Shy. Yes, to smell pork! to eat of the habitation which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into ! I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.-What news on the Rialto ?-Who is he comes here ?

Enter ANTONIO.

Bass. This is Signior Antonio.

Shy. [Aside.] How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a Christian :

But more, for that, in low simplicity,

He lends out money gratis, and brings down
5 The rate of usance here with us in Venice.
If I can catch him once upon the hip,

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our sacred nation; and he rails,

Even there where merchants most do congregate,
10 On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls interest: Cursed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!

Bass.

Shylock, do you hear?

Shy. I am debating of my present store :
And, by the near guess of my memory,

15 I cannot instantly raise up the gross

Of full three thousand ducats: What of that?

Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,

Will furnish me : But soft: How many months
Do you desire? Rest you fair, good signior:

[TO ANTONIO. 20 Your worship was the last man in our mouths. Ant. Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow, By taking, nor by giving of excess, Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend, I'll break a custom :-Is he yet possess'd

6. Catch him on the hip-A phrase taken from wrestlers.
24. Possessed, i.e., informed.

25 How much you would?

Shy.

Ay, ay, three thousand ducats

Ant. And for three months.

Shy. I had forgot,-three months, you told me so.
Well then, your bond; and, let me see.

But hear you :

Methought you said, you neither lend nor borrow

30 Upon advantage.

Ant.

I do never use it.

Shy. Three thousand ducats,]-'tis a good round sum.[
Three months from twelve,] then let me see the rate.]
Ant. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding to you?|
Shy. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft

35 In the Rialto you have rated me

About my moneys, and my usances:
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug-|
For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe
You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,|
40 And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,

And all for use of that] which is mine own. |
Well then, it now appears you need my help :
Go to then ;] you come to me, and you say,

Shylock, we would have moneys ;"| You say so; 45 You that did void your rheum upon my beard, | And foot me,] as you spurn a stranger cur

Over your threshold; | moneys is your suit. I'
What should I say to you?

Should I not say,¦

"Hath a dog money? | is it possible |

50 A cur can lend three thousand ducats?" | or
Shall I bend low, ❘ and in a bondman's key,
With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness,
Say this,― |

"Fair sir, you spat on me on Wednesday last. |
You spurn'd me such a day; | another time
55 You called me dog; | and for these courtesies

25. Would is here not an Auxil. Verb, but equivalent to desire.

33. Beholding.-For beholden, commen in Shakspere's time.

43. Go to.-A phrase equal to well then.

I'll lend you thus much moneys

Ant. I am as like to call thee so again,
To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money; | lend it not
60 As to thy friends] (for when did friendship take
A breed of barren metal of his friend ?)
But lend it rather to thine enemy ;]

Who,) if he break, thou mayst with better face
Exact the penalties.)

Shy.

Why look you] how you storm! | 65 I would be friends with you, | and have your love ;] Forget the shames] that you have stain'd me with; | Supply your present wants,] and take no doit

70

Of usance for my moneys] and you'll not hear me :|
This is kind I offer.]

Bass.

This were kindness. |
Shy. This kindness will I show :|
Go with me to a notary :] seal me there
Your single bond ;] and, in a merry sport,)
If you repay me not on such a day,

In such a place, such sum, or sums, as are 75 Express'd in the condition, | let the forfeit Be nominated for an equal pound

Of

your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken) In what part of your body pleaseth me.]

Ant. Content,. in faith ;] I'll seal to such a bond, | 80 And say] there is much kindness in the Jew. |

Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for me ;|
I'll rather dwell in my necessity.

61. Breed.-A poetical expression for interest, corresponds in derivation and meaning with the Greek term Tóкos, and the Latin fœnus. It is curious to notice the various terms used in this passage for the same thing, usunce, p. 132, 5; interest, p. 132, 11; excess, p. 132, 22; advantage, p. 133, 30, and breed.

63. Who, if he break, thou may'st with

better grace exact the penalties.-A false grammatical construction. It should be, from whom, if he break, &c.

65. The plural friends is, strictly speaking, not correct.

69. This is kind I offer, i.e., this which I offer is kindly intended.

71. Equal, i.e., full.

82. Dwell, i.e., continue.

Ant. Why, fear not, man ;] I will not forfeit it ;| Within these two months,) that is a month | before 85 This bond expires, | I do expect return

Of thrice three times the value of this bond.)

Shy. [O father Abraham,] what these Christians are,!
Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others! | Pray you, tell me this ;]
90 If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture ?|

A pound of man's flesh taken from a man,
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats.] I say,
95 To buy his favour I extend this friendship;
If he will take it, so] if not,] adieu ;]
And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not.

Ant. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.
Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's ;]

100 Give him direction for this merry bond, |
And I will go and purse the ducats straight ;]
See to my house, left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave ;] and presently

I will be with you.

Hie thee, gentle Jew.]

Ant.
105 This Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind. |
Bass. I like not fair terms and a villain's mind. [
Ant. Come on ;] in this there can be no dismay, I
My ships come home a month before the day. |

83. I will not forfeit it.-In Shakspere's time the Future was formed both with shall and will in all the three persons, as shown by many instances in this play. The rule of restricting shall to the first, and will to the second and third persons, as at present acknowledged in England (though not yet in Scotland or Ireland), was not fully established in Shakspere's time.

88. Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect. Here the term, hard dealings, must be regarded as indicating a line of con

[Exit

[Exeunt.

duct, and, as such, has been joined to the singular verb teaches. The idea here overrides the grammatical form. The number of verbs which could take an infinitive without the sign "to," was not so definitely fixed in Shakspere's time as now. See Craik on Julius Cæsar, 1.

95. The conjunction that is constantly omitted by Shakspere before Substantive Sentences.

102. Fearful guard.-A guard that gives me reason to fear what may happen.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-Belmont.-A Room in PORTIA's House.

Flourish of Cornets.

Enter the PRINCE OF MOROCCO, and his
Train; PORTIA, NERISSA, and other of her Attendants.

Mor. Mislike me not for my complexion,
The shadow'd livery of the burnish'd sun,]
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred. |
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,]
5 Where Phoebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles, |
And let us make incision for your love,

To prove] whose blood is reddest, his, or mine. |
I tell thee, lady, | this aspect of mine

Hath fear'd the valiant; | by my love, I swear,| 10 The best-regarded virgins of our clime

Have lov'd it too; | I would not change this hue,
Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen.
Por. In terms of choice I am not solely led
By nice direction of a maiden's eyes :|

15 Besides, the lottery of my destiny

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,]
20 Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair)
As any comer] I have looked on yet,]

For my affection.)

Mor.

ACT. II.-1. Mislike, i.e., dislike.

Even for that I thank you ; |

14. By nice direction by the fastidious guidance.

17. Scanted, i.e., confined me within narrow limits.

18. Wit here means intelligence, wisdom, according to the old usage, from the verb witan, to know; Ger. wissen.

20. Stood is the Subjunct. We now generally employ an Auxil. Verb.