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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
THE MERCHANT OF
VENICE
William Shakespeare
1597
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
THE DUKE OF VENICE THE PRINCE OF MOROCCO； suitor to
Portia THE PRINCE OF ARRAGON； 〃 〃 〃 ANTONIO； a merchant of
Venice BASSANIO； his friend； suitor to Portia SOLANIO； friend to
Antonio and Bassanio SALERIO； 〃 〃 〃 〃 〃 GRATIANO； 〃 〃 〃 〃 〃
LORENZO； in love with Jessica SHYLOCK； a rich Jew TUBAL； a Jew；
his friend LAUNCELOT GOBBO； a clown； servant to Shylock OLD
GOBBO； father to Launcelot LEONARDO； servant to Bassanio
BALTHASAR； servant to Portia STEPHANO； 〃 〃 〃
PORTIA； a rich heiress NERISSA； her waiting…maid JESSICA；
daughter to Shylock
Magnificoes of Venice； Officers of the Court of Justice； Gaoler；
Servants； and other Attendants
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
ACT I。
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
SCENE I。 Venice。 A street
Enter ANTONIO； SALERIO； and SOLANIO
ANTONIO。 In sooth； I know not why I am so sad。 It wearies me； you
say it wearies you； But how I caught it； found it； or came by it； What stuff
'tis made of； whereof it is born； I am to learn； And such a want…wit sadness
makes of me That I have much ado to know myself。 SALERIO。 Your mind
is tossing on the ocean； There where your argosies； with portly sail… Like
signiors 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。 SOLANIO。
Believe me； sir； had I such venture forth； The better part of my affections
would Be with my hopes abroad。 I should be still Plucking the grass to
know where sits the wind； Peering in maps for ports； and piers； and roads；
And every object that might make me fear Misfortune to my ventures； out
of doubt； Would make me sad。 SALERIO。 My wind； cooling my broth；
Would blow me to an ague when I thought What harm a wind too great
might do at sea。 I should not see the sandy hour…glass run But I should
think of shallows and of flats； And see my wealthy Andrew dock'd 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 vessel's 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 bechanc'd would make me sad？ But tell not me； I know
Antonio Is sad to think upon his merchandise。 ANTONIO。 Believe me； no；
I thank my fortune for it； My ventures are not in one bottom trusted； Nor
to one place； nor is my whole estate Upon the fortune of this present year；
Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad。 SOLANIO。 Why then you
are in love。 ANTONIO。 Fie； fie！ SOLANIO。 Not in love neither？ Then let
us say you are sad Because you are not merry； and '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 fram'd strange fellows in her time： Some
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
that will evermore peep through their eyes； And laugh like parrots at a
bag…piper； And other of such vinegar aspect That they'll not show their
teeth in way of smile Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable。
Enter BASSANIO； LORENZO； and GRATIANO
Here comes Bassanio； your most noble kinsman； Gratiano and
Lorenzo。 Fare ye well； We leave you now with better company。 SALERIO。
I would have stay'd till I had made you merry； If worthier friends had not
prevented me。 ANTONIO。 Your worth is very dear in my regard。 I take it
your own business calls on you； And you embrace th' occasion to depart。
SALERIO。 Good morrow； my good lords。 BASSANIO。 Good signiors
both； when shall we laugh？ Say when。 You grow exceeding strange； must
it be so？ SALERIO。 We'll make our leisures to attend on yours。 Exeunt
SALERIO and SOLANIO LORENZO。 My Lord Bassanio； since you have
found Antonio； We two will leave you； but at dinner…time； I pray you； have
in mind where we must meet。 BASSANIO。 I will not fail you。
GRATIANO。 You look not well； Signior Antonio； You have too much
respect upon the world； They lose it that do buy it with much care。 Believe
me； you are marvellously chang'd。 ANTONIO。 I hold the world but as the
world； Gratiano… A stage； where every man must play a part； And mine a
sad one。 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 wilful stillness
entertain； With purpose to be dress'd 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。 I'll 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； I'll end my exhortation after dinner。
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
LORENZO。 Well； we will leave you then till dinner…time。 I must be one of
these same dumb wise men； For Gratiano never lets me speak。
GRATIANO。 Well； keep me company but two years moe； Thou shalt not
know the sound of thine own tongue。 ANTONIO。 Fare you well； I'll grow
a talker for this gear。 GRATIANO。 Thanks； i' faith； for silence is only
commendable In a neat's tongue dried； and a maid not vendible。 Exeunt
GRATIANO and LORENZO ANTONIO。 Is that anything now？
BASSANIO。 Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing； more than any
man in all Venice。 His reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in； two
bushels of chaff： you shall seek all day ere you find them； and when you
have them they are not worth the search。 ANTONIO。 Well； tell me now
what lady is the same To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage； That you
to…day promis'd to tell me of？ 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 abridg'd 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 gag'd。 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。 ANTONIO。 I
pray you； good Bassanio； let me know it； And if it stand； as you yourself
still do； Within the eye of honour； be assur'd My purse； my person； my
extremest means； Lie all unlock'd to your occasions。 BASSANIO。 In my
school…days； when I had lost one shaft； I shot his fellow of the self…same
flight The self…same way； with more advised watch； To find the other forth；
and by adventuring both I oft found both。 I urge this childhood proof