The Merchant of Venice: ACT II
Introduction ACT I ACT II SCENE I. Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house. SCENE II. Venice. A street. SCENE III. The same. A room in SHYLOCK'S house. SCENE IV. The same. A street. SCENE V. The same. Before SHYLOCK'S house. SCENE VI. The same. SCENE VII. Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house. SCENE VIII. Venice. A street. SCENE IX. Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house. ACT III ACT IV ACT V About the Play Feedback			Search: All the plays Hamlet Coriolanus Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Richard II Richard III Titus Andronicus Antony and Cleopatra Timon of Athens Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry the Fifth Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry VIII King John Pericles Troilus and Cressida All's Well... As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline A Midsummer... Love's Labour's Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives... Much Ado about Nothing The Merchant of Venice Twelfth Night The Taming of... The Tempest The Two Gentlemen... The Winter's Tale    for: SCENE I. Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house. Flourish of cornets. Enter the PRINCE OF MOROCCO and his train; PORTIA, NERISSA, and others attending MOROCCO       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 loved it too: I would not change this hue,       Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen. PORTIA       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 hedged 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 look'd on yet       For my affection. MOROCCO       Even for that I thank you:       Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets 25    To try my fortune. By this scimitar       That slew the Sophy and a Persian prince       That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,       I would outstare the sternest eyes that look,       Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth, 30    Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she-bear,       Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,       To win thee, lady. But, alas the while!       If Hercules and Lichas play at dice       Which is the better man, the greater throw 35    May turn by fortune from the weaker hand:       So is Alcides beaten by his page;       And so may I, blind fortune leading me,       Miss that which one unworthier may attain,       And die with grieving. PORTIA 40    You must take your chance,       And either not attempt to choose at all       Or swear before you choose, if you choose wrong       Never to speak to lady afterward       In way of marriage: therefore be advised. MOROCCO 45    Nor will not. Come, bring me unto my chance. PORTIA       First, forward to the temple: after dinner       Your hazard shall be made. MOROCCO       Good fortune then!       To make me blest or cursed'st among men. Cornets, and exeunt Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene