Scene I

[Venice]

Enter the Duke, the Magnificoes, Antonio, Bassanio, and Gratiano, [Salerio, and others]

DUKE:

What, is Antonio here?

DUKE:

What, is Antonio here?

ANTONIO:

Ready, so please your grace.

ANTONIO:

Ready, if it pleases your Grace.

DUKE:

I am sorry for thee; thou art come to answer
A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch
Uncapable of pity, void and empty(5)
From any dram of mercy.

DUKE:

I am sorry for you; you are here to answer
A rock-like opponent, an inhuman wretch,
Incapable of pity, void and empty
Of any ounce of mercy.

ANTONIO:

I have heard
Your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify
His rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate,
And that no lawful means can carry me(10)
Out of his envy's reach, I do oppose
My patience to his fury; and am arm'd
To suffer, with a quietness of spirit,
The very tyranny and rage of his.

ANTONIO:

I have heard
Your Grace has taken great pains to modify
His stubborn course; but since he stands solid,
And that no lawful means can carry me
Out of his envy's reach, I confront
His fury with my patience, and I am ready
To suffer the very tyranny and rage of his
With a quiet spirit.

DUKE:

Go one, and call the Jew into the court.(15)

DUKE:

Go, one of you, and call the Jew into the court.

SALERIO:

He is ready at the door: he comes, my lord.

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(20)
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,(25)
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,
Enough to press a royal merchant down,(30)
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 courtesy.
We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.(35)

DUKE:

Make room, and let him stand before us.
Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too,
That you only carry this kind of malice
To the very last hour of action; and then, it’s thought,
You'll show your mercy and remorse, more strangely
Than your strange apparent cruelty is;
And where you now exact the penalty,—
Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh,—
You will not only loose the default,
But, touched with human gentleness and love,
Forgive half of the borrowed amount,
Glancing with an eye of pity on his losses,
That have been so heaped on his back lately,
Enough to press a royal merchant down,
And get sympathy for his state
From brassy bosoms and rough hearts of stone,
From stubborn Turks and Tartars, never trained
To uses of tender courtesy.
We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.

SHYLOCK:

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.(40)
You'll ask me, why I rather choose to have
A weight of carrion flesh, than to receive
Three thousand ducats: I'll not answer that:
But, say, it is my humour. is it answer'd?
What, if my house be troubled with a rat(45)
And I be pleas'd to give ten thousand ducats
To have it ban'd? 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 bagpipe sings i' the nose,(50)
Cannot contain their urine: for affection,
Master 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 render'd,
Why he, cannot abide a gaping pig;(55)
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,(60)
More than a lodged hate, and a certain loathing,
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus
A losing suit against him. Are you answer'd?

SHYLOCK:

I have told your Grace of what I purpose,
And, by our holy Sabbath, I have sworn
To have the due and penalty of my promise to pay.
If you deny it, let the danger light
On your city charter and your city's freedom.
You ask me why I would rather choose to have
A weight of dead flesh than to receive
Three thousand dollars. I won’t answer that,
Only to say I feel like it: have I answered you?
What if a rat troubles my house,
And I am happy to give ten thousand dollars
To have it captured? What, aren’t you answered yet?
There are some men that don’t love a dead pig;
Some that are crazy if they see a cat;
And others, when they hear the song of the bagpipe,
Cannot hold their urine, because sympathy,
Mistress of passion, persuades passion to the mood
Of what it likes or hates. Now, for your answer:
As there is no firm reason to be given,
Why he can’t stand a dead pig;
Why he is afraid of a harmless, necessary cat;
Why he wets himself when he hears a wailing bagpipe,
Only that he must yield by force to such inevitable shame
As to offend, himself being offended;
So I can give no reason, nor will I,
More than I bear Antonio a deep-rooted hate
And a certain intense dislike, that I follow
A losing suit against him like this. Are you answered?

BASSANIO:

This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,
To excuse the current of thy cruelty.(65)

BASSANIO:

This is no answer, you unfeeling man,
To excuse the flowing of your cruelty.

SHYLOCK:

I am not bound to please thee with my answers.

SHYLOCK:

I am not required to please you with my answer.

BASSANIO:

Do all men kill the things they do not love?

BASSANIO:

Do all men kill the things they don’t love?

SHYLOCK:

Hates any man the thing he would not kill?

SHYLOCK:

Does any man hate the thing he wouldn’t kill?

BASSANIO:

Every offence is not a hate at first.

BASSANIO:

Every wrong is not a hate at first.

SHYLOCK:

What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?(70)

SHYLOCK:

What! Would you have a serpent sting you twice?

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;(75)
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?)(80)
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.

ANTONIO:

Please, if you think you question the Jew:
You may as well go stand on the beach,
And ask the main ocean to decrease his usual height;
You may as well use questions with the wolf,
Why he has made the mother sheep cry for the lamb;
You may as well forbid the mountain pines
To wag their high tops and to make no noise
When they are blown by the gusts of wind from the sky;
You may as well do anything almost as hard
As to seek to soften that—than what's harder?—
His Jewish heart: so, I beg you,
Make no more offers, use no farther means,
But with all brief and plain convenience.
Let me have judgment, and let the Jew have his default.

BASSANIO:

For thy three thousand ducats here is six.(85)

BASSANIO:

For your three thousand dollars, here are 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.

SHYLOCK:

If every dollar in six thousand dollars
Were in six parts, and every part a dollar,
I would not take them; I want my promise to pay.

DUKE:

How shalt thou hope for mercy, rendering none?

DUKE:

How shall you hope for mercy, giving none?

SHYLOCK:

What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?(90)
You have among you many a purchas'd slave,
Which, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish parts,
Because you bought them.—shall I say to you
Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?(95)
Why sweat they under burthens? 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,(100)
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?

SHYLOCK:

What judgment shall I dread, if I have done no wrong?
You have many purchased slaves among you,
Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules,
You use in low and in slavish ways,
Because you bought them; shall I say to you
“Let them be free, damn them to your heirs?”
Why do they sweat under burdens? Let their beds
Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates
Be seasoned with such rich meats? You will answer
“The slaves are ours.” So I answer you:
The pound of flesh which I demand of him
Is dearly bought; it’s mine, and I will have it.
If you deny me, damn your law!
There is no backbone in the laws of Venice.
I stand for judgment: answer; shall I have it?

DUKE:

Upon my power, I may dismiss this court,(105)
Unless Bellario, a learned doctor,
Whom I have sent for to determine this,
Come here to-day.

DUKE:

I may dismiss this court by my power,
Unless Bellario, a learned doctor,
Whom I have sent for to determine this,
Comes here today.

SALERIO:

My lord, here stays without,
A messenger with letters from the doctor,(110)
New come from Padua.

SALERIO:

My lord, There is a messenger waiting outside
With letters from the doctor,
Just now arrived from Padua.

DUKE:

Bring us the letters. Call the messenger.

DUKE:

Bring us the letters; call the messenger.

BASSANIO:

Good cheer, Antonio! What, man! courage yet!
The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all,
Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.(115)

BASSANIO:

Cheer up, Antonio! What, man, have courage still!
The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and everything,
Before you shall lose one drop of blood for me.

ANTONIO:

I am a tainted wether 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.(120)

ANTONIO:

I am a poisoned, castrated ram of the flock,
Most ready for death; the weakest kind of fruit
Drops first to the ground, and so let me.
You cannot be better employed, Bassanio,
Than to live on, and write my epitaph.

Enter Nerissa [disguised].

DUKE:

Came you, from Padua, from Bellario?

DUKE:

Did you come from Padua, from Bellario?

NERISSA:

From both, my lord: Bellario greets your grace.

NERISSA:

From both, my lord. Bellario send greetings to your Grace.

BASSANIO:

Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?

BASSANIO:

Why do you sharpen your knife so earnestly?