Shy. What judgment shall I dread, doing n wrong?

You have among you many a purchased slave,
Which, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish parts,

Because you bought them.-Shall I say to you,
Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?
Why sweat they under burdens? let their beds
Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates
Be season'd with such viands? You will answer,
The slaves are ours.-So do I answer you :
The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,
Is dearly bought, 'tis mine, and I will have it.
If you deny me, fie upon your law!

There is no force in the decrees of Venice.

I stand for judgment: answer; shall I have it? Duke. Upon my power, I may dismiss this court Unless Bellario, a learned doctor,

Whom I have sent for to determine this,

Come here to-day.

Salar.

My lord, here stays without A messenger with letters from the doctor,

New come from Padua.

Duke. Bring us the letters: call the messenger. Bas. Good cheer, Antonio! What, man? coul

rage yet!

The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all,
Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.
Ant. I am a tainted wether of the flock,
Meetest for death: the weakest kind of fruit
Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me.

You cannot better be employ'd, Bassanio,
Than to live still, and write mine epitaph.

Enter NERISSA, dressed like a lawyer's clerk. Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario? Ner. From both, my lord: Bellario greets your [presents a letter. Bas. Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly? Shy. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there.

grace.

Gra. Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh
Jew,

Thou makest thy knife keen: but no metal can,
No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness
Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?
Shy. No, none that thou hast wit enough to
make.

Gra. O, be thou damn'd, inexorable dog!
And for thy life let justice be accused.
Thou almost makest me waver in my faith,
To hold opinion with Pythagoras,

That souls of animals infuse themselves
Into the trunks of men. Thy currish spirit
Govern'd a wolf, who, hang'd for human slaughter,
Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam,

Infused itself in thee; for thy desires

Are wolfish, bloody, starved, and ravenous.

Anger or malice.

Shy. Till thou canst rail the seal from off my

bond,

Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud.
Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall
To cureless ruin.-I stand here for law.

Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend
A young and learned doctor to our court.
Where is he?

Ner.

He attendeth here hard by,

To know your answer, whether you'll admit him. Duke. With all my heart :—some three or four of

you,

Go, give him courteous conduct to this place.—
Meantime, the court shall hear Bellario's letter.

:

[Clerk reads.] Your grace shall understand, that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very sick : but in the instant that your messenger came, in loving visitation was with me a young doctor of Rome; his name is Balthazar. I acquainted him with the cause in controversy between the Jew and Antonio the merchant: we turned o'er many books together he is furnished with my opinion; which, bettered with his own learning, (the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend) comes with him, at my importunity, to fill up your grace's request in my stead. I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend estimation; for I never knew so young a body with so old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance whose trial shall better publish his commendation.'

Duke. You hear the learn'd Bellario, what he

writes:

And here, I take it, is the doctor come.

Enter PORTIA, dressed like a doctor of laws.

Give me your hand. Came you from old Bellario? Por. I did, my lord.

Duke.

You are welcome: take your place. Are you acquainted with the difference

That holds this present question in the court?
Por. I am informed throughly of the cause.
Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew!
Duke. Antonio and old Shylock, both stand

forth.

Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy.

Shylock is my name.

Por. Of a strange nature is the suit you follow ; Yet in such rule, that the Venetian law Cannot impugn you, as you do proceed.You stand within his danger,1 do you not?

Ant. Ay, so he says.

Por.

Ant. I do.

[to Antonio.

Do you confess the bond?

Por. Then must the Jew be merciful.

Shy. On what compulsion must I? tell me that. Por. The quality of mercy is not strain'd: It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven

1 Reach or control.

Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd;
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes :
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown :
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway:
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's,
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,—
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much,
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

Shy. My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,

The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

Por. Is he not able to discharge the money ? Bas. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court; Yea, twice the sum: if that will not suffice,

I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,
On forfeit of my hands, my head, my

If this will not suffice, it must appear

heart: