Shakespeare Merchantofvenice

Coradella Collegiate Bookshelf Editions.
The Merchant
of Venice.
William Shakespeare.

Contents
Open
Purchase the entire

Coradella Collegiate
Bookshelf on CD at
http://collegebookshelf.net
Purchase the entire Coradella Collegiate Bookshelf on CD at
William Shakespeare. The Merchant of Venice. http://collegebookshelf.net
About the author William Shakespeare (National Portrait Gallery)
William Shakespeare Shakespeare's influence on the English-speaking world is

(born April 1564, baptised reflected in the ready recognition afforded many quotations
April 26, 1564, died April from Shakespearean plays (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/
23, 1616 Julian calendar, Shakespeare), the titles of works based on Shakespearean
May 3, 1616 Gregorian phrases, and the many adaptations of his plays. Other
calendar) is widely consid- indicators of contemporary influence are his inclusion in
ered to have been the the top 10 of the "100 Greatest Britons" poll sponsored by
greatest writer the English the BBC, the frequent productions based on his work, such
language has ever known. as the BBC Television Shakespeare, and the success of the
As a playwright, he wrote fictional account of his life in the 1998 film Shakespeare in
not only some of the most Love.
powerful tragedies, but also
many comedies.
He also wrote 154 sonnets and several major poems,
some of which are considered to be the most brilliant pieces
of English literature ever written, because of Shakespeare's
ability to rise beyond the narrative and describe the inner-
most and the most profound aspects of human nature. He
is believed to have written most of his works between 1585
and 1613, although the exact dates and chronology of the
plays attributed to him are not accurately known. There
was no standardized spelling in Elizabethan England, and
Contents
Shakespeare's name is often rendered in contemporary

documents as Shakespear, Shaksper or even Shaxberd.
Contents
Persons Represented. Click on a number in the list

Act 1. to go to the first page of that act.
Act 2.
Note:
Act 3. The best way to read this
Act 4. ebook is in Full Screen mode:
Act 5. click View, Full Screen to set
Adobe Acrobat to Full Screen
View. This mode allows you to
use Page Down to go to the next
page, and affords the best reading
view. Press Escape to exit the Full
Screen View.
NOTICE
Copyright © 2004 thewritedirection.net
Please note that although the text of this ebook is in the public domain,
this pdf edition is a copyrighted publication.
Contents
FOR COMPLETE DETAILS, SEE

COLLEGEBOOKSHELF.NET/COPYRIGHTS
William Shakespeare. The Merchant of Venice. http://collegebookshelf.net 1
The Merchant
of Venice. Scene: Partly at Venice, and partly at
Belmont, the seat of Portia, on the Continent
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
THE DUKE OF VENICE

THE PRINCE OF MOROCCO, suitor to Portia
Act 1.
THE PRINCE OF ARRAGON, suitor to Portia
Scene I.
ANTONIO, a merchant of Venice Venice. A street
BASSANIO, his friend [Enter ANTONIO, SALARINO, and SALANIO]
SALANIO, friend to Antonio and Bassanio ANTONIO.
SALARINO, friend to Antonio and Bassanio In sooth, I know not why I am so sad;
GRATIANO, friend to Antonio and Bassanio It wearies me; you say it wearies you;
LORENZO, in love with Jessica But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
SHYLOCK, a rich Jew What stuff ’tis made of, whereof it is born,
TUBAL, a Jew, his friend I am to learn;
LAUNCELOT GOBBO, a clown, servant to Shylock And such a want-wit sadness makes of me
OLD GOBBO, father to Launcelot That I have much ado to know myself.
LEONARDO, servant to Bassanio
BALTHASAR, servant to Portia SALARINO.
STEPHANO, servant to Portia Your mind is tossing on the ocean;
PORTIA, a rich heiress There where your argosies, with portly sail—
Contents
NERISSA, her waiting-maid Like signiors and rich burghers on the flood,
JESSICA, daughter to Shylock Or as it were the pageants of the sea—
Magnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Court of Justice, Gaoler, Do overpeer the petty traffickers,
Servants to Portia, and other Attendants That curtsy to them, do them reverence,
2 3
As they fly by them with their woven wings. ANTONIO.
Believe me, no; I thank my fortune for it,
SALANIO.
My ventures are not in one bottom trusted,
Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth,
Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate
The better part of my affections would
Upon the fortune of this present year;
Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still
Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad.
Plucking the grass to know where sits the wind,
Peering in maps for ports, and piers, and roads; SALARINO.
And every object that might make me fear Why, then you are in love.
Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt
ANTONIO.
Would make me sad.
Fie, fie!
SALARINO.
SALARINO.
My wind, cooling my broth
Not in love neither? Then let us say you are sad
Would blow me to an ague, when I thought
Because you are not merry; and ‘twere as easy
What harm a wind too great might do at sea.
For you to laugh and leap and say you are merry,
I should not see the sandy hour-glass run
Because you are not sad. Now, by two-headed Janus,
But I should think of shallows and of flats,
Nature hath fram’d strange fellows in her time:
And see my wealthy Andrew dock’d in sand,
Some that will evermore peep through their eyes,
Vailing her high top lower than her ribs
And laugh like parrots at a bag-piper;
To kiss her burial. Should I go to church
And other of such vinegar aspect
And see the holy edifice of stone,
That they’ll not show their teeth in way of smile
And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks,
Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable.
Which, touching but my gentle vessel’s side,
Would scatter all her spices on the stream, [Enter BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO.]
Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks, SALANIO.
And, in a word, but even now worth this, Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman,
And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought Gratiano, and Lorenzo. Fare ye well;
To think on this, and shall I lack the thought We leave you now with better company.
Contents
That such a thing bechanc’d would make me sad?

SALARINO.
But tell not me; I know Antonio
I would have stay’d till I had made you merry,
Is sad to think upon his merchandise.
If worthier friends had not prevented me.
4 5
ANTONIO. Let me play the fool;
Your worth is very dear in my regard. With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come;
I take it your own business calls on you, And let my liver rather heat with wine
And you embrace th’ occasion to depart. Than my heart cool with mortifying groans.
Why should a man whose blood is warm within
SALARINO.
Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster,
Good morrow, my good lords.
Sleep when he wakes, and creep into the jaundice
BASSANIO. By being peevish? I tell thee what, Antonio—
Good signiors both, when shall we laugh? Say when. I love thee, and ’tis my love that speaks—
You grow exceeding strange; must it be so? There are a sort of men whose visages
SALARINO. Do cream and mantle like a standing pond,
We’ll make our leisures to attend on yours. And do a wilful stillness entertain,
With purpose to be dress’d in an opinion
[Exeunt SALARINO and SALANIO.]
Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit;
LORENZO. As who should say ‘I am Sir Oracle,
My Lord Bassanio, since you have found Antonio, And when I ope my lips let no dog bark.’
We two will leave you; but at dinner-time, O my Antonio, I do know of these
I pray you, have in mind where we must meet. That therefore only are reputed wise
BASSANIO. For saying nothing; when, I am very sure,
I will not fail you. If they should speak, would almost damn those ears
Which, hearing them, would call their brothers fools.
GRATIANO.
I’ll tell thee more of this another time.
You look not well, Signior Antonio;
But fish not with this melancholy bait,
You have too much respect upon the world;
For this fool gudgeon, this opinion.
They lose it that do buy it with much care.
Come, good Lorenzo. Fare ye well awhile;
Believe me, you are marvellously chang’d.
I’ll end my exhortation after dinner.
ANTONIO.
LORENZO.
I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano;
Well, we will leave you then till dinner-time.
Contents
A stage, where every man must play a part,

I must be one of these same dumb wise men,
And mine a sad one.
For Gratiano never lets me speak.
GRATIANO.
GRATIANO.
6 7
Well, keep me company but two years moe, I owe the most, in money and in love;
Thou shalt not know the sound of thine own tongue. And from your love I have a warranty
To unburden all my plots and purposes
ANTONIO.
How to get clear of all the debts I owe.
Fare you well; I’ll grow a talker for this gear.
ANTONIO.
GRATIANO.
I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it;
Thanks, i’ faith, for silence is only commendable
And if it stand, as you yourself still do,
In a neat’s tongue dried, and a maid not vendible.
Within the eye of honour, be assur’d
[Exeunt GRATIANO and LORENZO.] My purse, my person, my extremest means,
ANTONIO. Lie all unlock’d to your occasions.
Is that anything now? BASSANIO.
BASSANIO. In my school-days, when I had lost one shaft,
Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than I shot his fellow of the self-same flight
any man in all Venice. His reasons are as two grains of wheat hid The self-same way, with more advised watch,
in, two bushels of chaff: you shall seek all day ere you find To find the other forth; and by adventuring both
them, and when you have them they are not worth the search. I oft found both. I urge this childhood proof,
Because what follows is pure innocence.
ANTONIO.
I owe you much; and, like a wilful youth,
Well; tell me now what lady is the same
That which I owe is lost; but if you please
To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage,
To shoot another arrow that self way
That you to-day promis’d to tell me of?
Which you did shoot the first, I do not doubt,
BASSANIO. As I will watch the aim, or to find both,
’Tis not unknown to you, Antonio, Or bring your latter hazard back again
How much I have disabled mine estate And thankfully rest debtor for the first.
By something showing a more swelling port
ANTONIO.
Than my faint means would grant continuance;
You know me well, and herein spend but time
Nor do I now make moan to be abridg’d
To wind about my love with circumstance;
Contents
From such a noble rate; but my chief care

And out of doubt you do me now more wrong
Is to come fairly off from the great debts
In making question of my uttermost
Wherein my time, something too prodigal,
Than if you had made waste of all I have.
Hath left me gag’d. To you, Antonio,
8 9
Then do but say to me what I should do

That in your knowledge may by me be done, Scene 2.
And I am prest unto it; therefore, speak. Belmont. A room in PORTIA’S house
BASSANIO. [Enter PORTIA and NERISSA.]
In Belmont is a lady richly left, PORTIA.
And she is fair and, fairer than that word, By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this
Of wondrous virtues. Sometimes from her eyes great world.
I did receive fair speechless messages:
NERISSA.
Her name is Portia—nothing undervalu’d
You would be, sweet madam, if your miseries were in the
To Cato’s daughter, Brutus’ Portia:
same abundance as your good fortunes are; and yet, for aught I
Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth,
see, they are as sick that surfeit with too much as they that
For the four winds blow in from every coast
starve with nothing. It is no mean happiness, therefore, to be
Renowned suitors, and her sunny locks
seated in the mean: superfluity come sooner by white hairs, but
Hang on her temples like a golden fleece;
competency lives longer.
Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos’ strond,
And many Jasons come in quest of her. PORTIA.
O my Antonio! had I but the means Good sentences, and well pronounced.
To hold a rival place with one of them, NERISSA.
I have a mind presages me such thrift They would be better, if well followed.
That I should questionless be fortunate.
PORTIA.
ANTONIO. If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do,
Thou know’st that all my fortunes are at sea; chapels had been churches, and poor men’s cottages princes’
Neither have I money nor commodity palaces. It is a good divine that follows his own instructions; I
To raise a present sum; therefore go forth, can easier teach twenty what were good to be done than to be one
Try what my credit can in Venice do; of the twenty to follow mine own teaching. The brain may devise
That shall be rack’d, even to the uttermost, laws for the blood, but a hot temper leaps o’er a cold decree;
To furnish thee to Belmont to fair Portia. such a hare is madness the youth, to skip o’er the meshes of good
Contents
Go presently inquire, and so will I, counsel the cripple. But this reasoning is not in the fashion to
Where money is; and I no question make choose me a husband. O me, the word ‘choose’! I may neither
To have it of my trust or for my sake. choose who I would nor refuse who I dislike; so is the will of a
[Exeunt] living daughter curb’d by the will of a dead father. Is it not
10 11
hard, Nerissa, that I cannot choose one, nor refuse none? NERISSA.
How say you by the French lord, Monsieur Le Bon?
NERISSA.
Your father was ever virtuous, and holy men at their death PORTIA.
have good inspirations; therefore the lott’ry that he hath God made him, and therefore let him pass for a man. In
devised in these three chests, of gold, silver, and lead, whereof truth, I know it is a sin to be a mocker, but he! why, he hath a
who chooses his meaning chooses you, will no doubt never be horse better than the Neapolitan’s, a better bad habit of
chosen by any rightly but one who you shall rightly love. But frowning than the Count Palatine; he is every man in no man. If a
what warmth is there in your affection towards any of these throstle sing he falls straight a-capering; he will fence with
princely suitors that are already come? 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
PORTIA.
love me to madness, I shall never requite him.
I pray thee over-name them; and as thou namest them, I will
describe them; and according to my description, level at my NERISSA.
affection. What say you, then, to Falconbridge, the young baron of
England?
NERISSA.
First, there is the Neapolitan prince. PORTIA.
You know I say nothing to him, for he understands not me,
PORTIA.
nor I him: he hath neither Latin, French, nor Italian, and you
Ay, that’s a colt indeed, for he doth nothing but talk of
will come into the court and swear that I have a poor pennyworth
his horse; and he makes it a great appropriation to his own good
in the English. He is a proper man’s picture; but alas, who can
parts that he can shoe him himself; I am much afeard my lady his
converse with a dumb-show? How oddly he is suited! I think he
mother play’d false with a smith.
bought his doublet in Italy, his round hose in France, his bonnet
NERISSA. in Germany, and his behaviour everywhere.
Then is there the County Palatine.
NERISSA.
PORTIA. What think you of the Scottish lord, his neighbour?
He doth nothing but frown, as who should say ‘An you will
PORTIA.
not have me, choose.’ He hears merry tales and smiles not: I fear
That he hath a neighbourly charity in him, for he borrowed
he will prove the weeping philosopher when he grows old, being so
Contents
a box of the ear of the Englishman, and swore he would pay him
full of unmannerly sadness in his youth. I had rather be married
again when he was able; I think the Frenchman became his surety,
to a death’s-head with a bone in his mouth than to either of
and sealed under for another.
these. God defend me from these two!
12 13
NERISSA. NERISSA.
How like you the young German, the Duke of Saxony’s nephew? Do you not remember, lady, in your father’s time, a Venetian, a
scholar and a soldier, that came hither in company of the Marquis
PORTIA.
of Montferrat?
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 PORTIA.
a little worse than a man, and when he is worst, he is little Yes, yes, it was Bassanio; as I think, so was he called.
better than a beast. An the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I
NERISSA.
shall make shift to go without him.
True, madam; he, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes
NERISSA. looked upon, was the best deserving a fair lady.
If he should offer to choose, and choose the right casket,
PORTIA.
you should refuse to perform your father’s will, if you should
I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of thy praise.
refuse to accept him.
[Enter a SERVANT.]
PORTIA.
How now! what news?
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 SERVANT.
within and that temptation without, I know he will choose it. I The four strangers seek for you, madam, to take their
will do anything, Nerissa, ere I will be married to a sponge. leave; and there is a forerunner come from a fifth, the Prince of
Morocco, who brings word the Prince his master will be here
NERISSA.
to-night.
You need not fear, lady, the having any of these lords;
they have acquainted me with their determinations, which is PORTIA.
indeed to return to their home, and to trouble you with no more If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good heart as I
suit, unless you may be won by some other sort than your father’s can bid the other four farewell, I should be glad of his
imposition, depending on the caskets. 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.
PORTIA.
Come, Nerissa. Sirrah, go before.
If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chaste as
Whiles we shut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the
Diana, unless I be obtained by the manner of my father’s will. I
door.
Contents
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 [Exeunt]
grant them a fair departure.
14 15
Scene 3. are in supposition: he hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another

Venice. A public place to the Indies; I understand, moreover, upon the Rialto, he hath a
[Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK.] third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and other ventures he
hath, squandered abroad. But ships are but boards, sailors but
SHYLOCK. men; there be land-rats and water-rats, land-thieves and
Three thousand ducats; well? water-thieves,—I mean pirates,—and then there is the peril of
BASSANIO. waters, winds, and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding,
Ay, sir, for three months. sufficient. Three thousand ducats- I think I may take his bond.
SHYLOCK. BASSANIO.
For three months; well? Be assured you may.
BASSANIO. SHYLOCK.
For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound. I will be assured I may; and, that I may be assured, I
will bethink me. May I speak with Antonio?
SHYLOCK.
Antonio shall become bound; well? BASSANIO.
If it please you to dine with us.
BASSANIO.
May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your SHYLOCK.
answer? Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which your
prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into. I will buy with
SHYLOCK.
you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so
Three thousand ducats, for three months, and Antonio bound.
following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray
BASSANIO. with you. What news on the Rialto? Who is he comes here?
Your answer to that. [Enter ANTONIO]
SHYLOCK. BASSANIO.
Antonio is a good man. This is Signior Antonio.
BASSANIO. SHYLOCK.
Have you heard any imputation to the contrary?
Contents
[Aside] How like a fawning publican he looks!

SHYLOCK. I hate him for he is a Christian;
Ho, no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying he is a good man But more for that in low simplicity
is to have you understand me that he is sufficient; yet his means He lends out money gratis, and brings down
16 17
The rate of usance here with us in Venice. SHYLOCK.

If I can catch him once upon the hip, I had forgot; three months; you told me so.
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. Well then, your bond; and, let me see. But hear you,
He hates our sacred nation; and he rails, Methought you said you neither lend nor borrow
Even there where merchants most do congregate, Upon advantage.
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
ANTONIO.
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe
I do never use it.
If I forgive him!
SHYLOCK.
BASSANIO.
When Jacob graz’d his uncle Laban’s sheep,—
Shylock, do you hear?
This Jacob from our holy Abram was,
SHYLOCK. As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,
I am debating of my present store, The third possessor; ay, he was the third,—
And, by the near guess of my memory,
ANTONIO.
I cannot instantly raise up the gross
And what of him? Did he take interest?
Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?
Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, SHYLOCK.
Will furnish me. But soft! how many months No, not take interest; not, as you would say,
Do you desire? [To ANTONIO] Rest you fair, good signior; Directly interest; mark what Jacob did.
Your worship was the last man in our mouths. When Laban and himself were compromis’d
That all the eanlings which were streak’d and pied
ANTONIO.
Should fall as Jacob’s hire, the ewes, being rank,
Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow
In end of autumn turned to the rams;
By taking nor by giving of excess,
And when the work of generation was
Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend,
Between these woolly breeders in the act,
I’ll break a custom. [To BASSANIO] Is he yet possess’d
The skilful shepherd peel’d me certain wands,
How much ye would?
And, in the doing of the deed of kind,
SHYLOCK. He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes,
Contents
Ay, ay, three thousand ducats. Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time
Fall parti-colour’d lambs, and those were Jacob’s.
ANTONIO.
This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;
And for three months.
And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.
18 19
ANTONIO. Well then, it now appears you need my help;

This was a venture, sir, that Jacob serv’d for; Go to, then; you come to me, and you say
A thing not in his power to bring to pass, ‘Shylock, we would have moneys.’ You say so:
But sway’d and fashion’d by the hand of heaven. You that did void your rheum upon my beard,
Was this inserted to make interest good? And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams? Over your threshold; moneys is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say
SHYLOCK.
‘Hath a dog money? Is it possible
I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast.
A cur can lend three thousand ducats?’ Or
But note me, signior.
Shall I bend low and, in a bondman’s key,
ANTONIO. With bated breath and whisp’ring humbleness,
Mark you this, Bassanio, Say this:—
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. ‘Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;
An evil soul producing holy witness You spurn’d me such a day; another time
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek, You call’d me dog; and for these courtesies
A goodly apple rotten at the heart. I’ll lend you thus much moneys?’
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!
ANTONIO.
SHYLOCK. I am as like to call thee so again,
Three thousand ducats; ’tis a good round sum. To spet on thee again, to spurn thee too.
Three months from twelve; then let me see the rate. If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
ANTONIO. As to thy friends,—for when did friendship take
Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding to you? A breed for barren metal of his friend?—
But lend it rather to thine enemy;
SHYLOCK.
Who if he break thou mayst with better face
Signior Antonio, many a time and oft
Exact the penalty.
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my moneys and my usances; SHYLOCK.
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug, Why, look you, how you storm!
Contents
For suff ’rance is the badge of all our tribe; I would be friends with you, and have your love,
You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, Forget the shames that you have stain’d me with,
And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine, Supply your present wants, and take no doit
And all for use of that which is mine own. Of usance for my moneys, and you’ll not hear me:
20 21
This is kind I offer. By the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of man’s flesh, taken from a man,
BASSANIO.
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
This were kindness.
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
SHYLOCK. To buy his favour, I extend this friendship;
This kindness will I show. If he will take it, so; if not, adieu;
Go with me to a notary, seal me there And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not.
Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,
ANTONIO.
If you repay me not on such a day,
Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.
In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Express’d in the condition, let the forfeit SHYLOCK.
Be nominated for an equal pound Then meet me forthwith at the notary’s;
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken Give him direction for this merry bond,
In what part of your body pleaseth me. And I will go and purse the ducats straight,
See to my house, left in the fearful guard
ANTONIO.
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
Content, in faith; I’ll seal to such a bond,
I’ll be with you.
And say there is much kindness in the Jew.
ANTONIO.
BASSANIO.
Hie thee, gentle Jew.
You shall not seal to such a bond for me;
I’ll rather dwell in my necessity. [Exit SHYLOCK]
ANTONIO. This Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind.

Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it; BASSANIO.
Within these two months, that’s a month before I like not fair terms and a villain’s mind.
This bond expires, I do expect return
ANTONIO.
Of thrice three times the value of this bond.
Come on; in this there can be no dismay;
SHYLOCK. My ships come home a month before the day.
O father Abram, what these Christians are,
Contents
[Exeunt]
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
22 23
Bars me the right of voluntary choosing;

But, if my father had not scanted me
And hedg’d 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 look’d on yet
For my affection.
Act 2. PRINCE OF MOROCCO.

Even for that I thank you:
Scene 1. Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets
Belmont. A room in PORTIA’s house. To try my fortune. By this scimitar,—
[Flourish of cornets. Enter the PRINCE of MOROCCO, and his That slew the Sophy and a Persian prince,
Followers; PORTIA, NERISSA, and Others of her train.] That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,—
I would o’erstare the sternest eyes that look,
PRINCE OF Morocco. Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth,
Mislike me not for my complexion, Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she-bear,
The shadow’d livery of the burnish’d sun, Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred. To win thee, lady. But, alas the while!
Bring me the fairest creature northward born, If Hercules and Lichas play at dice
Where Phoebus’ fire scarce thaws the icicles, Which is the better man, the greater throw
And let us make incision for your love May turn by fortune from the weaker hand:
To prove whose blood is reddest, his or mine. So is Alcides beaten by his page;
I tell thee, lady, this aspect of mine And so may I, blind Fortune leading me,
Hath fear’d the valiant; by my love, I swear Miss that which one unworthier may attain,
The best-regarded virgins of our clime And die with grieving.
Have lov’d it too. I would not change this hue,
Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen. PORTIA.
You must take your chance,
Contents
PORTIA. And either not attempt to choose at all,

In terms of choice I am not solely led Or swear before you choose, if you choose wrong,
By nice direction of a maiden’s eyes; Never to speak to lady afterward
Besides, the lottery of my destiny In way of marriage; therefore be advis’d.
24 25
PRINCE OF MOROCCO. counsel well.’ To be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with

Nor will not; come, bring me unto my chance. 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,
PORTIA.
who, saving your reverence! is the devil himself. Certainly the
First, forward to the temple: after dinner
Jew is the very devil incarnal; and, in my conscience, my
Your hazard shall be made.
conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel
PRINCE OF MOROCCO. me to stay with the Jew. The fiend gives the more friendly
Good fortune then! counsel: I will run, fiend; my heels are at your commandment; I
To make me blest or cursed’st among men! will run.
[Cornets, and exeunt.] [Enter OLD GOBBO, with a basket]
Scene 2. GOBBO.
Venice. A street Master young man, you, I pray you; which is the way to Master
Jew’s?
[Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO.]
LAUNCELOT.
LAUNCELOT.
[Aside] O heavens! This is my true-begotten father, who, being
Certainly my conscience will serve me to run from this
more than sand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not: I will try
Jew my master. The fiend is at mine elbow and tempts me, saying
confusions with him.
to me ‘Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot’ or ‘good Gobbo’
or ‘good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away.’ GOBBO.
My conscience says ‘No; take heed, honest Launcelot, take heed, Master young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to Master
honest Gobbo’ or, as aforesaid, ‘honest Launcelot Gobbo, do not Jew’s?
run; scorn running with thy heels.’ Well, the most courageous LAUNCELOT.
fiend bids me pack. ‘Via!’ says the fiend; ‘away!’ says the Turn up on your right hand at the next turning, but, at
fiend. ‘For the heavens, rouse up a brave mind,’ says the fiend the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the very next
‘and run.’ Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew’s
heart, says very wisely to me ‘My honest friend Launcelot, being house.
an honest man’s son’—or rather ‘an honest woman’s son’;—for
indeed my father did something smack, something grow to, he had GOBBO.
Contents
a kind of taste;—well, my conscience says ‘Launcelot, budge not.’ Be God’s sonties, ‘twill be a hard way to hit. Can you tell
‘Budge,’ says the fiend. ‘Budge not,’ says my conscience. me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him or
‘Conscience,’ say I, (you counsel well.’ ‘Fiend,’ say I, ‘you no?
26 27
LAUNCELOT. Do I look like a cudgel or a hovel-post, a staff or a prop? Do

Talk you of young Master Launcelot? [Aside] Mark me you know me, father?
now; now will I raise the waters. Talk you of young Master
GOBBO.
Launcelot?
Alack the day! I know you not, young gentleman; but I pray
GOBBO. you tell me, is my boy—God rest his soul!—alive or dead?
No master, sir, but a poor man’s son; his father, though I
LAUNCELOT.
say’t, is an honest exceeding poor man, and, God be thanked, well
Do you not know me, father?
to live.
GOBBO.
LAUNCELOT.
Alack, sir, I am sand-blind; I know you not.
Well, let his father be what ‘a will, we talk of young
Master Launcelot. LAUNCELOT.
Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the
GOBBO.
knowing me: it is a wise father that knows his own child. Well,
Your worship’s friend, and Launcelot, sir.
old man, I will tell you news of your son. Give me your blessing;
LAUNCELOT. truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long; a man’s son
But I pray you, ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech you, talk may, but in the end truth will out.
you of young Master Launcelot?
GOBBO.
GOBBO. Pray you, sir, stand up; I am sure you are not Launcelot, my boy.
Of Launcelot, an’t please your mastership.
LAUNCELOT.
LAUNCELOT. Pray you, let’s have no more fooling about it, but give
Ergo, Master Launcelot. Talk not of Master Launcelot, me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son
father; for the young gentleman,—according to Fates and that is, your child that shall be.
Destinies and such odd sayings, the Sisters Three and such
GOBBO.
branches of learning,—is indeed deceased; or, as you would say in
I cannot think you are my son.
plain terms, gone to heaven.
LAUNCELOT.
GOBBO.
I know not what I shall think of that; but I am Launcelot, the
Contents
Marry, God forbid! The boy was the very staff of my age, my
Jew’s man, and I am sure Margery your wife is my mother.
very prop.
GOBBO.
LAUNCELOT.
Her name is Margery, indeed: I’ll be sworn, if thou be
28 29
Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord worshipped To him, father.
might he be, what a beard hast thou got! Thou hast got more hair
GOBBO.
on thy chin than Dobbin my thill-horse has on his tail.
God bless your worship!
LAUNCELOT.
BASSANIO.
It should seem, then, that Dobbin’s tail grows backward;
Gramercy; wouldst thou aught with me?
I am sure he had more hair on his tail than I have on my face
when I last saw him. GOBBO.
Here’s my son, sir, a poor boy—
GOBBO.
Lord! how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master LAUNCELOT.
agree? I have brought him a present. How ‘gree you now? Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew’s man, that would,
sir,—as my father shall specify—
LAUNCELOT.
Well, well; but, for mine own part, as I have set up my GOBBO.
rest to run away, so I will not rest till I have run some ground. He hath a great infection, sir, as one would say, to serve—
My master’s a very Jew. Give him a present! Give him a halter. I LAUNCELOT.
am famished in his service; you may tell every finger I have with Indeed the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and
my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come; give me your present to have a desire, as my father shall specify—
one Master Bassanio, who indeed gives rare new liveries. If I
GOBBO.
serve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground. O rare
His master and he, saving your worship’s reverence, are
fortune! Here comes the man: to him, father; for I am a Jew, if I
scarce cater-cousins—
serve the Jew any longer.
[Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO, with and other Follow- LAUNCELOT.
ers.] 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,
BASSANIO. shall frutify unto you—
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 GOBBO.
delivered, put the liveries to making, and desire Gratiano to I have here a dish of doves that I would bestow upon your
Contents
come anon to my lodging. worship; and my suit is—

[Exit a SERVANT] LAUNCELOT.
In very brief, the suit is impertinent to myself, as
LAUNCELOT.
your worship shall know by this honest old man; and, though I say
30 31
it, though old man, yet poor man, my father. And then to scape drowning thrice, and to be in peril of my life
with the edge of a feather-bed; here are simple ‘scapes. Well, if
BASSANIO.
Fortune be a woman, she’s a good wench for this gear. Father,
One speak for both. What would you?
come; I’ll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye.
LAUNCELOT.
[Exeunt LAUNCELOT and OLD GOBBO.]
Serve you, sir.
BASSANIO.
GOBBO.
I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this:
That is the very defect of the matter, sir.
These things being bought and orderly bestow’d,
BASSANIO. Return in haste, for I do feast to-night
I know thee well; thou hast obtain’d thy suit. My best esteem’d acquaintance; hie thee, go.
Shylock thy master spoke with me this day,
LEONARDO.
And hath preferr’d thee, if it be preferment
My best endeavours shall be done herein.
To leave a rich Jew’s service to become
The follower of so poor a gentleman. [Enter GRATIANO.]
LAUNCELOT. GRATIANO.
The old proverb is very well parted between my master Where’s your master?
Shylock and you, sir: you have the grace of God, sir, and he hath LEONARDO.
enough. Yonder, sir, he walks.
BASSANIO. [Exit.]
Thou speak’st it well. Go, father, with thy son. GRATIANO.
Take leave of thy old master, and inquire Signior Bassanio!—
My lodging out. [To a SERVANT] Give him a livery
More guarded than his fellows’; see it done. BASSANIO.
Gratiano!
LAUNCELOT.
Father, in. I cannot get a service, no! I have ne’er a GRATIANO.
tongue in my head! [Looking on his palm] Well; if any man in I have suit to you.
Contents
Italy have a fairer table which doth offer to swear upon a book, BASSANIO.
I shall have good fortune. Go to; here’s a simple line of life: You have obtain’d it.
here’s a small trifle of wives; alas, fifteen wives is nothing;
GRATIANO.
a’leven widows and nine maids is a simple coming-in for one man.
32 33
You must not deny me: I must go with you to Belmont. Your boldest suit of mirth, for we have friends
That purpose merriment. But fare you well;
BASSANIO.
I have some business.
Why, then you must. But hear thee, Gratiano;
Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice; GRATIANO.
Parts that become thee happily enough, And I must to Lorenzo and the rest;
And in such eyes as ours appear not faults; But we will visit you at supper-time.
But where thou art not known, why there they show [Exeunt.]
Something too liberal. Pray thee, take pain
To allay with some cold drops of modesty Scene 3.
Thy skipping spirit, lest through thy wild behaviour The same. A room in SHYLOCK’s house.
I be misconstrued in the place I go to, [Enter JESSICA and LAUNCELOT.]
And lose my hopes.
JESSICA.
GRATIANO. I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so:
Signior Bassanio, hear me: Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil,
If I do not put on a sober habit, Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness.
Talk with respect, and swear but now and then, But fare thee well; there is a ducat for thee;
Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely, And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou see
Nay more, while grace is saying, hood mine eyes Lorenzo, who is thy new master’s guest:
Thus with my hat, and sigh, and say ‘amen’; Give him this letter; do it secretly.
Use all the observance of civility, And so farewell. I would not have my father
Like one well studied in a sad ostent See me in talk with thee.
To please his grandam, never trust me more.
LAUNCELOT.
BASSANIO. Adieu! tears exhibit my tongue. Most beautiful pagan,
Well, we shall see your bearing. most sweet Jew! If a Christian do not play the knave and get
GRATIANO. thee, I am much deceived. But, adieu! these foolish drops do
Nay, but I bar to-night; you shall not gauge me something drown my manly spirit; adieu!
Contents
By what we do to-night. JESSICA.

BASSANIO. Farewell, good Launcelot.
No, that were pity; [Exit LAUNCELOT]
I would entreat you rather to put on
34 35
Alack, what heinous sin is it in me LAUNCELOT.
To be asham’d to be my father’s child! An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem
But though I am a daughter to his blood, to signify.
I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo!
LORENZO.
If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife,
I know the hand; in faith, ’tis a fair hand,
Become a Christian and thy loving wife.
And whiter than the paper it writ on
[Exit] Is the fair hand that writ.
Scene 4. GRATIANO.
The same. A street Love news, in faith.
[Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SALARINO, and LAUNCELOT.
SALANIO.] By your leave, sir.
LORENZO. LORENZO.
Nay, we will slink away in supper-time, Whither goest thou?
Disguise us at my lodging, and return LAUNCELOT.
All in an hour. Marry, sir, to bid my old master, the Jew, to sup
GRATIANO. to-night with my new master, the Christian.
We have not made good preparation. LORENZO.
SALARINO. Hold, here, take this. Tell gentle Jessica
We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers. I will not fail her; speak it privately.
Go, gentlemen,
SALANIO.
’Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly order’d, [Exit LAUNCELOT]
And better in my mind not undertook. Will you prepare you for this masque to-night?
I am provided of a torch-bearer.
LORENZO.
’Tis now but four o’clock; we have two hours SALARINO.
To furnish us. Ay, marry, I’ll be gone about it straight.
Contents
[Enter LAUNCELOT, With a letter.] SALANIO.

Friend Launcelot, what’s the news? And so will I.
LORENZO.
36 37
Meet me and Gratiano Why, Jessica, I say!
At Gratiano’s lodging some hour hence.
LAUNCELOT.
SALARINO. Why, Jessica!
’Tis good we do so.
SHYLOCK.
[Exeunt SALARINO and SALANIO.] Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.
GRATIANO. LAUNCELOT.
Was not that letter from fair Jessica? Your worship was wont to tell me I could do nothing
LORENZO. without bidding.
I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed [Enter JESSICA.]
How I shall take her from her father’s house;
JESSICA.
What gold and jewels she is furnish’d with;
Call you? What is your will?
What page’s suit she hath in readiness.
If e’er the Jew her father come to heaven, SHYLOCK.
It will be for his gentle daughter’s sake; I am bid forth to supper, Jessica:
And never dare misfortune cross her foot, There are my keys. But wherefore should I go?
Unless she do it under this excuse, I am not bid for love; they flatter me;
That she is issue to a faithless Jew. But yet I’ll go in hate, to feed upon
Come, go with me, peruse this as thou goest; The prodigal Christian. Jessica, my girl,
Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer. Look to my house. I am right loath to go;
There is some ill a-brewing towards my rest,
[Exeunt]
For I did dream of money-bags to-night.
Scene 5. LAUNCELOT.
The same. Before SHYLOCK’S house I beseech you, sir, go: my young master doth expect your
[Enter SHYLOCK and LAUNCELOT.] reproach.
SHYLOCK. SHYLOCK.
Well, thou shalt see; thy eyes shall be thy judge, So do I his.
Contents
The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio:— LAUNCELOT.

What, Jessica!—Thou shalt not gormandize, And they have conspired together; I will not say you
As thou hast done with me;—What, Jessica!— shall see a masque, but if you do, then it was not for nothing
And sleep and snore, and rend apparel out—
38 39
that my nose fell a-bleeding on Black Monday last at six o’clock Therefore I part with him; and part with him
i’ the morning, falling out that year on Ash-Wednesday was four To one that I would have him help to waste
year in the afternoon. His borrow’d purse. Well, Jessica, go in;
Perhaps I will return immediately:
SHYLOCK.
Do as I bid you, shut doors after you:
What! are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica:
‘Fast bind, fast find,’
Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum,
A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.
And the vile squealing of the wry-neck’d fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements then, [Exit.]
Nor thrust your head into the public street JESSICA.
To gaze on Christian fools with varnish’d faces; Farewell; and if my fortune be not crost,
But stop my house’s ears- I mean my casements; I have a father, you a daughter, lost.
Let not the sound of shallow fopp’ry enter
[Exit.]
My sober house. By Jacob’s staff, I swear
I have no mind of feasting forth to-night; Scene 6.
But I will go. Go you before me, sirrah; The same.
Say I will come.
[Enter GRATIANO and SALARINO, masqued.]
LAUNCELOT.
GRATIANO.
I will go before, sir. Mistress, look out at window for all this;
This is the pent-house under which Lorenzo
There will come a Christian by
Desir’d us to make stand.
Will be worth a Jewess’ eye.
[Exit LAUNCELOT.] SALARINO.
His hour is almost past.
SHYLOCK.
What says that fool of Hagar’s offspring, ha? GRATIANO.
And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour,
JESSICA. For lovers ever run before the clock.
His words were ‘Farewell, mistress’; nothing else.
SALARINO.
SHYLOCK. O! ten times faster Venus’ pigeons fly
Contents
The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder; To seal love’s bonds new made than they are wont
Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day To keep obliged faith unforfeited!
More than the wild-cat; drones hive not with me,
GRATIANO.
40 41
That ever holds: who riseth from a feast For who love I so much? And now who knows
With that keen appetite that he sits down? But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?
Where is the horse that doth untread again
LORENZO.
His tedious measures with the unbated fire
Heaven and thy thoughts are witness that thou art.
That he did pace them first? All things that are
Are with more spirit chased than enjoy’d. JESSICA.
How like a younker or a prodigal Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains.
The scarfed bark puts from her native bay, I am glad ’tis night, you do not look on me,
Hugg’d and embraced by the strumpet wind! For I am much asham’d of my exchange;
How like the prodigal doth she return, But love is blind, and lovers cannot see
With over-weather’d ribs and ragged sails, The pretty follies that themselves commit,
Lean, rent, and beggar’d by the strumpet wind! For, if they could, Cupid himself would blush
To see me thus transformed to a boy.
SALARINO.
Here comes Lorenzo; more of this hereafter. LORENZO.
Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer.
[Enter LORENZO.]
JESSICA.
LORENZO.
What! must I hold a candle to my shames?
Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode;
They in themselves, good sooth, are too-too light.
Not I, but my affairs, have made you wait:
Why, ’tis an office of discovery, love,
When you shall please to play the thieves for wives,
And I should be obscur’d.
I’ll watch as long for you then. Approach;
Here dwells my father Jew. Ho! who’s within? LORENZO.
[Enter JESSICA, above, in boy’s clothes.] So are you, sweet,
Even in the lovely garnish of a boy.
JESSICA. But come at once;
Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty, For the close night doth play the runaway,
Albeit I’ll swear that I do know your tongue. And we are stay’d for at Bassanio’s feast.
LORENZO. JESSICA.
Contents
Lorenzo, and thy love. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself
JESSICA. With some moe ducats, and be with you straight.
Lorenzo, certain; and my love indeed, [Exit above.]
42 43
GRATIANO. Scene 7.
Now, by my hood, a Gentile, and no Jew. Belmont. A room in PORTIA’s house.
LORENZO. [Flourish of cornets. Enter PORTIA, with the PRINCE OF
Beshrew me, but I love her heartily; MOROCCO,
For she is wise, if I can judge of her, and their trains.]
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true, PORTIA.
And true she is, as she hath prov’d herself;
Go draw aside the curtains and discover
And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,
The several caskets to this noble prince.
Shall she be placed in my constant soul. Now make your choice.
[Enter JESSICA.]
PRINCE OF MOROCCO.
What, art thou come? On, gentlemen, away! The first, of gold, who this inscription bears:
Our masquing mates by this time for us stay. ‘Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.’
[Exit with JESSICA and SALARINO.] The second, silver, which this promise carries:
[Enter ANTONIO] ‘Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.’
This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt:
ANTONIO.
‘Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.’
Who’s there?
How shall I know if I do choose the right?
GRATIANO.
PORTIA.
Signior Antonio!
The one of them contains my picture, prince;
ANTONIO. If you choose that, then I am yours withal.
Fie, fie, Gratiano! where are all the rest?
PRINCE OF MOROCCO.
’Tis nine o’clock; our friends all stay for you.
Some god direct my judgment! Let me see;
No masque to-night: the wind is come about;
I will survey the inscriptions back again.
Bassanio presently will go aboard:
What says this leaden casket?
I have sent twenty out to seek for you.
‘Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.’
GRATIANO. Must give: for what? For lead? Hazard for lead!
Contents
I am glad on’t: I desire no more delight This casket threatens; men that hazard all
Than to be under sail and gone to-night. Do it in hope of fair advantages:
[Exeunt.] A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross;
I’ll then nor give nor hazard aught for lead.
44 45
What says the silver with her virgin hue? O sinful thought! Never so rich a gem
‘Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.’ Was set in worse than gold. They have in England
As much as he deserves! Pause there, Morocco, A coin that bears the figure of an angel
And weigh thy value with an even hand. Stamped in gold; but that’s insculp’d upon;
If thou be’st rated by thy estimation, But here an angel in a golden bed
Thou dost deserve enough, and yet enough Lies all within. Deliver me the key;
May not extend so far as to the lady; Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may!
And yet to be afeard of my deserving
PORTIA.
Were but a weak disabling of myself.
There, take it, prince, and if my form lie there,
As much as I deserve! Why, that’s the lady:
Then I am yours.
I do in birth deserve her, and in fortunes,
In graces, and in qualities of breeding; [He unlocks the golden casket.]
But more than these, in love I do deserve. PRINCE OF MOROCCO.
What if I stray’d no farther, but chose here? O hell! what have we here?
Let’s see once more this saying grav’d in gold: A carrion Death, within whose empty eye
‘Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.’ There is a written scroll! I’ll read the writing.
Why, that’s the lady: all the world desires her;
From the four corners of the earth they come, ‘All that glisters is not gold,
To kiss this shrine, this mortal-breathing saint: Often have you heard that told;
The Hyrcanian deserts and the vasty wilds Many a man his life hath sold
Of wide Arabia are as throughfares now But my outside to behold:
For princes to come view fair Portia: Gilded tombs do worms infold.
The watery kingdom, whose ambitious head Had you been as wise as bold,
Spits in the face of heaven, is no bar Young in limbs, in judgment old,
To stop the foreign spirits, but they come Your answer had not been inscroll’d:
As o’er a brook to see fair Portia. Fare you well, your suit is cold.’
One of these three contains her heavenly picture. Cold indeed; and labour lost:
Is’t like that lead contains her? ‘Twere damnation Then, farewell, heat, and welcome, frost!
Contents
To think so base a thought; it were too gross Portia, adieu! I have too griev’d a heart
To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave. To take a tedious leave; thus losers part.
Or shall I think in silver she’s immur’d,
[Exit with his train. Flourish of cornets.]
Being ten times undervalu’d to tried gold?
46 47
PORTIA. Of double ducats, stol’n from me by my daughter!
A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains: go. And jewels! two stones, two rich and precious stones,
Let all of his complexion choose me so. Stol’n by my daughter! Justice! find the girl!
[Exeunt.] She hath the stones upon her and the ducats.’
SALARINO.
Scene 8. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
Venice. A street Crying, his stones, his daughter, and his ducats.
[Enter SALARINO and SALANIO.]
SALANIO.
SALARINO. Let good Antonio look he keep his day,
Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail; Or he shall pay for this.
With him is Gratiano gone along;
SALARINO.
And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not.
Marry, well remember’d.
SALANIO. I reason’d with a Frenchman yesterday,
The villain Jew with outcries rais’d the Duke, Who told me,—in the narrow seas that part
Who went with him to search Bassanio’s ship. The French and English,—there miscarried
SALARINO. A vessel of our country richly fraught.
He came too late, the ship was under sail; I thought upon Antonio when he told me,
But there the duke was given to understand And wish’d in silence that it were not his.
That in a gondola were seen together SALANIO.
Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica. You were best to tell Antonio what you hear;
Besides, Antonio certified the duke Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him.
They were not with Bassanio in his ship.
SALARINO.
SALANIO. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.
I never heard a passion so confus’d, I saw Bassanio and Antonio part:
So strange, outrageous, and so variable, Bassanio told him he would make some speed
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets. Of his return. He answer’d ‘Do not so;
Contents
‘My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio,
Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! But stay the very riping of the time;
Justice! the law! my ducats and my daughter! And for the Jew’s bond which he hath of me,
A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats, Let it not enter in your mind of love:
48 49
Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts You must be gone from hence immediately.
To courtship, and such fair ostents of love
ARRAGON.
As shall conveniently become you there.’
I am enjoin’d by oath to observe three things:
And even there, his eye being big with tears,
First, never to unfold to any one
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
Which casket ’twas I chose; next, if I fail
And with affection wondrous sensible
Of the right casket, never in my life
He wrung Bassanio’s hand; and so they parted.
To woo a maid in way of marriage;
SALANIO. Lastly,
I think he only loves the world for him. If I do fail in fortune of my choice,
I pray thee, let us go and find him out, Immediately to leave you and be gone.
And quicken his embraced heaviness
PORTIA.
With some delight or other.
To these injunctions every one doth swear
SALARINO. That comes to hazard for my worthless self.
Do we so.
ARRAGON.
[Exeunt.] And so have I address’d me. Fortune now
To my heart’s hope! Gold, silver, and base lead.
Scene 9. ‘Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.’
Belmont. A room in PORTIA’s house. You shall look fairer ere I give or hazard.
[Enter NERISSA, with a SERVITOR.] What says the golden chest? Ha! let me see:
NERISSA. ‘Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.’
Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain straight; What many men desire! that ‘many’ may be meant
The Prince of Arragon hath ta’en his oath, By the fool multitude, that choose by show,
And comes to his election presently. Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;
Which pries not to th’ interior, but, like the martlet,
[Flourish of cornets. Enter the PRINCE OF ARRAGON,
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,
PORTIA, and their Trains.]
Even in the force and road of casualty.
PORTIA. I will not choose what many men desire,
Contents
Behold, there stand the caskets, noble Prince: Because I will not jump with common spirits
If you choose that wherein I am contain’d, And rank me with the barbarous multitudes.
Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz’d; Why, then to thee, thou silver treasure-house;
But if you fail, without more speech, my lord,
50 51
Tell me once more what title thou dost bear: To offend, and judge, are distinct offices,
‘Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.’ And of opposed natures.
And well said too; for who shall go about
ARRAGON.
To cozen fortune, and be honourable
What is here?
Without the stamp of merit? Let none presume
To wear an undeserved dignity. ‘The fire seven times tried this;
O! that estates, degrees, and offices Seven times tried that judgment is
Were not deriv’d corruptly, and that clear honour That did never choose amiss.
Were purchas’d by the merit of the wearer! Some there be that shadows kiss;
How many then should cover that stand bare; Such have but a shadow’s bliss;
How many be commanded that command; There be fools alive, I wis,
How much low peasantry would then be glean’d Silver’d o’er, and so was this.
From the true seed of honour; and how much honour Take what wife you will to bed,
Pick’d from the chaff and ruin of the times I will ever be your head:
To be new varnish’d! Well, but to my choice: So be gone; you are sped.’
‘Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.’ Still more fool I shall appear
I will assume desert. Give me a key for this, By the time I linger here;
And instantly unlock my fortunes here. With one fool’s head I came to woo,
[He opens the silver casket.] But I go away with two.
Sweet, adieu! I’ll keep my oath,
PORTIA. Patiently to bear my wroth.
Too long a pause for that which you find there.
[Exit ARAGON with his train.]
ARRAGON.
PORTIA.
What’s here? The portrait of a blinking idiot,
Thus hath the candle sing’d the moth.
Presenting me a schedule! I will read it.
O, these deliberate fools! When they do choose,
How much unlike art thou to Portia!
They have the wisdom by their wit to lose.
How much unlike my hopes and my deservings!
‘Who chooseth me shall have as much as he deserves.’ NERISSA.
Contents
Did I deserve no more than a fool’s head? The ancient saying is no heresy:
Is that my prize? Are my deserts no better? ‘Hanging and wiving goes by destiny.’
PORTIA. PORTIA.
52 53
Come, draw the curtain, Nerissa.
[Enter a SERVANT.]
SERVANT.
Where is my lady?
PORTIA.
Here; what would my lord?
SERVANT.
Madam, there is alighted at your gate
Act 3.
A young Venetian, one that comes before Scene 1.
To signify th’ approaching of his lord; Venice. A street
From whom he bringeth sensible regreets; [Enter SALANIO and SALARINO.]
To wit,—besides commends and courteous breath,—
Gifts of rich value. Yet I have not seen SALANIO.
So likely an ambassador of love. Now, what news on the Rialto?
A day in April never came so sweet, SALARINO.
To show how costly summer was at hand, Why, yet it lives there unchecked that Antonio hath a ship
As this fore-spurrer comes before his lord. of rich lading wrack’d on the narrow seas; the Goodwins, I think
PORTIA. they call the place, a very dangerous flat and fatal, where the
No more, I pray thee; I am half afeard carcasses of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my
Thou wilt say anon he is some kin to thee, gossip Report be an honest woman of her word.
Thou spend’st such high-day wit in praising him. SALANIO.
Come, come, Nerissa, for I long to see I would she were as lying a gossip in that as ever knapped
Quick Cupid’s post that comes so mannerly. ginger or made her neighbours believe she wept for the death of a
NERISSA. third husband. But it is true,—without any slips of prolixity or
Bassanio, lord Love, if thy will it be! crossing the plain highway of talk,—that the good Antonio, the
honest Antonio,—O that I had a title good enough to keep his
[Exeunt.]
Contents
name company!—
SALARINO.
Come, the full stop.
54 55
SALANIO. SHYLOCK.
Ha! What sayest thou? Why, the end is, he hath lost a I say my daughter is my flesh and my blood.
ship.
SALARINO.
SALARINO. There is more difference between thy flesh and hers than
I would it might prove the end of his losses. between jet and ivory; more between your bloods than there is
between red wine and Rhenish. But tell us, do you hear whether
SALANIO.
Antonio have had any loss at sea or no?
Let me say ‘amen’ betimes, lest the devil cross my prayer,
for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. SHYLOCK.
[Enter SHYLOCK.] There I have another bad match: a bankrupt, a prodigal,
who dare scarce show his head on the Rialto; a beggar, that used
How now, Shylock! What news among the merchants?
to come so smug upon the mart; let him look to his bond: he
SHYLOCK. was wont to call me usurer; let him look to his bond: he was wont
You knew, none so well, none so well as you, of my to lend money for a Christian courtesy; let him look to his bond.
daughter’s flight.
SALARINO.
SALARINO. Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his
That’s certain; I, for my part, knew the tailor that made flesh: what’s that good for?
the wings she flew withal.
SHYLOCK.
SALANIO. To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will
And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was fledged; feed my revenge. He hath disgrac’d me and hind’red me half a
and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam. million; laugh’d at my losses, mock’d at my gains, scorned my
SHYLOCK. nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine
She is damned for it. enemies. And what’s his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes?
Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections,
SALARINO. passions, fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons,
That’s certain, if the devil may be her judge. subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed
SHYLOCK. and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If
Contents
My own flesh and blood to rebel! 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
SALANIO.
not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you
Out upon it, old carrion! Rebels it at these years?
in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility?
56 57
Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance find the thief; and no satisfaction, no revenge; nor no ill luck
be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villaiy you teach me stirring but what lights on my shoulders; no sighs but of my
I will execute; and it shall go hard but I will better the breathing; no tears but of my shedding.
instruction.
TUBAL.
[Enter a Servant.] Yes, other men have ill luck too. Antonio, as I heard in
SERVANT. Genoa,—
Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his house, and desires to SHYLOCK.
speak with you both. What, what, what? Ill luck, ill luck?
SALARINO. TUBAL.
We have been up and down to seek him. —hath an argosy cast away, coming from Tripolis.
[Enter TUBAL.] SHYLOCK.
SALANIO. I thank God! I thank God! Is it true, is it true?
Here comes another of the tribe: a third cannot be TUBAL.
match’d, unless the devil himself turn Jew. I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wrack.
[Exeunt SALANIO, SALARINO, and Servant.]
SHYLOCK.
SHYLOCK. I thank thee, good Tubal. Good news, good news! ha, ha!
How now, Tubal! what news from Genoa? Hast thou found my Where? in Genoa?
daughter?
TUBAL.
TUBAL. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night,
I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her. fourscore ducats.
SHYLOCK. SHYLOCK.
Why there, there, there, there! A diamond gone, cost me Thou stick’st a dagger in me: I shall never see my gold
two thousand ducats in Frankfort! The curse never fell upon our again: fourscore ducats at a sitting! Fourscore ducats!
nation till now; I never felt it till now. Two thousand ducats in
TUBAL.
that, and other precious, precious jewels. I would my daughter
Contents
There came divers of Antonio’s creditors in my company to

were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear; would she were
Venice that swear he cannot choose but break.
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, SHYLOCK.
thou—loss upon loss! The thief gone with so much, and so much to I am very glad of it; I’ll plague him, I’ll torture him; I
58 59
am glad of it. But lest you should not understand me well,—
And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought,—
TUBAL.
I would detain you here some month or two
One of them showed me a ring that he had of your daughter
Before you venture for me. I could teach you
for a monkey.
How to choose right, but then I am forsworn;
SHYLOCK. So will I never be; so may you miss me;
Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal: It was my But if you do, you’ll make me wish a sin,
turquoise; I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor; I would not That I had been forsworn. Beshrew your eyes,
have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. They have o’erlook’d me and divided me:
TUBAL. One half of me is yours, the other half yours,
But Antonio is certainly undone. Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours,
And so all yours. O! these naughty times
SHYLOCK.
Puts bars between the owners and their rights;
Nay, that’s true; that’s very true. Go, Tubal, fee me an
And so, though yours, not yours. Prove it so,
officer; bespeak him a fortnight before. I will have the heart of
Let fortune go to hell for it, not I.
him, if he forfeit; for, were he out of Venice, I can make what
I speak too long, but ’tis to peise the time,
merchandise I will. Go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue; go,
To eke it, and to draw it out in length,
good Tubal; at our synagogue, Tubal.
To stay you from election.
[Exeunt.]
BASSANIO.
Scene 2. Let me choose;
Belmont. A room in PORTIA’s house. For as I am, I live upon the rack.
[Enter BASSANIO, PORTIA, GRATIANO, NERISSA, and PORTIA.
Attendants.] Upon the rack, Bassanio! Then confess
What treason there is mingled with your love.
PORTIA.
I pray you tarry; pause a day or two BASSANIO.
Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong, None but that ugly treason of mistrust,
I lose your company; therefore forbear a while. Which makes me fear th’ enjoying of my love:
Contents
There’s something tells me, but it is not love, There may as well be amity and life
I would not lose you; and you know yourself ‘Tween snow and fire as treason and my love.
Hate counsels not in such a quality. PORTIA.
60 61
Ay, but I fear you speak upon the rack, To the sea-monster: I stand for sacrifice;
Where men enforced do speak anything. The rest aloof are the Dardanian wives,
With bleared visages come forth to view
BASSANIO.
The issue of th’ exploit. Go, Hercules!
Promise me life, and I’ll confess the truth.
Live thou, I live. With much much more dismay
PORTIA. I view the fight than thou that mak’st the fray.
Well then, confess and live.
[A Song, whilst BASSANIO comments on the caskets to him-
BASSANIO. self.]
‘Confess’ and ‘love’ Tell me where is fancy bred,
Had been the very sum of my confession: Or in the heart or in the head,
O happy torment, when my torturer How begot, how nourished?
Doth teach me answers for deliverance! Reply, reply.
But let me to my fortune and the caskets.
It is engend’red in the eyes,
PORTIA. With gazing fed; and fancy dies
Away, then! I am lock’d in one of them: In the cradle where it lies.
If you do love me, you will find me out. Let us all ring fancy’s knell:
Nerissa and the rest, stand all aloof; I’ll begin it.—Ding, dong, bell.
Let music sound while he doth make his choice;
[ALL.] Ding, dong, bell.
Then, if he lose, he makes a swan-like end,
Fading in music: that the comparison BASSANIO.
May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream So may the outward shows be least themselves:
And watery death-bed for him. He may win; The world is still deceiv’d with ornament.
And what is music then? Then music is In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt
Even as the flourish when true subjects bow But, being season’d with a gracious voice,
To a new-crowned monarch; such it is Obscures the show of evil? In religion,
As are those dulcet sounds in break of day What damned error but some sober brow
That creep into the dreaming bridegroom’s ear Will bless it, and approve it with a text,
Contents
And summon him to marriage. Now he goes, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament?
With no less presence, but with much more love, There is no vice so simple but assumes
Than young Alcides when he did redeem Some mark of virtue on his outward parts.
The virgin tribute paid by howling Troy How many cowards, whose hearts are all as false
62 63
As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins For fear I surfeit!
The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars;
BASSANIO.
Who, inward search’d, have livers white as milk;
What find I here? [Opening the leaden casket.]
And these assume but valour’s excrement
Fair Portia’s counterfeit! What demi-god
To render them redoubted! Look on beauty
Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes?
And you shall see ’tis purchas’d by the weight:
Or whether riding on the balls of mine,
Which therein works a miracle in nature,
Seem they in motion? Here are sever’d lips,
Making them lightest that wear most of it:
Parted with sugar breath; so sweet a bar
So are those crisped snaky golden locks
Should sunder such sweet friends. Here in her hairs
Which make such wanton gambols with the wind,
The painter plays the spider, and hath woven
Upon supposed fairness, often known
A golden mesh t’ entrap the hearts of men
To be the dowry of a second head,
Faster than gnats in cobwebs: but her eyes!—
The skull that bred them, in the sepulchre.
How could he see to do them? Having made one,
Thus ornament is but the guiled shore
Methinks it should have power to steal both his,
To a most dangerous sea; the beauteous scarf
And leave itself unfurnish’d: yet look, how far
Veiling an Indian beauty; in a word,
The substance of my praise doth wrong this shadow
The seeming truth which cunning times put on
In underprizing it, so far this shadow
To entrap the wisest. Therefore, thou gaudy gold,
Doth limp behind the substance. Here’s the scroll,
Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee;
The continent and summary of my fortune.
Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge
‘Tween man and man: but thou, thou meagre lead, ‘You that choose not by the view,
Which rather threaten’st than dost promise aught, Chance as fair and choose as true!
Thy plainness moves me more than eloquence, Since this fortune falls to you,
And here choose I: joy be the consequence! Be content and seek no new.
If you be well pleas’d with this,
PORTIA. And hold your fortune for your bliss,
[Aside] How all the other passions fleet to air, Turn to where your lady is
As doubtful thoughts, and rash-embrac’d despair, And claim her with a loving kiss.’
And shuddering fear, and green-ey’d jealousy!
Contents
A gentle scroll. Fair lady, by your leave; {Kissing her.]

O love! be moderate; allay thy ecstasy;
I come by note, to give and to receive.
In measure rain thy joy; scant this excess;
Like one of two contending in a prize,
I feel too much thy blessing; make it less,
That thinks he hath done well in people’s eyes,
64 65
Hearing applause and universal shout, Which when you part from, lose, or give away,
Giddy in spirit, still gazing in a doubt Let it presage the ruin of your love,
Whether those peals of praise be his or no; And be my vantage to exclaim on you.
So, thrice-fair lady, stand I, even so,
BASSANIO.
As doubtful whether what I see be true,
Madam, you have bereft me of all words,
Until confirm’d, sign’d, ratified by you.
Only my blood speaks to you in my veins;
PORTIA. And there is such confusion in my powers
You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand, As, after some oration fairly spoke
Such as I am: though for myself alone By a beloved prince, there doth appear
I would not be ambitious in my wish Among the buzzing pleased multitude;
To wish myself much better, yet for you Where every something, being blent together,
I would be trebled twenty times myself, Turns to a wild of nothing, save of joy,
A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times Express’d and not express’d. But when this ring
More rich; Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence:
That only to stand high in your account, O! then be bold to say Bassanio’s dead.
I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends,
NERISSA.
Exceed account. But the full sum of me
My lord and lady, it is now our time,
Is sum of something which, to term in gross,
That have stood by and seen our wishes prosper,
Is an unlesson’d girl, unschool’d, unpractis’d;
To cry, good joy. Good joy, my lord and lady!
Happy in this, she is not yet so old
But she may learn; happier than this, GRATIANO.
She is not bred so dull but she can learn; My Lord Bassanio, and my gentle lady,
Happiest of all is that her gentle spirit I wish you all the joy that you can wish;
Commits itself to yours to be directed, For I am sure you can wish none from me;
As from her lord, her governor, her king. And when your honours mean to solemnize
Myself and what is mine to you and yours The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you
Is now converted. But now I was the lord Even at that time I may be married too.
Of this fair mansion, master of my servants,
Contents
BASSANIO.
Queen o’er myself; and even now, but now, With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife.
This house, these servants, and this same myself,
GRATIANO.
Are yours- my lord’s. I give them with this ring,
I thank your lordship, you have got me one.
66 67
My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours: No; we shall ne’er win at that sport, and stake down.
You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid; But who comes here? Lorenzo and his infidel?
You lov’d, I lov’d; for intermission What, and my old Venetian friend, Salanio!
No more pertains to me, my lord, than you. [Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, and SALANIO.]
Your fortune stood upon the caskets there,
And so did mine too, as the matter falls; BASSANIO.
For wooing here until I sweat again, Lorenzo and Salanio, welcome hither,
And swearing till my very roof was dry If that the youth of my new interest here
With oaths of love, at last, if promise last, Have power to bid you welcome. By your leave,
I got a promise of this fair one here I bid my very friends and countrymen,
To have her love, provided that your fortune Sweet Portia, welcome.
Achiev’d her mistress. PORTIA.
PORTIA. So do I, my lord;
Is this true, Nerissa? They are entirely welcome.
NERISSA. LORENZO.
Madam, it is, so you stand pleas’d withal. I thank your honour. For my part, my lord,
My purpose was not to have seen you here;
BASSANIO. But meeting with Salanio by the way,
And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith? He did entreat me, past all saying nay,
GRATIANO. To come with him along.
Yes, faith, my lord. SALANIO.
BASSANIO. I did, my lord,
Our feast shall be much honour’d in your marriage. And I have reason for it. Signior Antonio
Commends him to you.
GRATIANO.
We’ll play with them the first boy for a thousand [Gives BASSANIO a letter]
ducats. BASSANIO.
Ere I ope his letter,
Contents
NERISSA.
What! and stake down? I pray you tell me how my good friend doth.
GRATIANO. SALANIO.
Not sick, my lord, unless it be in mind;
68 69
Nor well, unless in mind; his letter there That I was worse than nothing; for indeed
Will show you his estate. I have engag’d myself to a dear friend,
Engag’d my friend to his mere enemy,
GRATIANO.
To feed my means. Here is a letter, lady,
Nerissa, cheer yon stranger; bid her welcome.
The paper as the body of my friend,
Your hand, Salanio. What’s the news from Venice?
And every word in it a gaping wound
How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio?
Issuing life-blood. But is it true, Salanio?
I know he will be glad of our success:
Hath all his ventures fail’d? What, not one hit?
We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece.
From Tripolis, from Mexico, and England,
SALANIO. From Lisbon, Barbary, and India?
I would you had won the fleece that he hath lost. And not one vessel scape the dreadful touch
PORTIA. Of merchant-marring rocks?
There are some shrewd contents in yon same paper. SALANIO.
That steal the colour from Bassanio’s cheek: Not one, my lord.
Some dear friend dead, else nothing in the world Besides, it should appear that, if he had
Could turn so much the constitution The present money to discharge the Jew,
Of any constant man. What, worse and worse! He would not take it. Never did I know
With leave, Bassanio: I am half yourself, A creature that did bear the shape of man,
And I must freely have the half of anything So keen and greedy to confound a man.
That this same paper brings you. He plies the duke at morning and at night,
BASSANIO. And doth impeach the freedom of the state,
O sweet Portia! If they deny him justice. Twenty merchants,
Here are a few of the unpleasant’st words The duke himself, and the magnificoes
That ever blotted paper. Gentle lady, Of greatest port, have all persuaded with him;
When I did first impart my love to you, But none can drive him from the envious plea
I freely told you all the wealth I had Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond.
Ran in my veins, I was a gentleman; JESSICA.
Contents
And then I told you true. And yet, dear lady, When I was with him, I have heard him swear
Rating myself at nothing, you shall see To Tubal and to Chus, his countrymen,
How much I was a braggart. When I told you That he would rather have Antonio’s flesh
My state was nothing, I should then have told you Than twenty times the value of the sum
70 71
That he did owe him; and I know, my lord, Bid your friends welcome, show a merry cheer;
If law, authority, and power, deny not, Since you are dear bought, I will love you dear.
It will go hard with poor Antonio. But let me hear the letter of your friend.
PORTIA. BASSANIO.
Is it your dear friend that is thus in trouble? ‘Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried,
my creditors grow cruel, my estate is very low, my bond to the
BASSANIO.
Jew is forfeit; and since, in paying it, it is impossible I
The dearest friend to me, the kindest man,
should live, all debts are clear’d between you and I, if I might
The best condition’d and unwearied spirit
but see you at my death. Notwithstanding, use your pleasure; if
In doing courtesies; and one in whom
your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter.’
The ancient Roman honour more appears
Than any that draws breath in Italy. PORTIA.
O love, dispatch all business and be gone!
PORTIA.
What sum owes he the Jew? BASSANIO.
Since I have your good leave to go away,
BASSANIO.
I will make haste; but, till I come again,
For me, three thousand ducats.
No bed shall e’er be guilty of my stay,
PORTIA. Nor rest be interposer ‘twixt us twain.
What! no more?
[Exeunt.]
Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond;
Double six thousand, and then treble that, Scene 3.
Before a friend of this description Venice. A street
Shall lose a hair through Bassanio’s fault.
[Enter SHYLOCK, SALARINO, ANTONIO, and Gaoler.]
First go with me to church and call me wife,
And then away to Venice to your friend; SHYLOCK.
For never shall you lie by Portia’s side Gaoler, look to him. Tell not me of mercy;
With an unquiet soul. You shall have gold This is the fool that lent out money gratis:
To pay the petty debt twenty times over: Gaoler, look to him.
Contents
When it is paid, bring your true friend along. ANTONIO.

My maid Nerissa and myself meantime, Hear me yet, good Shylock.
Will live as maids and widows. Come, away!
For you shall hence upon your wedding day. SHYLOCK.
72 73
I’ll have my bond; speak not against my bond. Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.
I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond.
ANTONIO.
Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause,
The Duke cannot deny the course of law;
But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs;
For the commodity that strangers have
The Duke shall grant me justice. I do wonder,
With us in Venice, if it be denied,
Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond
‘Twill much impeach the justice of the state,
To come abroad with him at his request.
Since that the trade and profit of the city
ANTONIO. Consisteth of all nations. Therefore, go;
I pray thee hear me speak. These griefs and losses have so bated me
That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh
SHYLOCK.
To-morrow to my bloody creditor.
I’ll have my bond. I will not hear thee speak;
Well, gaoler, on; pray God Bassanio come
I’ll have my bond; and therefore speak no more.
To see me pay his debt, and then I care not.
I’ll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool,
To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield [Exeunt.]
To Christian intercessors. Follow not;
I’ll have no speaking; I will have my bond.
Scene 4.
Belmont. A room in PORTIA’s house.
[Exit.]
[Enter PORTIA, NERISSA, LORENZO, JESSICA, and
SALARINO. BALTHASAR.]
It is the most impenetrable cur
That ever kept with men. LORENZO.
Madam, although I speak it in your presence,
ANTONIO. You have a noble and a true conceit
Let him alone; Of godlike amity, which appears most strongly
I’ll follow him no more with bootless prayers. In bearing thus the absence of your lord.
He seeks my life; his reason well I know: But if you knew to whom you show this honour,
I oft deliver’d from his forfeitures How true a gentleman you send relief,
Many that have at times made moan to me; How dear a lover of my lord your husband,
Contents
Therefore he hates me. I know you would be prouder of the work

SALARINO. Than customary bounty can enforce you.
I am sure the Duke PORTIA.
74 75
I never did repent for doing good, And will acknowledge you and Jessica
Nor shall not now; for in companions In place of Lord Bassanio and myself.
That do converse and waste the time together, So fare you well till we shall meet again.
Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love,
LORENZO.
There must be needs a like proportion
Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you!
Of lineaments, of manners, and of spirit,
Which makes me think that this Antonio, JESSICA.
Being the bosom lover of my lord, I wish your ladyship all heart’s content.
Must needs be like my lord. If it be so, PORTIA.
How little is the cost I have bestowed I thank you for your wish, and am well pleas’d
In purchasing the semblance of my soul To wish it back on you. Fare you well, Jessica.
From out the state of hellish cruelty!
[Exeunt JESSICA and LORENZO.]
This comes too near the praising of myself;
Therefore, no more of it; hear other things. Now, Balthasar,
Lorenzo, I commit into your hands As I have ever found thee honest-true,
The husbandry and manage of my house So let me find thee still. Take this same letter,
Until my lord’s return; for mine own part, And use thou all th’ endeavour of a man
I have toward heaven breath’d a secret vow In speed to Padua; see thou render this
To live in prayer and contemplation, Into my cousin’s hands, Doctor Bellario;
Only attended by Nerissa here, And look what notes and garments he doth give thee,
Until her husband and my lord’s return. Bring them, I pray thee, with imagin’d speed
There is a monastery two miles off, Unto the traject, to the common ferry
And there we will abide. I do desire you Which trades to Venice. Waste no time in words,
Not to deny this imposition, But get thee gone; I shall be there before thee.
The which my love and some necessity BALTHASAR.
Now lays upon you. Madam, I go with all convenient speed.
LORENZO. [Exit.]
Madam, with all my heart
Contents
PORTIA.
I shall obey you in an fair commands. Come on, Nerissa, I have work in hand
PORTIA. That you yet know not of; we’ll see our husbands
My people do already know my mind, Before they think of us.
76 77
NERISSA. For we must measure twenty miles to-day.
Shall they see us? [Exeunt.]
PORTIA.
They shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit
Scene 5.
That they shall think we are accomplished The same. A garden.
With that we lack. I’ll hold thee any wager, [Enter LAUNCELOT and JESSICA.]
When we are both accoutred like young men, LAUNCELOT.
I’ll prove the prettier fellow of the two, Yes, truly; for, look you, the sins of the father are to
And wear my dagger with the braver grace, be laid upon the children; therefore, I promise you, I fear you.
And speak between the change of man and boy I was always plain with you, and so now I speak my agitation of
With a reed voice; and turn two mincing steps the matter; therefore be of good cheer, for truly I think you are
Into a manly stride; and speak of frays damn’d. There is but one hope in it that can do you any good, and
Like a fine bragging youth; and tell quaint lies, that is but a kind of bastard hope neither.
How honourable ladies sought my love,
Which I denying, they fell sick and died; JESSICA.
I could not do withal. Then I’ll repent, And what hope is that, I pray thee?
And wish for all that, that I had not kill’d them. LAUNCELOT.
And twenty of these puny lies I’ll tell, Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you not,
That men shall swear I have discontinu’d school that you are not the Jew’s daughter.
About a twelvemonth. I have within my mind
JESSICA.
A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Jacks,
That were a kind of bastard hope indeed; so the sins of my
Which I will practise.
mother should be visited upon me.
NERISSA.
LAUNCELOT.
Why, shall we turn to men?
Truly then I fear you are damn’d both by father and
PORTIA. mother; thus when I shun Scylla, your father, I fall into
Fie, what a question’s that, Charybdis, your mother; well, you are gone both ways.
If thou wert near a lewd interpreter!
Contents
JESSICA.
But come, I’ll tell thee all my whole device
I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian.
When I am in my coach, which stays for us
At the park gate; and therefore haste away, LAUNCELOT.
Truly, the more to blame he; we were Christians enow
78 79
before, e’en as many as could well live one by another. This LAUNCELOT.
making of Christians will raise the price of hogs; if we grow all That is done, sir; they have all stomachs.
to be pork-eaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the
LORENZO.
coals for money.
Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you! Then bid them
JESSICA. prepare dinner.
I’ll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say; here he comes.
LAUNCELOT.
[Enter LORENZO.] That is done too, sir, only ‘cover’ is the word.
LORENZO. LORENZO.
I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if you Will you cover, then, sir?
thus get my wife into corners.
LAUNCELOT.
JESSICA. Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty.
Nay, you need nor fear us, Lorenzo; Launcelot and I are
LORENZO.
out; he tells me flatly there’s no mercy for me in heaven,
Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou show the
because I am a Jew’s daughter; and he says you are no good mem-
whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray thee understand a
ber of the commonwealth, for in converting Jews to Christians you
plain man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows, bid them cover
raise the price of pork.
the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.
LORENZO.
LAUNCELOT.
I shall answer that better to the commonwealth than you
For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for the meat,
can the getting up of the negro’s belly; the Moor is with child
sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, sir, why,
by you, Launcelot.
let it be as humours and conceits shall govern.
LAUNCELOT.
[Exit.]
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 LORENZO.
took her for. O dear discretion, how his words are suited!
The fool hath planted in his memory
LORENZO.
An army of good words; and I do know
Contents
How every fool can play upon the word! I think the best
A many fools that stand in better place,
grace of wit will shortly turn into silence, and discourse grow
Garnish’d like him, that for a tricksy word
commendable in none only but parrots. Go in, sirrah; bid them
Defy the matter. How cheer’st thou, Jessica?
prepare for dinner.
And now, good sweet, say thy opinion,
80 81
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,
Act 4.
And Portia one, there must be something else Scene 1.
Pawn’d with the other; for the poor rude world Venice. A court of justice
Hath not her fellow. [Enter the DUKE: the Magnificoes; ANTONIO, BASSANIO,
LORENZO. GRATIANO,
Even such a husband SALARINO, SALANIO, and Others.]
Hast thou of me as she is for a wife. DUKE.
JESSICA. What, is Antonio here?
Nay, but ask my opinion too of that. ANTONIO.
LORENZO. Ready, so please your Grace.
I will anon; first let us go to dinner. DUKE.
JESSICA. I am sorry for thee; thou art come to answer
Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach. A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch,
Uncapable of pity, void and empty
LORENZO. From any dram of mercy.
No, pray thee, let it serve for table-talk;
Then howsoe’er thou speak’st, ‘mong other things ANTONIO.
I shall digest it. I have heard
Contents
Your Grace hath ta’en great pains to qualify

JESSICA. His rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate,
Well, I’ll set you forth. And that no lawful means can carry me
[Exeunt.] Out of his envy’s reach, I do oppose
82 83
My patience to his fury, and am arm’d And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn
To suffer with a quietness of spirit To have the due and forfeit of my bond.
The very tyranny and rage of his. If you deny it, let the danger light
Upon your charter and your city’s freedom.
DUKE.
You’ll ask me why I rather choose to have
Go one, and call the Jew into the court.
A weight of carrion flesh than to receive
SALARINO. Three thousand ducats. I’ll not answer that,
He is ready at the door; he comes, my lord. But say it is my humour: is it answer’d?
[Enter SHYLOCK.] What if my house be troubled with a rat,
And I be pleas’d to give ten thousand ducats
DUKE.
To have it ban’d? What, are you answer’d yet?
Make room, and let him stand before our face.
Some men there are love not a gaping pig;
Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too,
Some that are mad if they behold a cat;
That thou but leadest this fashion of thy malice
And others, when the bagpipe sings i’ the nose,
To the last hour of act; and then, ’tis thought,
Cannot contain their urine; for affection,
Thou’lt show thy mercy and remorse, more strange
Mistress of passion, sways it to the mood
Than is thy strange apparent cruelty;
Of what it likes or loathes. Now, for your answer:
And where thou now exacts the penalty,—
As there is no firm reason to be render’d,
Which is a pound of this poor merchant’s flesh,—
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;
Thou wilt not only loose the forfeiture,
Why he, a harmless necessary cat;
But, touch’d with human gentleness and love,
Why he, a wauling bagpipe; but of force
Forgive a moiety of the principal,
Must yield to such inevitable shame
Glancing an eye of pity on his losses,
As to offend, himself being offended;
That have of late so huddled on his back,
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
Enow to press a royal merchant down,
More than a lodg’d hate and a certain loathing
And pluck commiseration of his state
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus
From brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flint,
A losing suit against him. Are you answered?
From stubborn Turks and Tartars, never train’d
To offices of tender courtesy. BASSANIO.
Contents
We all expect a gentle answer, Jew. This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,
To excuse the current of thy cruelty.
SHYLOCK.
I have possess’d your Grace of what I purpose, SHYLOCK.
84 85
I am not bound to please thee with my answer. I would not draw them; I would have my bond.
BASSANIO. DUKE.
Do all men kill the things they do not love? How shalt thou hope for mercy, rendering none?
SHYLOCK. SHYLOCK.
Hates any man the thing he would not kill? What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?
You have among you many a purchas’d slave,
BASSANIO.
Which, fike your asses and your dogs and mules,
Every offence is not a hate at first.
You use in abject and in slavish parts,
SHYLOCK. Because you bought them; shall I say to you
What! wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice? ‘Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?
ANTONIO. Why sweat they under burdens? let their beds
I pray you, think you question with the Jew: Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates
You may as well go stand upon the beach, Be season’d with such viands? You will answer
And bid the main flood bate his usual height; ‘The slaves are ours.’ So do I answer you:
You may as well use question with the wolf, The pound of flesh which I demand of him
Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb; Is dearly bought; ’tis mine, and I will have it.
You may as well forbid the mountain pines If you deny me, fie upon your law!
To wag their high tops and to make no noise There is no force in the decrees of Venice.
When they are fretten with the gusts of heaven; I stand for judgment: answer; shall I have it?
You may as well do anything most hard DUKE.
As seek to soften that—than which what’s harder?— Upon my power I may dismiss this court,
His Jewish heart: therefore, I do beseech you, Unless Bellario, a learned doctor,
Make no moe offers, use no farther means, Whom I have sent for to determine this,
But with all brief and plain conveniency. Come here to-day.
Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will.
SALARINO.
BASSANIO. My lord, here stays without
For thy three thousand ducats here is six.
Contents
A messenger with letters from the doctor,

SHYLOCK. New come from Padua.
If every ducat in six thousand ducats DUKE.
Were in six parts, and every part a ducat, Bring us the letters; call the messenger.
86 87
O, be thou damn’d, inexecrable dog!
BASSANIO.
And for thy life let justice be accus’d.
Good cheer, Antonio! What, man, courage yet!
Thou almost mak’st me waver in my faith,
The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all,
To hold opinion with Pythagoras
Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.
That souls of animals infuse themselves
ANTONIO. Into the trunks of men. Thy currish spirit
I am a tainted wether of the flock, Govern’d a wolf who, hang’d for human slaughter,
Meetest for death; the weakest kind of fruit Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me. And, whilst thou lay’st in thy unhallow’d dam,
You cannot better be employ’d, Bassanio, Infus’d itself in thee; for thy desires
Than to live still, and write mine epitaph. Are wolfish, bloody, starv’d and ravenous.
[Enter NERISSA dressed like a lawyer’s clerk.] SHYLOCK.
DUKE. Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond,
Came you from Padua, from Bellario? Thou but offend’st thy lungs to speak so loud;
Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall
NERISSA.
To cureless ruin. I stand here for law.
From both, my lord. Bellario greets your Grace.
[Presents a letter.] DUKE.
This letter from Bellario doth commend
BASSANIO. A young and learned doctor to our court.
Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly? Where is he?
SHYLOCK. NERISSA.
To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there. He attendeth here hard by,
GRATIANO. To know your answer, whether you’ll admit him.
Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh Jew, DUKE OF VENICE.
Thou mak’st thy knife keen; but no metal can, With all my heart: some three or four of you
No, not the hangman’s axe, bear half the keenness Go give him courteous conduct to this place.
Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?
Contents
Meantime, the court shall hear Bellario’s letter.

SHYLOCK. CLERK.
No, none that thou hast wit enough to make. ‘Your Grace shall understand that at the receipt
GRATIANO. of your letter I am very sick; but in the instant that your
88 89
messenger came, in loving visitation was with me a young doctor SHYLOCK.
of Rome; his name is Balthazar. I acquainted him with the cause Shylock is my name.
in controversy between the Jew and Antonio the merchant; we
PORTIA.
turn’d o’er many books together; he is furnished with my opinion
Of a strange nature is the suit you follow;
which, bettered with his own learning,—the greatness whereof I
Yet in such rule that the Venetian law
cannot enough commend,—comes with him at my importunity to
Cannot impugn you as you do proceed.
fill up your Grace’s request in my stead. I beseech you let his lack
[To ANTONIO.] You stand within his danger, do you not?
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 ANTONIO.
to your gracious acceptance, whose trial shall better publish his Ay, so he says.
commendation.’ PORTIA.
DUKE. Do you confess the bond?
YOU hear the learn’d Bellario, what he writes; ANTONIO.
And here, I take it, is the doctor come. I do.
[Enter PORTIA, dressed like a doctor of laws.] PORTIA.
Give me your hand; come you from old Bellario? Then must the Jew be merciful.
PORTIA. SHYLOCK.
I did, my lord. On what compulsion must I? Tell me that.
DUKE. PORTIA.
You are welcome; take your place. The quality of mercy is not strain’d;
Are you acquainted with the difference It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
That holds this present question in the court? Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
PORTIA. It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
I am informed throughly of the cause. ’Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew? The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
DUKE OF VENICE.
Contents
The attribute to awe and majesty,

Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth. Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
PORTIA. But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
Is your name Shylock? It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
90 91
It is an attribute to God himself; And many an error by the same example
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s Will rush into the state. It cannot be.
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
SHYLOCK.
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
A Daniel come to judgment! Yea, a Daniel!
That in the course of justice none of us
O wise young judge, how I do honour thee!
Should see salvation; we do pray for mercy,
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render PORTIA.
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much I pray you, let me look upon the bond.
To mitigate the justice of thy plea, SHYLOCK.
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice Here ’tis, most reverend doctor; here it is.
Must needs give sentence ‘gainst the merchant there.
PORTIA.
SHYLOCK. Shylock, there’s thrice thy money offer’d thee.
My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,
SHYLOCK.
The penalty and forfeit of my bond.
An oath, an oath! I have an oath in heaven.
PORTIA. Shall I lay perjury upon my soul?
Is he not able to discharge the money? No, not for Venice.
BASSANIO. PORTIA.
Yes; here I tender it for him in the court; Why, this bond is forfeit;
Yea, twice the sum; if that will not suffice, And lawfully by this the Jew may claim
I will be bound to pay it ten times o’er A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off
On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart; Nearest the merchant’s heart. Be merciful.
If this will not suffice, it must appear Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond.
That malice bears down truth. And, I beseech you,
SHYLOCK.
Wrest once the law to your authority;
When it is paid according to the tenour.
To do a great right do a little wrong,
It doth appear you are a worthy judge;
And curb this cruel devil of his will.
You know the law; your exposition
Contents
PORTIA. Hath been most sound; I charge you by the law,

It must not be; there is no power in Venice Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Can alter a decree established; Proceed to judgment. By my soul I swear
‘Twill be recorded for a precedent, There is no power in the tongue of man
92 93
To alter me. I stay here on my bond. Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge,
To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.
ANTONIO.
Most heartily I do beseech the court SHYLOCK.
To give the judgment. Is it so nominated in the bond?
PORTIA. PORTIA.
Why then, thus it is: It is not so express’d; but what of that?
You must prepare your bosom for his knife. ‘Twere good you do so much for charity.
SHYLOCK. SHYLOCK.
O noble judge! O excellent young man! I cannot find it; ’tis not in the bond.
PORTIA. PORTIA.
For the intent and purpose of the law You, merchant, have you anything to say?
Hath full relation to the penalty,
ANTONIO.
Which here appeareth due upon the bond.
But little: I am arm’d and well prepar’d.
SHYLOCK. Give me your hand, Bassanio: fare you well.!
’Tis very true. O wise and upright judge, Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you,
How much more elder art thou than thy looks! For herein Fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom: it is still her use
PORTIA.
To let the wretched man outlive his wealth,
Therefore, lay bare your bosom.
To view with hollow eye and wrinkled brow
SHYLOCK. An age of poverty; from which lingering penance
Ay, ‘his breast’: Of such misery doth she cut me off.
So says the bond:—doth it not, noble judge?— Commend me to your honourable wife:
‘Nearest his heart’: those are the very words. Tell her the process of Antonio’s end;
PORTIA. Say how I lov’d you; speak me fair in death;
It is so. Are there balance here to weigh And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge
The flesh? Whether Bassanio had not once a love.
Contents
Repent but you that you shall lose your friend,

SHYLOCK.
And he repents not that he pays your debt;
I have them ready.
For if the Jew do cut but deep enough,
PORTIA. I’ll pay it instantly with all my heart.
94 95
And you must cut this flesh from off his breast.
BASSANIO.
The law allows it and the court awards it.
Antonio, I am married to a wife
Which is as dear to me as life itself; SHYLOCK.
But life itself, my wife, and all the world, Most learned judge! A sentence! Come, prepare.
Are not with me esteem’d above thy life;
PORTIA.
I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all
Tarry a little; there is something else.
Here to this devil, to deliver you.
This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;
PORTIA. The words expressly are ‘a pound of flesh’:
Your wife would give you little thanks for that, Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;
If she were by to hear you make the offer. But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed
One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
GRATIANO.
Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate
I have a wife whom, I protest, I love;
Unto the state of Venice.
I would she were in heaven, so she could
Entreat some power to change this currish Jew. GRATIANO.
O upright judge! Mark, Jew: O learned judge!
NERISSA.
’Tis well you offer it behind her back; SHYLOCK.
The wish would make else an unquiet house. Is that the law?
SHYLOCK. PORTIA.
These be the Christian husbands! I have a daughter; Thyself shalt see the act;
Would any of the stock of Barabbas For, as thou urgest justice, be assur’d
Had been her husband, rather than a Christian! Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desir’st.
We trifle time; I pray thee, pursue sentence.
GRATIANO.
PORTIA. O learned judge! Mark, Jew: alearned judge!
A pound of that same merchant’s flesh is thine.
SHYLOCK.
The court awards it and the law doth give it.
I take this offer then: pay the bond thrice,
Contents
SHYLOCK. And let the Christian go.

Most rightful judge!
BASSANIO.
PORTIA. Here is the money.
96 97
PORTIA. GRATIANO.
Soft! A Daniel still say I; a second Daniel!
The Jew shall have all justice; soft! no haste:— I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.
He shall have nothing but the penalty.
SHYLOCK.
GRATIANO. Shall I not have barely my principal?
O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!
PORTIA.
PORTIA. Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture
Therefore, prepare thee to cut off the flesh. To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.
Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less nor more,
SHYLOCK.
But just a pound of flesh: if thou tak’st more,
Why, then the devil give him good of it!
Or less, than a just pound, be it but so much
I’ll stay no longer question.
As makes it light or heavy in the substance,
Or the division of the twentieth part PORTIA.
Of one poor scruple; nay, if the scale do turn Tarry, Jew.
But in the estimation of a hair, The law hath yet another hold on you.
Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate. It is enacted in the laws of Venice,
If it be prov’d against an alien
GRATIANO.
That by direct or indirect attempts
A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew!
He seek the life of any citizen,
Now, infidel, I have you on the hip.
The party ‘gainst the which he doth contrive
PORTIA. Shall seize one half his goods; the other half
Why doth the Jew pause? Take thy forfeiture. Comes to the privy coffer of the state;
And the offender’s life lies in the mercy
SHYLOCK.
Of the duke only, ‘gainst all other voice.
Give me my principal, and let me go.
In which predicament, I say, thou stand’st;
BASSANIO. For it appears by manifest proceeding
I have it ready for thee; here it is. That indirectly, and directly too,
Contents
PORTIA. Thou hast contrived against the very life

He hath refus’d it in the open court; Of the defendant; and thou hast incurr’d
He shall have merely justice, and his bond. The danger formerly by me rehears’d.
Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke.
98 99
GRATIANO. Two things provided more, that, for this favour,
Beg that thou mayst have leave to hang thyself; He presently become a Christian;
And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state, The other, that he do record a gift,
Thou hast not left the value of a cord; Here in the court, of all he dies possess’d
Therefore thou must be hang’d at the state’s charge. Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter.
DUKE. DUKE.
That thou shalt see the difference of our spirits, He shall do this, or else I do recant
I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it. The pardon that I late pronounced here.
For half thy wealth, it is Antonio’s;
PORTIA.
The other half comes to the general state,
Art thou contented, Jew? What dost thou say?
Which humbleness may drive unto a fine.
SHYLOCK.
PORTIA.
I am content.
Ay, for the state; not for Antonio.
PORTIA.
SHYLOCK.
Clerk, draw a deed of gift.
Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that:
You take my house when you do take the prop SHYLOCK.
That doth sustain my house; you take my life I pray you, give me leave to go from hence;
When you do take the means whereby I live. I am not well; send the deed after me
And I will sign it.
PORTIA.
What mercy can you render him, Antonio? DUKE.
Get thee gone, but do it.
GRATIANO.
A halter gratis; nothing else, for God’s sake! GRATIANO.
In christening shalt thou have two god-fathers;
ANTONIO.
Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten more,
So please my lord the Duke and all the court
To bring thee to the gallows, not to the font.
To quit the fine for one half of his goods;
I am content, so he will let me have [Exit SHYLOCK.]
Contents
The other half in use, to render it DUKE.

Upon his death unto the gentleman Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner.
That lately stole his daughter:
PORTIA.
100 101
I humbly do desire your Grace of pardon; PORTIA.
I must away this night toward Padua, You press me far, and therefore I will yield.
And it is meet I presently set forth. [To ANTONIO]
DUKE. Give me your gloves, I’ll wear them for your sake.
I am sorry that your leisure serves you not. [To BASSANIO]
Antonio, gratify this gentleman, And, for your love, I’ll take this ring from you.
For in my mind you are much bound to him. Do not draw back your hand; I’ll take no more;
[Exeunt DUKE, Magnificoes, and Train.] And you in love shall not deny me this.
BASSANIO. BASSANIO.
Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend This ring, good sir? alas, it is a trifle;
Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted I will not shame myself to give you this.
Of grievous penalties; in lieu whereof PORTIA.
Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew, I will have nothing else but only this;
We freely cope your courteous pains withal. And now, methinks, I have a mind to it.
ANTONIO. BASSANIO.
And stand indebted, over and above, There’s more depends on this than on the value.
In love and service to you evermore. The dearest ring in Venice will I give you,
PORTIA. And find it out by proclamation:
He is well paid that is well satisfied; Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.
And I, delivering you, am satisfied, PORTIA.
And therein do account myself well paid: I see, sir, you are liberal in offers;
My mind was never yet more mercenary. You taught me first to beg, and now methinks
I pray you, know me when we meet again: You teach me how a beggar should be answer’d.
I wish you well, and so I take my leave.
BASSANIO.
BASSANIO. Good sir, this ring was given me by my wife;
Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further; And, when she put it on, she made me vow
Contents
Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute, That I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose it.
Not as fee. Grant me two things, I pray you,
Not to deny me, and to pardon me. PORTIA.
That ‘scuse serves many men to save their gifts.
102 103
And if your wife be not a mad-woman, Fair sir, you are well o’erta’en.
And know how well I have deserv’d this ring, My Lord Bassanio, upon more advice,
She would not hold out enemy for ever Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you! Your company at dinner.
[Exeunt PORTIA and NERISSA.] PORTIA.
ANTONIO. That cannot be:
My Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring: His ring I do accept most thankfully;
Let his deservings, and my love withal, And so, I pray you, tell him: furthermore,
Be valued ‘gainst your wife’s commandment. I pray you show my youth old Shylock’s house.
BASSANIO. GRATIANO.
Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him; That will I do.
Give him the ring, and bring him, if thou canst, NERISSA.
Unto Antonio’s house. Away! make haste. Sir, I would speak with you.
[Exit GRATIANO.] [Aside to PORTIA.]
Come, you and I will thither presently; I’ll see if I can get my husband’s ring,
And in the morning early will we both Which I did make him swear to keep for ever.
Fly toward Belmont. Come, Antonio. PORTIA.[To NERISSA]
[Exeunt.] Thou Mayst, I warrant. We shall have old swearing
That they did give the rings away to men;
Scene 2. But we’ll outface them, and outswear them too.
The same. A street Away! make haste: thou know’st where I will tarry.
[Enter PORTIA and NERISSA.] NERISSA.
PORTIA. Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?
Inquire the Jew’s house out, give him this deed, [Exeunt.]
And let him sign it; we’ll away tonight,
And be a day before our husbands home.
Contents
This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

[Enter GRATIANO.]
GRATIANO.
104 105
JESSICA.
In such a night
Medea gather’d the enchanted herbs
That did renew old AEson.
LORENZO.
In such a night
Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew,
Act 5. And with an unthrift love did run from Venice
As far as Belmont.
Scene 1. JESSICA.
Belmont. The avenue to PORTIA’s house. In such a night
[Enter LORENZO and JESSICA.] Did young Lorenzo swear he lov’d her well,
LORENZO. Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,—
The moon shines bright: in such a night as this, And ne’er a true one.
When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees, LORENZO.
And they did make no noise, in such a night, In such a night
Troilus methinks mounted the Troyan walls, Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew,
And sigh’d his soul toward the Grecian tents, Slander her love, and he forgave it her.
Where Cressid lay that night.
JESSICA.
JESSICA. I would out-night you, did no body come;
In such a night But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.
Did Thisby fearfully o’ertrip the dew, [Enter STEPHANO.]
And saw the lion’s shadow ere himself,
And ran dismay’d away. LORENZO.
Who comes so fast in silence of the night?
LORENZO.
In such a night STEPHANO.
Contents
Stood Dido with a willow in her hand A friend.

Upon the wild sea-banks, and waft her love LORENZO.
To come again to Carthage. A friend! What friend? Your name, I pray you, friend?
106 107
STEPHANO. Here!
Stephano is my name, and I bring word
LAUNCELOT.
My mistress will before the break of day
Tell him there’s a post come from my master with his
Be here at Belmont; she doth stray about
horn full of good news; my master will be here ere morning.
By holy crosses, where she kneels and prays
For happy wedlock hours. [Exit]
LORENZO. LORENZO.
Who comes with her? Sweet soul, let’s in, and there expect their coming.
And yet no matter; why should we go in?
STEPHANO. My friend Stephano, signify, I pray you,
None but a holy hermit and her maid. Within the house, your mistress is at hand;
I pray you, is my master yet return’d? And bring your music forth into the air.
LORENZO. [Exit STEPHANO.]
He is not, nor we have not heard from him. How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica, Here will we sit and let the sounds of music
And ceremoniously let us prepare Creep in our ears; soft stillness and the night
Some welcome for the mistress of the house. Become the touches of sweet harmony.
[Enter LAUNCELOT.] Sit, Jessica: look how the floor of heaven
LAUNCELOT. Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold;
Sola, sola! wo ha, ho! sola, sola! There’s not the smallest orb which thou behold’st
But in his motion like an angel sings,
LORENZO. Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins;
Who calls? Such harmony is in immortal souls;
LAUNCELOT. But, whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Sola! Did you see Master Lorenzo? Master Lorenzo! Sola, sola! Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.
LORENZO. [Enter Musicians.]
Leave holloaing, man. Here! Come, ho! and wake Diana with a hymn;
Contents
With sweetest touches pierce your mistress’ ear.

LAUNCELOT.
And draw her home with music.
Sola! Where? where?
[Music.]
LORENZO.
108 109
JESSICA. So doth the greater glory dim the less:
I am never merry when I hear sweet music. A substitute shines brightly as a king
Until a king be by, and then his state
LORENZO.
Empties itself, as doth an inland brook
The reason is, your spirits are attentive;
Into the main of waters. Music! hark!
For do but note a wild and wanton herd,
Or race of youthful and unhandled colts, NERISSA.
Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud, It is your music, madam, of the house.
Which is the hot condition of their blood;
PORTIA.
If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound,
Nothing is good, I see, without respect:
Or any air of music touch their ears,
Methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day.
You shall perceive them make a mutual stand,
Their savage eyes turn’d to a modest gaze NERISSA.
By the sweet power of music: therefore the poet Silence bestows that virtue on it, madam.
Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and floods; PORTIA.
Since nought so stockish, hard, and full of rage, The crow doth sing as sweetly as the lark
But music for the time doth change his nature. When neither is attended; and I think
The man that hath no music in himself, The nightingale, if she should sing by day,
Nor is not mov’d with concord of sweet sounds, When every goose is cackling, would be thought
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; No better a musician than the wren.
The motions of his spirit are dull as night, How many things by season season’d are
And his affections dark as Erebus. To their right praise and true perfection!
Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music. Peace, ho! The moon sleeps with Endymion,
[Enter PORTIA and NERISSA, at a distance.] And would not be awak’d!
PORTIA. [Music ceases.]
That light we see is burning in my hall. LORENZO.
How far that little candle throws his beams! That is the voice,
So shines a good deed in a naughty world. Or I am much deceiv’d, of Portia.
Contents
NERISSA. PORTIA.
When the moon shone, we did not see the candle. He knows me as the blind man knows the cuckoo,
PORTIA. By the bad voice.
110 111
LORENZO. PORTIA.
Dear lady, welcome home. Let me give light, but let me not be light,
For a light wife doth make a heavy husband,
PORTIA.
And never be Bassanio so for me:
We have been praying for our husbands’ welfare,
But God sort all! You are welcome home, my lord.
Which speed, we hope, the better for our words.
Are they return’d? BASSANIO.
I thank you, madam; give welcome to my friend:
LORENZO.
This is the man, this is Antonio,
Madam, they are not yet;
To whom I am so infinitely bound.
But there is come a messenger before,
To signify their coming. PORTIA.
You should in all sense be much bound to him,
PORTIA.
For, as I hear, he was much bound for you.
Go in, Nerissa:
Give order to my servants that they take ANTONIO.
No note at all of our being absent hence; No more than I am well acquitted of.
Nor you, Lorenzo; Jessica, nor you.
PORTIA.
[A tucket sounds.] Sir, you are very welcome to our house.
LORENZO. It must appear in other ways than words,
Your husband is at hand; I hear his trumpet. Therefore I scant this breathing courtesy.
We are no tell-tales, madam, fear you not. GRATIANO.
PORTIA. [To NERISSA]
This night methinks is but the daylight sick; By yonder moon I swear you do me wrong;
It looks a little paler; ’tis a day In faith, I gave it to the judge’s clerk.
Such as the day is when the sun is hid. Would he were gelt that had it, for my part,
Since you do take it, love, so much at heart.
[Enter BASSANIO, ANTONIO, GRATIANO, and their Fol-
lowers.] PORTIA.
A quarrel, ho, already! What’s the matter?
Contents
BASSANIO.
We should hold day with the Antipodes, GRATIANO.
If you would walk in absence of the sun. About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring
That she did give me, whose posy was
112 113
For all the world like cutlers’ poetry That the world masters. Now, in faith, Gratiano,
Upon a knife, ‘Love me, and leave me not.’ You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief;
An ‘twere to me, I should be mad at it.
NERISSA.
What talk you of the posy, or the value? BASSANIO.
You swore to me, when I did give it you, [Aside]
That you would wear it till your hour of death, Why, I were best to cut my left hand off,
And that it should lie with you in your grave; And swear I lost the ring defending it.
Though not for me, yet for your vehement oaths,
GRATIANO.
You should have been respective and have kept it.
My Lord Bassanio gave his ring away
Gave it a judge’s clerk! No, God’s my judge,
Unto the judge that begg’d it, and indeed
The clerk will ne’er wear hair on’s face that had it.
Deserv’d it too; and then the boy, his clerk,
GRATIANO. That took some pains in writing, he begg’d mine;
He will, an if he live to be a man. And neither man nor master would take aught
But the two rings.
NERISSA.
Ay, if a woman live to be a man. PORTIA.
What ring gave you, my lord?
GRATIANO.
Not that, I hope, which you receiv’d of me.
Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth,
A kind of boy, a little scrubbed boy BASSANIO.
No higher than thyself, the judge’s clerk; If I could add a lie unto a fault,
A prating boy that begg’d it as a fee; I would deny it; but you see my finger
I could not for my heart deny it him. Hath not the ring upon it; it is gone.
PORTIA. PORTIA.
You were to blame,—I must be plain with you,— Even so void is your false heart of truth;
To part so slightly with your wife’s first gift, By heaven, I will ne’er come in your bed
A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger, Until I see the ring.
And so riveted with faith unto your flesh.
NERISSA.
Contents
I gave my love a ring, and made him swear

Nor I in yours
Never to part with it, and here he stands,
Till I again see mine.
I dare be sworn for him he would not leave it
Nor pluck it from his finger for the wealth BASSANIO.
114 115
Sweet Portia, Had you been there, I think you would have begg’d
If you did know to whom I gave the ring, The ring of me to give the worthy doctor.
If you did know for whom I gave the ring,
PORTIA.
And would conceive for what I gave the ring,
Let not that doctor e’er come near my house;
And how unwillingly I left the ring,
Since he hath got the jewel that I loved,
When nought would be accepted but the ring,
And that which you did swear to keep for me,
You would abate the strength of your displeasure.
I will become as liberal as you;
PORTIA. I’ll not deny him anything I have,
If you had known the virtue of the ring, No, not my body, nor my husband’s bed.
Or half her worthiness that gave the ring, Know him I shall, I am well sure of it.
Or your own honour to contain the ring, Lie not a night from home; watch me like Argus;
You would not then have parted with the ring. If you do not, if I be left alone,
What man is there so much unreasonable, Now, by mine honour which is yet mine own,
If you had pleas’d to have defended it I’ll have that doctor for mine bedfellow.
With any terms of zeal, wanted the modesty
NERISSA.
To urge the thing held as a ceremony?
And I his clerk; therefore be well advis’d
Nerissa teaches me what to believe:
How you do leave me to mine own protection.
I’ll die for’t but some woman had the ring.
GRATIANO.
BASSANIO.
Well, do you so: let not me take him then;
No, by my honour, madam, by my soul,
For, if I do, I’ll mar the young clerk’s pen.
No woman had it, but a civil doctor,
Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me, ANTONIO.
And begg’d the ring; the which I did deny him, I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels.
And suffer’d him to go displeas’d away; PORTIA.
Even he that had held up the very life Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome notwithstanding.
Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady?
BASSANIO.
I was enforc’d to send it after him;
Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong;
Contents
I was beset with shame and courtesy;

And in the hearing of these many friends
My honour would not let ingratitude
I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes,
So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady;
Wherein I see myself,—
For, by these blessed candles of the night,
116 117
PORTIA. GRATIANO.
Mark you but that! Why, this is like the mending of high ways
In both my eyes he doubly sees himself, In summer, where the ways are fair enough.
In each eye one; swear by your double self, What! are we cuckolds ere we have deserv’d it?
And there’s an oath of credit.
PORTIA.
BASSANIO. Speak not so grossly. You are all amaz’d:
Nay, but hear me: Here is a letter; read it at your leisure;
Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear It comes from Padua, from Bellario:
I never more will break an oath with thee. There you shall find that Portia was the doctor,
Nerissa there, her clerk: Lorenzo here
ANTONIO.
Shall witness I set forth as soon as you,
I once did lend my body for his wealth,
And even but now return’d; I have not yet
Which, but for him that had your husband’s ring,
Enter’d my house. Antonio, you are welcome;
Had quite miscarried; I dare be bound again,
And I have better news in store for you
My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord
Than you expect: unseal this letter soon;
Will never more break faith advisedly.
There you shall find three of your argosies
PORTIA. Are richly come to harbour suddenly.
Then you shall be his surety. Give him this, You shall not know by what strange accident
And bid him keep it better than the other. I chanced on this letter.
ANTONIO. ANTONIO.
Here, Lord Bassanio, swear to keep this ring. I am dumb.
BASSANIO. BASSANIO.
By heaven! it is the same I gave the doctor! Were you the doctor, and I knew you not?
PORTIA. GRATIANO.
I had it of him: pardon me, Bassanio, Were you the clerk that is to make me cuckold?
For, by this ring, the doctor lay with me.
NERISSA.
Contents
NERISSA. Ay, but the clerk that never means to do it,

And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano, Unless he live until he be a man.
For that same scrubbed boy, the doctor’s clerk,
BASSANIO.
In lieu of this, last night did lie with me.
118 119
Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow: Till I were couching with the doctor’s clerk.
When I am absent, then lie with my wife. Well, while I live, I’ll fear no other thing
So sore as keeping safe Nerissa’s ring.
ANTONIO.
Sweet lady, you have given me life and living; [Exeunt.}
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.
There do I give to you and Jessica,
From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift,
After his death, of all he dies possess’d 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: he first inter’gatory
That my Nerissa shall be sworn on is,
Contents
Whe’r 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,
Contents 120 121
Contents 122 123
Contents 124 125
Contents 126 127
Contents 128 129
Contents 130 131
Contents 132 133
Contents 134 135
Contents 136 137
Contents 138 139
Contents 140 141
Contents 142 143
Contents 144 145
Contents 146 147
Contents 148 149
Contents 150 151
Contents 152 153
Contents 154 155
Contents 156 157
Contents 158 159
Contents 160 161
Contents 162 163
Contents 164 165
Contents 166 167
Contents 168 169
Contents 170 171
Contents 172 173
Contents 174 175
Contents 176 177
Contents 178 179
Contents 180 181
Contents 182 183
Contents 184 185
Contents 186 187
Contents 188 189
Contents 190 191
Contents 192 193
Contents 194 195
Contents 196 197
Contents 198 199
Contents 200 201
Contents 202 203
Contents 204 205
Contents 206 207
Contents 208 209
Contents 210 211
Contents 212 213
Contents 214 215
Contents 216 217
Contents 218 219
Contents 220 221
Contents 222 223
Contents 224 225
Contents 226 227
Contents 228 229
Contents 230 231
Contents 232 233
Contents 234 235
Contents 236 237
Contents 238 239
Contents 240 241

Shakespeare Merchantofvenice

Încărcat de

Informații document

Descriere originală:

Titlu original

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Shakespeare Merchantofvenice

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Coradella Collegiate Bookshelf Editions.

Purchase the entire

About the author William Shakespeare (National Portrait Gallery)

William Shakespeare Shakespeare's influence on the English-speaking world is

Shakespeare's name is often rendered in contemporary

Persons Represented. Click on a number in the list

FOR COMPLETE DETAILS, SEE

THE DUKE OF VENICE

That such a thing bechanc’d would make me sad?

A stage, where every man must play a part,

From such a noble rate; but my chief care

Then do but say to me what I should do

am glad this parcel of wooers are so reasonable; for there is not

Scene 3. are in supposition: he hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another

[Aside] How like a fawning publican he looks!

The rate of usance here with us in Venice. SHYLOCK.

ANTONIO. Well then, it now appears you need my help;

This is kind I offer. By the exaction of the forfeiture?

ANTONIO. This Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind.

Bars me the right of voluntary choosing;

Act 2. PRINCE OF MOROCCO.

PORTIA. And either not attempt to choose at all,

PRINCE OF MOROCCO. counsel well.’ To be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with

LAUNCELOT. Do I look like a cudgel or a hovel-post, a staff or a prop? Do

come anon to my lodging. worship; and my suit is—

By what we do to-night. JESSICA.

[Enter LAUNCELOT, With a letter.] SALANIO.

The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio:— LAUNCELOT.

There came divers of Antonio’s creditors in my company to

A gentle scroll. Fair lady, by your leave; {Kissing her.]

When it is paid, bring your true friend along. ANTONIO.

Therefore he hates me. I know you would be prouder of the work

Your Grace hath ta’en great pains to qualify

A messenger with letters from the doctor,

Meantime, the court shall hear Bellario’s letter.

The attribute to awe and majesty,

PORTIA. Hath been most sound; I charge you by the law,

Repent but you that you shall lose your friend,

SHYLOCK. And let the Christian go.

PORTIA. Thou hast contrived against the very life

The other half in use, to render it DUKE.

This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

Stood Dido with a willow in her hand A friend.

With sweetest touches pierce your mistress’ ear.

I gave my love a ring, and made him swear

I was beset with shame and courtesy;

NERISSA. Ay, but the clerk that never means to do it,

Whe’r till the next night she had rather stay,

S-ar putea să vă placă și