The Merchant of Venice

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There are a sort of men whose visages

Do cream and mantle like a standing pond,

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’.

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.

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.

Lorenzo

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

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

Antonio

Well; tell me now what lady is the same

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

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,

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

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

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,

I owe you much; and, like a wilful youth,

That which I owe is lost; but if you please

To shoot another arrow that self way

Which you did shoot the first, I do not doubt,

Or bring your latter hazard back again

And thankfully rest debtor for the first.

Antonio

You know me well, and herein spend but time

To wind about my love with circumstance;

In making question of my uttermost

Than if you had made waste of all I have.

Then do but say to me what I should do

That in your knowledge may by me be done,

Bassanio

In Belmont is a lady richly left,

And she is fair and, fairer than that word,

Of wondrous virtues. Sometimes from her eyes

I did receive fair speechless messages.

To Cato’s daughter, Brutus’ Portia.

Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth;

For the four winds blow in from every coast

Renowned suitors, and her sunny locks

Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos’ strond,

And many Jasons come in quest of her.

O my Antonio, had I but the means

To hold a rival place with one of them,

That I should questionless be fortunate.

Antonio

Thou know’st that all my fortunes are at sea;

Neither have I money nor commodity

To raise a present sum; therefore go forth,

That shall be rack’d, even to the uttermost,

To furnish thee to Belmont to fair Portia.

Go presently inquire, and so will I,

Where money is; and I no question make

[Exeunt.]

Scene II

Belmont. Portia’s house.

[Enter PORTIA with her waiting-woman, NERISSA.]

Portia

By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great world.

Nerissa

Portia

Nerissa

They would be better, if well followed.

Portia