When mercy seasons justice.

Therefore, Jew,

Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;

And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea,

Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.
Shylock. My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

Portia. Is he not able to discharge the money?
Bassanio. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court;
Yea, twice the sum. If that will not suffice,

I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,

On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart.
If this will not suffice, it must appear

That malice bears down truth. And I beseech you,

Wrest* once the law to your authority:

155

160

165

To do a great right, do a little wrong,

170

And curb this cruel devil of his will.

Portia. It must not be. There is no power in Venice Can alter a decree established:

"Twill be recorded for a precedent,

And many an error by the same example
Will rush into the state. It cannot be.

Shylock. A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel!

O wise young judge, how I do honor thee!

Portia. I pray you, let me look upon the bond.
Shylock. Here 'tis, most reverend doctor, here it is.
Portia. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offered thee.
Shylock. An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven.

155. that same prayer: that is, the petition "forgive us our debts," etc.

156. spoke, spoken,

158. which if thou follow: that is, if you persist in adhering to the law

of your plea. "Which" is the object of follow.

162. discharge the money: that is, the
money due, the debt.

168. truth, honor, honesty.
169. Wrest, turn aside.

175

180

Shall I lay perjury upon my soul?

No, not for Venice.

Portia.

Why, this bond is forfeit ;

183

And lawfully by this the Jew may claim

A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off
Nearest the merchant's heart.-Be merciful:
Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond.
Shylock. When it is paid according to the tenor.
It doth appear you are a worthy judge;
You know the law, your exposition

Hath been most sound: I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Proceed to judgment. By my soul I swear
There is no power in the tongue of man

To alter me: I stay here on my bond.

Antonio. Most heartily I do beseech the court To give the judgment.

Portia.

Why, then, thus it is:

You must prepare your bosom for his knife.

Shylock. O noble judge! O excellent young man! Portia. For the intent and purpose of the law Hath full relation to the penalty

Which here appeareth due upon the bond.

Shylock. 'Tis very true: O wise and upright judge!
How much more elder art thou than thy looks!
Portia. Therefore lay bare your bosom.
Shylock.

130

195

200

205

Ay, his breast:

212

So says the bond-doth it not, noble judge?-
"Nearest his heart:" those are the very words.
Portia. It is so. Are there balance here to weigh
The flesh?

Shylock. I have them ready.

Portia. Have by some surgeon,* Shylock, on your charge,

To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.

219

Shylock. Is it so nominated in the bond?
Portia. It is not so expressed; but what of that?
'Twere good you do so much for charity.

Shylock. I cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond.
Portia. You, merchant, have you anything to say?
Antonio. But little: I am armed and well prepared.—
Give me your hand, Bassanio. Fare you well!
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you;
For herein Fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom: it is still her use

To let the wretched man outlive his wealth,
To view with hollow eye and wrinkled brow

An age of poverty; from which lingering penance
Of such misery doth she cut me off.
Commend me to your honorable wife;
Tell her the process of Antonio's end;

220

225

230

Say how I loved you, speak me fair in death;
And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge
Whether Bassanio had not once a love.

Repent but you that you shall lose your friend,
And he repents not that he pays your debt;
For if the Jew do cut but deep enough,
I'll pay it presently with all my heart.

Bassanio. Antonio, I am married to a wife
Which is as dear to me as life itself;
But life itself, my wife, and all the world,

Are not with me esteemed above thy life:

I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all

Here to this devil, to deliver you.

Portia. Your wife would give you little thanks for that,

If she were by, to hear you make the offer.

Gratiano. I have a wife, whom, I protest, I love:

226. it is still her use, it is ever her 236. Repent but you: that is, if, only,

custom.

230: misery. Accent thus: misery. 233. speak me fair, speak well of me. 235. love, lover, dear friend; that is, Antonio himself.

you regret, etc.

239. presently, immediately.

241. Which for who. In Shakespeare's time, which was applicable to persons as well as to things.

235

240

345

I would she were in heaven, so she could

Entreat some power to change this currish Jew.

Nerissa. "Tis well you offer it behind her back; The wish would make else an unquiet house.

Shylock. [Aside] These be the Christian husbands. I have a

daughter;

Would any of the stock of Barrabas

Had been her husband rather than a Christian!—
[Aloud] We trifle time: I pray thee, pursue sentence !

The court awards it, and the law doth give it.
Shylock. Most rightful judge!

25c

255

Portia. A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine.

260

Portia. And you must cut this flesh from off his breast. The law allows it, and the court awards it.

Shylock. Most learned judge! A sentence! Come, prepare! Portia. Tarry a little; there is something else. This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood; The words expressly are "a pound of flesh :"

Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;

265

But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed

One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate

Unto the state of Venice.

Gratiano. O upright judge!—Mark, Jew :-O learned judge!
Shylock. Is that the law?
Portia.

270

Thyself shalt see the act:

275

For, as thou urgest justice, be assured

Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desirest.

Gratiano. O learned judge!-Mark, Jew:-a learned judge!
Shylock. I take this offer, then: pay the bond thrice

And let the Christian go.

Bassanio.

Here is the money.

280

Portia. Soft!

The Jew shall have all justice; soft!-no haste :—
He shall have nothing but the penalty.

Gratiano. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!
Portia. Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh.

285

270. confiscate, confiscated.

Shed thou no blood, nor cut thou less nor more
But just a pound of flesh. If thou cutt'st more
Or less than a just pound, be it but so much
As makes it light or heavy in the substance,
Or the division of the twentieth part

Of one poor scruple-nay, if the scale do turn
But in the estimation of a hair-

Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate.
Gratiano. A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew!
Now, infidel, I have you on the hip.

Portia. Why doth the Jew pause?-Take thy forfeiture.
Shylock. Give me my principal, and let me go.
Bassanio. I have it ready for thee; here it is.
Portia. He hath refused it in the open court:

He shall have merely justice and his bond.

Gratiano. A Daniel, still say I, a second Daniel! I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.

Shylock. Shall I not have barely my principal? Portia. Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.

Shylock. Why, then the devil give him good of it!

I'll stay no longer question.

The law hath yet another hold on you.

It is enacted in the laws of Venice,

If it be proved against an alien
That by direct or indirect attempts
He seek the life of any citizen,

The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive
Shall seize one half his goods; the other half
Comes to the privy coffer of the state;
And the offender's life lies in the mercy
Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice.
In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st;

288. a just pound, an exact pound.

289. in the substance, in the gross

weight.

295. on the hip. This expression is

taken from the language of wrestling; it indicates the mastery which one of the wrestlers has over the other.

290

295

300

305

310

315