He, of all the men that ever my
     foolish102 eyes looked upon, was the best deserving a fair lady.

PORTIA   I remember him well, and I remember him worthy
     of thy praise.

Enter a Servingman

SERVANT   The four strangers105 seek you, madam, to take their
     leave. And there is a forerunner106 come from a fifth, the Prince
     of Morocco, who brings word the prince his master will be
     here tonight.

PORTIA   If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good heart as
     I can bid the other four farewell, I should be glad of his
     approach. If he have the condition111 of a saint and the
     complexion of a devil112, I had rather he should shrive me than
     wive113 me. Come, Nerissa.—Sirrah, go before; whiles

To the Servingman

     we shut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks

     at the door.

Exeunt

[Act 1 Scene 3]

running scene 3

Location: Venice

Enter Bassanio with Shylock the Jew

SHYLOCK   Three thousand ducats1, well.

BASSANIO   Ay, sir, for three months.

SHYLOCK   For three months, well.

BASSANIO   For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be
     bound5.

SHYLOCK   Antonio shall become bound, well.

BASSANIO   May you stead7 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   Antonio is a good man.

BASSANIO   Have you heard any imputation13 to the contrary?

SHYLOCK   Ho, no, no, no, no! My meaning in saying he is a
     good man is to have you understand me that he is sufficient15.
     Yet his means are in supposition16: he hath an argosy bound to
     Tripolis17, another to the Indies, I understand moreover, upon
     the Rialto18, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England,
     and other ventures he hath squandered19 abroad. But ships are
     but boards, sailors but men. There be land-rats and water-
     rats, water-thieves and land-thieves—I mean pirates21—and
     then there is the peril of waters, winds and rocks. The man is,
     notwithstanding23, sufficient. Three thousand ducats. I think I
     may take his bond.

BASSANIO   Be assured you may.

SHYLOCK   I will be assured26 I may. And that I may be assured, I
     will bethink me27. May I speak with Antonio?

BASSANIO   If it please you to dine with us.

SHYLOCK   Yes, to smell pork, to eat of the habitation29 which
     your prophet the Nazarite30 conjured the devil into. I will buy
     with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so
     following32, 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   This is Signior Antonio.

SHYLOCK   How like a fawning publican36 he looks!

Aside

     I hate him for he is a Christian,
     But more, for that in low simplicity38
     He lends out money gratis39 and brings down
     The rate of usance40 here with us in Venice.
     If I can catch him once upon the hip41,
     I will feed fat42 the ancient grudge I bear him.
     He hates our sacred nation43, and he rails—
     Even there where merchants most do congregate44—
     On me, my bargains and my well-won thrift45,
     Which he calls interest. Cursèd be my tribe46,
     If I forgive him!

BASSANIO   Shylock, do you hear?

SHYLOCK   I am debating of my present store49,
     And by the near guess of my memory,
     I cannot instantly raise up the gross51
     Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?
     Tubal53, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
     Will furnish54 me; but soft! How many months
     Do you desire?—Rest you fair55, good signior.

To Antonio

     Your worship was the last man in our mouths56.

ANTONIO   Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow
     By taking nor by giving of excess58,
     Yet to supply the ripe wants59 of my friend,
     I’ll break a custom.—Is he yet possessed60

To Bassanio

     How much ye would61?

SHYLOCK   Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

ANTONIO   And for three months.

SHYLOCK   I had forgot—three months—you told me so.
     Well then, your bond65. And let me see, but hear you,
     Methoughts you said you neither lend nor borrow
     Upon advantage67.

ANTONIO   I do never use68 it.

SHYLOCK   When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban’s sheep69—
     This Jacob from70 our holy Abram was,
     As his wise mother wrought71 in his behalf,
     The third possessor72; ay, he was the third—

ANTONIO   And what of him? Did he take interest?

SHYLOCK   No, not take interest, not, as you would say,
     Directly interest. Mark75 what Jacob did:
     When Laban and himself were compromised76
     That all the eanlings77 which were streaked and pied
     Should fall as78 Jacob’s hire, the ewes, being rank,
     In end of autumn turnèd to the rams,
     And, when the work of generation80 was
     Between these woolly breeders in the act,
     The skilful shepherd peeled me certain wands82,
     And in the doing of the deed of kind83,
     He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes84,
     Who then conceiving, did in eaning85 time
     Fall86 parti-coloured lambs, and those were Jacob’s.
     This was a way to thrive87, and he was blest:
     And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

ANTONIO   This was a venture89, sir, that Jacob served for,
     A thing not in his power to bring to pass,
     But swayed and fashioned91 by the hand of heaven.
     Was this inserted92 to make interest good?
     Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?

SHYLOCK   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
     Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
     A goodly100 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   Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding104 to you?

SHYLOCK   Signior Antonio, many a time and oft
     In the Rialto you have rated106 me
     About my moneys and my usances.
     Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,
     For sufferance109 is the badge of all our tribe.
     You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
     And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine111,
     And all for use112 of that which is mine own.
     Well then, it now appears you need my help.
     Go to114, then. You come to me and you say
     ‘Shylock, we would have moneys’—you say so,
     You that did void116 your rheum upon my beard,
     And foot117 me as you spurn a stranger cur
     Over your threshold. Moneys is your suit118.
     What should I say to you? Should I not say,
     ‘Hath a dog money? Is it possible
     A cur should lend three thousand ducats?’ Or
     Shall I bend low and in a bondman’s key122,
     With bated123 breath and whisp’ring humbleness,
     Say this: ‘Fair sir, you spat on me on Wednesday last;
     You spurned me such a day; another time
     You called me dog, and for these courtesies
     I’ll lend you thus much moneys’?

ANTONIO   I am as like128 to call thee so again,
     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 of barren metal132 of his friend?
     But lend it rather to thine enemy,
     Who, if he break134, thou mayst with better face
     Exact the penalties.

SHYLOCK   Why, look you how you storm!
     I would be friends with you and have your love,
     Forget the shames that you have stained me with,
     Supply your present wants and take no doit139
     Of usance for my moneys, and you’ll not hear me:
     This is kind141 I offer.

BASSANIO   This were142 kindness.

SHYLOCK   This kindness will I show:
     Go with me to a notary144, seal me there
     Your single145 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
     Expressed in the condition148, let the forfeit
     Be nominated for149 an equal pound
     Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
     In what part of your body it pleaseth me.

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

BASSANIO   You shall not seal to such a bond for me.
     I’ll rather dwell155 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
     Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

SHYLOCK   O father Abram, what these Christians are,
     Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect161
     The thoughts of others! Pray you tell me this:
     If he should break his day163, what should I gain
     By the exaction164 of the forfeiture?
     A pound of man’s flesh taken from a man
     Is not so estimable166, profitable neither,
     As flesh of muttons, beefs or goats. I say
     To buy his favour, I extend this friendship:
     If he will take it, so169, 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 forthwith172 at the notary’s,
     Give him direction173 for this merry bond,
     And I will go and purse174 the ducats straight,
     See175 to my house, left in the fearful guard
     Of an unthrifty176 knave, and presently
     I’ll be with you.

ANTONIO   Hie178 thee, gentle Jew.

Exit

     This Hebrew will turn Christian, he grows kind179.

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

Act 2 [Scene 1]

running scene 4

Location: Belmont

Enter Morocco, a tawny Moor, all in white, and three or four followers accordingly, with Portia, Nerissa and their train. Flourish cornets

MOROCCO   Mislike me not for my complexion,
     The shadowed livery2 of the burnished sun,
     To whom I am a neighbour and near bred3.
     Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
     Where Phoebus5’ fire scarce thaws the icicles,
     And let us make incision6 for your love,
     To prove whose blood is reddest7, his or mine.
     I tell thee, lady, this aspect8 of mine
     Hath feared9 the valiant. By my love I swear,
     The best-regarded virgins of our clime10
     Have loved it too: I would not change this hue11,
     Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen.

PORTIA   In terms of choice I am not solely led
     By nice14 direction of a maiden’s eyes.
     Besides, the lott’ry of my destiny
     Bars me the right of voluntary choosing.
     But if my father had not scanted17 me,
     And hedged18 me by his wit to yield myself
     His19 wife who wins me by that means I told you,
     Yourself, renownèd prince, then20 stood as fair
     As any comer I have looked on yet
     For22 my affection.

MOROCCO   Even for that I thank you:
     Therefore, I pray you lead me to the caskets
     To try my fortune. By this scimitar25
     That slew the Sophy26 and a Persian prince
     That won three fields27 of Sultan Solyman,
     I would o’erstare28 the sternest eyes that look,
     Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth,
     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 Hercules33 and Lichas play at dice
     Which is the better man, the greater throw
     May turn by fortune from the weaker hand:
     So is Alcides36 beaten by his page,
     And so may I, blind fortune leading me,
     Miss that which one unworthier may attain,
     And die with grieving.

PORTIA   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 advised44.

MOROCCO   Nor will not45. Come, bring me unto my chance.

PORTIA   First, forward to the temple. After dinner
     Your hazard47 shall be made.

MOROCCO   Good fortune then!
     To make me blest or cursed’st among men.

Cornets [and] exeunt

[Act 2 Scene 2]

running scene 5

Location: Venice

Enter the Clown [Lancelet] alone

LANCELET   Certainly my conscience will serve1 me to run from
     this Jew my master. The fiend is at mine elbow and tempts me,
     saying to me, ‘Gobbo3, Lancelet Gobbo, good Lancelet’, or
     ‘Good Gobbo’, or ‘Good Lancelet Gobbo, use your legs, take the
     start5, run away.’ My conscience says, ‘No; take heed, honest
     Lancelet, take heed, honest Gobbo’, or, as aforesaid, ‘Honest
     Lancelet Gobbo, do not run, scorn running with thy heels7.’
     Well, the most courageous8 fiend bids me pack: ‘Fia!’ says the
     fiend, ‘Away!’ says the fiend, ‘For the heavens9, rouse up a brave
     mind’, says the fiend, ‘and run.’ Well, my conscience, hanging
     about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me, ‘My honest
     friend Lancelet, being an honest12 man’s son’, or rather an
     honest woman’s son—for indeed my father did something13
     smack14, something grow to, he had a kind of taste—well, my
     conscience says ‘Lancelet, budge not.’ ‘Budge’, says the fiend.
     ‘Budge not’, says my conscience. ‘Conscience,’ say I, ‘you
     counsel well.’ ‘Fiend,’ say I, ‘you counsel well.’ To be ruled by
     my conscience, I should stay with the Jew my master, who,
     God bless the mark19, is a kind of devil; and to run away from the
     Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence20,
     is the devil himself. Certainly the Jew is the very devil
     incarnation22, and in my conscience, my conscience is a kind of
     hard conscience to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew; the
     fiend gives the more friendly counsel. I will run, fiend.