PERSONS REPRESENTED. DUKE OF VENICE. PRINCE OF MOROCCO, PRINCE OF ARRAGON, Suitors to Portia. ANTONIO, the Merchant of Venice. BASSANIO, his Friend. SALANIO, SALARINO, Friends to Antonio and Bassanio. GRATIANO, LORENZO, in love with Jessica. SHYLOCK, a Jew. TUBAL, a Jew, his Friend. LAUNCELOT Gовво, a Clown, Servant to Shylock OLD GOBBO, Father to Launcelot. SALERIO, a Messenger from Venice BALTHAZAR, Servants to Portia. STEPHANO, S PORTIA, a rich Heiress. NERISSA, her Waiting-maid. Magnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Court of ants. SCENE,-Partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont, the Seat of Portia, on the Continent. MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT I. SCENE I-Venice. A Street. Enter ANTONIO, SALARINO, and SALANIO Ant. In sooth, I know not why I am so sad ; And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean; That curtsey to them, do them reverence, Salan. Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth, Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still I Salar. And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks? And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought Is sad to think upon his merchandise. Ant. 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. Ant. Fy, fy! Salan. Not in love neither? Then let's say, you are Because you are not merry: and 'twere as easy [sad, For you, to laugh, and leap, and say, you are merry, Because you are not sad. Now, by two-headed Janus, Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time: Some, that will evermore peep through their eyes, And laugh, like parrots, at a bag-piper; And other of such vinegar aspéct, That they'll not shew their teeth in way of smile, Enter BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO, Salan. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kins man, Gratiano, and Lorenzo: Fare you well; Salar. I would have staid till I had made you merry, If worthier friends had not prevented me. Ant. Your worth is very dear in my regard. Bass. Good signiors both, when shall we laugh? You grow exceeding strange: Must it be so? Salar. We'll make our leisures to attend on yours. [Exeunt Satarino and Salanio. Lor. 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. Bass. I will not fail you. Gra. You look not well, signior Antonio; Ant. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; Gra. Than my heart cool with mortifying groans. Sleep, when he wakes? and creep into the jaundice For saying nothing; who, I am very sure, If they should speak, would almost damn those ears, B Come, good Lorenzo:-Fare ye well, a while; Lor. 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. Gra. Well, keep me company but two years more, Thou shalt not know the sound of thine own tongue. Ant. Farewell: I'll grow a talker for this gear. Gra. Thanks, i'faith; for silence is only commendable In a neat's tongue dried, and a maid not vendible. [Exeunt Gratiano and Lorenzo. Ant. Is that any thing now? Bass. 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. Ant. Well; tell me now, what lady is this same, Bass. 'Tis not unknown to you, Antonio, Ant. I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it; Within the eye of honour, be assured, My purse, my person, my extremest means, Lie all unlock'd to your occasions. Bass. 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 advent'ring both, I oft found both: I urge this childhood proof, Because what follows is pure innocence. I owe you much; and, like a wilful youth, |