Merchant of Venice Act 2 Scene 1
ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT
FLOURISH CORNETS ENTER THE PRINCE
OF  MOROCCO, A TAWNY MOOR ALL IN WHITE,
AND THREE OR FOUR FOLLOWERS
ACCORDINGLY, WITH  PORTIA,  NERISSA, AND
THEIR TRAIN
MOROCCO
Mislike me not for my complexion,
The shadowed livery of the burnished sun,
To whom I am a neighbor and near bred.
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
5Where Phoebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles,
And let us make incision for your love
To prove whose blood is reddest, his or mine.
I tell thee, lady, this aspect of mine
Hath feared the valiant. By my love I swear
10The best-regarded virgins of our clime
Have loved it too. I would not change this hue
Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen.
TRUMPETS PLAY. THE PRINCE
OF  MOROCCO  , A BROWN-
SKINNED MAN DRESSED IN
ALL WHITE, ENTERS,
FOLLOWED BY THREE OR
FOUR SERVANTS DRESSED IN
COSTUMES LIKE
HIS.  PORTIA,  NERISSA, AND
THEIRATTENDANTS  ENTER.
MOROCCO
Don’t hold my skin color against
me. I was born and raised in the
sun, which is why I’m dark-
skinned. But I’m as red-blooded
as any man. Show me the best-
looking person born in the
freezing north, where the sun
barely thaws the icicles. I’ll win
your love by cutting myself to
prove to you I have redder blood
than he does. I’m telling you,
madam, my skin color has made
brave men fear me and Moroccan
girls love me. I wouldn’t change it
except to make you think of me,
my darling queen.
Merchant of Venice Act 2 Scene 1
PORTIA
In terms of choice I am not solely led
By nice direction of a maiden’s eyes.
15Besides, the lottery of my destiny
Bars me the right of voluntary choosing.
But if my father had not scanted me
And hedged me by his wit to yield myself
His wife who wins me by that means I told you,
20Yourself, renownèd Prince, then stood as fair
As any comer I have looked on yet
For my affection.
MOROCCO
   Even for that I thank you.
Therefore I pray you lead me to the caskets
To try my fortune. By this scimitar
25That slew the Sophy and a Persian prince
That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,
I would o'erstare the sternest eyes that look,
Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth,
Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she-bear,
30Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,
To win the lady. But, alas the while!
If Hercules and Lychas play at dice
Which is the better man, the greater throw
May turn by fortune from the weaker hand.
35So is Alcides beaten by his page,
PORTIA
Being good-looking isn’t the only
way to my heart, you know. I have
other criteria for choosing a
husband. Not that it matters,
because the box test takes away
my free choice anyway. But if my
father hadn’t restricted me like
this—forcing me to marry
whoever wins his test—then
you’d have had as good a chance
to marry me as any of the suitors
I’ve met so far, prince.
MOROCCO
Thank you for saying that. Show
me the caskets and let me try my
luck. I swear by my sword, which
killed the Shah of Persia and a
Persian prince and defeated the
Sultan Suleiman three times, that
I would face the meanest-looking
warriors on earth. I would act
braver than the bravest man on
earth. I would grab bear cubs
from a ferocious mother bear, or
tease a hungry lion—all of this in
order to win your love, lady. But
this is bad! If the hero Hercules
Merchant of Venice Act 2 Scene 1
And so may I, blind fortune leading me,
Miss that which one unworthier may attain
And die with grieving.
PORTIA
    You must take your chance,
And either not attempt to choose at all
40Or swear before you choose, if you choose wrong
Never to speak to lady afterward
In way of marriage. Therefore be advised.
MOROCCO
Nor will not. Come, bring me unto my chance.
PORTIA
First, forward to the temple. After dinner
45Your hazard shall be made.
and his servant Lychas rolled the
dice, which would win? Not the
greater hero. Just the one who
happened to be luckier that time.
And just as Hercules could be
beaten by his servant, blind luck
could make me lose this test and
make someone worse than me
win. If that happened, I’d die of
sadness.
PORTIA
You have to take your chances.
Either don’t choose at all, or
swear beforehand that if you
choose incorrectly you’ll never
talk about marriage to any
woman again. Think about it
carefully.
MOROCCO
Fine, I swear I won’t ever get
married if I choose incorrectly. Let
me take my chances.
PORTIA
Let’s go to the temple first. You
can take your chances after
dinner.
Merchant of Venice Act 2 Scene 1

MOROCCO I’ll try my luck then. I’ll either be

    Good fortune then!— the luckiest or the unluckiest man
To make me blessed or cursed’st among men. alive.

CORNETS TRUMPETS PLAY.

EXEUNT THEY EXIT.