Scene III

[Venice]

Enter Bassanio with Shylock the Jew.

SHYLOCK:

Three thousand ducats,—well.

SHYLOCK:

Three thousand dollars; right?

BASSANIO:

Ay, sir, for three months.

BASSANIO:

Yes, sir, for three months.

SHYLOCK:

For three months,—well.

SHYLOCK:

For three months; right?

BASSANIO:

For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be
bound.(5)

BASSANIO:

For which, as I told you, Antonio shall be obligated.

SHYLOCK:

Antonio shall become bound,—well.

SHYLOCK:

Antonio shall be obligated; right?

BASSANIO:

May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I
know your answer?

BASSANIO:

Will you help me? Will you make me happy? Can I know your
answer?

SHYLOCK:

Three thousand ducats, for three months, and Antonio
bound.(10)

SHYLOCK:

Three thousand dollars, for three months, and Antonio obligated.

BASSANIO:

Your answer to that.

BASSANIO:

Your answer to that.

SHYLOCK:

Antonio is a good man.

SHYLOCK:

Antonio is a good man.

BASSANIO:

Have you heard any imputation to the contrary?

BASSANIO:

Have you heard any suggestion 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 sufficient:(15)
Yet his means are in supposition: he hath an argosy
bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand moreover
upon the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for
England; and other ventures he hath, squander'd abroad. But
ships are but boards, sailors but men: there be land-rats and(20)
water-rats, land-thieves and water-thieves; I mean, pirates;
and then, there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks. The
man is, notwithstanding, sufficient;—three thousand ducats;
—I think I may take his bond.

SHYLOCK:

Hey, no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying he is a good man
is to have you understand me, that he is sufficiently credit-worthy,
yet his money is all tied up: he has a large merchant ship going to
Tripoli, another to the Indies; I understand, moreover, in the Marketplace,
he has a third to Mexico, a fourth to England, and other ventures he
has wasted abroad. But ships are only boards of wood, sailors only
men; there are land-rats and water rats, land-thieves and
water-thieves,—I mean pirates,—and then there is the peril of
waters, winds, and rocks. The man is, in spite of all this, sufficiently
credit worthy. Three thousand dollars - I think I may take his promise to pay.

BASSANIO:

Be assured you may.(25)

BASSANIO:

Be assured you may.

SHYLOCK:

I will be assured I may; and that I may be assured, I
will bethink me. May I speak with Antonio?

SHYLOCK:

I’ll be assured that I may; and, that I may be assured, I
will think it over. May I speak with Antonio?

BASSANIO:

If it please you to dine with us.

BASSANIO:

If it pleases you to dine with us.

SHYLOCK:

Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which your
prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into! I will buy(30)
with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and
so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you,
nor pray with you.—What news on the Rialto?—Who is he
comes here?

SHYLOCK:

Yes, to smell pork; to eat in the temple that your
prophet, the Nazarene, conjured the devil into. I’ll buy with
you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so
following; but I’ll not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray
with you. What’s the news in the Marketplace? Who’s coming here?

Enter Antonio.

BASSANIO:

This is Signior Antonio.(35)

BASSANIO:

This is Mr. Antonio.

SHYLOCK:

How like a fawning publican he looks!
I hate him for he is a Christian:
But more, for that, in low simplicity,
He lends out money gratis, and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.(40)
If I can catch him once upon the hip,
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our sacred nation; and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,(45)
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe
If I forgive him!

SHYLOCK:

He looks like a flattering tax collector!
I hate him because he is a Christian;
But more, because, in his low simplicity,
He lends out money free, and brings down
The rate of interest with us here in Venice.
If I can catch him once at a disadvantage,
I’ll feed the ancient grudge I bear him until it’s fat.
He hates our sacred nation; and he abuses me,
Even there where merchants congregate most of the time,
Insulting me, my bargains, and my well-won success,
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe of Israel
If I forgive him!

BASSANIO:

Shylock, do you hear?

BASSANIO:

Shylock, do you hear me?

SHYLOCK:

I am debating of my present store:
And, by the near guess of my memory,(50)
I cannot instantly raise up the gross
Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?
Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
Will furnish me. But soft: how many months
Do you desire?—Rest you fair, good signior:(55)
Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

SHYLOCK:

I am debating about my present monies,
And, by the nearest guess, I remember that
I cannot instantly raise up the whole sum
Of three thousand dollars. What about that?
Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
Will supply me. But wait! How many months
Do you want?

Relax, good sir;
We were just talking about you.

ANTONIO:

Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow,
By taking, nor by giving of excess,
Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend,
I'll break a custom:—Is he yet possess'd(60)
How much you would?

ANTONIO:

Shylock, although I don’t lend or borrow
By taking or by giving excess money,
Still, to supply the urgent wants of my friend,
I'll break a custom.

Does he know
How much you want?

SHYLOCK:

Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

SHYLOCK:

Yes, yes, three thousand dollars.

ANTONIO:

And for three months.

ANTONIO:

And for three months.

SHYLOCK:

I had forgot;—three months. You told me so.
Well then, your bond; and, let me see. but hear you:(65)
Methought you said, you neither lend nor borrow,
Upon advantage.

SHYLOCK:

I had forgotten; three months; you told me so.
Well then, your promise to pay; and, let me see. But listen,
I thought you said you don’t lend or borrow
By charging interest.

ANTONIO:

I do never use it.

ANTONIO:

I never charge interest.

SHYLOCK:

When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's sheep,
This Jacob from our holy Abram was(70)
(As his wise mother wrought in his behalf)
The third possessor; ay, he was the third.

SHYLOCK:

When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep,—
This Jacob was the son of our holy Abraham,
As his wise mother said he was,
The third possessor; yes, he was the third,—

ANTONIO:

And what of him? did he take interest?

ANTONIO:

And what about him? Did he charge interest?

SHYLOCK:

No, not take interest; not, as you would say,
Directly interest: mark what Jacob did.(75)
When Laban and himself were compromis'd
That all the eanlings which were streak'd and pied
Should fall, as Jacob's hire; the ewes, being rank,
In the end of autumn turned to the rams:
And when the work of generation was,(80)
Between these woolly breeders, in the act,
The skilful shepherd pill'd me certain wands,
And, in the doing of the deed of kind,
He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes;
Who, then conceiving, did in eaning-time(85)
Fall party-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's.
This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;
And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

SHYLOCK:

No, not charge interest; not, as you would say,
Directly charge interest; listen to what Jacob did.
When Laban and he agreed
That all the lambs which were streaked and multicolored
Should be given to Jacob, the ewes, being divided,
Were bred with the rams at the end of autumn;
And just when the rams and the ewes
Were in the act of procreation,
The skilful shepherd peeled certain sticks,
And, at the moment of mating,
He stuck them up before the fat ewes,
Who, then conceiving, did in lambing time
Gave birth to multicolored lambs, and those were Jacob's.
This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;
And good luck is blessing, if men don’t steal it.

ANTONIO:

This was a venture, sir, that Jacob serv'd for;
A thing not in his power to bring to pass,(90)
But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of Heaven.
Was this inserted to make interest good?
Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?

ANTONIO:

This was an enterprise, sir, that Jacob worked for;
A thing that was not in his power to bring to pass,
But swayed and fashioned by the hand of heaven.
Are you telling me this 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.(95)

SHYLOCK:

I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast as ewes and rams.
But listen to me, sir.

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 goodly apple rotten at the heart;(100)
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!

ANTONIO:

Pay attention, Bassanio,
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
An evil soul producing holy witness
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
A good apple rotten at the heart.
Oh,, what a good outside lying has!

SHYLOCK:

Three thousand ducats;—'tis a good round sum.
Three months from twelve, then let me see; the rate.

SHYLOCK:

Three thousand dollars; it’s a good round sum.
Three months from twelve; then let me see the rate.

ANTONIO:

Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden to you?

ANTONIO:

Well, Shylock, shall we be indebted to you?

SHYLOCK:

Signior Antonio, many a time and oft,(105)
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my moneys, and my usances:
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,
For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe:
You call me,—misbeliever, cut-throat dog,(110)
And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine,
And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears you need my help:
Go to then: you come to me, and you say,
Shylock, we would have monies; you say so;(115)
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me, as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold; monies is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say,
Hath a dog money? is it possible(120)
A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness,
Say this,—
'Fair sir, you spat on me on Wednesday last;(125)
You spurn'd me such a day; another time
You call'd me—dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much moneys?'

SHYLOCK:

Mr. Antonio, many times and often
In the Marketplace you have abused me
About my monies and my interest rates;
I still have taken it with a patient shrug,
Because suffering is the badge of all our tribe;
You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spat on my Jewish clothes,
And all because of using of that which is my own.
Well then, it now appears you need my help;
Come on, then; you come to me, and you say
“'Shylock, we would have money.” You say so:
You that spit on my beard,
And kick me as you spurn a strange dog
On your doorstep; money is what you ask for.
What should I say to you? Shouldn’t I say
“Has a dog got money? Is it possible
A dog can lend you three thousand dollars?” Or
Shall I bend low and, in a bondman's voice,
With soft breathing and whispering humbleness,
Say this:—
“Fair sir, you spit 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 money?”