Enter ANTONIO.

Bas. This is signior Antonio.

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
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.
If I can catch him once upon the hip,1

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,
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!

Bas.

Shylock, do you hear?

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

1 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 Antonio.

Your worship was the last man in our mouths.
Ant. Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow
By taking nor by giving of excess,

In allusion to the practice of wrestlers.

friend,

Yet, to supply the ripe wants 1 of my
I'll break a custom.-Is he yet possess'd,2
How much you would?

Shy.

Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

Ant. 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

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

Ant.

I do never use it.

Shy. When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's

sheep;

This Jacob from our holy Abraham was

(As his wise mother wrought in his behalf) The third possessor; ay, he was the third.

Ant. 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 compromised,
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
Between these woolly breeders in the act,
The skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands,
And, in the doing of the deed of kind,

• Wants which admit no farther delay.

? Informed.

He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes ;
Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time
Fall parti-color'd lambs, and those were Jacob's.
This was a way to thrive, and he was bless'd:
This thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

Ant. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served

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.

Ant.
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 falshood hath!

Shy. Three thousand ducats!-'tis a good round

sum.

Three months from twelve, then let me see the rate. Ant. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding to

you?

Shy. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft,

In the Rialto, you have rated me

About my monies and my usances.1

1

Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,

1 Usury.

For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.
You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,1
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 heard,
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,
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.'

Ant. 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 2 for barren metal of his friend?)
But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who if he break, thou mayst with better face

1 Coarse frock, or outward garment.

Interest money bred from the principal.

Exact the penalty.

Shy.

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

Of usance for my monies, and you'll not hear me. This is kind I offer.

Ant. This were 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 Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit Be nominated for an equal pound

Of

your fair flesh, to be cat off and taken

In what part of your body pleaseth me.

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

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

Ant. 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.

Shy. O father Abraham, 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?