Gratiano, at the Bar.
Duke.
What, is Anthonio here?
Anth.
Ready, so please your Grace.
Duke.
I'm sorry for thee; thou art come to answer
A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch
Uncapable of pity, void and empty
From any dram of mercy.
Anth.
I have heard,
Your Grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify
His rig'rous course; but since he stands obdurate,
And that no lawful means can carry me
Out of his envy's reach, I do oppose
My patience to his fury; and am arm'd
-- 452 --
To suffer, with a quietness of spirit,
The very tyranny and rage of his.
Duke.
Go one, and call the Jew into the Court.
Sal.
He's ready at the door: he comes, my lord.
Enter Shylock.
Duke.
Make room, and let him stand before our face.—
Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too,
That thou but lead'st this fashion of thy malice
To the last hour of act; and then 'tis thought,
Thou'lt shew thy mercy and remorse more strange,
Than is thy strange apparent9 note cruelty.
And, 1 notewhere thou now exact'st the penalty,
Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh,
Thou wilt not only lose the forfeiture,
But, touch'd with human gentleness and love,
Forgive a moiety of the principal;
Glancing an eye of pity on his losses,
That have of late so huddled on his back,
2 note
Enough to press a royal merchant down;
-- 453 --
And pluck commiseration of his state
From brassy bosoms, and rough hearts of flint;
From stubborn Turks and Tartars, never train'd
To offices of tender courtesie.
We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.
Shy.
I have possess'd your Grace of what I purpose.
And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn,
To have the due and forfeit of my bond.
If you deny it, let the danger light
Upon your charter, and your city's freedom!
You'll ask me, why I rather chuse to have
A weight of carrion flesh, than to receive
Three thousand ducats? I'll not answer that3 note
But say, it is my humour, is it answer'd?
What if my house be troubled with a rat,
And I be pleas'd to give ten thousand ducats
To have it baned? what, are you answer'd yet?
Some men there are, love not a gaping pig;
Some, that are mad, if they behold a cat;
And others, when the bag-pipe sings i' th' nose,
-- 454 --
Cannot contain their urine for affection;4 note
Master of passion, sways it to the mood
Of what it likes, or loaths. Now, for your answer:
As there is no firm reason to be render'd,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;
Why he, a harmless necessary cat;
5 note
Why he, a woollen bag-pipe; but of force
-- 455 --
Must yield to such inevitable shame,
As to offend, himself being offended;
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodg'd hate and a certain loathing
I bear Anthonio, that I follow thus
A losing suit against him. Are you answer'd?
Bass.
This is no answer thou unfeeling man,
T' excuse the current of thy cruelty.
Shy.
I am not bound to please thee with my answer.
Bass.
Do all men kill the thing they do not love?
Shy.
Hates any Man the thing he would not kill?
Bass.
Ev'ry offence is not a hate at first.
Shy.
What, would'st thou have a serpent sting thee twice?
Anth.
I pray you, think, you question with a Jew.
You may as well go stand upon the beach,
And bid the main flood 'bate his usual height.
You may as well use question with the wolf,
Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb.
You may as well forbid the mountain pines
To wag their high tops, and to make no noise,
When they are fretted with the gusts of heav'n.
You may as well do any thing most hard,
As seek to soften that, (than which what's harder!)
His Jewish heart. Therefore, I do beseech you,
Make no more offers, use no farther means;
But with all brief and plain conveniency
Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will.
-- 456 --
Bass.
For thy three thousand ducats here is six.
Shy.
If ev'ry ducat in six thousand ducats
Were in six parts, and ev'ry part a ducat,
I would not draw them, I would have my bond.
Duke.
How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none?
Shy.
What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?
You have among you many a purchas'd slave,6 note
Which, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish part,
Because you bought them. Shall I say to you,
Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?
Why sweat they under burdens? let their beds
Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates
Be season'd with such viands; you will answer,
The slaves are ours. So do I answer you.
The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,
Is dearly bought, 'tis mine, and I will have it.
If you deny me, fie upon your law!
There is no force in the decrees of Venice.
I stand for judgment. Answer; shall I have it?
Duke.
Upon my pow'r I may dismiss this Court,
Unless Bellario, a learned Doctor,7 note
Whom I have sent for to determine this,
Come here to day.
Sal.
My lord, here stays, without,
A messenger with letters from the Doctor,
New come from Padua.
Duke.
Bring us the letters, call the messenger.
-- 457 --
Bass.
Good cheer, Anthonio. What, man, courage yet—
The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all,
Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.
Anth.
I am a tainted weather 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.
Samuel Johnson [1765], The plays of William Shakespeare, in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added notes by Sam. Johnson (Printed for J. and R. Tonson [and] C. Corbet [etc.], London) [word count] [S11001].
