A breed for barren metal of his friend? But lend it rather to thine enemy, Who, if he break, thou mayst with better face Shy. Why, look you, how you storm! Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me : Bass. This were kindness. This kindness will I show. Go with me to a notary, seal me there Your single bond; and, in a merry sport, you repay me not on such a day, If In such a place, such sum or sums as are Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken Ant. Content, i' faith: I'll seal to such a bond Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for me: I'll rather dwell in my necessity. Ant. Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it: Within these two months, that's a month before This bond expires, I do expect return Of thrice three times the value of this bond. Shy. O father Abram, what these Christians are, 150 160 141. doit, a coin of trifling value. 146. single, attested by his own signature alone. A pound of man's flesh taken from a man And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not. Ant. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond. And I will go and purse the ducats straight, I will be with you. [Exit Shylock. Ant. Hie thee, gentle Jew. [Exeunt. 170 180 ACT II. SCENE I. Belmont. A room in PORTIA's house. OF Flourish of cornets. Enter the PRINCE Mor. Mislike me not for my complexion, 176. fearful, perilous. And let us make incision for your love, Have loved it too: I would not change this hue, Por. In terms of choice I am not solely led Bars me the right of voluntary choosing: And hedged me by his wit, to yield myself His wife who wins me by that means I told you, Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair For my affection. Mor. Even for that I thank you : 6. make incision, open our veins. 14. nice, fastidious. 17. scanted, limited. 25. Sophy, the Shah of Persia. These allusions would be easily accessible to Shakespeare in Minadoi's The History of the Warres between the Turkes and ΤΟ 20 30 the Persians, tr. Hartwell, 1595. If Hercules and Lichas play at dice And so may I, blind fortune leading me, And die with grieving. Por. You must take your chance, And either not attempt to choose at all Or swear before you choose, if you choose wrong In way of marriage: therefore be advised. Mor. Nor will not. chance. Come, bring me unto my Por. First, forward to the temple: after dinner Your hazard shall be made. Mor. To make me blest or cursed'st among men. Good fortune then! [Cornets and exeunt. 40 SCENE II. Venice. A street. Enter LAUNCELOT. Laun. Certainly my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew my master. The fiend is at mine elbow and tempts me saying to me 'Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot,' or 'good Gobbo,' or 'good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away.' My conscience says 'No; take heed, honest Launcelot ; take heed, honest Gobbo,' or, as aforesaid, 'honest 32. Lichas, the attendant of Hercules. He was the unwitting bringer of the poisoned shirt by which Hercules perished. 46. blest, most blessed; the superlative termination of cursed'st applying to both adjectives. Launcelot Gobbo; do not run; scorn running with thy heels.' Well, the most courageous fiend bids 10 me pack: 'Via!' says the fiend; 'away!' says the fiend; 'for the heavens, rouse up a brave mind,' says the fiend, and run.' Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me 'My honest friend Launcelot, being an honest man's son,' or rather an honest woman's son; for, indeed, my father did something smack, something grow to, he had a kind of taste; well, my conscience says 'Launcelot, budge not.' 'Budge,' says the fiend. 20 'Budge not,' says my conscience. 'Conscience,' say I, 'you counsel well;' 'Fiend,' say I, 'you counsel well:' to be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with the Jew my master, who, God bless the mark, is a kind of devil; and, to run away from the Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the devil himself. Certainly the Jew is the very devil incarnal; and, in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew. The fiend gives the more friendly counsel: I will run, fiend; my heels are at your command; I will run, Enter Old GOBBO, with a basket. Gob. Master young man, you, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's? Laun. [Aside] O heavens, this is my truebegotten father! who, being more than sandblind, high-gravel blind, knows me not: I will try confusions with him. 18. smack, i.e. of knavery. Grow to, provincially used of burnt milk, conveys a similar suggestion. 37. sand-blind, purblind. 30 |