PERSONS REPRESENTED. Duke of Venice. Prince of Morocco, suitors to Portia. Antonio, the merchant of Venice. Bassanio, his friend. Salanio, Salarino, Gratiano, friends to Antonio and Bassanio. Lorenzo, in love with Jessica. Shylock, a Jew. Tubal, a Jew, his friend. Launcelot Gobbo, a clown, servant to Shylock. Old Gobbo, father to Launcelot. Salerio, a messenger from Venice. Leonardo, servant to Bassanio. Portia, a rich heiress. Nerissa, her waiting-maid. Jessica, daughter to Shylock. Magnificoes of Venice, officers of the court of Justice, jailer, servants, and other attendants. Scene, partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont, the seat of Portia, on the continent. 249 Gratiano. MERCHANT OF VENmost noble ACT I. SCENE I-Venice. A street. Enter Antonio, Salarino, and Salanio! Antonio. 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; Do overpeer the petty traffickers, That curt'sy to them, do them reverence, Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still Salar. My wind, cooling my broth, (1) Ships of large burthen, me to an ague, when I thought ould think of shallows and of flats; And see my wealthy Andrew dock'd in sand, And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks? But, tell not me; I know, Antonio 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. Salan. Why then you are in love. Ant. Fie, fie! Salan. Not in love neither? Then let's say, you are sad, Because you are not merry: and 'twere as easy Nature hath fram'd strange fellows in her time: That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, (1) Lowering. Enter Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano. Salan. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman, Gratiano, and Lorenzo: Fare you well; merry, If worthier friends had not prevented me. Bass. Good signiors both, when shall we laugh? You grow exceeding strange: Must it be so? We two will leave you: but, at dinner-time, Gra. You look not well, signior Antonio; Ant. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; A stage, where every man must play a part, Gra. Sleep when he wakes? and creep into the jaundice There are a sort of men, whose visages Do cream and mantle, like a standing pond; I'll tell thee more of this another time: Lor. Well, we will leave you then till dinner- I must be one of these same dumb wise men, 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. mendable 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 (1) Obstinate silence. |