[Venice]

Enter Bassanio with Shylock the Jew.

SHYLOCK:

Three thousand ducats,—well.

BASSANIO:

Ay, sir, for three months.

SHYLOCK:

For three months,—well.

BASSANIO:

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

SHYLOCK:

Antonio shall become bound,—well.

BASSANIO:

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

SHYLOCK:

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

BASSANIO:

Your answer to that.

SHYLOCK:

Antonio is a good man.

BASSANIO:

Have you heard any imputation 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.

BASSANIO:

Be assured you may.(25)

SHYLOCK:

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

BASSANIO:

If it please 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?

Enter Antonio.

BASSANIO:

This is Signior Antonio.(35)

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!

BASSANIO:

Shylock, do you hear?

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.

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?

SHYLOCK:

Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

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.

ANTONIO:

I do never use it.

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.

ANTONIO:

And what of him? did he take 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.

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?

SHYLOCK:

I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast:
But note me, signior.(95)

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!

SHYLOCK:

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

ANTONIO:

Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden 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?'

ANTONIO:

I am as like to call thee so again,
To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.(130)
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friends; (for when did friendship take
A breed for barren metal of his friend?)
But lend it rather to thine enemy;
Who, if he break, thou mayst with better face(135)
Exact the penalty.

SHYLOCK:

Why, look you, how you storm!
I would be friends with you, and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with,
Supply your present wants, and take no doit(140)
Of usance for my monies, and you'll not hear me:
This is kind I offer.

BASSANIO:

This were kindness.

SHYLOCK:

This kindness will I show:
Go with me to a notary, seal me there(145)
Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on such a day,
In such a place, such sum, or sums, as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound(150)
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.

ANTONIO:

Content, in faith; I'll seal to such a bond,
And say there is much kindness in the Jew.

BASSANIO:

You shall not seal to such a bond for me;(155)
I'll rather dwell in my necessity.

ANTONIO:

Why, fear not, man, I will not forfeit it;
Within these two months,—that's a month before
This bond expires,—I do expect return
Of thrice three times the value of this bond.(160)

SHYLOCK:

O father Abram, what these Christians are,
Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others! Pray you, tell me this;
If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture?(165)
A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man,
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
To buy his favour, I extend this friendship;
If he will take it, so; if not, adieu;(170)
And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not.

ANTONIO:

Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.

SHYLOCK:

Then meet me forthwith at the notary's;
Give him direction for this merry bond,
And I will go and purse the ducats straight;(175)
See to my house, left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave; and presently
I will be with you.

Exit.

ANTONIO:

Hie thee, gentle Jew.
This Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind.(180)

BASSANIO:

I like not fair terms and a villain's mind.

ANTONIO:

Come on; in this there can be no dismay,
My ships come home a month before the day.

Exeunt.