Scene VIII

[Venice]

Enter Salerio and Solanio.

SALERIO:

Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail;
With him is Gratiano gone along;
And in their ship, I am sure, Lorenzo is not.

SALERIO:

Why, man, I saw Bassanio sailing away;
Gratiano has gone along with him;
And I am sure Lorenzo is not on their ship.

SOLANIO:

The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the duke;
Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship.(5)

SOLANIO:

The villain Jew woke up the Duke with outcries.
The Duke went with him to search Bassanio's ship.

SALERIO:

He came too late, the ship was under sail:
But there the duke was given to understand,
That in a gondola were seen together
Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica;
Besides, Antonio certified the duke,(10)
They were not with Bassanio in his ship.

SALERIO:

He came too late, the ship was sailing away;
But there, the Duke was given to understand
That Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica
Were seen together in a gondola.
Besides, Antonio assured the Duke that
They were not with Bassanio in his ship.

SOLANIO:

I never heard a passion so confus'd,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable,
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:
My daughter!—O my ducats!—O my daughter!(15)
Fled with a Christian?—O my Christian ducats!—
Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter!
A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats,
Of double ducats, stol'n from me by my daughter!
And jewels; two stones, two rich and precious stones,(20)
Stol'n by my daughter!—Justice! find the girl!
She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats!

SOLANIO:

I never heard such confused anger,
So strange, outrageous, and so changeable,
The Jew barked like the dog in the streets.
“ My daughter! Oh, my dollars! Oh, my daughter!
Fled with a Christian! Oh, my Christian dollars!
Justice! The law! My dollars and my daughter!
A sealed bag, two sealed bags of dollars,
Of double dollars, stolen from me by my daughter!
And jewels! Two stones, two rich and precious stones,
Stolen by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl!
She has the stones on her and the dollars.”

SALERIO:

Why, all the boys in Venice follow him
Crying,—‘His stones, his daughter, and his ducats.’

SALERIO:

Why, all the boys in Venice followed him,
Crying, his stones, his daughter, and his dollars.

SOLANIO:

Let good Antonio look he keep his day,(25)
Or he shall pay for this.

SOLANIO:

Let good Antonio be careful about making his
Payment on time, or he shall pay for this.

SALERIO:

Marry, well remember'd:
I reason'd with a Frenchman yesterday,
Who told me,—in the narrow seas that part
The French and English, there miscarried(30)
A vessel of our country, richly fraught:
I thought upon Antonio when he told me,
And wish'd in silence that it were not his.

SALERIO:

Damn it, thanks for reminding me.
I was talking yesterday with a Frenchman,
Who told me that, in the narrow seas that part
The French and English, a vessel of our
Country, sank, loaded full with rich cargo.
I thought about Antonio when he told me,
And wished in silence that the ship wasn’t his.

SOLANIO:

You were best to tell Antonio what you hear;
Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him.(35)

SOLANIO:

You’d better tell Antonio what you heard; still, don’t tell
Him without warning because it may be too painful.

SALERIO:

A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.
I saw Bassanio and Antonio part:
Bassanio told him, he would make some speed
Of his return; he answer'd—Do not so,
Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio,(40)
But stay the very riping of the time;
And for the Jew's bond, which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of love:
Be merry; and employ your chiefest thoughts
To courtship, and such fair ostents of love,(45)
As shall conveniently become you there:
And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And, with affection wondrous sensible,
He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted.(50)

SALERIO:

A kinder gentleman does not walk on the earth.
I saw Bassanio and Antonio say goodbye:
Bassanio told him he would hurry back.
He answered 'Don’t hurry back;
Don’t be careless with business for my sake, Bassanio,
But wait until your plans are realized;
And for the Jew's promise to pay which he has from me,
Don’t let it enter your mind, thinking about love:
Be happy, and use your main thoughts
For courtship, and such beautiful shows of love
That may agree with you there.”
And even there, his eyes being big with tears,
Turning his face away, he put his hands behind him,
And with affection that was amazingly easy to feel,
He shook and shook Bassanio's hand, and they parted like that.

SOLANIO:

I think he only loves the world for him.
I pray thee, let us go and find him out,
And quicken his embraced heaviness,
With some delight or other.

SOLANIO:

I think Antonio only loves the world for him.
Please, let’s go and find out where he is,
And help burn up his tangled depression
With some delight or other.

SALERIO:

Do we so.(55)

SALERIO:

Let’s do it.

Exeunt.