Ant. I am a tainted wether of the flock, Meetest for death: the weakest kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me: You cannot better be employ'd, Bassanio, Than to live still, and write mine epitaph.

Enter NERISSA, dressed like a Lawyer's Clerk. Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario? Ner. From both, my lord: Bellario greets your Grace. [Presents a Letter.

9

Bass. Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?
Shy. To cut the forfeit from that bankrupt there.
Gra. Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh Jew,
Thou mak'st thy knife keen; but no metal can,
No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness
Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?
Shy. No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.
Gra. O, be thou damn'd, inexorable dog! 10
And for thy life let justice be accus'd.11
Thou almost mak'st me waver in my faith,
To hold opinion with Pythagoras,1

12

That souls of animals infuse themselves
Into the trunks of men: Thy currish spirit
Govern'd a wolf, who hang'd for human slaughter,
Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
And, whilst thou lay'st [with] thy unhallow'd dam,
Infus'd itself in thee; for thy desires

Are wolfish, bloody, starv'd, and ravenous.

Shy. Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond,
Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud:
Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall

To cureless ruin.13 - I stand here for law.

Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend

A young and learned Doctor to our Court.

Where is he?

9 Malice. See note 1, of this scene. This passage is well illustrated by one in 2 Henry IV., Act iv. scene 4.

"Thou hid'st a thousand daggers in thy thoughts,
Which thou hast whetted on thy stony heart."

10 All the old copies have "inexecrable dog," which I am very much inclined to think right, taking the prepositive in as intensive.

11 The meaning probably is, Let Justice be impeached for suffering thee to live.

I was

12 The ancient philosopher of Samos, who is said to have taught the transmigration of souls. In As You Like It, iii. 2, Rosalind says, never so berhym'd since Pythagoras' time, that I was an Irish rat, which I can hardly remember."

13 Thus the quartos; the folio has "endless ruin."

Ner.

He attendeth here hard by,

To know your answer, whether you'll admit him.

Duke. With all my heart. Some three or four of you
Go give him courteous conduct to this place. –
Meantime the Court shall hear Bellario's letter.

[Clerk reads.] Your Grace shall understand, that at the receipt of your letter I am very sick; but in the instant that your messenger came, in loving visitation was with me a young doctor of Rome; his name is Balthazar. I acquainted him with the cause in controversy between the Jew and Antonio the merchant: we turn'd o'er many books together: he is furnished with my opinion; which, better'd with his own learning, the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend, comes with him, at my importunity, to fill up your Grace's request in my stead. I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend estimation; 14 for I never knew so young a body with so old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whose trial shall better publish his commendation.

Duke. You hear the learn'd Bellario, what he writes: And here, I take it, is the Doctor come.

Enter PORTIA,15 dressed like a Doctor of Laws.

Give me your

hand: Came you from old Bellario?

Por. I did, my lord.
Duke.

You're welcome: take your place.

Are you acquainted with the difference

That holds this present question in the Court?

Por. I am informed throughly of the cause. Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew? Duke. Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth. Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy.

Shylock is my name.

Por. Of a strange nature is the suit you follow ; Yet in such rule, that the Venetian law

16

Cannot impugn you as you do proceed.

[To ANT.] You stand within his danger," do you not? Ant. Ay, so he says.

14 The sense apparently is, Let his lack of years be no hindrance to his being treated with reverence.

15 The old stage direction here is, "Enter Portia for Balthazar.”

16 To impugn is to oppose, to controvert.

17 Richardson says,- "In French and old English law, danger seems equivalent to penalty, damages, commissi pœna. Thus: Narcissus was a bachelere that love had caught in his daungere;' that is, within the reach of hurtful, mischievous power. Thus also: In danger hadde he at his owen gise the yonge girles of the diocise.' And again: 'He was never wedded to woman's danger;' that is, woman's dangerous power."

Por.

Ant. I do.

Por.

Do you confess the bond?

18

Then must the Jew be merciful.
Shy. On what compulsion must I? tell me that.
Por. The quality of mercy is not strain'd;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd;
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. 19 I have spoke thus much,
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this strict Court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.
Shy. My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

Por. Is he not able to discharge the money?

Bass. Yes, here I tender 't for him in the Court; Yea, thrice the sum: if that will not suffice,

20

I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,

On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart:

If this will not suffice, it must appear

That malice bears down truth.21 And, I beseech you,

18 That is, the nature of mercy is to act freely, not from constraint. Portia had used must in a moral sense, and the Jew purposely mistook it in a legal sense. This gives a natural occasion and impulse for her strain of "heavenly eloquence."

19" Portia, referring the Jew to the Christian doctrine of Salvation, and the Lord's Prayer, is a little out of character." So says Sir William Blackstone; whereas the Lord's Prayer was itself but a compilation, all the petitions in it being taken out of the ancient euchologies or prayer-books of the Jews. So in Ecclesiasticus xxviii. 2: "Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee, so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest." 20 The old copies have "twice the sum." But Portia says to the Jew a little after, "there's thrice thy money offered thee."

21 Truth is honesty here. A true man in old language is an honest man. And the honesty here shown is in offering to pay thrice the money.

Wrest once the law to your authority:
To do a great right, do a little wrong;
And curb this cruel devil of his will.

Por. It must not be; there is no power in Venice
Can alter a decree established:

"Twill be recorded for a precedent;

And many an error, by the same example,
Will rush into the State. It cannot be.

Shy. A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel.
O, wise young judge, how I do honour thee!
Por. I pray you, let me look upon the bond.
Shy. Here 'tis, most reverend Doctor; here it is.
Por. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd thee.
Shy. An oath, an oath, I have an oath in Heaven:
Shall I lay perjury upon my soul?

No, not for Venice!

Por.

Why, this bond is forfeit;
And lawfully by this the Jew may claim
A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off
Nearest the merchant's heart. - Be merciful;
Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond.
Shy. When it is paid according to the tenour.
It doth appear you are a worthy judge;
You know the law, your exposition

Hath been most sound: I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Proceed to judgment. By my soul I swear
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me: I stay here on my bond.

Ant. Most heartily I do beseech the Court
To give the judgment.

Por.
Why, then thus it is:
You must prepare your bosom for his knife;
Shy. O, noble judge! O, excellent young man!
Por.- For the intent and purpose of the law
Hath full relation to the penalty,22

Which here appeareth due upon the bond.

Ay, his breast:

Shy. 'Tis very true. O, wise and upright judge!
How much more elder art thou than thy looks!
Por. Therefore lay bare your bosom.
Shy.
So says the bond :— doth it not, noble judge?
Nearest his heart: those are the very words.
Por. It is so. Are there balance here to weigh
The flesh?

22 That is, the law relating to contracts is fully applicable in this case.

Shy. I have them ready.28

Por. Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge, To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.

Shy. Is it so nominated in the bond?

Por. It is not so express'd; but what of that? 'Twere good you do so much for charity.

age

Shy. I cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond.
Por. Come, merchant, have you any thing to say?
Ant. But little: I am arm'd and well prepar’d. —
Give me your hand, Bassanio: fare you well!
Grieve not that I am fall'n to this for you;
For herein Fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom: it is still her use
To let the wretched man outlive his wealth,
To view with hollow eye and wrinkled brow
An of poverty; from which lingering penance
Of such a misery doth she cut me off.
Commend me to your honourable wife:
Tell her the process of Antonio's end;
Say how I lov'd you, speak me fair in death;
And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge,
Whether Bassanio had not once a lover.
Repent not you that you shall lose your friend,
And he repents not that he pays your debt;
For, if the Jew do cut but deep enough,
I'll pay it instantly with all my heart.

Bass. Antonio, I am married to a wife
Which is as dear to me as life itself;
But life itself, my wife, and all the world,
Are not with me esteem'd above thy life:
I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all

Here to this devil to deliver you.

Por. Your wife would give you little thanks for that, If she were by, to hear you make the offer.

Gra. I have a wife, whom, I protest, I love:

I would she were in Heaven, so she could
Entreat some power to change this currish Jew
Ner. 'Tis well you offer it behind her back;
The wish would make, else, an unquiet house.

Shy. [Aside.] These be the Christian husbands! I have a daughter;

Would any of the stock of Barrabas 24

23 Balance, though singular in form, is used as plural in sense, referring to the two scales which make the balance. The usage was common.

24 Shakespeare seems to have followed the pronunciation usual in the theatre, Barabbas being sounded Barabas throughout Marlowe's Jew of Malta.