered in the place I go to, +And lose my hopes. + +GRATIANO Signior Bassanio, hear me. +If I do not put on a sober habit, +Talk with respect, and swear but now and then, +Wear prayer books in my pocket, look demurely, +Nay more, while grace is saying, hood mine eyes +Thus with my hat, and sigh and say "amen," +Use all the observance of civility +Like one well studied in a sad ostent +To please his grandam, never trust me more. + +BASSANIO Well, we shall see your bearing. + +GRATIANO +Nay, but I bar tonight. You shall not gauge me +By what we do tonight. + +BASSANIO No, that were pity. +I would entreat you rather to put on +Your boldest suit of mirth, for we have friends +That purpose merriment. But fare you well. +I have some business. + +GRATIANO +And I must to Lorenzo and the rest. +But we will visit you at supper time. +[They exit.] + +Scene 3 +======= +[Enter Jessica and Lancelet Gobbo.] + + +JESSICA +I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so. +Our house is hell and thou, a merry devil, +Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness. +But fare thee well. There is a ducat for thee, +And, Lancelet, soon at supper shalt thou see +Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest. +Give him this letter, do it secretly, +And so farewell. I would not have my father +See me in talk with thee. + +LANCELET Adieu. Tears exhibit my tongue, most beautiful +pagan, most sweet Jew. If a Christian do not +play the knave and get thee, I am much deceived. +But adieu. These foolish drops do something drown +my manly spirit. Adieu. + +JESSICA Farewell, good Lancelet. +[Lancelet exits.] +Alack, what heinous sin is it in me +To be ashamed to be my father's child? +But though I am a daughter to his blood, +I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo, +If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife, +Become a Christian and thy loving wife. +[She exits.] + +Scene 4 +======= +[Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salarino, and Solanio.] + + +LORENZO +Nay, we will slink away in supper time, +Disguise us at my lodging, and return +All in an hour. + +GRATIANO +We have not made good preparation. + +SALARINO +We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers. + +SOLANIO +'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered, +And better in my mind not undertook. + +LORENZO +'Tis now but four o'clock. We have two hours +To furnish us. + +[Enter Lancelet.] + +Friend Lancelet, what's the news? + +LANCELET An it shall please you to break up this, it +shall seem to signify. [Handing him Jessica's letter.] + +LORENZO +I know the hand; in faith, 'tis a fair hand, +And whiter than the paper it writ on +Is the fair hand that writ. + +GRATIANO Love news, in faith! + +LANCELET By your leave, sir. + +LORENZO Whither goest thou? + +LANCELET Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to +sup tonight with my new master the Christian. + +LORENZO +Hold here, take this. [Giving him money.] Tell gentle +Jessica +I will not fail her. Speak it privately. +[Lancelet exits.] +Go, gentlemen, +Will you prepare you for this masque tonight? +I am provided of a torchbearer. + +SALARINO +Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight. + +SOLANIO +And so will I. + +LORENZO Meet me and Gratiano +At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence. + +SALARINO 'Tis good we do so. +[Salarino and Solanio exit.] + +GRATIANO +Was not that letter from fair Jessica? + +LORENZO +I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed +How I shall take her from her father's house, +What gold and jewels she is furnished with, +What page's suit she hath in readiness. +If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven, +It will be for his gentle daughter's sake; +And never dare misfortune cross her foot +Unless she do it under this excuse, +That she is issue to a faithless Jew. +Come, go with me. Peruse this as thou goest; +[Handing him the letter.] +Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer. +[They exit.] + +Scene 5 +======= +[Enter Shylock, the Jew, and Lancelet, +his man that was, the Clown.] + + +SHYLOCK +Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge, +The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio.-- +What, Jessica!--Thou shalt not gormandize +As thou hast done with me--what, Jessica!-- +And sleep, and snore, and rend apparel out.-- +Why, Jessica, I say! + +LANCELET Why, Jessica! + +SHYLOCK +Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call. + +LANCELET Your Worship was wont to tell me I could +do nothing without bidding. + +[Enter Jessica.] + + +JESSICA Call you? What is your will? + +SHYLOCK +I am bid forth to supper, Jessica. +There are my keys.--But wherefore should I go? +I am not bid for love. They flatter me. +But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon +The prodigal Christian.--Jessica, my girl, +Look to my house.--I am right loath to go. +There is some ill a-brewing towards my rest, +For I did dream of money bags tonight. + +LANCELET I beseech you, sir, go. My young master +doth expect your reproach. + +SHYLOCK So do I his. + +LANCELET And they have conspired together--I will +not say you shall see a masque, but if you do, then it +was not for nothing that my nose fell a-bleeding on +Black Monday last, at six o'clock i' th' morning, +falling out that year on Ash Wednesday was four +year in th' afternoon. + +SHYLOCK +What, are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica, +Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum +And the vile squealing of the wry-necked fife, +Clamber not you up to the casements then, +Nor thrust your head into the public street +To gaze on Christian fools with varnished faces, +But stop my house's ears (I mean my casements). +Let not the sound of shallow fopp'ry enter +My sober house. By Jacob's staff I swear +I have no mind of feasting forth tonight. +But I will go.--Go you before me, sirrah. +Say I will come. + +LANCELET I will go before, sir. [Aside to Jessica.] Mistress, +look out at window for all this. +There will come a Christian by +Will be worth a Jewess' eye. [He exits.] + +SHYLOCK +What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha? + +JESSICA +His words were "Farewell, mistress," nothing else. + +SHYLOCK +The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder, +Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day +More than the wildcat. Drones hive not with me, +Therefore I part with him, and part with him +To one that I would have him help to waste +His borrowed purse. Well, Jessica, go in. +Perhaps I will return immediately. +Do as I bid you. Shut doors after you. +Fast bind, fast find-- +A proverb never stale in thrifty mind. [He exits.] + +JESSICA +Farewell, and if my fortune be not crossed, +I have a father, you a daughter, lost. +[She exits.] + +Scene 6 +======= +[Enter the masquers, Gratiano and Salarino.] + + +GRATIANO +This is the penthouse under which Lorenzo +Desired us to make stand. + +SALARINO His hour is almost past. + +GRATIANO +And it is marvel he outdwells his hour, +For lovers ever run before the clock. + +SALARINO +O, ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly +To seal love's bonds new-made than they are wont +To keep obliged faith unforfeited. + +GRATIANO +That ever holds. Who riseth from a feast +With that keen appetite that he sits down? +Where is the horse that doth untread again +His tedious measures with the unbated fire +That he did pace them first? All things that are, +Are with more spirit chased than enjoyed. +How like a younger or a prodigal +The scarfed bark puts from her native bay, +Hugged and embraced by the strumpet wind; +How like the prodigal doth she return +With overweathered ribs and ragged sails, +Lean, rent, and beggared by the strumpet wind! + +[Enter Lorenzo.] + + +SALARINO +Here comes Lorenzo. More of this hereafter. + +LORENZO +Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode. +Not I but my affairs have made you wait. +When you shall please to play the thieves for wives, +I'll watch as long for you then. Approach. +Here dwells my father Jew.--Ho! Who's within? + +[Enter Jessica above, dressed as a boy.] + + +JESSICA +Who are you? Tell me for more certainty, +Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue. + +LORENZO Lorenzo, and thy love. + +JESSICA +Lorenzo certain, and my love indeed, +For who love I so much? And now who knows +But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours? + +LORENZO +Heaven and thy thoughts are witness that thou art. + +JESSICA +Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains. +I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me, +For I am much ashamed of my exchange. +But love is blind, and lovers cannot see +The pretty follies that themselves commit, +For if they could, Cupid himself would blush +To see me thus transformed to a boy. + +LORENZO +Descend, for you must be my torchbearer. + +JESSICA +What, must I hold a candle to my shames? +They in themselves, good sooth, are too too light. +Why, 'tis an office of discovery, love, +And I should be obscured. + +LORENZO So are you, sweet, +Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. +But come at once, +For the close night doth play the runaway, +And we are stayed for at Bassanio's feast. + +JESSICA +I will make fast the doors and gild myself +With some more ducats, and be with you straight. +[Jessica exits, above.] + +GRATIANO +Now, by my hood, a gentle and no Jew! + +LORENZO +Beshrew me but I love her heartily, +For she is wise, if I can judge of her, +And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true, +And true she is, as she hath proved herself. +And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true, +Shall she be placed in my constant soul. + +[Enter Jessica, below.] + +What, art thou come? On, gentleman, away! +Our masquing mates by this time for us stay. +[All but Gratiano exit.] + +[Enter Antonio.] + + +ANTONIO Who's there? + +GRATIANO Signior Antonio? + +ANTONIO +Fie, fie, Gratiano, where are all the rest? +'Tis nine o'clock! Our friends all stay for you. +No masque tonight; the wind is come about; +Bassanio presently will go aboard. +I have sent twenty out to seek for you. + +GRATIANO +I am glad on 't. I desire no more delight +Than to be under sail and gone tonight. +[They exit.] + +Scene 7 +======= +[Enter Portia with the Prince of Morocco and both +their trains.] + + +PORTIA +Go, draw aside the curtains and discover +The several caskets to this noble prince. +[A curtain is drawn.] +Now make your choice. + +MOROCCO +This first, of gold, who this inscription bears, +"Who chooseth me shall gain what many men +desire"; +The second, silver, which this promise carries, +"Who chooseth me shall get as much as he +deserves"; +This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt, +"Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he +hath." +How shall I know if I do choose the right? + +PORTIA +The one of them contains my picture, prince. +If you choose that, then I am yours withal. + +MOROCCO +Some god direct my judgment! Let me see. +I will survey th' inscriptions back again. +What says this leaden casket? +"Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he +hath." +Must give--for what? For lead? Hazard for lead? +This casket threatens. Men that hazard all +Do it in hope of fair advantages. +A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross. +I'll then nor give nor hazard aught for lead. +What says the silver with her virgin hue? +"Who chooseth me shall get as much as he +deserves." +As much as he deserves--pause there, Morocco, +And weigh thy value with an even hand. +If thou beest rated by thy estimation, +Thou dost deserve enough; and yet enough +May not extend so far as to the lady. +And yet to be afeard of my deserving +Were but a weak disabling of myself. +As much as I deserve--why, that's the lady! +I do in birth deserve her, and in fortunes, +In graces, and in qualities of breeding, +But more than these, in love I do deserve. +What if I strayed no farther, but chose here? +Let's see once more this saying graved in gold: +"Who chooseth me shall gain what many men +desire." +Why, that's the lady! All the world desires her. +From the four corners of the Earth they come +To kiss this shrine, this mortal, breathing saint. +The Hyrcanian deserts and the vasty wilds +Of wide Arabia are as throughfares now +For princes to come view fair Portia. +The watery kingdom, whose ambitious head +Spets in the face of heaven, is no bar +To stop the foreign spirits, but they come +As o'er a brook to see fair Portia. +One of these three contains her heavenly picture. +Is 't like that lead contains her? 'Twere damnation +To think so base a thought. It were too gross +To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave. +Or shall I think in silver she's immured, +Being ten times undervalued to tried gold? +O, sinful thought! Never so rich a gem +Was set in worse than gold. They have in England +A coin that bears the figure of an angel +Stamped in gold, but that's insculped upon; +But here an angel in a golden bed +Lies all within.--Deliver me the key. +Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may. + +PORTIA +There, take it, prince. [Handing him the key.] And if +my form lie there, +Then I am yours. + [Morocco opens the gold casket.] + +MOROCCO O hell! What have we here? +A carrion death within whose empty eye +There is a written scroll. I'll read the writing: + All that glisters is not gold-- + Often have you heard that told. + Many a man his life hath sold + But my outside to behold. + Gilded tombs do worms infold. + Had you been as wise as bold, + Young in limbs, in judgment old, + Your answer had not been enscrolled. + Fare you well, your suit is cold. +Cold indeed and labor lost! +Then, farewell, heat, and welcome, frost. +Portia, adieu. I have too grieved a heart +To take a tedious leave. Thus losers part. +[He exits, with his train.] + +PORTIA +A gentle riddance! Draw the curtains, go. +Let all of his complexion choose me so. +[They exit.] + +Scene 8 +======= +[Enter Salarino and Solanio.] + + +SALARINO +Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail; +With him is Gratiano gone along; +And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not. + +SOLANIO +The villain Jew with outcries raised the Duke, +Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship. + +SALARINO +He came too late; the ship was under sail. +But there the Duke was given to understand +That in a gondola were seen together +Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica. +Besides, Antonio certified the Duke +They were not with Bassanio in his ship. + +SOLANIO +I never heard a passion so confused, +So strange, outrageous, and so variable +As the dog Jew did utter in the streets. +"My daughter, O my ducats, O my daughter! +Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! +Justice, the law, my ducats, and my daughter, +A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats, +Of double ducats, stol'n from me by my daughter, +And jewels--two stones, two rich and precious +stones-- +Stol'n by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl! +She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats." + +SALARINO +Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, +Crying "His stones, his daughter, and his ducats." + +SOLANIO +Let good Antonio look he keep his day, +Or he shall pay for this. + +SALARINO Marry, well remembered. +I reasoned with a Frenchman yesterday +Who told me, in the Narrow Seas that part +The French and English, there miscarried +A vessel of our country richly fraught. +I thought upon Antonio when he told me, +And wished in silence that it were not his. + +SOLANIO +You were best to tell Antonio what you hear-- +Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him. + +SALARINO +A kinder gentleman treads not the Earth. +I saw Bassanio and Antonio part. +Bassanio told him he would make some speed +Of his return. He answered "Do not so. +Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio, +But stay the very riping of the time; +And for the Jew's bond which he hath of me, +Let it not enter in your mind of love. +Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts +To courtship and such fair ostents of love +As shall conveniently become you there." +And even there, his eye being big with tears, +Turning his face, he put his hand behind him, +And with affection wondrous sensible +He wrung Bassanio's hand--and so they parted. + +SOLANIO +I think he only loves the world for him. +I pray thee, let us go and find him out +And quicken his embraced heaviness +With some delight or other. + +SALARINO Do we so. +[They exit.] + +Scene 9 +======= +[Enter Nerissa and a Servitor.] + + +NERISSA +Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain straight. +The Prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath +And comes to his election presently. + +[Enter the Prince of Arragon, his train, and Portia.] + + +PORTIA +Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince. +If you choose that wherein I am contained, +Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemnized. +But if you fail, without more speech, my lord, +You must be gone from hence immediately. + +ARRAGON +I am enjoined by oath to observe three things: +First, never to unfold to anyone +Which casket 'twas I chose; next, if I fail +Of the right casket, never in my life +To woo a maid in way of marriage; +Lastly, if I do fail in fortune of my choice, +Immediately to leave you, and be gone. + +PORTIA +To these injunctions everyone doth swear +That comes to hazard for my worthless self. + +ARRAGON +And so have I addressed me. Fortune now +To my heart's hope! Gold, silver, and base lead. +"Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he +hath." +You shall look fairer ere I give or hazard. +What says the golden chest? Ha, let me see: +"Who chooseth me shall gain what many men +desire." +What many men desire--that "many" may be +meant +By the fool multitude that choose by show, +Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach, +Which pries not to th' interior, but like the martlet +Builds in the weather on the outward wall, +Even in the force and road of casualty. +I will not choose what many men desire, +Because I will not jump with common spirits +And rank me with the barbarous multitudes. +Why, then, to thee, thou silver treasure house. +Tell me once more what title thou dost bear. +"Who chooseth me shall get as much as he +deserves." +And well said, too; for who shall go about +To cozen fortune and be honorable +Without the stamp of merit? Let none presume +To wear an undeserved dignity. +O, that estates, degrees, and offices +Were not derived corruptly, and that clear honor +Were purchased by the merit of the wearer! +How many then should cover that stand bare? +How many be commanded that command? +How much low peasantry would then be gleaned +From the true seed of honor? And how much honor +Picked from the chaff and ruin of the times, +To be new varnished? Well, but to my choice. +"Who chooseth me shall get as much as he +deserves." +I will assume desert. Give me a key for this, +[He is given a key.] +And instantly unlock my fortunes here. +[He opens the silver casket.] + +PORTIA +Too long a pause for that which you find there. + +ARRAGON +What's here? The portrait of a blinking idiot +Presenting me a schedule! I will read it.-- +How much unlike art thou to Portia! +How much unlike my hopes and my deservings. +"Who chooseth me shall have as much as he +deserves"? +Did I deserve no more than a fool's head? +Is that my prize? Are my deserts no better? + +PORTIA +To offend and judge are distinct offices +And of opposed natures. + +ARRAGON What is here? +[He reads.] + + The fire seven times tried this; + Seven times tried that judgment is + That did never choose amiss. + Some there be that shadows kiss; + Such have but a shadow's bliss. + There be fools alive, iwis, + Silvered o'er--and so was this. + Take what wife you will to bed, + I will ever be your head. + So begone; you are sped. +Still more fool I shall appear +By the time I linger here. +With one fool's head I came to woo, +But I go away with two. +Sweet, adieu. I'll keep my oath, +Patiently to bear my wroth. [He exits with his train.] + +PORTIA +Thus hath the candle singed the moth. +O, these deliberate fools, when they do choose, +They have the wisdom by their wit to lose. + +NERISSA +The ancient saying is no heresy: +Hanging and wiving goes by destiny. + +PORTIA Come, draw the curtain, Nerissa. + +[Enter Messenger.] + + +MESSENGER +Where is my lady? + +PORTIA Here. What would my +lord? + +MESSENGER +Madam, there is alighted at your gate +A young Venetian, one that comes before +To signify th' approaching of his lord, +From whom he bringeth sensible regreets; +To wit (besides commends and courteous breath), +Gifts of rich value; yet I have not seen +So likely an ambassador of love. +A day in April never came so sweet, +To show how costly summer was at hand, +As this fore-spurrer comes before his lord. + +PORTIA +No more, I pray thee. I am half afeard +Thou wilt say anon he is some kin to thee, +Thou spend'st such high-day wit in praising him! +Come, come, Nerissa, for I long to see +Quick Cupid's post that comes so mannerly. + +NERISSA +Bassanio, Lord Love, if thy will it be! +[They exit.] + + +ACT 3 +===== + +Scene 1 +======= +[Enter Solanio and Salarino.] + + +SOLANIO Now, what news on the Rialto? + +SALARINO Why, yet it lives there unchecked that Antonio +hath a ship of rich lading wracked on the +Narrow Seas--the Goodwins, I think they call the +place--a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the +carcasses of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, +if my gossip Report be an honest woman of her +word. + +SOLANIO I would she were as lying a gossip in that as +ever knapped ginger or made her neighbors believe +she wept for the death of a third husband. But +it is true, without any slips of prolixity or crossing +the plain highway of talk, that the good Antonio, +the honest Antonio--O, that I had a title good +enough to keep his name company!-- + +SALARINO Come, the full stop. + +SOLANIO Ha, what sayest thou? Why, the end is, he +hath lost a ship. + +SALARINO I would it might prove the end of his losses. + +SOLANIO Let me say "amen" betimes, lest the devil +cross my prayer, for here he comes in the likeness +of a Jew. + +[Enter Shylock.] + +How now, Shylock, what news among the +merchants? + +SHYLOCK You knew, none so well, none so well as you, +of my daughter's flight. + +SALARINO That's certain. I for my part knew the tailor +that made the wings she flew withal. + +SOLANIO And Shylock for his own part knew the bird +was fledge, and then it is the complexion of them +all to leave the dam. + +SHYLOCK She is damned for it. + +SALARINO That's certain, if the devil may be her judge. + +SHYLOCK My own flesh and blood to rebel! + +SOLANIO Out upon it, old carrion! Rebels it at these +years? + +SHYLOCK I say my daughter is my flesh and my blood. + +SALARINO There is more difference between thy flesh +and hers than between jet and ivory, more between +your bloods than there is between red wine and +Rhenish. But tell us, do you hear whether Antonio +have had any loss at sea or no? + +SHYLOCK There I have another bad match! A bankrout, +a prodigal, who dare scarce show his head on +the Rialto, a beggar that was used to come so smug +upon the mart! Let him look to his bond. He was +wont to call me usurer; let him look to his bond. He +was wont to lend money for a Christian cur'sy; let +him look to his bond. + +SALARINO Why, I am sure if he forfeit, thou wilt not +take his flesh! What's that good for? + +SHYLOCK To bait fish withal; if it will feed nothing else, +it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me and +hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, +mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted +my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies-- +and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not +a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, +senses, affections, passions? Fed with the +same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to +the same diseases, healed by the same means, +warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer +as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not +bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you +poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall +we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will +resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, +what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong +a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian +example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me I +will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the +instruction. + +[Enter a man from Antonio.] + + +SERVINGMAN Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his +house and desires to speak with you both. + +SALARINO We have been up and down to seek him. + +[Enter Tubal.] + + +SOLANIO Here comes another of the tribe; a third +cannot be matched unless the devil himself turn +Jew. +[Salarino, Solanio, and the Servingman exit.] + +SHYLOCK How now, Tubal, what news from Genoa? +Hast thou found my daughter? + +TUBAL I often came where I did hear of her, but +cannot find her. + +SHYLOCK Why, there, there, there, there! A diamond +gone cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfurt! +The curse never fell upon our nation till now, I +never felt it till now. Two thousand ducats in that, +and other precious, precious jewels! I would my +daughter were dead at my foot and the jewels in her +ear; would she were hearsed at my foot and the +ducats in her coffin. No news of them? Why so? And +I know not what's spent in the search! Why, thou +loss upon loss! The thief gone with so much, and so +much to find the thief, and no satisfaction, no +revenge, nor no ill luck stirring but what lights a' my +shoulders, no sighs but a' my breathing, no tears but +a' my shedding. + +TUBAL Yes, other men have ill luck, too. Antonio, as I +heard in Genoa-- + +SHYLOCK What, what, what? Ill luck, ill luck? + +TUBAL --hath an argosy cast away coming from +Tripolis. + +SHYLOCK I thank God, I thank God! Is it true, is it true? + +TUBAL I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped +the wrack. + +SHYLOCK I thank thee, good Tubal. Good news, good +news! Ha, ha, heard in Genoa-- + +TUBAL Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one +night fourscore ducats. + +SHYLOCK Thou stick'st a dagger in me. I shall never +see my gold again. Fourscore ducats at a sitting, +fourscore ducats! + +TUBAL There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my +company to Venice that swear he cannot choose +but break. + +SHYLOCK I am very glad of it. I'll plague him, I'll +torture him. I am glad of it. + +TUBAL One of them showed me a ring that he had of +your daughter for a monkey. + +SHYLOCK Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal. It +was my turquoise! I had it of Leah when I was a +bachelor. I would not have given it for a wilderness +of monkeys. + +TUBAL But Antonio is certainly undone. + +SHYLOCK Nay, that's true, that's very true. Go, Tubal, +fee me an officer. Bespeak him a fortnight before. I +will have the heart of him if he forfeit, for were he +out of Venice I can make what merchandise I will. +Go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue. Go, good +Tubal, at our synagogue, Tubal. +[They exit.] + +Scene 2 +======= +[Enter Bassanio, Portia, and all their trains, Gratiano, +Nerissa.] + + +PORTIA +I pray you tarry, pause a day or two +Before you hazard, for in choosing wrong +I lose your company; therefore forbear a while. +There's something tells me (but it is not love) +I would not lose you, and you know yourself +Hate counsels not in such a quality. +But lest you should not understand me well +(And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought) +I would detain you here some month or two +Before you venture for me. I could teach you +How to choose right, but then I am forsworn. +So will I never be. So may you miss me. +But if you do, you'll make me wish a sin, +That I had been forsworn. Beshrew your eyes, +They have o'erlooked me and divided me. +One half of me is yours, the other half yours-- +Mine own, I would say--but if mine, then yours, +And so all yours. O, these naughty times +Puts bars between the owners and their rights! +And so though yours, not yours. Prove it so, +Let Fortune go to hell for it, not I. +I speak too long, but 'tis to peize the time, +To eche it, and to draw it out in length, +To stay you from election. + +BASSANIO Let me choose, +For as I am, I live upon the rack. + +PORTIA +Upon the rack, Bassanio? Then confess +What treason there is mingled with your love. + +BASSANIO +None but that ugly treason of mistrust, +Which makes me fear th' enjoying of my love. +There may as well be amity and life +'Tween snow and fire, as treason and my love. + +PORTIA +Ay, but I fear you speak upon the rack +Where men enforced do speak anything. + +BASSANIO +Promise me life and I'll confess the truth. + +PORTIA +Well, then, confess and live. + +BASSANIO "Confess and love" +Had been the very sum of my confession. +O happy torment, when my torturer +Doth teach me answers for deliverance! +But let me to my fortune and the caskets. + +PORTIA +Away, then. I am locked in one of them. +If you do love me, you will find me out.-- +Nerissa and the rest, stand all aloof. +Let music sound while he doth make his choice. +Then if he lose he makes a swanlike end, +Fading in music. That the comparison +May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream +And wat'ry deathbed for him. He may win, +And what is music then? Then music is +Even as the flourish when true subjects bow +To a new-crowned monarch. Such it is +As are those dulcet sounds in break of day +That creep into the dreaming bridegroom's ear +And summon him to marriage. Now he goes, +With no less presence but with much more love +Than young Alcides when he did redeem +The virgin tribute paid by howling Troy +To the sea-monster. I stand for sacrifice; +The rest aloof are the Dardanian wives, +With bleared visages, come forth to view +The issue of th' exploit. Go, Hercules! +Live thou, I live. With much much more dismay +I view the fight than thou that mak'st the fray. + +[A song the whilst Bassanio comments on +the caskets to himself.] + + + + Tell me where is fancy bred, + Or in the heart, or in the head? + How begot, how nourished? + Reply, reply. + It is engendered in the eye, + With gazing fed, and fancy dies + In the cradle where it lies. + Let us all ring fancy's knell. + I'll begin it.--Ding, dong, bell. + +ALL Ding, dong, bell. + +BASSANIO +So may the outward shows be least themselves; +The world is still deceived with ornament. +In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt +But, being seasoned with a gracious voice, +Obscures the show of evil? In religion, +What damned error but some sober brow +Will bless it and approve it with a text, +Hiding the grossness with fair ornament? +There is no vice so simple but assumes +Some mark of virtue on his outward parts. +How many cowards whose hearts are all as false +As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins +The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars, +Who inward searched have livers white as milk, +And these assume but valor's excrement +To render them redoubted. Look on beauty, +And you shall see 'tis purchased by the weight, +Which therein works a miracle in nature, +Making them lightest that wear most of it. +So are those crisped snaky golden locks, +Which maketh such wanton gambols with the wind +Upon supposed fairness, often known +To be the dowry of a second head, +The skull that bred them in the sepulcher. +Thus ornament is but the guiled shore +To a most dangerous sea, the beauteous scarf +Veiling an Indian beauty; in a word, +The seeming truth which cunning times put on +To entrap the wisest. Therefore, then, thou gaudy +gold, +Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee. +Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge +'Tween man and man. But thou, thou meager lead, +Which rather threaten'st than dost promise aught, +Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence, +And here choose I. Joy be the consequence! +[Bassanio is given a key.] + +PORTIA, [aside] +How all the other passions fleet to air, +As doubtful thoughts and rash embraced despair, +And shudd'ring fear, and green-eyed jealousy! +O love, be moderate, allay thy ecstasy, +In measure rain thy joy, scant this excess! +I feel too much thy blessing. Make it less, +For fear I surfeit. +[Bassanio opens the lead casket.] + +BASSANIO What find I here? +Fair Portia's counterfeit! What demigod +Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes? +Or whether, riding on the balls of mine, +Seem they in motion? Here are severed lips +Parted with sugar breath; so sweet a bar +Should sunder such sweet friends. Here in her hairs +The painter plays the spider, and hath woven +A golden mesh t' entrap the hearts of men +Faster than gnats in cobwebs. But her eyes! +How could he see to do them? Having made one, +Methinks it should have power to steal both his +And leave itself unfurnished. Yet look how far +The substance of my praise doth wrong this shadow +In underprizing it, so far this shadow +Doth limp behind the substance. Here's the scroll, +The continent and summary of my fortune. +[He reads the scroll.] + You that choose not by the view + Chance as fair and choose as true. + Since this fortune falls to you, + Be content and seek no new. + If you be well pleased with this + And hold your fortune for your bliss, + Turn you where your lady is, + And claim her with a loving kiss. +A gentle scroll! Fair lady, by your leave, +I come by note to give and to receive. +Like one of two contending in a prize +That thinks he hath done well in people's eyes, +Hearing applause and universal shout, +Giddy in spirit, still gazing in a doubt +Whether those peals of praise be his or no, +So, thrice-fair lady, stand I even so, +As doubtful whether what I see be true, +Until confirmed, signed, ratified by you. + +PORTIA +You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand, +Such as I am. Though for myself alone +I would not be ambitious in my wish +To wish myself much better, yet for you +I would be trebled twenty times myself, +A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times +More rich, that only to stand high in your account +I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends, +Exceed account. But the full sum of me +Is sum of something, which, to term in gross, +Is an unlessoned girl, unschooled, unpracticed; +Happy in this, she is not yet so old +But she may learn; happier than this, +She is not bred so dull but she can learn; +Happiest of all, is that her gentle spirit +Commits itself to yours to be directed +As from her lord, her governor, her king. +Myself, and what is mine, to you and yours +Is now converted. But now I was the lord +Of this fair mansion, master of my servants, +Queen o'er myself; and even now, but now, +This house, these servants, and this same myself +Are yours, my lord's. I give them with this ring, +[Handing him a ring.] +Which, when you part from, lose, or give away, +Let it presage the ruin of your love, +And be my vantage to exclaim on you. + +BASSANIO +Madam, you have bereft me of all words. +Only my blood speaks to you in my veins, +And there is such confusion in my powers +As after some oration fairly spoke +By a beloved prince there doth appear +Among the buzzing pleased multitude, +Where every something being blent together +Turns to a wild of nothing, save of joy +Expressed and not expressed. But when this ring +Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence. +O, then be bold to say Bassanio's dead! + +NERISSA +My lord and lady, it is now our time, +That have stood by and seen our wishes prosper, +To cry "Good joy, good joy, my lord and lady!" + +GRATIANO +My Lord Bassanio, and my gentle lady, +I wish you all the joy that you can wish, +For I am sure you can wish none from me. +And when your honors mean to solemnize +The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you +Even at that time I may be married too. + +BASSANIO +With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife. + +GRATIANO +I thank your Lordship, you have got me one. +My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours: +You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid. +You loved, I loved; for intermission +No more pertains to me, my lord, than you. +Your fortune stood upon the caskets there, +And so did mine, too, as the matter falls. +For wooing here until I sweat again, +And swearing till my very roof was dry +With oaths of love, at last (if promise last) +I got a promise of this fair one here +To have her love, provided that your fortune +Achieved her mistress. + +PORTIA Is this true, Nerissa? + +NERISSA +Madam, it is, so you stand pleased withal. + +BASSANIO +And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith? + +GRATIANO Yes, faith, my lord. + +BASSANIO +Our feast shall be much honored in your marriage. + +GRATIANO We'll play with them the first boy for a +thousand ducats. + +NERISSA What, and stake down? + +GRATIANO No, we shall ne'er win at that sport and +stake down. + +[Enter Lorenzo, Jessica, and Salerio, a messenger +from Venice.] + +But who comes here? Lorenzo and his infidel? +What, and my old Venetian friend Salerio? + +BASSANIO +Lorenzo and Salerio, welcome hither-- +If that the youth of my new int'rest here +Have power to bid you welcome. [To Portia.] By +your leave, +I bid my very friends and countrymen, +Sweet Portia, welcome. + +PORTIA +So do I, my lord. They are entirely welcome. + +LORENZO, [to Bassanio] +I thank your Honor. For my part, my lord, +My purpose was not to have seen you here, +But meeting with Salerio by the way, +He did entreat me past all saying nay +To come with him along. + +SALERIO I did, my lord, +And I have reason for it. [Handing him a paper.] +Signior Antonio +Commends him to you. + +BASSANIO Ere I ope his letter, +I pray you tell me how my good friend doth. + +SALERIO +Not sick, my lord, unless it be in mind, +Nor well, unless in mind. His letter there +Will show you his estate. +[Bassanio opens the letter.] + +GRATIANO +Nerissa, cheer yond stranger, bid her welcome.-- +Your hand, Salerio. What's the news from Venice? +How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio? +I know he will be glad of our success. +We are the Jasons, we have won the Fleece. + +SALERIO +I would you had won the fleece that he hath lost. + +PORTIA +There are some shrewd contents in yond same +paper +That steals the color from Bassanio's cheek. +Some dear friend dead, else nothing in the world +Could turn so much the constitution +Of any constant man. What, worse and worse?-- +With leave, Bassanio, I am half yourself, +And I must freely have the half of anything +That this same paper brings you. + +BASSANIO O sweet Portia, +Here are a few of the unpleasant'st words +That ever blotted paper. Gentle lady, +When I did first impart my love to you, +I freely told you all the wealth I had +Ran in my veins: I was a gentleman. +And then I told you true; and yet, dear lady, +Rating myself at nothing, you shall see +How much I was a braggart. When I told you +My state was nothing, I should then have told you +That I was worse than nothing; for indeed +I have engaged myself to a dear friend, +Engaged my friend to his mere enemy +To feed my means. Here is a letter, lady, +The paper as the body of my friend, +And every word in it a gaping wound +Issuing life blood.--But is it true, Salerio? +Hath all his ventures failed? What, not one hit? +From Tripolis, from Mexico and England, +From Lisbon, Barbary, and India, +And not one vessel 'scape the dreadful touch +Of merchant-marring rocks? + +SALERIO Not one, my lord. +Besides, it should appear that if he had +The present money to discharge the Jew, +He would not take it. Never did I know +A creature that did bear the shape of man +So keen and greedy to confound a man. +He plies the Duke at morning and at night, +And doth impeach the freedom of the state +If they deny him justice. Twenty merchants, +The Duke himself, and the magnificoes +Of greatest port have all persuaded with him, +But none can drive him from the envious plea +Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond. + +JESSICA +When I was with him, I have heard him swear +To Tubal and to Chus, his countrymen, +That he would rather have Antonio's flesh +Than twenty times the value of the sum +That he did owe him. And I know, my lord, +If law, authority, and power deny not, +It will go hard with poor Antonio. + +PORTIA +Is it your dear friend that is thus in trouble? + +BASSANIO +The dearest friend to me, the kindest man, +The best conditioned and unwearied spirit +In doing courtesies, and one in whom +The ancient Roman honor more appears +Than any that draws breath in Italy. + +PORTIA What sum owes he the Jew? + +BASSANIO +For me, three thousand ducats. + +PORTIA What, no more? +Pay him six thousand and deface the bond. +Double six thousand and then treble that, +Before a friend of this description +Shall lose a hair through Bassanio's fault. +First go with me to church and call me wife, +And then away to Venice to your friend! +For never shall you lie by Portia's side +With an unquiet soul. You shall have gold +To pay the petty debt twenty times over. +When it is paid, bring your true friend along. +My maid Nerissa and myself meantime +Will live as maids and widows. Come, away, +For you shall hence upon your wedding day. +Bid your friends welcome, show a merry cheer; +Since you are dear bought, I will love you dear. +But let me hear the letter of your friend. + +BASSANIO [reads] +Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried, my +creditors grow cruel, my estate is very low, my bond to +the Jew is forfeit, and since in paying it, it is impossible +I should live, all debts are cleared between you and I if +I might but see you at my death. Notwithstanding, use +your pleasure. If your love do not persuade you to +come, let not my letter. + +PORTIA +O love, dispatch all business and begone! + +BASSANIO +Since I have your good leave to go away, +I will make haste. But till I come again, +No bed shall e'er be guilty of my stay, +Nor rest be interposer 'twixt us twain. +[They exit.] + +Scene 3 +======= +[Enter Shylock, the Jew, and Solanio, and Antonio, +and the Jailer.] + + +SHYLOCK +Jailer, look to him. Tell not me of mercy. +This is the fool that lent out money gratis. +Jailer, look to him. + +ANTONIO Hear me yet, good Shylock-- + +SHYLOCK +I'll have my bond. Speak not against my bond. +I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond. +Thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a cause, +But since I am a dog, beware my fangs. +The Duke shall grant me justice.--I do wonder, +Thou naughty jailer, that thou art so fond +To come abroad with him at his request. + +ANTONIO I pray thee, hear me speak-- + +SHYLOCK +I'll have my bond. I will not hear thee speak. +I'll have my bond, and therefore speak no more. +I'll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool, +To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield +To Christian intercessors. Follow not! +I'll have no speaking. I will have my bond. [He exits.] + +SOLANIO +It is the most impenetrable cur +That ever kept with men. + +ANTONIO Let him alone. +I'll follow him no more with bootless prayers. +He seeks my life. His reason well I know: +I oft delivered from his forfeitures +Many that have at times made moan to me. +Therefore he hates me. + +SOLANIO I am sure the Duke +Will never grant this forfeiture to hold. + +ANTONIO +The Duke cannot deny the course of law, +For the commodity that strangers have +With us in Venice, if it be denied, +Will much impeach the justice of the state, +Since that the trade and profit of the city +Consisteth of all nations. Therefore go. +These griefs and losses have so bated me +That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh +Tomorrow to my bloody creditor.-- +Well, jailer, on.--Pray God Bassanio come +To see me pay his debt, and then I care not. +[They exit.] + +Scene 4 +======= +[Enter Portia, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, and Balthazar, +a man of Portia's.] + + +LORENZO +Madam, although I speak it in your presence, +You have a noble and a true conceit +Of godlike amity, which appears most strongly +In bearing thus the absence of your lord. +But if you knew to whom you show this honor, +How true a gentleman you send relief, +How dear a lover of my lord your husband, +I know you would be prouder of the work +Than customary bounty can enforce you. + +PORTIA +I never did repent for doing good, +Nor shall not now; for in companions +That do converse and waste the time together, +Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love, +There must be needs a like proportion +Of lineaments, of manners, and of spirit; +Which makes me think that this Antonio, +Being the bosom lover of my lord, +Must needs be like my lord. If it be so, +How little is the cost I have bestowed +In purchasing the semblance of my soul +From out the state of hellish cruelty! +This comes too near the praising of myself; +Therefore no more of it. Hear other things: +Lorenzo, I commit into your hands +The husbandry and manage of my house +Until my lord's return. For mine own part, +I have toward heaven breathed a secret vow +To live in prayer and contemplation, +Only attended by Nerissa here, +Until her husband and my lord's return. +There is a monastery two miles off, +And there we will abide. I do desire you +Not to deny this imposition, +The which my love and some necessity +Now lays upon you. + +LORENZO Madam, with all my heart. +I shall obey you in all fair commands. + +PORTIA +My people do already know my mind +And will acknowledge you and Jessica +In place of Lord Bassanio and myself. +So fare you well till we shall meet again. + +LORENZO +Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you! + +JESSICA +I wish your Ladyship all heart's content. + +PORTIA +I thank you for your wish, and am well pleased +To wish it back on you. Fare you well, Jessica. +[Lorenzo and Jessica exit.] +Now, Balthazar, +As I have ever found thee honest true, +So let me find thee still: take this same letter, +And use thou all th' endeavor of a man +In speed to Padua. See thou render this +Into my cousin's hands, Doctor Bellario. +[She gives him a paper.] +And look what notes and garments he doth give +thee, +Bring them, I pray thee, with imagined speed +Unto the traject, to the common ferry +Which trades to Venice. Waste no time in words, +But get thee gone. I shall be there before thee. + +BALTHAZAR +Madam, I go with all convenient speed. [He exits.] + +PORTIA +Come on, Nerissa, I have work in hand +That you yet know not of. We'll see our husbands +Before they think of us. + +NERISSA Shall they see us? + +PORTIA +They shall, Nerissa, but in such a habit +That they shall think we are accomplished +With that we lack. I'll hold thee any wager, +When we are both accoutered like young men, +I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two, +And wear my dagger with the braver grace, +And speak between the change of man and boy +With a reed voice, and turn two mincing steps +Into a manly stride, and speak of frays +Like a fine bragging youth, and tell quaint lies +How honorable ladies sought my love, +Which I denying, they fell sick and died-- +I could not do withal!--then I'll repent, +And wish, for all that, that I had not killed them. +And twenty of these puny lies I'll tell, +That men shall swear I have discontinued school +Above a twelvemonth. I have within my mind +A thousand raw tricks of these bragging jacks +Which I will practice. + +NERISSA Why, shall we turn to men? + +PORTIA Fie, what a question's that, +If thou wert near a lewd interpreter! +But come, I'll tell thee all my whole device +When I am in my coach, which stays for us +At the park gate; and therefore haste away, +For we must measure twenty miles today. +[They exit.] + +Scene 5 +======= +[Enter Lancelet, the Clown, and Jessica.] + + +LANCELET Yes, truly, for look you, the sins of the father +are to be laid upon the children. Therefore I +promise you I fear you. I was always plain with you, +and so now I speak my agitation of the matter. +Therefore be o' good cheer, for truly I think you +are damned. There is but one hope in it that can do +you any good, and that is but a kind of bastard hope +neither. + +JESSICA And what hope is that, I pray thee? + +LANCELET Marry, you may partly hope that your father +got you not, that you are not the Jew's daughter. + +JESSICA That were a kind of bastard hope indeed; so +the sins of my mother should be visited upon me! + +LANCELET Truly, then, I fear you are damned both by +father and mother; thus when I shun Scylla your +father, I fall into Charybdis your mother. Well, you +are gone both ways. + +JESSICA I shall be saved by my husband. He hath made +me a Christian. + +LANCELET Truly the more to blame he! We were Christians +enow before, e'en as many as could well live +one by another. This making of Christians will +raise the price of hogs. If we grow all to be pork +eaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the +coals for money. + +[Enter Lorenzo.] + + +JESSICA I'll tell my husband, Lancelet, what you say. +Here he comes. + +LORENZO I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Lancelet, +if you thus get my wife into corners! + +JESSICA Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo. Lancelet +and I are out. He tells me flatly there's no mercy for +me in heaven because I am a Jew's daughter; and +he says you are no good member of the commonwealth, +for in converting Jews to Christians you +raise the price of pork. + +LORENZO I shall answer that better to the commonwealth +than you can the getting up of the Negro's +belly! The Moor is with child by you, Lancelet. + +LANCELET It is much that the Moor should be more +than reason; but if she be less than an honest +woman, she is indeed more than I took her for. + +LORENZO How every fool can play upon the word! I +think the best grace of wit will shortly turn into +silence, and discourse grow commendable in none +only but parrots. Go in, sirrah, bid them prepare for +dinner. + +LANCELET That is done, sir. They have all stomachs. + +LORENZO Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you! +Then bid them prepare dinner. + +LANCELET That is done too, sir, only "cover" is the +word. + +LORENZO Will you cover, then, sir? + +LANCELET Not so, sir, neither! I know my duty. + +LORENZO Yet more quarreling with occasion! Wilt +thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an +instant? I pray thee understand a plain man in his +plain meaning: go to thy fellows, bid them cover the +table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to +dinner. + +LANCELET For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for +the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in +to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humors and conceits +shall govern. [Lancelet exits.] + +LORENZO +O dear discretion, how his words are suited! +The fool hath planted in his memory +An army of good words, and I do know +A many fools that stand in better place, +Garnished like him, that for a tricksy word +Defy the matter. How cheer'st thou, Jessica? +And now, good sweet, say thy opinion +How dost thou like the Lord Bassanio's wife? + +JESSICA +Past all expressing. It is very meet +The Lord Bassanio live an upright life, +For having such a blessing in his lady +He finds the joys of heaven here on Earth, +And if on Earth he do not merit it, +In reason he should never come to heaven. +Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match, +And on the wager lay two earthly women, +And Portia one, there must be something else +Pawned with the other, for the poor rude world +Hath not her fellow. + +LORENZO Even such a husband +Hast thou of me as she is for a wife. + +JESSICA +Nay, but ask my opinion too of that! + +LORENZO +I will anon. First let us go to dinner. + +JESSICA +Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach! + +LORENZO +No, pray thee, let it serve for table talk. +Then howsome'er thou speak'st, 'mong other things +I shall digest it. + +JESSICA Well, I'll set you forth. +[They exit.] + + +ACT 4 +===== + +Scene 1 +======= +[Enter the Duke, the Magnificoes, Antonio, Bassanio, +Salerio, and Gratiano, with Attendants.] + + +DUKE What, is Antonio here? + +ANTONIO Ready, so please your Grace. + +DUKE +I am sorry for thee. Thou art come to answer +A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch, +Uncapable of pity, void and empty +From any dram of mercy. + +ANTONIO I have heard +Your Grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify +His rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate, +And that no lawful means can carry me +Out of his envy's reach, I do oppose +My patience to his fury, and am armed +To suffer with a quietness of spirit +The very tyranny and rage of his. + +DUKE +Go, one, and call the Jew into the court. + +SALERIO +He is ready at the door. He comes, my lord. + +[Enter Shylock.] + + +DUKE +Make room, and let him stand before our face.-- +Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too, +That thou but leadest this fashion of thy malice +To the last hour of act, and then, 'tis thought, +Thou 'lt show thy mercy and remorse more strange +Than is thy strange apparent cruelty; +And where thou now exacts the penalty, +Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh, +Thou wilt not only loose the forfeiture, +But, touched with humane gentleness and love, +Forgive a moi'ty of the principal, +Glancing an eye of pity on his losses +That have of late so huddled on his back, +Enow to press a royal merchant down +And pluck commiseration of his state +From brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flint, +From stubborn Turks, and Tartars never trained +To offices of tender courtesy. +We all expect a gentle answer, Jew. + +SHYLOCK +I have possessed your Grace of what I purpose, +And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn +To have the due and forfeit of my bond. +If you deny it, let the danger light +Upon your charter and your city's freedom! +You'll ask me why I rather choose to have +A weight of carrion flesh than to receive +Three thousand ducats. I'll not answer that, +But say it is my humor. Is it answered? +What if my house be troubled with a rat, +And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats +To have it baned? What, are you answered yet? +Some men there are love not a gaping pig, +Some that are mad if they behold a cat, +And others, when the bagpipe sings i' th' nose, +Cannot contain their urine; for affection +Masters oft passion, sways it to the mood +Of what it likes or loathes. Now for your answer: +As there is no firm reason to be rendered +Why he cannot abide a gaping pig, +Why he a harmless necessary cat, +Why he a woolen bagpipe, but of force +Must yield to such inevitable shame +As to offend, himself being offended, +So can I give no reason, nor I will not, +More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing +I bear Antonio, that I follow thus +A losing suit against him. Are you answered? + +BASSANIO +This is no answer, thou unfeeling man, +To excuse the current of thy cruelty. + +SHYLOCK +I am not bound to please thee with my answers. + +BASSANIO +Do all men kill the things they do not love? + +SHYLOCK +Hates any man the thing he would not kill? + +BASSANIO +Every offence is not a hate at first. + +SHYLOCK +What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice? + +ANTONIO, [to Bassanio] +I pray you, think you question with the Jew. +You may as well go stand upon the beach +And bid the main flood bate his usual height; +You may as well use question with the wolf +Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb; +You may as well forbid the mountain pines +To wag their high tops and to make no noise +When they are fretten with the gusts of heaven; +You may as well do anything most hard +As seek to soften that than which what's harder?-- +His Jewish heart. Therefore I do beseech you +Make no more offers, use no farther means, +But with all brief and plain conveniency +Let me have judgment and the Jew his will. + +BASSANIO +For thy three thousand ducats here is six. + +SHYLOCK +If every ducat in six thousand ducats +Were in six parts, and every part a ducat, +I would not draw them. I would have my bond. + +DUKE +How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none? + +SHYLOCK +What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong? +You have among you many a purchased slave, +Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules, +You use in abject and in slavish parts +Because you bought them. Shall I say to you +"Let them be free! Marry them to your heirs! +Why sweat they under burdens? Let their beds +Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates +Be seasoned with such viands"? You will answer +"The slaves are ours!" So do I answer you: +The pound of flesh which I demand of him +Is dearly bought; 'tis mine and I will have it. +If you deny me, fie upon your law: +There is no force in the decrees of Venice. +I stand for judgment. Answer: shall I have it? + +DUKE +Upon my power I may dismiss this court +Unless Bellario, a learned doctor +Whom I have sent for to determine this, +Come here today. + +SALERIO My lord, here stays without +A messenger with letters from the doctor, +New come from Padua. + +DUKE +Bring us the letters. Call the messenger. + +BASSANIO +Good cheer, Antonio! What, man, courage yet! +The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all +Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood! + +ANTONIO +I am a tainted wether of the flock, +Meetest for death. The weakest kind of fruit +Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me. +You cannot better be employed, Bassanio, +Than to live still and write mine epitaph. + +[Enter Nerissa, disguised as a lawyer's clerk.] + + +DUKE +Came you from Padua, from Bellario? + +NERISSA, [as Clerk] +From both, my lord. Bellario greets your Grace. +[Handing him a paper, which he reads, aside, while +Shylock sharpens his knife on the sole of his shoe.] + +BASSANIO +Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly? + +SHYLOCK +To cut the forfeiture from that bankrout there. + +GRATIANO +Not on thy sole but on thy soul, harsh Jew, +Thou mak'st thy knife keen. But no metal can, +No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness +Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee? + +SHYLOCK +No, none that thou hast wit enough to make. + +GRATIANO +O, be thou damned, inexecrable dog, +And for thy life let justice be accused; +Thou almost mak'st me waver in my faith, +To hold opinion with Pythagoras +That souls of animals infuse themselves +Into the trunks of men. Thy currish spirit +Governed a wolf who, hanged for human slaughter, +Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet, +And whilst thou layest in thy unhallowed dam, +Infused itself in thee, for thy desires +Are wolfish, bloody, starved, and ravenous. + +SHYLOCK +Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond, +Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud. +Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall +To cureless ruin. I stand here for law. + +DUKE +This letter from Bellario doth commend +A young and learned doctor to our court. +Where is he? + +NERISSA, [as Clerk] He attendeth here hard by +To know your answer whether you'll admit him. + +DUKE +With all my heart.--Some three or four of you +Go give him courteous conduct to this place. +[Attendants exit.] +Meantime the court shall hear Bellario's letter. +[He reads.] +Your Grace shall understand that, at the receipt of +your letter, I am very sick, but in the instant that your +messenger came, in loving visitation was with me a +young doctor of Rome. His name is Balthazar. I +acquainted him with the cause in controversy between +the Jew and Antonio the merchant. We turned o'er +many books together. He is furnished with my opinion, +which, bettered with his own learning (the greatness +whereof I cannot enough commend), comes with +him at my importunity to fill up your Grace's request +in my stead. I beseech you let his lack of years be no +impediment to let him lack a reverend estimation, for I +never knew so young a body with so old a head. I +leave him to your gracious acceptance, whose trial +shall better publish his commendation. + +You hear the learned Bellario what he writes. + +[Enter Portia for Balthazar, disguised as a doctor of +laws, with Attendants.] + +And here I take it is the doctor come.-- +Give me your hand. Come you from old Bellario? + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +I did, my lord. + +DUKE You are welcome. Take your place. +Are you acquainted with the difference +That holds this present question in the court? + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +I am informed throughly of the cause. +Which is the merchant here? And which the Jew? + +DUKE +Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Is your name Shylock? + +SHYLOCK Shylock is my name. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Of a strange nature is the suit you follow, +Yet in such rule that the Venetian law +Cannot impugn you as you do proceed. +[To Antonio.] You stand within his danger, do you +not? + +ANTONIO +Ay, so he says. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] Do you confess the bond? + +ANTONIO +I do. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] Then must the Jew be merciful. + +SHYLOCK +On what compulsion must I? Tell me that. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +The quality of mercy is not strained. +It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven +Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: +It blesseth him that gives and him that takes. +'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes +The throned monarch better than his crown. +His scepter shows the force of temporal power, +The attribute to awe and majesty +Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; +But mercy is above this sceptered sway. +It is enthroned in the hearts of kings; +It is an attribute to God Himself; +And earthly power doth then show likest God's +When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, +Though justice be thy plea, consider this: +That in the course of justice none of us +Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy, +And that same prayer doth teach us all to render +The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much +To mitigate the justice of thy plea, +Which, if thou follow, this strict court of Venice +Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant +there. + +SHYLOCK +My deeds upon my head! I crave the law, +The penalty and forfeit of my bond. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Is he not able to discharge the money? + +BASSANIO +Yes. Here I tender it for him in the court, +Yea, twice the sum. If that will not suffice, +I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er +On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart. +If this will not suffice, it must appear +That malice bears down truth. [To the Duke.] And I +beseech you, +Wrest once the law to your authority. +To do a great right, do a little wrong, +And curb this cruel devil of his will. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +It must not be. There is no power in Venice +Can alter a decree established; +'Twill be recorded for a precedent +And many an error by the same example +Will rush into the state. It cannot be. + +SHYLOCK +A Daniel come to judgment! Yea, a Daniel. +O wise young judge, how I do honor thee! + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +I pray you let me look upon the bond. + +SHYLOCK +Here 'tis, most reverend doctor, here it is. +[Handing Portia a paper.] + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Shylock, there's thrice thy money offered thee. + +SHYLOCK +An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven! +Shall I lay perjury upon my soul? +No, not for Venice! + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] Why, this bond is forfeit, +And lawfully by this the Jew may claim +A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off +Nearest the merchant's heart.--Be merciful; +Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond. + +SHYLOCK +When it is paid according to the tenor. +It doth appear you are a worthy judge; +You know the law; your exposition +Hath been most sound. I charge you by the law, +Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar, +Proceed to judgment. By my soul I swear +There is no power in the tongue of man +To alter me. I stay here on my bond. + +ANTONIO +Most heartily I do beseech the court +To give the judgment. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] Why, then, thus it is: +You must prepare your bosom for his knife-- + +SHYLOCK +O noble judge! O excellent young man! + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +For the intent and purpose of the law +Hath full relation to the penalty, +Which here appeareth due upon the bond. + +SHYLOCK +'Tis very true. O wise and upright judge, +How much more elder art thou than thy looks! + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar, to Antonio] +Therefore lay bare your bosom-- + +SHYLOCK Ay, his breast! +So says the bond, doth it not, noble judge? +"Nearest his heart." Those are the very words. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +It is so. +Are there balance here to weigh the flesh? + +SHYLOCK I have them ready. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge, +To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death. + +SHYLOCK +Is it so nominated in the bond? + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +It is not so expressed, but what of that? +'Twere good you do so much for charity. + +SHYLOCK +I cannot find it. 'Tis not in the bond. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +You, merchant, have you anything to say? + +ANTONIO +But little. I am armed and well prepared.-- +Give me your hand, Bassanio. Fare you well. +Grieve not that I am fall'n to this for you, +For herein Fortune shows herself more kind +Than is her custom: it is still her use +To let the wretched man outlive his wealth, +To view with hollow eye and wrinkled brow +An age of poverty, from which ling'ring penance +Of such misery doth she cut me off. +Commend me to your honorable wife, +Tell her the process of Antonio's end, +Say how I loved you, speak me fair in death, +And when the tale is told, bid her be judge +Whether Bassanio had not once a love. +Repent but you that you shall lose your friend +And he repents not that he pays your debt. +For if the Jew do cut but deep enough, +I'll pay it instantly with all my heart. + +BASSANIO +Antonio, I am married to a wife +Which is as dear to me as life itself, +But life itself, my wife, and all the world +Are not with me esteemed above thy life. +I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all +Here to this devil, to deliver you. + +PORTIA, [aside] +Your wife would give you little thanks for that +If she were by to hear you make the offer. + +GRATIANO +I have a wife who I protest I love. +I would she were in heaven, so she could +Entreat some power to change this currish Jew. + +NERISSA, [aside] +'Tis well you offer it behind her back. +The wish would make else an unquiet house. + +SHYLOCK +These be the Christian husbands! I have a +daughter-- +Would any of the stock of Barabbas +Had been her husband, rather than a Christian! +We trifle time. I pray thee, pursue sentence. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine: +The court awards it, and the law doth give it. + +SHYLOCK Most rightful judge! + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +And you must cut this flesh from off his breast: +The law allows it, and the court awards it. + +SHYLOCK +Most learned judge! A sentence!--Come, prepare. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Tarry a little. There is something else. +This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood. +The words expressly are "a pound of flesh." +Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh, +But in the cutting it, if thou dost shed +One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods +Are by the laws of Venice confiscate +Unto the state of Venice. + +GRATIANO +O upright judge!--Mark, Jew.--O learned judge! + +SHYLOCK +Is that the law? + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] Thyself shalt see the act. +For, as thou urgest justice, be assured +Thou shalt have justice more than thou desir'st. + +GRATIANO +O learned judge!--Mark, Jew, a learned judge! + +SHYLOCK +I take this offer then. Pay the bond thrice +And let the Christian go. + +BASSANIO Here is the money. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Soft! The Jew shall have all justice. Soft, no haste! +He shall have nothing but the penalty. + +GRATIANO +O Jew, an upright judge, a learned judge! + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh. +Shed thou no blood, nor cut thou less nor more +But just a pound of flesh. If thou tak'st more +Or less than a just pound, be it but so much +As makes it light or heavy in the substance +Or the division of the twentieth part +Of one poor scruple--nay, if the scale do turn +But in the estimation of a hair, +Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate. + +GRATIANO +A second Daniel! A Daniel, Jew! +Now, infidel, I have you on the hip. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Why doth the Jew pause? Take thy forfeiture. + +SHYLOCK +Give me my principal and let me go. + +BASSANIO +I have it ready for thee. Here it is. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +He hath refused it in the open court. +He shall have merely justice and his bond. + +GRATIANO +A Daniel still, say I! A second Daniel!-- +I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word. + +SHYLOCK +Shall I not have barely my principal? + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture +To be so taken at thy peril, Jew. + +SHYLOCK +Why, then, the devil give him good of it! +I'll stay no longer question. [He begins to exit.] + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] Tarry, Jew. +The law hath yet another hold on you. +It is enacted in the laws of Venice, +If it be proved against an alien +That by direct or indirect attempts +He seek the life of any citizen, +The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive +Shall seize one half his goods; the other half +Comes to the privy coffer of the state, +And the offender's life lies in the mercy +Of the Duke only, 'gainst all other voice. +In which predicament I say thou stand'st, +For it appears by manifest proceeding +That indirectly, and directly too, +Thou hast contrived against the very life +Of the defendant, and thou hast incurred +The danger formerly by me rehearsed. +Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the Duke. + +GRATIANO +Beg that thou mayst have leave to hang thyself! +And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state, +Thou hast not left the value of a cord; +Therefore thou must be hanged at the state's +charge. + +DUKE +That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit, +I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it. +For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's; +The other half comes to the general state, +Which humbleness may drive unto a fine. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Ay, for the state, not for Antonio. + +SHYLOCK +Nay, take my life and all. Pardon not that. +You take my house when you do take the prop +That doth sustain my house; you take my life +When you do take the means whereby I live. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +What mercy can you render him, Antonio? + +GRATIANO +A halter gratis, nothing else, for God's sake! + +ANTONIO +So please my lord the Duke and all the court +To quit the fine for one half of his goods, +I am content, so he will let me have +The other half in use, to render it +Upon his death unto the gentleman +That lately stole his daughter. +Two things provided more: that for this favor +He presently become a Christian; +The other, that he do record a gift, +Here in the court, of all he dies possessed +Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter. + +DUKE +He shall do this, or else I do recant +The pardon that I late pronounced here. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +Art thou contented, Jew? What dost thou say? + +SHYLOCK +I am content. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] Clerk, draw a deed of gift. + +SHYLOCK +I pray you give me leave to go from hence. +I am not well. Send the deed after me +And I will sign it. + +DUKE Get thee gone, but do it. + +GRATIANO +In christ'ning shalt thou have two godfathers. +Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten more, +To bring thee to the gallows, not to the font. +[Shylock exits.] + +DUKE, [to Portia as Balthazar] +Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +I humbly do desire your Grace of pardon. +I must away this night toward Padua, +And it is meet I presently set forth. + +DUKE +I am sorry that your leisure serves you not.-- +Antonio, gratify this gentleman, +For in my mind you are much bound to him. +[The Duke and his train exit.] + +BASSANIO, [to Portia as Balthazar] +Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend +Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted +Of grievous penalties, in lieu whereof +Three thousand ducats due unto the Jew +We freely cope your courteous pains withal. + +ANTONIO +And stand indebted, over and above, +In love and service to you evermore. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +He is well paid that is well satisfied, +And I, delivering you, am satisfied, +And therein do account myself well paid. +My mind was never yet more mercenary. +I pray you know me when we meet again. +I wish you well, and so I take my leave. +[She begins to exit.] + +BASSANIO +Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further. +Take some remembrance of us as a tribute, +Not as fee. Grant me two things, I pray you: +Not to deny me, and to pardon me. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +You press me far, and therefore I will yield. +Give me your gloves; I'll wear them for your sake-- +And for your love I'll take this ring from you. +Do not draw back your hand; I'll take no more, +And you in love shall not deny me this. + +BASSANIO +This ring, good sir? Alas, it is a trifle. +I will not shame myself to give you this. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +I will have nothing else but only this. +And now methinks I have a mind to it. + +BASSANIO +There's more depends on this than on the value. +The dearest ring in Venice will I give you, +And find it out by proclamation. +Only for this, I pray you pardon me. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +I see, sir, you are liberal in offers. +You taught me first to beg, and now methinks +You teach me how a beggar should be answered. + +BASSANIO +Good sir, this ring was given me by my wife, +And when she put it on, she made me vow +That I should neither sell nor give nor lose it. + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] +That 'scuse serves many men to save their gifts. +And if your wife be not a madwoman, +And know how well I have deserved this ring, +She would not hold out enemy forever +For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you. +[Portia and Nerissa exit.] + +ANTONIO +My Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring. +Let his deservings and my love withal +Be valued 'gainst your wife's commandment. + +BASSANIO +Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him. +Give him the ring, and bring him if thou canst +Unto Antonio's house. Away, make haste. +[Gratiano exits.] +Come, you and I will thither presently, +And in the morning early will we both +Fly toward Belmont.--Come, Antonio. +[They exit.] + +Scene 2 +======= +[Enter Portia and Nerissa, still in disguise.] + + +PORTIA +Inquire the Jew's house out; give him this deed +And let him sign it. [She gives Nerissa a paper.] We'll +away tonight, +And be a day before our husbands home. +This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo. + +[Enter Gratiano.] + + +GRATIANO +Fair sir, you are well o'erta'en. +My Lord Bassanio, upon more advice, +Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat +Your company at dinner. [He gives her a ring.] + +PORTIA, [as Balthazar] That cannot be. +His ring I do accept most thankfully, +And so I pray you tell him. Furthermore, +I pray you show my youth old Shylock's house. + +GRATIANO +That will I do. + +NERISSA, [as Clerk] Sir, I would speak with you. +[Aside to Portia.] I'll see if I can get my husband's +ring, +Which I did make him swear to keep forever. + +PORTIA, [aside to Nerissa] +Thou mayst, I warrant! We shall have old swearing +That they did give the rings away to men; +But we'll outface them, and outswear them, too.-- +Away, make haste! Thou know'st where I will tarry. +[She exits.] + +NERISSA, [as Clerk] +Come, good sir, will you show me to this house? +[They exit.] + + +ACT 5 +===== + +Scene 1 +======= +[Enter Lorenzo and Jessica.] + + +LORENZO +The moon shines bright. In such a night as this, +When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees +And they did make no noise, in such a night +Troilus, methinks, mounted the Trojan walls +And sighed his soul toward the Grecian tents +Where Cressid lay that night. + +JESSICA In such a night +Did Thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew +And saw the lion's shadow ere himself +And ran dismayed away. + +LORENZO In such a night +Stood Dido with a willow in her hand +Upon the wild sea-banks, and waft her love +To come again to Carthage. + +JESSICA In such a night +Medea gathered the enchanted herbs +That did renew old Aeson. + +LORENZO In such a night +Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew, +And with an unthrift love did run from Venice +As far as Belmont. + +JESSICA In such a night +Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well, +Stealing her soul with many vows of faith, +And ne'er a true one. + +LORENZO In such a night +Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew, +Slander her love, and he forgave it her. + +JESSICA +I would out-night you did nobody come, +But hark, I hear the footing of a man. + +[Enter Stephano, a Messenger.] + + +LORENZO +Who comes so fast in silence of the night? + +STEPHANO A friend. + +LORENZO +A friend? What friend? Your name, I pray you, +friend. + +STEPHANO +Stephano is my name, and I bring word +My mistress will before the break of day +Be here at Belmont. She doth stray about +By holy crosses, where she kneels and prays +For happy wedlock hours. + +LORENZO Who comes with her? + +STEPHANO +None but a holy hermit and her maid. +I pray you, is my master yet returned? + +LORENZO +He is not, nor we have not heard from him.-- +But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica, +And ceremoniously let us prepare +Some welcome for the mistress of the house. + +[Enter Lancelet, the Clown.] + + +LANCELET Sola, sola! Wo ha, ho! Sola, sola! + +LORENZO Who calls? + +LANCELET Sola! Did you see Master Lorenzo? Master +Lorenzo, sola, sola! + +LORENZO Leave holloaing, man! Here. + +LANCELET Sola! Where, where? + +LORENZO Here! + +LANCELET Tell him there's a post come from my master +with his horn full of good news. My master will +be here ere morning, sweet soul. [Lancelet exits.] + +LORENZO, [to Jessica] +Let's in, and there expect their coming. +And yet no matter; why should we go in?-- +My friend Stephano, signify, I pray you, +Within the house, your mistress is at hand, +And bring your music forth into the air. +[Stephano exits.] +How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank. +Here will we sit and let the sounds of music +Creep in our ears; soft stillness and the night +Become the touches of sweet harmony. +Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven +Is thick inlaid with patens of bright gold. +There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st +But in his motion like an angel sings, +Still choiring to the young-eyed cherubins. +Such harmony is in immortal souls, +But whilst this muddy vesture of decay +Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it. + +[Enter Stephano and musicians.] + +Come, ho! and wake Diana with a hymn. +With sweetest touches pierce your mistress' ear, +And draw her home with music. +[Music plays.] + +JESSICA +I am never merry when I hear sweet music. + +LORENZO +The reason is, your spirits are attentive. +For do but note a wild and wanton herd +Or race of youthful and unhandled colts, +Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud, +Which is the hot condition of their blood, +If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound, +Or any air of music touch their ears, +You shall perceive them make a mutual stand, +Their savage eyes turned to a modest gaze +By the sweet power of music. Therefore the poet +Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and +floods, +Since naught so stockish, hard, and full of rage, +But music for the time doth change his nature. +The man that hath no music in himself, +Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, +Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; +The motions of his spirit are dull as night, +And his affections dark as Erebus. +Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music. + +[Enter Portia and Nerissa.] + + +PORTIA +That light we see is burning in my hall. +How far that little candle throws his beams! +So shines a good deed in a naughty world. + +NERISSA +When the moon shone we did not see the candle. + +PORTIA +So doth the greater glory dim the less. +A substitute shines brightly as a king +Until a king be by, and then his state +Empties itself as doth an inland brook +Into the main of waters. Music, hark! + +NERISSA +It is your music, madam, of the house. + +PORTIA +Nothing is good, I see, without respect. +Methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day. + +NERISSA +Silence bestows that virtue on it, madam. + +PORTIA +The crow doth sing as sweetly as the lark +When neither is attended, and I think +The nightingale, if she should sing by day +When every goose is cackling, would be thought +No better a musician than the wren. +How many things by season seasoned are +To their right praise and true perfection! +Peace--how the moon sleeps with Endymion +And would not be awaked! +[Music ceases.] + +LORENZO That is the voice, +Or I am much deceived, of Portia. + +PORTIA +He knows me as the blind man knows the cuckoo, +By the bad voice. + +LORENZO Dear lady, welcome home. + +PORTIA +We have been praying for our husbands' welfare, +Which speed we hope the better for our words. +Are they returned? + +LORENZO Madam, they are not yet, +But there is come a messenger before +To signify their coming. + +PORTIA Go in, Nerissa. +Give order to my servants that they take +No note at all of our being absent hence-- +Nor you, Lorenzo--Jessica, nor you. +[A trumpet sounds.] + +LORENZO +Your husband is at hand. I hear his trumpet. +We are no tell-tales, madam, fear you not. + +PORTIA +This night methinks is but the daylight sick; +It looks a little paler. 'Tis a day +Such as the day is when the sun is hid. + +[Enter Bassanio, Antonio, Gratiano, and their followers.] + + +BASSANIO +We should hold day with the Antipodes +If you would walk in absence of the sun. + +PORTIA +Let me give light, but let me not be light, +For a light wife doth make a heavy husband, +And never be Bassanio so for me. +But God sort all! You are welcome home, my lord. +[Gratiano and Nerissa talk aside.] + +BASSANIO +I thank you, madam. Give welcome to my friend. +This is the man, this is Antonio, +To whom I am so infinitely bound. + +PORTIA +You should in all sense be much bound to him, +For as I hear he was much bound for you. + +ANTONIO +No more than I am well acquitted of. + +PORTIA +Sir, you are very welcome to our house. +It must appear in other ways than words; +Therefore I scant this breathing courtesy. + +GRATIANO, [to Nerissa] +By yonder moon I swear you do me wrong! +In faith, I gave it to the judge's clerk. +Would he were gelt that had it, for my part, +Since you do take it, love, so much at heart. + +PORTIA +A quarrel ho, already! What's the matter? + +GRATIANO +About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring +That she did give me, whose posy was +For all the world like cutler's poetry +Upon a knife, "Love me, and leave me not." + +NERISSA +What talk you of the posy or the value? +You swore to me when I did give it you +That you would wear it till your hour of death, +And that it should lie with you in your grave. +Though not for me, yet for your vehement oaths, +You should have been respective and have kept it. +Gave it a judge's clerk! No, God's my judge, +The clerk will ne'er wear hair on 's face that had it. + +GRATIANO +He will, an if he live to be a man. + +NERISSA +Ay, if a woman live to be a man. + +GRATIANO +Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth, +A kind of boy, a little scrubbed boy, +No higher than thyself, the judge's clerk, +A prating boy that begged it as a fee. +I could not for my heart deny it him. + +PORTIA +You were to blame, I must be plain with you, +To part so slightly with your wife's first gift, +A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger, +And so riveted with faith unto your flesh. +I gave my love a ring and made him swear +Never to part with it, and here he stands. +I dare be sworn for him he would not leave it +Nor pluck it from his finger for the wealth +That the world masters. Now, in faith, Gratiano, +You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief. +An 'twere to me I should be mad at it. + +BASSANIO, [aside] +Why, I were best to cut my left hand off +And swear I lost the ring defending it. + +GRATIANO +My Lord Bassanio gave his ring away +Unto the judge that begged it, and indeed +Deserved it, too. And then the boy, his clerk, +That took some pains in writing, he begged mine, +And neither man nor master would take aught +But the two rings. + +PORTIA What ring gave you, my lord? +Not that, I hope, which you received of me. + +BASSANIO +If I could add a lie unto a fault, +I would deny it, but you see my finger +Hath not the ring upon it. It is gone. + +PORTIA +Even so void is your false heart of truth. +By heaven, I will ne'er come in your bed +Until I see the ring! + +NERISSA, [to Gratiano] Nor I in yours +Till I again see mine! + +BASSANIO Sweet Portia, +If you did know to whom I gave the ring, +If you did know for whom I gave the ring, +And would conceive for what I gave the ring, +And how unwillingly I left the ring, +When naught would be accepted but the ring, +You would abate the strength of your displeasure. + +PORTIA +If you had known the virtue of the ring, +Or half her worthiness that gave the ring, +Or your own honor to contain the ring, +You would not then have parted with the ring. +What man is there so much unreasonable, +If you had pleased to have defended it +With any terms of zeal, wanted the modesty +To urge the thing held as a ceremony? +Nerissa teaches me what to believe: +I'll die for 't but some woman had the ring! + +BASSANIO +No, by my honor, madam, by my soul, +No woman had it, but a civil doctor, +Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me +And begged the ring, the which I did deny him +And suffered him to go displeased away, +Even he that had held up the very life +Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady? +I was enforced to send it after him. +I was beset with shame and courtesy. +My honor would not let ingratitude +So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady, +For by these blessed candles of the night, +Had you been there, I think you would have begged +The ring of me to give the worthy doctor. + +PORTIA +Let not that doctor e'er come near my house! +Since he hath got the jewel that I loved, +And that which you did swear to keep for me, +I will become as liberal as you: +I'll not deny him anything I have, +No, not my body, nor my husband's bed. +Know him I shall, I am well sure of it. +Lie not a night from home. Watch me like Argus. +If you do not, if I be left alone, +Now by mine honor, which is yet mine own, +I'll have that doctor for my bedfellow. + +NERISSA +And I his clerk. Therefore be well advised +How you do leave me to mine own protection. + +GRATIANO +Well, do you so. Let not me take him, then, +For if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen. + +ANTONIO +I am th' unhappy subject of these quarrels. + +PORTIA +Sir, grieve not you. You are welcome +notwithstanding. + +BASSANIO +Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong, +And in the hearing of these many friends +I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes, +Wherein I see myself-- + +PORTIA Mark you but that! +In both my eyes he doubly sees himself, +In each eye one. Swear by your double self, +And there's an oath of credit. + +BASSANIO Nay, but hear me. +Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear +I never more will break an oath with thee. + +ANTONIO +I once did lend my body for his wealth, +Which but for him that had your husband's ring +Had quite miscarried. I dare be bound again, +My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord +Will never more break faith advisedly. + +PORTIA +Then you shall be his surety. Give him this, +[Giving Antonio a ring.] +And bid him keep it better than the other. + +ANTONIO +Here, Lord Bassanio, swear to keep this ring. + +BASSANIO +By heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor! + +PORTIA +I had it of him. Pardon me, Bassanio, +For by this ring, the doctor lay with me. + +NERISSA +And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano, +For that same scrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk, +In lieu of this, last night did lie with me. +[She shows a ring.] + +GRATIANO +Why, this is like the mending of highways +In summer, where the ways are fair enough! +What, are we cuckolds ere we have deserved it? + +PORTIA +Speak not so grossly.--You are all amazed. +[She hands a paper to Bassanio.] +Here is a letter; read it at your leisure. +It comes from Padua from Bellario. +There you shall find that Portia was the doctor, +Nerissa there, her clerk. Lorenzo here +Shall witness I set forth as soon as you, +And even but now returned. I have not yet +Entered my house.--Antonio, you are welcome, +And I have better news in store for you +Than you expect. Unseal this letter soon. +[Handing him a paper.] +There you shall find three of your argosies +Are richly come to harbor suddenly. +You shall not know by what strange accident +I chanced on this letter. + +ANTONIO I am dumb. + +BASSANIO +Were you the doctor and I knew you not? + +GRATIANO +Were you the clerk that is to make me cuckold? + +NERISSA +Ay, but the clerk that never means to do it, +Unless he live until he be a man. + +BASSANIO, [to Portia] +Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow. +When I am absent, then lie with my wife. + +ANTONIO +Sweet lady, you have given me life and living; +For here I read for certain that my ships +Are safely come to road. + +PORTIA How now, Lorenzo? +My clerk hath some good comforts too for you. + +NERISSA +Ay, and I'll give them him without a fee. +[Handing him a paper.] +There do I give to you and Jessica, +From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift, +After his death, of all he dies possessed of. + +LORENZO +Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way +Of starved people. + +PORTIA It is almost morning, +And yet I am sure you are not satisfied +Of these events at full. Let us go in, +And charge us there upon inter'gatories, +And we will answer all things faithfully. + +GRATIANO +Let it be so. The first inter'gatory +That my Nerissa shall be sworn on is +Whether till the next night she had rather stay +Or go to bed now, being two hours to day. +But were the day come, I should wish it dark +Till I were couching with the doctor's clerk. +Well, while I live, I'll fear no other thing +So sore as keeping safe Nerissa's ring. +[They exit.] \ No newline at end of file