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 furnish'd with my opinion; which, better'd 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 1 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 learn'd Bellario, what he writes: And here, I take it, is the doctor come.— Enter PORTIA, dressed like a doctor of laws. Duke. You are welcome: take your place. That holds this present question in the court? Por. I am informed throughly 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.— You stand within his danger,2 do you not? [TO ANT. 1 Cannot impugn you,] To impugn, is to oppose, to controvert. So, in The Tragedy of Darius, 1603: Again: "Yet though my heart woold fain impugn my word." "If any press t' impugn what I impart." Steevens. 2 You stand within his danger,] i. e. within his reach or control. This phrase originates from another in the lowest Latin, that often occurs in monastic records. Thus, (as Mr. Tyrwhitt has observed on a passage in Chaucer) See Hist. Abbat. Pipwell. ap. Monast. Angl. t. i, p. 815: "Nec audebant Abbates eidem resistere, quia aut pro denariis aut pro bladis semper fuerunt Abbates in dangerio dicti Officialis." Thus also, in the Corvysor's Play, among the collection of Whitsun Mysteries, represented at ChesSee MS. Harl. 1013, p. 106: ter. Ant. Ay, so he says. Por. Por. Do you confess the bond? Then must the Jew be merciful. And earthly power doth then show likest God's, Therefore, Jew, we do pray for mercy; Oughten money to an usurere, "The one was in his daungere 66 Fyve hundred poundes tolde." Steevens. There are frequent instances in The Paston Letters of the use of this phrase in the same sense; whence it is obvious, from the common language of the time, that to be in DEBT and to be in DANGER, were synonymous terms. Henley. Again, in Powel's History of Wales, 1587: "-laying for his excuse that he had offended manie noblemen of England, and therefore would not come in their danger." Malone. وو 3 The quality of mercy is not strain'd; &c.] In composing these beautiful lines, it is probable that Shakspeare recollected the following verse in Ecclesiasticus, xxxv, 20: “ Mercy is seasonable in the time of affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought." Douce. 4 And earthly power doth then show likest God's, When mercy seasons justice.] So, in King Edward III, a tragedy, 1596: "And kings approach the nearest unto God, "By giving life and safety unto men. Malone. 5 -- in the course of justice, none of us Should see salvation:] Portia referring the Jew to the Chris And that same prayer doth teach us all to render Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice Por. Is he not able to discharge the money? Bass. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court; Yea, twice the sum:7 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: That malice bears down truth. And I beseech you, To do a great right, do a little wrong; Por. It must not be; there is no power in Venice "Twill be recorded for a precedent; And many an error, by the same example, Shy. A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel !- tian doctrine of salvation, and the Lord's Prayer, is a little out of character. Blackstone. 6 My deeds upon my head!] An imprecation adopted from that of the Jews to Pilate: "His blood be on us, and our children!" Henley. 7 Yea, twice the sum:] We should read-thrice the sum.-Portia, a few lines below, says 66 Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd thee." And Shylock himself supports the emendation: "I take his offer then;-pay the bond thrice." The editions, indeed, read-this offer; but Mr. Steevens has already proposed the alteration we ought to adopt. Ritson. 8 malice bears down truth.] Malice oppresses honesty; a true man in old language is an honest man. We now call the jury good men and true. Johnson. No, not for Venice. Por. Why, this bond is forfeit; And lawfully by this the Jew may claim Shy. When it is paid according to the tenour.- Hath been most sound: I charge you by the law, Ant. Most heartily I do beseech the court Por. Why then, thus it is. Which here appeareth due upon the bond. Shy. 'Tis very true: O wise and upright judge! How much more elder art thou than thy looks! Por. Therefore, lay bare your bosom. Ay, his breast: Shy. 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 express'd; But what of that? 'Twere good you do so much for charity. Shy. I cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond. Por. Come, merchant, have you any thing to say? Ant. But little; I am arm'd, and well prepar'd.— 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 out-live his wealth, 9 Commend me to your honourable wife: Say, how I lov'd you, speak me fair in death; Bass. Antonio, I am married to a wife, 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 The wish would make else an unquiet house. Shy. These be the christian husbands; I have a daughter; 'Would, any of the stock of Barrabas1 Had been her husband, rather than a Christian! [Aside. We trifle time; I pray thee, pursue sentence. Por. A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine; Of such a misery-] The first folio destroys the measure by omitting the particle-a; which, nevertheless, is found in the corrected second folio, 1632. Steevens. 1- the stock of Barrabas-] The name of this robber is differently spelt as well as accented in The New Testament; [Mǹ τότον, ἀλλὰ τον Βαραββάν. ἦν δὲ ὁ Βαραββᾶς ληστής ;] but Shakspeare seems to have followed the pronunciation usual to the theatre, Barabbas being sounded Barabas throughout Marlowe's Few of Malta. Our poet might otherwise have written: "Would any of Barabbas' stock had been "Her husband, rather than a Christian!" Steevens. |