Too long a pause for that which you find there.
You’re taking to long to say what it is you found in there.
ARRAGON
What's here? the portrait of a blinking idiot,
Presenting me a schedule! I will read it.
How much unlike art thou to Portia!
How much unlike my hopes and my deservings!
'Who chooseth me shall have as much as he deserves.'
Did I deserve no more than a fool's head?
Is that my prize? are my deserts no better?
What’s this? A picture of a blind idiot
Showing me a list! I will read it.
This picture looks nothing like Portia!
This is not what I’d hoped for and it is not what I deserve!
‘Whoever chooses me will get all that he deserves.’
Do I not deserve more that a picture of an idiot?
Is this my prize? Do I deserve no better?
PORTIA
To offend, and judge, are distinct offices
And of opposed natures.
Finding offense and judging what you deserve come from places
completely opposite in feeling.
ARRAGON
What is here?
What is this?
Reads
The fire seven times tried this:
Seven times tried that judgment is,
That did never choose amiss.
Some there be that shadows kiss;
Such have but a shadow's bliss:
There be fools alive, I wis,
Silver'd o'er; and so was this.
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head:
So be gone: you are sped.
Still more fool I shall appear
By the time I linger here
With one fool's head I came to woo,
But I go away with two.
Sweet, adieu. I'll keep my oath,
Patiently to bear my wroth.
This trunk has gone through fire seven times—
Seven times to make sure the person who chooses it
Did not choose it wrongly.
Some will kiss shadows,
And those will have only the happiness shadow’s can bring.
There are fools alive on this earth, I know,
Who are silver haired the same way as this trunk.
Take whatever wife you will,
But you will always have a fool’s head like the one in the picture.
So, go away—your work was quick here.
I will appear more the fool
The longer I stay.
I came here with a fool’s head,
But I leave with two.
Goodbye, I will keep my oath
And will calmly endure my misfortune.
Exeunt Arragon and train
PORTIA
Thus hath the candle singed the moth.
O, these deliberate fools! when they do choose,
They have the wisdom by their wit to lose.
They were singed like moths to the candle!
Oh, those calculating fools! When they choose,
They have just about enough wisdom to lose.
NERISSA
The ancient saying is no heresy,
Hanging and wiving goes by destiny.
The ancient saying is no lie:
Men die and marry by destiny.
PORTIA
Come, draw the curtain, Nerissa.
Please, close the curtain, Nerissa.
Enter a Servant
Servant
Where is my lady?
Where is my lady?
PORTIA
Here: what would my lord?
I’m here—what do you need?
Servant
Madam, there is alighted at your gate
A young Venetian, one that comes before
To signify the approaching of his lord;
From whom he bringeth sensible regreets,
To wit, besides commends and courteous breath,
Gifts of rich value. Yet I have not seen
So likely an ambassador of love:
A day in April never came so sweet,
To show how costly summer was at hand,
As this fore-spurrer comes before his lord.
Madam, there is at your gate
A young Venetian who is coming
Ahead to announce the arrival of his lord,
And he delivers very polite greetings
And—besides the courteous words—
He brings gifts of great value. I have not seen
Such a promising suitor so far.
A day in April could not be so sweet
To show the promise of summer to come
As this messager shows of his lord.
PORTIA
No more, I pray thee: I am half afeard
Thou wilt say anon he is some kin to thee,
Thou spend'st such high-day wit in praising him.
Come, come, Nerissa; for I long to see
Quick Cupid's post that comes so mannerly.
Please, say nothing else. I am almost afraid
You will say he is somehow related to you.
You put so much energy into praising him.
Let’s go, Nerissa, I want to see
This potential love who has been so well announced.
NERISSA
Bassanio, lord Love, if thy will it be!
Lord, I so hope it is Bassanio!
Exeunt
Enter SALANIO and SALARINO
SALANIO
Now, what news on the Rialto?
Now what’s the news on the Rialto?
SALARINO
Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd that Antonio hath
a ship of rich lading wrecked on the narrow seas;
the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very
dangerous flat and fatal, where the carcasses of many
a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossip
Report be an honest woman of her word.
There’s a rumor that Antonio had
a ship full of treaure wrecked in the English Chanel.
on the place called the Goodwins, I think, a very
dangerous flat that proves fatal to ships. Many
tall ships have sunk there, if the rumors
I hear are correct.
SALANIO
I would she were as lying a gossip in that as ever
knapped ginger or made her neighbours believe she
wept for the death of a third husband. But it is
true, without any slips of prolixity or crossing the
plain highway of talk, that the good Antonio, the
honest Antonio,--O that I had a title good enough
to keep his name company!—
I wish the rumors were not true, in the way
that a bitter widow tried to make her neighbors believe she
cried for the death of her third husband. But it is
true, without any wordiness or going on about
the matter—the good Antonio, the
honest Antonio—Oh, I just wish I had a title worthy enough
to say how he is!—
SALARINO
Come, the full stop.
C’mon, what’s the story?
SALANIO
Ha! what sayest thou? Why, the end is, he hath
lost a ship.
What are you saying? The point is, he has
lost a ship.
SALARINO
I would it might prove the end of his losses.
I would hope that is all he loses.
SALANIO
Let me say 'amen' betimes, lest the devil cross my
prayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew.
Let me say ‘amen’ at once unless the devil should cross the path of my
prayer, for here comes the devil looking like a Jew.
Enter SHYLOCK
How now, S
hylock! what news among the merchants?
Hey there, Shylock! What’s the news among the merchants?
SHYLOCK
You know, none so well, none so well as you, of my
daughter's flight.
You knew—nobody knew as well as you—about my
daughter’s plans to flee.
SALARINO
That's certain: I, for my part, knew the tailor
that made the wings she flew withal.
That’s true. I, myself, knew the tailor
who made the wings she flew away on.
SALANIO
And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was
fledged; and then it is the complexion of them all
to leave the dam.
And Shylock, for his part, knew she was ready
to run away—she had that look about her of any child
that is about to leave the home.
SHYLOCK
She is damned for it.
She is damned for it.
SALANIO
That's certain, if the devil may be her judge.
That would be for certain, if it’s the devil judging her.
SHYLOCK
My own flesh and blood to rebel!
My own flesh and blood turned against me!
SALANIO
Out upon it, old carrion! rebels it at these years?
Really? Your flesh turns against you at its age?
SHYLOCK
I say, my daughter is my flesh and blood.
I mean my daughter is my flesh and blood.
SALARINO
There is more difference between thy flesh and hers
than between jet and ivory; more between your bloods
than there is between red wine and rhenish. But
tell us, do you hear whether Antonio have had any
loss at sea or no?
There is more difference between your flesh and hers
than between black and white. And more difference between your blood
than there is between red wine and white wine. But
tell us—have you heard whether Antonio has had any
loss at sea or not?
SHYLOCK
There I have another bad match: a bankrupt, a
prodigal, who dare scarce show his head on the
Rialto; a beggar, that was used to come so smug upon
the mart; let him look to his bond: he was wont to
call me usurer; let him look to his bond: he was
wont to lend money for a Christian courtesy; let him
look to his bond.
That’s another bad bargain—a bankrupt, a
squanderer, who can hardly show his head on the
Rialoto. A beggar who used to look so smug at
the market. Let him think about his loan. He was so ready to
call me on my excessive interest. Let him think about his loan. He was
willing to lend money interest free, but now let him
think about his own loan.
SALARINO
Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take
his flesh: what's that good for?
Well, to be sure, if he forfeits it you won’t take
his flesh—what good would it be?
SHYLOCK
To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else,
it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and
hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses,
mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my
bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine
enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath
not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with
the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject
to the same diseases, healed by the same means,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as
a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?
if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison
us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not
revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will
resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,
what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian
wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by
Christian example? Why, revenge. The villany you
teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I
will better the instruction.
I’ll use it to bait fish. If it will feed nothing else
it will feed my revenge. He disgraces me and
cost me a half million. He laughed at my losses,
mocked my gains, scorned my nation, defeated my
bargins, caused my friends to turn against me, angered my
enemies, and for what? I am a Jew. That’s why. Doesn’t
a Jew have eyes? Doesn’t a Jew have hands, organs,
size, senses, feelings and emotions? We eat the
same food, are wounded by the same weapons, susceptible
to the same diseases, healed by the same methods,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, just
like a Christian is? If you prick us, don’t we bleed?
If you tickle us, don’t we laugh? If you poision
us, don’t we die? And if you wrong us, won’t we seek
revenge? If we are like you in every other way, we will
be like you in that way, too. If a Jew wronged a Christian
what is his punishment? Revenge. If a Christian
wrongs a Jew, what should his suffering be by
the example of the Christian? Yes, revenge. The discourtesty you
teach me, I will carry out, and I will do it more extremely
than the way I learned it.
Enter a Servant
Servant
Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his house and
desires to speak with you both.
Sirs, my master Antonio is at his house and
he would like to speak to both of you.
SALARINO
We have been up and down to seek him.
We’ve been looking all over for him.
Enter TUBAL
SALANIO
Here comes another of the tribe: a third cannot be
matched, unless the devil himself turn Jew.
Here comes another Jew—a third could do
match these first two, unless the devil himself turned Jewish.
Exeunt SALANIO, SALARINO, and Servant
SHYLOCK
How now, Tubal! what news from Genoa? hast thou
found my daughter?
Hello, Tubal! What’s the news from Genoa? Have you
found my daughter?
TUBAL
I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her.
I’ve heard talk about her in all the places I’ve been, but I haven’t found her.
SHYLOCK
Why, there, there, there, there! a diamond gone,
cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! The curse
never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt it
till now: two thousand ducats in that; and other
precious, precious jewels. I would my daughter
were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear!
would she were hearsed at my foot, and the ducats in
her coffin! No news of them? Why, so: and I know
not what's spent in the search: why, thou loss upon
loss! the thief gone with so much, and so much to
find the thief; and no satisfaction, no revenge:
nor no in luck stirring but what lights on my
shoulders; no sighs but of my breathing; no tears
but of my shedding.
What, this is too much! A diamond gone
that cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! Th
e curse
of being of Jew is something I have never felt
until now. Two thousand ducats lost in that diamond, and other
precious, precious jewels. I wish my daughter
were dead at my feet with the jewels in her ears!
I wish she were in a coffin at my feet, and the ducats were
in the coffin with her! No news of them? I do not even know
what I’m spending trying to find them. Loss after
loss! The thief got away with so much, and it’s taking so much to
find the thief. And there’s no satisfaction, no revenge.
I’ve had no luck except the bad luck I’m having
right now. No one is complaining about it but me. No one is crying
except for my own tears.
TUBAL
Yes, other men have ill luck too: Antonio, as I
heard in Genoa,--
Well, other men are having bad luck, too. Antonio, as I
heard in Genoa—
SHYLOCK
What, what, what? ill luck, ill luck?
What? What? Bad luck? Bad luck?
TUBAL
Hath an argosy cast away, coming from Tripolis.
His ship coming from Tripolis wrecked.
SHYLOCK
I thank God, I thank God. Is't true, is't true?
Oh, thank God! Thank God! Is it true? Is it true?
TUBAL
I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wreck.
I spoke with some of the sailors that survived the wreck.
SHYLOCK
I thank thee, good Tubal: good news, good news!
ha, ha! where? in Genoa?
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 282