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Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house.
[Enter BASSANIO, PORTIA, GRATIANO, NERISSA, and Attendants]
PORTIA
,
, ,
, ,
I pray | you tar|ry, pause | a day | or two
,
, , ,
,
Before | you haz|ard, for | in choos|ing wrong
,
, ,
, , ,
I lose | your comp|any;| therefore | forbear |
awhile,
, , ,
. T T T
There's some|thing tells | me (but | it is not
love) (hex with prev)
,
, , ,
,
I would | not lose | you, and | you know |
yourself,
T T T
, ,
, 2
Hate counsels | not in | such a | quality;
??
,
, , ,
,
But lest | you should | not und|erstand | me
well,
,
x T T T
,
And yet | a maiden | hath no tongue,| but
thought,
, ,
, ,
,
I would | detain | you here | some month | or two
x ,
, , ,
Before you | venture | for me.| I could | teach
you
T . T
T , ,
,
How to choose right,| but I | am then | forsworn,
, 2
, ,
, ,
So will I | never | be, so | may you | miss me,
,
, , ,
,
But if | you do,| you'll make | me wish | a sin,
,
, , ,
,
That I | had been | forsworn:| Beshrew | your
eyes,
,
, ,
, ,
They have / orelooked | me and | divid|ed me,
T T . T
, , ,
___
One half of me | is yours,| the oth|er half |
yours,
,
, , ,
,
Mine own | I would / say: but | if mine | then
yours,
, T T
T ,
,
And so | all yours; O | these^naught|y times
T T . T
, , ,
Put bars between | the own|ers and |
their^rights.
, T
T T T T .
T
And so | though yours, not | yours (Prove it so)
, ,
, , ,
Let* fort|une go | to hell | for it,| not I.
,
, , ,
,
I speak | too* long,| but 'tis | to peize | the
time,
,
, ,
, ,
To eke | it, and | to draw | it out | in length,
,
, ,
To stay | you from | elec|tion.
BASSANIO
, ,
Let | me choose,
,
, , ,
,
For as | I am,| I live | upon | the rack.
PORTIA
, ,
, 2 , ,
Upon | the rack | Bassan|io, then | confess
,
, ,
, ,
What treas|on there | is ming|led with | your
love.
BASSANIO
,
, ,
, ,
None but | that ug|ly treas|on of / mistrust,
, ,
2 , ,
,
Which makes | me fear | the enjoy|ing of | my
love:
,
, , ,
,
There may | as well | be am|ity | and life,
T T . T
, ,
,
'Tween snow and fire,| as treas|on and | my love.
PORTIA
,
, , ,
,
Aye, but | I fear | you speak | upon | the rack,
,
, T T T
,
Where men | enforced | do speak an|ything.
BASSANIO
,
, , ,
,
Promise | me life,| and I'll | confess | the
truth.
PORTIA
,
, ,
Well then,| confess | and live.
BASSANIO
, ,
Confess | and love
,
, , ,
, ->
Had been | the ve|ry sum | of my | confes||sion:
, ,
, ,
, 2
O | happy | torment,| when my | torturer
,
, ,
, ,
Doth^teach | me ans|wers for | deliv|erance:
,
, , ,
2 ,
But let | me to | my fort|une and the | caskets.
PORTIA
, ,
, ,
,
Away | then, I | am locked | in one | of them,
,
, ,
, ,
If you | do love | me, you | will find | me out.
,
, , ,
,
Neris|sa and | the rest,| stand^all | aloof,
,
, , ,
,
Let mus|ic sound | while he | doth make | his
choice,
,
, , . T
T T
Then if | he lose | he makes | a swan-like end,
, ,
, 2 , ,
Fading | in mus|ic. That | the compar|ison
,
x ,
, ,
May stand | more proper,| my eye | shall be | the
stream
, 2
, ,
, ,
And wat|ery death-|bed for | him: he / may win;
,
, , ,
,
And what | is mus|ic then?| Then mus|ic is
x ,
, , ,
Even as | the flour|ish, when / true sub|jects
bow
, ,
, , ,
To a / new-crow|ned mon|arch: such | it is,
,
, ,
, ,
As are | those dul|cet sounds | in break | of
day,
,
, 2 , T
T T
That creep | into the | dreaming | bridegroom's
ear,
, ,
, , ,
And sum|mon him | to mar|riage. Now | he goes
,
, ,
, ,
With no | less^pres|ence, but | with much | more*
love
,
, ,
, ,
Than young | Alci|des, when | he did | redeem
, ,
, ,
,
The vir|gin trib|ute, paid | by howl|ing Troy
2 , ,
, , ,
To the sea-|monster:| I stand | for sac|rifice,
,
, , ,
2 ,
The rest | aloof | are the | Dardan|ian wives:
,
, , ,
,
With blear|ed vis|ages / come forth | to view
,
2 , ,
, ,
The is|sue of the / exploit:| Go* Herc|ules,
T T T
, ,
,
Live thou, I | live with | much more*| dismay
,
, , ,
,
I view | the fight,| than thou | that makst | the
fray.
[Music, whilst BASSANIO comments on the caskets to himself]
SONG.
,
, ,
__
Tell me | where is | fancy | bred,
,
, ,
,
Or in | the heart,| or in | the head:
, ,
, __
How be|got, how | nourish|ed.
, oo
, oo
Reply,| | reply.|
,
, ,
,
It is | engend|ered in | the eyes,
,
, , ,
With gaz|ing fed,| and fan|cy dies,
,
, ,
__
In the | cradle | where it | lies:
,
T T T ,
Let us | all ring fan|cy's knell
, ,
I'll be|gin it.
T T T
Ding, dong, bell.
T T
T
Ding, dong, bell.
BASSANIO
,
, ,
, ,
So may*| the out|ward shows | be least |
themselves
,
, , ,
,
The world | is still | deceived | with orn|ament.
, ,
, ,
,
In law,| what plea | so taint|ed and | corrupt,
,
, ,
, ,
But be|ing seas|oned with | a grac|ious voice,
,
, x
, ,
Obscures | the show | of evil?| In re|ligion,
,
, , ,
,
What damn|ed er|ror, but | some sob|er brow
,
, , ,
,
Will bless | it, and | approve | it with | a
text,
, ,
, , ,
Hiding | the gross|ness with / fair orn|ament:
,
, ,
, ,
There is | no vice | so simp|le, but | assumes
T T .
T , ,
,
Some mark of vir|tue on | his out|ward parts;
, 2 ,
, ,
,
How many | cowards,| whose^hearts | are all | as
false
,
, , ,
,
As stairs | of sand,| wear yet | upon | their
chins
,
, , ,
,
The beards | of Her|cules | and frown|ing Mars,
, ,
, ,
,
Who in|ward searched,| have liv|ers white | as
milk,
,
, ,
, ,
And these | assume | but val|or's ex|crement
, ,
, , ,
2->
To rend|er them | redoubt|ed. Look | on beaut||y,
,
, , , ,
And you | shall see |'tis purch|ased by | the
weight,
T Tx
T , , ,
->
Which therein works | a mir|acle | in nat||ure,
, 2
, , , ,
Mak|ing them light|est that | wear most / of it:
,
, ,
, ,
So are | those crisp|ed snak|y gold|en locks
, , ,
, ,
Which^make | such want|on gam|bols with | the
wind
,
, , ,
,
Upon | suppos|ed fair|ness, of|ten known
,
, , ,
,
To be | the dow|ry of | a sec|ond head,
,
, ,
, ,
The skull | that bred | them in | the sep|ulchre.
,
, , ,
,
Thus^orn|ament | is but | the guil|ed shore
,
, 2 , ,
,
To a / most dang|erous sea:| the beaut|eous scarf
,
, 2 ,
, ,
Veiling | an Ind|ian beaut|y; in | a word,
,
, , ,
,
The seem|ing truth | which cun|ning times |
put^on
2 ,
x , ,
,
To entrap | the wisest.| Therefore,| thou gaud|y
gold,
T T .
T ,
, ,
Hard food for Mid|as, I | will none | of thee,
,
, , ,
,
Nor none | of thee | thou pale | and com|mon
drudge
T T
. T , ,
,
'Tween man and man:| but thou,| thou meag|er lead
, x
, , ,
Which rath|er threate|nest than | dost prom|ise
aught,
,
, , ,
,
Thy pale|ness moves | me more | than el|oquence,
,
, , ,
,
And here | choose^I,| joy be | the con|sequence.
PORTIA
,
, , ,
,
How all | the oth|er pass|ions fleet | to air,
,
, ,
, ,
As doubt|ful thoughts,| and rash-|embraced |
despair:
,
2 , . T
T T ,
And shud|dering fear,| and green-eyed jeal|ousy.
, ,
2 , 2 , ,
O love | be mod|erate, al|lay thy ecs|tasy,
,
, ,
, ,
In meas|ure rein | thy joy,| scant this | excess.
,
, , ,
,
I feel | too much | thy bless|ing, make | it
less,
,
,
For fear | I sur|feit.
BASSANIO
, , __
What / find I | here?
,
, , , ,
Fair* Por|tia's count|erfeit.| What dem|i-god
,
, , ,
,
Hath come | so near | creat|ion? Move |
these^eyes?
,
, , ,
,
Or wheth|er rid|ing on | the balls | of mine
T T .
T , ,
,
Seem they in mot|ion? Here | are sev|ered lips
, ,
, , ,
Parted | with sug|ar breath,| so sweet | a bar
, , ,
, ,
Should sund|er such^/sweet friends:| Here in |
her hairs
,
, , ,
x
The pain|ter plays | the spid|er, and | hath
woven
,
, 2 , ,
,
A gold|en mesh | to entrap | the hearts | of men,
,
, ,
, ,
Faster | than gnats | in cob|webs: but | her
eyes,
, 2
, ,
, ,
How could he | see to | do them?| *Having / made
one,
,
, x .
T T T
Methinks | it should | have power | to steal both
his
,
x , ,
,
And leave | itself un|furnished:| Yet look | how
far
, ,
, , ,
2->
The sub|stance of | my praise | doth wrong | this
shad||ow
, ,
2 , ,
,
In und|erpriz|ing it, so | far this | shadow
,
, , ,
,
Doth limp | behind | the sub|stance. Here's | the
scroll,
, x
, 2 , ,
The cont|inent, and | summary | of my | fortune.
, T
T T ,
You that | choose not by | the view
,
, ,
,
Chance as | fair, and | choose as | true:
,
, ,
___
Since this | fortune | falls to | you,
, ,
, ___
Be con|tent, and | seek no | new.
,
T T T
,
If you | be well pleased | with this,
,
, , ,
And hold | your fort|une for | your bliss,
,
, ,
__
Turn you | where your | lady | is,
,
, ,
,
And claim | her with | a lov|ing kiss.
x T
T T , ,
A gentle | scroll: Fair la|dy, by | your leave,
,
, , ,
,
I come | by note | to give,| and to | receive.
, ,
, , ,
Like^one | of two | contend|ing in | a prize
, , ,
, ,
That thinks | he hath | done well | in peop|le's
eyes:
,
, , ,
,
Hearing | applause | and un|ivers|al shout,
, x
, , ,
Giddy | in spirit,| still ga/zing in | a doubt
,
T T . T
, ,
Whether | these pearls of praise | be his | or
no,
. T
T T ,
, ,
So thrice fair la|dy stand | I ev|en so,
,
, , ,
,
As doubt|ful wheth|er what | I see | be true,
, ,
, ,
,
Until | confirmed,| signed, rat/ified | by you.
PORTIA
,
, , 2 ,
,
You see | my Lord | Bassan|io where | I stand,
,
, ,
, ,
Such^as | I am;| though for | myself | alone
,
, ,
, ,
I would | not be | ambit|ious in | my wish,
,
, , ,
,
To wish | myself | much bet|ter, yet | for you,
,
, ,
, ,
I would | be treb|led twen|ty times | myself,
,
, ,
, ,
A thous|and times | more* fair,| ten* thous|and
times
,
, 2 , ,
2 ,
More^rich,| that on|ly to stand | high in your |
account,
,
, , , ,
I might | in virt|ue, beaut|ies, liv|ings,
friends,
,
, , ,
,
Exceed | account:| but the / full sum | of me
,
, ,
, ,
Is sum | of noth|ing: which | to term | in gross,
2 , ,
, ,
,
Is an un|lessoned | girl, un|schooled,
un|practised,
, ,
, , ,
Happy | in this,| she is / not yet | so old
,
, , ,
__
But she | may learn:| happi|er than | this,
, , ,
, ,
She is / not bred | so dull | but she | can learn;
, ,
, 2 T Tx Tx
Happi|est of | all, is that | her gentle spirit
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Commits | itself | to yours | to be di|rected,
, , ,
, ,
As from | her lord,| her gov|ernor,| her king.
, ,
, , ,
Myself,| and what | is mine,| to you | and yours
,
, , , 2
,
Is now | convert|ed. But / now I | was the lord
2
, ,
, ,
,
Of this fair | mansion,| master | of my |
servants,
T T .
T ,
, ,
Queen ore myself:| and ev|en now,| but now,
,
, , ,
,
This house,| these^serv|ants, and | this same |
myself
,
, ,
, ,
Are yours,| my lord,| I give | them with | this
ring,
, , ,
, ,
Which when | you part | from, lose,| or give |
away,
,
, ,
, ,
Let it | presage | the ru|in of | your love,
,
, , ,
,
And be | my vant|age to | exclaim | on you.
BASSANIO
, ,
, , ,
Madam,| you have | bereft | me of / all words,
, ,
, ,
,
Only | my blood | speaks to | you in | my veins,
,
, ,
, x
And there | is such | confus|ion in | my powers,
,
, ,
, ,
As aft|er some | ora|tion fair|ly spoke
,
, , ,
,
By a | belov|ed prince,| there doth | appear
, ,
, , ,
Among | the buzz|ing pleas|ed mult|itude,
,
, x
, ,
Where eve|ry some|thing being | blent to|gether,
,
, , ,
,
Turns to | a wild | of noth|ing, save | of joy
,
, ,
, ,
Expressed,| and not | expressed:| But when / this
ring
,
, ,
, ,
Parts from | this fing|er, then | parts^life |
from hence,
,
, ,
, 2 ,
O then | be bold | to say | Bassan|io's dead.
NERISSA
,
, , , ,
My lord | and la|dy, it | is now | our time
2 ,
, ,
, ,
That have stood | by and | seen our | wishes |
prosper,
. T T T
, , , 2->
To cry good joy,| good^joy | my lord | and
la||dy.
GRATIANO
,
, 2 , x
,
My lord | Bassan|io, and | my gentle | lady,
,
, ,
, ,
I wish | you all | the joy | that you | can wish:
,
, ,
, ,
For I | am sure | you can / wish none | from me:
,
, ,
, ,
And when | your hon|ors mean | to sol|emnize
, ,
, ,
, ->
The barg|ain of | your faith:| I do | beseech ||
you
x 2
, ,
, ,
Even | at that time | I may | be mar|ried too.
BASSANIO
,
, , T T
. T
With all | my heart,| so thou | canst get a wife.
GRATIANO
,
, ,
, ,
I thank | your lord|ship, you | have got | me
one.
,
, , ,
,
My eyes | my lord | can look | as swift | as
yours:
,
, ,
, ,
You saw | the mist|ress, I | beheld | the maid:
,
, , ,
,
You loved,| I loved | for int|ermis|sion,
,
, ,
, ,
No more | pertains | to me | my lord | than you;
,
, , ,
,
Your fort|une stood | upon | the cask|et there,
,
, , ,
,
And so | did mine | too, as | the mat|ter falls:
,
, ,
, ,
For woo|ing here | until | I sweat | again,
,
2 , ,
, ,
And sweat|ing until | my ver|y roof | was dry
,
, ,
, ,
With oaths | of love,| at last,| if prom|ise
last,
,
, , ,
,
I got | a prom|ise of this // fair one here
,
, , ,
, 2->
To have | her love:| provid|ed that | your
fort||une
,
,
Achieved | her mist|ress.
PORTIA
, , ,
->
Is | this true | Neris||sa?
NERISSA
x 2 ,
, ,
,
Madam | it is so,| so you / stand pleased |
withal.
BASSANIO
,
, , , ,
And do | you Grat|ian|o mean | good^faith?
GRATIANO
___ , _,
Yes^faith | my lord. \\
BASSANIO
Our feast shall be much honored in your marriage.
GRATIANO
We'll play with them the first boy for a thousand ducats.
NERISSA
What and stake down?
GRATIANO
No, we shall nere win at that sport, and stake down.
. T T
T , ,
, ,
But^who comes here?| Loren|zo and | his in|fidel?
,
, ,
, , ,
What, and | my old | Venet|ian friend | Saler|io?
(hex with prev)
[Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, and SALERIO, a Messenger from Venice]
BASSANIO
, ,
2 , 2 ,
,
Loren|zo and Sa|lerio,| welcome | hither,
,
, , ,
,
If that | the youth | of my / new inte|rest here
x
, , ,
,
Have power | to bid | you wel|come: By | your
leave
,
, ,
, ,
I bid | my ver|y friends | and count|rymen
,
,
Sweet* Por|tia wel|come. \\
PORTIA
2 ,
, , 2 ,
,
So do I | my lord,| they are en|tirely | welcome.
LORENZO
,
, , ,
,
I thank | your hon|or; for / my part | my lord,
, ,
, ,
,
My pur|pose was | not to | have seen | you here,
,
, , 2 ,
,
But meet|ing with | Saler|io by | the way,
,
, , T Tx
T
He did | entreat | me past | all saying nay
,
, ,
To come | with him | along.
SALERIO
, ,
I did | my lord,
, ,
x , 2
, 2
And I | have reas|on for it,| Signior An|tonio
,
,
Commends | him to | you.
BASSANIO
, ,
x
Ere | I
ope | his letter
,
, , ,
,
I pray | you tell | me how | my good |
friend^doth.
SALERIO
,
, ,
, ,
Not* sick | my lord,| unless | it be | in mind,
,
, ,
, ,
Nor well,| unless | in mind:| his let|ter there
,
, ,
Will show | you his | estate. \\
GRATIANO
,
, , x
,
Neris|sa, cheer | yon^strang|er, bid her |
welcome.
,
, 2 , ,
x
Your hand | Saler|io, what's | the news | from
Venice?
,
x ,
, , 2
How doth | that royal | merchant | good An|tonio,
,
, , ,
,
I know | he will | be glad | of our | success,
,
, , ,
,
We are | the Jas|ons, we | have won | the fleece.
SALERIO
,
2 , ,
, ,
I would | you had won | the fleece | that he |
hath lost.
PORTIA
, 2
T T T .
T T Tx
There are some | shrewd contents | in yon same
paper,
, ,
, , 2
,
That steals | the col|or from | Bassan|io's
cheek,
,
T T T ,
2 ,
Some dear | friend dead, else | nothing | in the
world
, ,
, , ,
Could turn | so much | the cons|titu|tion
,
, , T T
. T
Of an|y cons|tant man.| What, worse and worse?
,
, 2 , ,
,
With leave | Bassan|io I | am half | yourself,
, 2 , ,
, , 2
And I must | freely | have the | half of |
anything
2
, ,
,
That this same | paper | brings you.
BASSANIO
, ,
O sweet | Portia,
,
, , , ,
Here are | a few | of the / unpleas|antst words
,
, ,
x ,
That ev|er blot|ted pap|er. Gentle | lady,
,
, , ,
,
When I | did first | impart | my love | to you,
,
, ,
, ,
I free|ly told | you all | the wealth | I had
,
, , ,
,
Ran in | my veins:| I was | a gent|leman,
,
, , ,
, ->
And then | I told | you true:| and yet | dear*
la||dy,
, 2 ,
, , ,
Rat|ing myself | at noth|ing, you | shall see
,
, , ,
, 2->
How much | I was | a brag|gart, when | I told ||
you
,
, , ,
, 2->
My state | was noth|ing, I | should then | have
told || you
,
, ,
, ,
That I | was worse | than noth|ing: for |
indeed
, ,
, , ,
I have | engaged | myself | to a / dear friend,
,
, , , ,
Engaged | my friend | to his / mere en|emy
,
, , 2 ,
,
To feed | my means.| Here is a | letter | lady,
,
, , ,
,
The pap|er as | the bod|y of | my friend,
,
, , ,
,
And eve|ry word | in it | a gap|ing wound
,
, , 2
, , 2
Issuing | life-blood./ But is it | true Sa|lerio,
, 2
, , T T T
Have all his | ventures | failed, What^|not one
hit,
,
, , , ,
From Tri|polis,| from Mex|ico | and Eng||land,
, ,
, ,
, 2
From | Lisbon,| Barba|ry, and | India?
. T T T
, , ,
And not one ves|sel scape | the dread|ful touch
,
, ,
Of merch|ant-mar|ring rocks?
SALERIO
T T . T
Not one my lord.
,
, ,
, ,
Besides,| it should | appear,| that if | he had
,
, ,
, ,
The pres|ent mon|ey to | discharge | the Jew,
, , ,
, ,
He would / not take | it: Nev|er did | I know
, ,
, ,
,
A creat|ure, that | did bear | the shape | of man
,
, ,
, ,
So keen | and greed|y to | confound | a man.
,
, ,
, ,
He plies | the duke | at morn|ing and | at night,
,
, , ,
,
And doth | impeach | the freed|om of | the state
, 2 ,
, ,
,
If they de|ny him | justice.| Twenty | merchants,
,
, , ,
,
The duke | himself,| and the | magnif|icoes
,
, , ,
x
Of great|est port | have all | persuad|ed with
him,
,
, , ,
2 ,
But none | can drive | him from | the env|ious
plea
,
, ,
, ,
Of for|feiture,| of just|ice, and | his bond.
JESSICA
,
, , ,
,
When I | was with | him, I | have heard | him
swear
,
, , ,
,
To Tub|al and | to Chus,| his count|rymen,
,
, ,
, 2 ,
That he | would rath|er have | Anton|io's flesh,
,
, , ,
,
Than twen|ty times | the val|ue of | the sum
,
, , ,
,
That he | did owe | him: and | I know | my lord,
,
, , x , , ->
If law,| author|ity,| and power | deny || not,
,
, ,
, 2
It / will go | hard with | poor An|tonio.
PORTIA
, ,
, 2 ,
,
Is it | your dear | friend that is | thus in |
trouble?
BASSANIO
,
, , ,
,
The dear|est friend | to me,| the kind|est man,
,
, , ,
x
The best-|condit|ioned, and | unwear|ied spirit
,
, , ,
,
In do|ing court|esies:| and one | in whom
,
, , ,
,
The anc|ient Rom|an hon|or more | appears
,
, , , ,
Than an|y that / draws breath | in It|aly.
PORTIA
,
, ,
What sum | owes he | the Jew? \\
BASSANIO
,
, ,
For me | three* thous|and duc|ats.
PORTIA
, ,
What,| no more?
,
, , ,
,
Pay him | six thous/and, and | deface | the bond:
,
, ,
, ,
Double | six thous/and, and | then treb|le that,
,
, , , ,
Before | a friend | of this | descrip|tion
, ,
, ,
,
Shall lose | a hair | through Bas|sani|o's fault.
, ,
, ,
,
First go / with me | to church,| and call | me
wife,
,
, , ,
,
And then | away | to Ven|ice to | your friend:
,
, , ,
,
For nev|er shall | you lie | by Port|ia's side
, , , ,
,
With an / unqui|et soul.| You shall | have gold
,
, , ,
, ,
To pay | the pet|ty debt | twenty times over.
????
,
, ,
T T . T
When it | is paid,| bring your | true friend
along,
,
, , , ,
My maid | Neris|sa, and my//self meantime
,
, , ,
,
Will live | as maids | and wid|ows; Come | away,
,
, , ,
,
For you | shall hence | upon | your wed|ding day:
, ,
, ,
,
Bid your | friends wel/come, show^|a mer|ry
cheer,
,
, ,
, ,
Since you | are dear | bought, I | will love |
you dear.
,
, ,
, ,
But let | me hear | the let|ter of | your friend.
BASSANIO
Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried, my creditors grow cruel, my
estate is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit, and since in paying it,
it is impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and I, if
I might but see you at my death: Notwithstanding, use your pleasure, if your
love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter.
PORTIA
,
, , ,
,
O love!| Dispatch | all bus/iness and | be gone.
BASSANIO
,
, ,
, ,
Since I | have your | good leave | to go | away,
,
, , ,
,
I will / make haste;| but till | I come | again,
,
, ,
, ,
No bed | shall ere | be guilt|y of | my stay,
,
, , ,
,
No rest | be int|erpos|er 'twixt | us twain.
[Exeunt]