The Merchant of Venice

SALARINO
Your mind is tossing on the ocean,
There, where your argosies with portly sail,
Like signors and rich burghers on the flood
Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea
Do overpeer the petty traffickers
That curtsy to them, do them reverence
As they fly by them with their woven wings.
SALARINO
My wind cooling my broth
Would blow me to an ague when I thought
What harm a wind too great at sea might do.
I should not see the sandy hourglass run,
But I should think of shallows and of flats
And see my wealthy Andrew docked in sand,
Vailing her high top lower than her ribs
To kiss her burial. Should I go to church
And see the holy edifice of stone
And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks,
Which, touching but my gentle vessels side,
Would scatter all her spices on the stream,
Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks,
And, in a word, but even now worth this,
And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought
To think on this, and shall I lack the thought
That such a thing bechanced would make me sad?
But tell not me. I know Antonio
Is sad to think upon his merchandise.
SOLANIO
Not in love neither? Then let us say you are sad
Because you are not merryand twere as easy
For you to laugh and leap and say you are merry.
Because you are not sad. Now, by two-headed Janus,
Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time.
Some that will evermore peep through their eyes
And laugh like parrots at a bagpiper,
And other of such vinegar aspect
That theyll not show their teeth in way of smile
Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable.

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SALARINO
Youre worried about your ships. Your m
getting tossed around on the ocean wi
theyre fine. Theyre like huge parade
Theyre so big they look down on the s
which all have to bow and then get ou
ships fly like birds past those little boa

SALARINO
Id get scared every time I blew on my
thinking of how a strong wind could wi
Every time I glanced at the sand in an
imagine my ships wrecked on sandbar
dangerous rocks every time I went to c
the stones it was made of. If my ship b
rocks like that, its whole cargo of spice
dumped into the sea. All of its silk ship
sent flying into the roaring waters. In o
bankrupt. Who wouldnt get sad thinki
like that? Its obvious. Antonio is sad b
worried about his cargo.

SOLANIO
Youre not in love either? Fine, lets jus
because youre not in a good mood. Yo
just as easy for you to laugh and danc
youre in a good mood. You could just
Humans are so different. Some people
anything, and others are so grouchy th
crack a smile when they hear somethi
funny.

The Merchant of Venice

GRATIANO
Let me play the fool.
With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.
And let my liver rather heat with wine
Than my heart cool with mortifying groans.
Why should a man whose blood is warm within
Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster,
Sleep when he wakes, and creep into the jaundice
By being peevish? I tell thee what, Antonio
I love thee, and tis my love that speaks
There are a sort of men whose visages
Do cream and mantle like a standing pond,
And do a willful stillness entertain
With purpose to be dressed in an opinion
Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit,
As who should say, I am Sir Oracle,
And when I ope my lips, let no dog bark!
O my Antonio, I do know of these
That therefore only are reputed wise
For saying nothing, when I am very sure
If they should speak, would almost damn those ears
Which, hearing them, would call their brothers fools.
Ill tell thee more of this another time.
But fish not with this melancholy bait
For this fool gudgeon, this opinion.
Come, good Lorenzo.Fare ye well awhile.
Ill end my exhortation after dinner.
BASSANIO
'Tis not unknown to you, Antonio,
How much I have disabled mine estate,
By something showing a more swelling port
Than my faint means would grant continuance.
Nor do I now make moan to be abridged
From such a noble rate. But my chief care
Is to come fairly off from the great debts
Wherein my time something too prodigal
Hath left me gaged. To you, Antonio,
I owe the most in money and in love,
And from your love I have a warranty
To unburden all my plots and purposes
How to get clear of all the debts I owe.

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GRATIANO

Then Ill play the happy fool and get la

face. Id rather overload my liver with
my heart by denying myself fun. Why
man sit still like a statue? Why should
hes awake? Why should he get ulcers
all the time? I love you, and Im telling
care about you, Antoniothere are me
serious. Their faces never move or sho
like stagnant ponds covered with scum
and stern, and they think theyre wise
important and respectable. When they
everybody else should keep quiet, and
should stop barking. I know a lot of me
Antonio. The only reason theyre consi
because they dont say anything. Im s
opened their mouths, everyone would
they are. Ill talk to you more about th
In the meantime, cheer up. Dont go a
glum. Thats my opinion, but what do
Lets go, Lorenzo.Goodbye for now
lecture after dinner.

BASSANIO
Antonio, you know how bad my financ
lately. Ive been living way beyond my
me wrong, Im not complaining about
I just want to be honorable and pay off
piled up when I was living the high life
many people, and I owe most to you, A
money and gratitude. And because yo
know youll let me tell you my plan to

The Merchant of Venice

BASSANIO
In Belmont is a lady richly left,
And she is fair andfairer than that word
Of wondrous virtues. Sometimes from her eyes
I did receive fair speechless messages.
Her name is Portia, nothing undervalued
To Catos daughter, Brutus' Portia.
Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth,
For the four winds blow in from every coast
Renownd suitors, and her sunny locks
Hang on her temples like a golden fleece,
Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos' strand,
And many Jasons come in quest of her.
O my Antonio, had I but the means
To hold a rival place with one of them,
I have a mind presages me such thrift
That I should questionless be fortunate!
ANTONIO
Thou knowst that all my fortunes are at sea.
Neither have I money nor commodity
To raise a present sum. Therefore go forth,
Try what my credit can in Venice do
That shall be racked even to the uttermost
To furnish thee to Belmont, to fair Portia.
Go presently inquire, and so will I,
Where money is, and I no question make
To have it of my trust or for my sake.
SHYLOCK
Signor Antonio, many a time and oft
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, cutthroat dog,
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 moneys. You say so!
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard
And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold! Moneys is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say,
Hath a dog money? Is it possible

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BASSANIO
Theres a girl in Belmont whos inherit
of money, and shes beautiful andev
good person. I think she likes me. Som
expression on her face tells me she lik
is Portia. Shes as rich as that famous
Portia, the daughter of Cato and wife o
wealth is world-famous. Famous and im
have come in from all over the world t
The hair that hangs down on her foreh
calling every adventurer to Belmont lik
Antonio, if I only had enough money to
against those suitors, I know I could w

ANTONIO
You know right now all my moneys tie
thats still at sea. I cant give you the c
because I dont have it. But go ahead
to me on credit, as much credit as I ca
use all my lines of credit to help you g
Portia. Go see who will lend money, an
Im sure I can get something either as
as a personal favor.

SHYLOCK
Signor Antonio, youve often insulted m
business practices in the Rialto. I have
shrugged and put up with it because Je
suffering. You called me a heathen, a d
spit on my Jewish clothes. And all beca
money to make a profit. And now it loo
my help. All right then. You come to m
we need money. You say that!even
on my beard and kicked me like youd
out your front door. And now youre as
What can I tell you? Shouldnt I say, D
money? Is it possible for a mutt to lend
ducats? Or should I bend down low, a
and submissive voice say:
Sir, last Wednesday you spit on me. Y
this day, and another time you called

The Merchant of Venice

A cur can lend three thousand ducats? Or
Shall I bend low and in a bondmans key
With bated breath and whispering humbleness
Say this:
Fair sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last;
You spurned me such a day; another time
You called me dog'and for these courtesies
Ill lend you thus much moneys?

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of gratitude for these favors, Ill be hap

money?