The Merchant of Venice: ACT I , SCENE III. Venice. A public place.

The Merchant of Venice: ACT I


	Introduction

	ACT I

		SCENE I. Venice. A street.

		SCENE II: Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house.

		SCENE III. Venice. A public place.

	ACT II

	ACT III

	ACT IV

	ACT V

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SCENE III. Venice. A public place.

Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK

SHYLOCK

Three thousand ducats; well.

BASSANIO

Ay, sir, for three months.

SHYLOCK

For three months; well.

BASSANIO

For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound.

SHYLOCK

5 Antonio shall become bound; well.

BASSANIO

May you stead me? will you pleasure me? shall I
know your answer?

SHYLOCK

Three thousand ducats for three months and Antonio bound.

BASSANIO

Your answer to that.

SHYLOCK

10 Antonio is a good man.

BASSANIO

Have you heard any imputation to the contrary?

SHYLOCK

      Oh, no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying he is a
      good man is to have you understand me that he is
      sufficient. Yet his means are in supposition: he
15    hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the
      Indies; I understand moreover, upon the Rialto, he
      hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and
      other ventures he hath, squandered abroad. But ships
      are but boards, sailors but men: there be land-rats
20    and water-rats, water-thieves and land-thieves, I
      mean pirates, and then there is the peril of waters,
      winds and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding,
      sufficient. Three thousand ducats; I think I may
      take his bond.

BASSANIO

25 Be assured you may.

SHYLOCK

I will be assured I may; and, that I may be assured,
I will bethink me. May I speak with Antonio?

BASSANIO

If it please you to dine with us.

SHYLOCK

      Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which
30    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

BASSANIO

35 This is Signior Antonio.

SHYLOCK

      (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
40    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,
45    On me, my bargains and my well-won thrift,
      Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe,
      If I forgive him!

BASSANIO

Shylock, do you hear?

SHYLOCK

      I am debating of my present store,
50    And, by the near guess of my memory,
      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
55    Do you desire?

To ANTONIO

Rest you fair, good signior;
Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

ANTONIO

      Shylock, although I neither lend nor borrow
      By taking nor by giving of excess,
60    Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend,
      I'll break a custom. Is he yet possess'd
      How much ye would?

SHYLOCK

Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

ANTONIO

And for three months.

SHYLOCK

65    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
      Upon advantage.

ANTONIO

I do never use it.

SHYLOCK

70    When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep--
      This Jacob from our holy Abram was,
      As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,
      The third possessor; ay, he was the third--

ANTONIO

And what of him? did he take interest?

SHYLOCK

75    No, not take interest, not, as you would say,
      Directly interest: mark what Jacob did.
      When Laban and himself were compromised
      That all the eanlings which were streak'd and pied
      Should fall as Jacob's hire, the ewes, being rank,
80    In the end of autumn turned to the rams,
      And, when the work of generation was
      Between these woolly breeders in the act,
      The skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands,
      And, in the doing of the deed of kind,
85    He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes,
      Who then conceiving did in eaning time
      Fall parti-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's.
      This was a way to thrive, and he was blest:
      And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

ANTONIO

90    This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served for;
      A thing not in his power to bring to pass,
      But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of heaven.
      Was this inserted to make interest good?
      Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?

SHYLOCK

95 I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast:
But note me, signior.

ANTONIO

      Mark you this, Bassanio,
      The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
      An evil soul producing holy witness
100   Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
      A goodly apple rotten at the heart:
      O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!

SHYLOCK

Three thousand ducats; 'tis a good round sum.
Three months from twelve; then, let me see; the rate--

ANTONIO

105 Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding to you?

SHYLOCK

      Signior Antonio, many a time and oft
      In the Rialto you have rated me
      About my moneys and my usances:
      Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,
110   For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.
      You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
      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:
115   Go to, then; you come to me, and you say
      'Shylock, we would have moneys:' you say so;
      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
120   What should I say to you? Should I not say
      'Hath a dog money? is it possible
      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;
125   'Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;
      You spurn'd me such a day; another time
      You call'd me dog; and for these courtesies
      I'll lend you thus much moneys'?

ANTONIO

      I am as like to call thee so again,
130   To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.
      If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
      As to thy friends; for when did friendship take
      A breed for barren metal of his friend?
      But lend it rather to thine enemy,
135   Who, if he break, thou mayst with better face
      Exact the penalty.

SHYLOCK

      Why, look you, how you storm!
      I would be friends with you and have your love,
      Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with,
140   Supply your present wants and take no doit
      Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me:
      This is kind I offer.

BASSANIO

This were kindness.

SHYLOCK

      This kindness will I show.
145   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
      Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
150   Be nominated for an equal pound
      Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
      In what part of your body pleaseth me.

ANTONIO

Content, i' faith: I'll seal to such a bond
And say there is much kindness in the Jew.

BASSANIO

155 You shall not seal to such a bond for me:
I'll rather dwell in my necessity.

ANTONIO

      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
160   Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

SHYLOCK

      O father Abram, what these Christians are,
      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
165   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,
      To buy his favour, I extend this friendship:
170   If he will take it, so; if not, adieu;
      And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not.

ANTONIO

Yes Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.

SHYLOCK

      Then meet me forthwith at the notary's;
      Give him direction for this merry bond,
175   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.

ANTONIO

Hie thee, gentle Jew.

Exit Shylock

180 The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind.

BASSANIO

I like not fair terms and a villain's mind.

ANTONIO

Come on: in this there can be no dismay;
My ships come home a month before the day.

Exeunt

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