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And that no lawful means can carry me
Out of his envy's* reach, I do oppose
My patience to his fury, and am armed
To suffer, with a quietness of spirit,
The very tyranny and rage of his.

Duke. Go one, and call the Jew into court.

Salerio. He is 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 show thy mercy and remorse* more strange
Than is thy strange apparent cruelty;
And where thou now exact'st the penalty,
Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh,
Thou wilt not only loose the forfeiture,
But, touched 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,
Enow to press a royal merchant down

And pluck commiseration of his state

From brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flint,

From stubborn Turks and Tartars, never trained
To offices of tender courtesy.

We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.

Shylock. I have possessed 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

II. his envy's reach: that is, the reach 30. royal, a complimentary term to in

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Upon your charter and your city's freedom.
You'll ask me, why I rather choose to have
A weight of carrion flesh than to receive
Three thousand ducats.
But, say it is my humor: is it answered?

I'll not answer that;

What if my house be troubled with a rat,
And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats

To have it baned?* What, are you answered yet?
Some men there are love not a gaping pig;
Some, that are mad if they behold a cat;

Some, when they hear the bagpipe: for affection,
Mistress of passion, sways it to the mood

Of what it likes or loathes. Now, for your answer:
As there is no firm reason to be renderéd,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;
Why he, a harmless necessary cat ;
Why he, a woollen bagpipe; but of force.
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 lodged hate and a certain loathing
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus

A losing suit against him. Are you answered?
Bassanio. This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,

T'excuse the current of thy cruelty.

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Shylock. Hates any man the thing he would not kill?

Shylock. I am not bound to please thee with my answers.
Bassanio. Do all men kill the things they do not love?

65

Bassanio. Every offence* is not a hate at first.

Shylock. What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?

44. But, say but suppose; humor, 54, 55, 56. he... he... he: one, an

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Antonio. I pray you, think you question with the 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 fretten with the gusts of heaven;
You may as well do anything most hard,

As seek to soften that-than which what's harder?—

Make no more offers, use no farther means,

His Jewish heart: therefore, I do beseech you,

But with all brief and plain conveniency

Let me have judgment and the Jew his will.

Bassanio. For thy three thousand ducats here is six.
Shylock. If every ducat in six thousand ducats

Were in six parts and every part a ducat,

I would not draw them-I would have my bond.

Duke. How shalt thou hope for mercy, rendering none?
Shylock. What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?

*

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 power I may dismiss this court, Unless Bellario, a learned doctor,

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Whom I have sent for to determine this,
Come here to-day.

70. think you question: that is, remember that you are arguing.

certain Polish monarch, might claim to be a king above grammar (rex super grammaticam). 77. fretten, fretted; that is, shaken. 83. judgment. The word is here used in its legal sense of sentence.

72. main flood, high tide; bate, abate. 76. to make no noise. As this phrase also is under the government of "forbid," it expresses just the opposite of what is meant, 95. Upon my power on my authori

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slip; but Shakespeare, like a 97. determine, decide.

90

95

Salerio.

My lord, here stays without

A messenger with letters from the doctor,
New come from Padua.

Duke. Bring us the letters; call the messenger.

Enter NERISSA, dressed like a lawyer's clerk.

Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario?
Nerissa. From both, my lord. Bellario greets your grace.
[Presenting a letter.

Bassanio. Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?
Shylock. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there.
Gratiano. Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh Jew,
Thou mak'st thy knife keen; but no metal can,
No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness
Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?

Shylock. No, none that thou hast wit* enough to make.

Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend A young and learned doctor to our court.

Where is he?

Nerissa.

He attendeth here hard by,

To know your answer, whether you'll admit him.
Duke. With all my heart. Some three or four of
Go give him courteous conduct to this place.

you

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105

110

115

II.

Enter PORTIA, dressed like a doctor of laws.

Give me your hand. Come you from old Bellario?

Portia. I did, my lord.

Duke.

120

You are welcome; take your place.

Are you acquainted with the difference

That holds this present question in the court?

107. sole... soul. Notice the play on

words.

109. hangman. The word is here used in a generic sense for execution

er.

III. wit, sense, sharpness.
115. attendeth, waits.

122, 123. the difference That holds, etc.:
the dispute that is the subject
of the present discussion.

Portia. I am informed throughly of the cause. Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew? Duke. Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth. Portia. Is your name Shylock?

Shylock.

Shylock is my name.

Portia. Of a strange nature is the suit you follow;

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Portia.

Then must the Jew be merciful.

Shylock. On what compulsion must I? Tell me that.
Portia. The quality of mercy is not strained,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath; it is twice blest-
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes;
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest it becomes.
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;

It is enthronéd in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's

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only to what is becoming, what | 140. twice blest, doubly blest.
might be expected. Shylock 144. shows, symbolizes.
adopts her words, but in a more 150. show, appear.

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