Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates
Be seasoned 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; 't is 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.

Solan.

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

New come from Padua.

Duke. Bring us the letters. Call the messenger.

Bass. Good cheer, Antonio! What, man! courage 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 employed, 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 grace. [Presents a letter. Bass. Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly? Shy. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there. Gra. Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh Jew, Thou mak'st 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. Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend young and learned doctor to our court: Where is he?

A

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 Balthasar. 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 learned 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 thoroughly 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.

[To ANT.] You stand within his danger, do you not? Ant. Ay, so he says.

Por.

Ant. I do.

Por.

Do you confess the bond?

Then must the Jew be merciful.
Shy. On what compulsion must I? tell me that.
Por. The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven,
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blessed;
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes;
'T is 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? Bass. 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 heart:
If this will not suffice, it must appear,

That malice bears down truth. And I beseech you,
Wrest once the law to your authority:

To do a great right do a little wrong;

And curb this cruel devil of his will.

Por. It must not be; there is no power in Venice Can alter a decree established:

'T will be recorded for a precedent;

And many an error, by the same example,
Will rush into the state: it cannot be.

Shy. A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel! O wise young judge, how do I honour thee!

Por. I pray you, let me look upon the bond. Shy. Here 't is, most reverend doctor, here it is. Por. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd thee. Shy. An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven: Shall I lay perjury upon my soul?

No, not for Venice.

Por.
Why, this bond is forfeit;
And lawfully by this the Jew may claim.
A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off
Nearest the merchant's heart: be merciful;
Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond.
Shy. When it is paid according to the tenor.
It doth appear you are a worthy judge;
You know the law; your exposition

Hath been most sound: I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Proceed to judgment: by my soul I swear,

There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me; I stay here on my bond.

Ant. Most heartily I do beseech the court
To give the judgment.

Por.
Why, then, thus it is:
You must prepare your bosom for his knife.
Shy. O noble judge! O excellent young man!
Por. For the intent and purpose of the law
Hath full relation to the penalty,

Which here appeareth due upon the bond:

Shy. 'T is very true: O wise and upright judge! How much more elder art thou than thy looks! Por. Therefore, lay bare your bosom.

Shy.

Ay, his breast: So says the bond; - doth it not, noble judge? Nearest his heart; those are the very words.

Por. It is so. Are there balance here to weigh the flesh? Shy. I have them ready.

Por. Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge,

To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.

Shy. Is it so nominated in the bond?

Por. It is not so expressed; but what of that? 'T were good you do so much for charity.

Shy. I cannot find it; 't is not in the bond.
Por. Come, merchant, have you anything to say?
Ant. But little; I am armed, and well prepared.
Give me your hand, Bassanio; fare you well.
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you;
For herein Fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom: it is still her use,

To let the wretched man outlive his wealth,
To view with hollow eye, and wrinkled brow,
An age of poverty! from which lingering penance
Of such misery does she cut me off.
Commend me to your honourable wife:
Tell her the process of Antonio's end;

Say, how I loved you; speak me fair in death;
And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge
Whether Bassanio had not once a love.
Repent not you that you shall lose your friend,
And he repents not that he pays your debt;
For, if the Jew do cut but deep enough,
I'll pay it instantly with all my heart.
Bass. Antonio, I am married to a wife,
Which is as dear to me as life itself;
But life itself, my wife, and all the world,

Are not with me esteemed above thy life;

I would lose all, ay sacrifice them all

Here to this devil, to deliver you.

Por. Your wife would give you little thanks for that, If she were by to hear you make the offer.

Gra. I have a wife, whom I protest I love:

I would she were in heaven, so she could
Entreat some power to change this currish Jew.
Ner. 'T is well you offer it behind her back;
The wish would make else an unquiet house.

Shy. [Aside. These be the Christian husbands: I have a daughter;

Would any of the stock of Barrabas

Had been her husband rather than a Christian!

[Aloud.] We trifle time; I pray thee pursue sentence.
Por. A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine;
The court awards it, and the law doth give it.

Shy. Most rightful judge!

Por. And you must cut this flesh from off his breast; The law allows it, and the court awards it.

Shy. Most learned judge! A sentence! come, prepare. Por. Tarry a little; there is something else.

This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;
The words expressly are a pound of flesh;

Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;
But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed

One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate
Unto the state of Venice.

Gra. O upright judge! Mark, Jew!
Shy. Is that the law?
Por.

O learned judge!

Thyself shall see the act:

For, as thou urgest justice, be assured

Thou shalt have justice more than thou desirest.

Gra. O learned judge! - Mark, Jew! - a learned judge! Shy. I take this offer then, pay the bond thrice,

And let the Christian go.

Bass.

Por. Soft;

Here is the money.

The Jew shall have all justice;

soft;

no haste;

He shall have nothing but the penalty.
Gra. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!
Por. Therefore, prepare thee to cut off the flesh.
Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less, nor more,
But just a pound of flesh: if thou tak'st more,
Or less, than a just pound, be it but so much