land, and other ventures he hath, squander'd abroad: But ships are but boards, sailors but men: there be land rats, and water rats, water thieves, and land 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.

Bass. Be assur'd, you may.

346

Shy. I will be assur'd, I may; and, that I may be assur'd,

I will bethink me: May I speak with Anthonio?
Bass. If it please you to dine with us.

350

Shy. Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into: I will buy 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 ANTHONIO.

Bass. This is signior Anthonio.

Shy. [Aside.] 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

360

The rate of usance here with us in Venice.

If I can catch him once upon the hip,

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.

He

He hates our sacred nation; and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,

On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift.
Which he calls interest: Cursed be my tribe,
If I forgive him t

370

Bass. Shylock, do you hear?

Shy. I am debating of my present store;
And, by the near guess of my memory,
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;

[To ΑNTH.

379

Your worship was the last man in our mouths.
Anth. 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,
How much you would ?

Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

Anth. And for three months.

Shy. I had forgot, -three months, you told me so.

Well then, your bond; and, let me see,

hear you;

But

Methoughts, you said, you neither lend, nor borrow, Upon advantage.

Anth. I do never use it.

390

Shy. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's

sheep,

D

This :

This Jacob from our holy Abraham was
(As his wise mother wrought in his behalf)
The third possessor; ay, he was the third.
Anth. And what of him? did he take interest ?
Shy. No, not take interest; not, as you would

say,

Directly interest: mark what Jacob did.
When Laban and himself were compromis'd,

That all the eanlings, which were streak'd, and

*py'd,

Should fall as Jacob's hire, the ewes, being rank,
In the end of autumn turned to the rams...

400

And when the work of generation was
Between these woolly breeders in the act,
The skilful shepherd peel'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
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.

410

Anth. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob serv'd

for;

A thing not in his power to bring to pass,

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?

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

Anth. 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:
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!

Shy. Three thousand ducats,- 'Tis a good round

sum.

Three months from twelve, then let me see the

rate.

Anth. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden to

you?

Shy. Signior Anthonio, many a time and oft In the Rialto you have rated me

About my monies, and my usances:

439

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,

And spit 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;
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,

A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or

Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,

449

With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness, Say this, Fair Sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;

You spurn'd me such a day; another time
You call'd me-dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much monies.

Anth. I am as like to call thee so again,
To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friends (for when did friendship take
A breed of barren metal of his friend?);

But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who if he break, thou may'st with better face
Exact the penalty.

450

Shy. Why, look you, how you storm? I would be friends with you, and have your 460

love,

Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with,
Supply your present wants, and take no doit
Of usance for my monies, and you'll not hear me ;
This is kind I offer.

Anth. This werè kindness.

Shy. This kindness will I show :

Go with me to a notary, seal me there
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

470

Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound

Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken

In what part of your body pleaseth me.

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

Bass.